The Fugitive is the film score composed by James Newton Howard to the 1993 film of the same name directed by Andrew Davis, starring Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Joe Pantoliano, Andreas Katsulas and Jeroen Krabbé. The score was released on August 31, 1993, under the Elektra Records label and featured 11 tracks from Howard's score. A complete expanded edition was released through La-La Land Records on December 1, 2009.

Background James Newton Howard composed the film's musical score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony. Howard had a difficult time scoring the film, recalling, "The Fugitive really kicked my ass. When I was hired for it, I was terrified." He became more despondent after listening to Jerry Goldsmith's work, which he had been using as placeholders for scenes that needed music. Howard was not confident that he could match the quality of those temporary cues, but he refused to quit, eventually conceding that his score would be a "quasi-failure". He was particularly dissatisfied with his work on the chase scenes, believing his string arrangements were too awkward.

Release Elektra Records released an album featuring selections from the score on August 31, 1993. La-La Land Records later released a two-disc, expanded, and remastered edition of the score, featuring over an hour of previously unreleased music, tracks from the original soundtrack, and alternate cues.

Reception Jonathan Broxton of Movie Music UK wrote "Although James Newton Howard himself didn't think his score was Academy Award material, The Fugitive has nevertheless gone on to be regarded as one of the quintessential action scores of the composer's career. It's a superb work that blends languid jazz and blues with aggressive, complicated, intricate action music – a perfect combination of his own developing stylistics, and appropriate acknowledgements of the film's own 1960s TV roots."

Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks wrote "The Fugitive represents Howard's thriller and action mode in its early development and it's difficult to sing the praises of a score that is ultimately efficiently mundane and little more. It remains a significantly underachieving effort floated more by a superior film than vice versa." Jason Ankeny of AllMusic wrote "With a scaled-down orchestra primarily emphasizing strings and woodwinds, the music lives or dies on its rhythmic intensity, and Howard does not disappoint."

Janet Maslin of The New York Times called Howard's score "hugely effective". Leonard Klady of Variety wrote "special note is due James Newton Howard's score, which slips in just enough hints of the TV theme to bridge the years". Duane Byrge of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "composer James Newton Howard's propulsive score makes one feel Kimble's pounding heart." Glen Chapman of Den of Geek wrote "The score adds to the levels of tension, as it alternates between time signatures, with orchestral passages underpinning the score, and percussion very much the primary focus [...] Even with all of those elements, the score never goes over the top, with Howard showing a deft touch for creating suspense that would serve him well later in his career."

Track listing Standard edition

Expanded edition

Personnel Credits adapted from liner notes:

