The 1997 comedy Fierce Creatures reunited the creative core of the cult classic A Fish Called Wanda with one notable exception: composer Jerry Goldsmith replaced John du Prez, whose collaboration with star/screenwriter John Cleese extended back to the latter's tenure with the Monty Python troupe. The resulting score is a quirky, jazz-inspired effort unique in the Goldsmith comedic catalog for its austere small-ensemble approach. He nevertheless