Music composer and producer – James Newton Howard Co-producer – Michael Mason Music engineer – Greg Dennen, Sue McLean, Tom Hardisty Technical engineer – Bill Talbot Programming – Michael C. Mason Recording – Dan Wallin Mixing – Robert Schaper, Dan Wallin Mastering – Dave Collins Music editor – Jim Weidman Assistant music editor – David Olson Liner notes – Jeff Bond Executive in charge of music for Warner Bros. – Gary LeMel Orchestra Orchestration – Brad Dechter, Chris Boardman, James Newton Howard Orchestra conductor – Marty Paich Orchestra contractor and manager – Sandy DeCrescent Copyist – JoAnn Kane Music Services Proofreaders – Aime Vereecke, Artie Kane, Barbara Franklin, Berwyn E. Linton, Bradley G. Dechter, Christopher E. Boardman, Conrad M. Pope, Cynthia A. Turner, Dan Franklin, Daniel Gold, Deborah S. Mitchell (Jones), Donald Rivers McGinnis, Douglas Dana, Ellen G. Fleming, Eric L. Stonerook, F. E. Scott Harris, Frank White Bennett, Harold L. Garrett, Howard W. Drew, James F. Hoffman, Jim Surell, Jeremy E. Thale, Jo Ann Kane, Joseph P. McGuire, Joe Porcaro, Joel Franklin, Julia A. Eidsvoog, Karen Marie Smith, Katherine Fields, Kirby M. Furlong, Larry B. Rench, Lars Clutterham, Lolita L. Ritmanis, Margaret Jean Maryatt, Norman Mark Frisbie, Michael C. Mason, Michael Melvoin, Ralph Fera, Robert M. Calderwood, Robert L. Manrique, Roberta McIntosh, Ronald F. Gorow, Russell Bartmus, Steven L. Smith, Thomas G. Brown, Tom J. Calderaro, Vincent Bartold, Wayne J. Coster, William T. Stromberg Booth reader – Bradley G. Dechter, Christopher E. Boardman Instruments Acoustic bass – Chuck Domanico Bagpipes – Aaron Groszmann, Charles Burgin, Eric Rigler, Glen Thompson, Hugh Elder, James Yuile, John Davis, Scott Newton, Scott Ruscoe Bass – Arni Egilsson, Bruce P. Morgenthaler, Buell Neidlinger, Charles C. Berghoffer, Charles L. Domanico, David Henry Young, Drew D. Dembowski, Norman S. Ludwin, Paul J. Zibits, Richard Feves, Steven G. Edelman, Susan Ranney, Timothy C. Barr Bassoon – Julie Ann Feves, Kenneth E. Munday, Leslie Lashinsky, Michael R. O'Donovan, Patricia Kindel-Heimerl Cello – J. Antony Cooke, Armen Ksajikian, Barbara Jane Hunter (Badgley), Christine Ermacoff, David J. Low, David H. Speltz, Dennis Karmazyn, Douglas L. Davis, Earl S. Madison, Jerome Kessler, John A. Walz, Matthew A. Cooker, Paula J. Hochhalter, Raymond J. Kelley, Robert Lee Adcock, Ronald A. Leonard, Sebastian W. Toettcher, Stephen Erdody, Timothy Eric Landauer, Todd L. Hemmenway Clarinet – Dominick Fera, Gary G. Gray, Jim Kanter, John Lowe Drums, percussion – Alan C. Estes, Robert J. Zimmitti, Emil Radocchia, Jerry D. Williams, Joe Porcaro, Larry Bunker, Leonard Castro, Michael G. Fisher, Peter Limonick, Ralph A. Razze, Steven M. Porcaro, Steven Schaeffer Flute – David J. Shostac, Geraldine Rotella, James R. Walker, Louise M. DiTullio (Dissman), Sarah Weisz (Orme), Sheridon W. Stokes French horn – Carol Bacon Drake, Daniel P. Kelley, David Allan Duke, James W. Thatcher, John A. Reynolds, Kurt G. Snyder, Mark L. Adams, Phillip Edward Yao, Stephanie Mijanovich (O'Keefe), Steven B. Becknell, Steven L. Durnin, Todd L. Miller Harp – Anne Stockton (Mason), Eleanore S. Choate, Gayle R. Levant Keyboards – James Newton Howard, Michael A. Lang Oboe – Barbara B. Northcutt, Phillip W. Ayling, Thomas George Boyd Piano – James Newton Howard Saxophone – Wayne Shorter Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach, Charles C. Loper, Richard Nash, Lewis Melvin McCreary Trumpet – Boyde Wyatt Hood, David Preston Searfoss, George Burnette Dillon, Jon Lewis, Malcolm Boyd McNab, Mario F. Guarneri, Rick J. Baptist, Roy L. Poper, Warren H. Luening Jr. Tuba – James M. Self, John E. Pokorny, John T. "Tommy" Johnson, Norman W. Pearson Viola – Alan B. DeVeritch, Benjamin Simon, Carole Kleister-Castillo, Carole S. Mukogawa, Carrie Holzman-Little, Dan Lionel Neufeld, Denyse N. Buffum, Janet Lakatos, Laura E. Kuennen-Poper, Linn Subotnick, Margot L. Aldcroft (MacLaine), Mihail Zinovyev, Miriam M. Granat, Miriam Meyer, Nancy K. Roth, Pamela Goldsmith, Rick E. Gerding, Robin R. Ross, Roland A. Kato, Samuel Boghossian, Scott David Haupert, Steven A. Gordon, Victoria Eva Miskolczy Violin – Alan H. Grunfeld, Anatoly Rosinsky, Armen Garabedian, Arnold Belnick, Berj Garabedian, Robert A. Sanov, Brian Leonard, Bruce Dukov, Darius P. Campo, David W. Ewart, Dimitrie J. Leivici, Ellen Garaffa Gray, Guillermo (Gil) Romero, Haim Shtrum, Harris Goldman, Igor Kiskatchi, Irma W. Neumann, Jacqueline I. Brand, Jay A. Rosen, Joel G. Derouin, Karen Jones, Kathleen A. Lenski, Kenneth Yerke, Margaret L. Batjer, Mari Tsumura (Botnick), Mario R. DeLeon, Miran Kojian, Miwako Watanabe, Norma Leonard (Auzin), Patricia Johnson, Polly H. Sweeney, Rachel Stegeman (Robinson), Rafael Rishik, Ralph D. III Morrison, Rene Mandel, Robin Olson, Ron Clark, Ronald P. Folsom, Sheldon Sanov, Sheryl L. Staples-Centanni, Stuart V. Canin, Tamara Chang (Hatwan), Yoko Matsuda

Accolades

Award Category Nominee Result1994 66th Academy Awards66th Academy Awards:

Best Original Score James Newton Howard 1994 ASCAP Film & Television Music Awards Top Box Office Films James Newton Howard

References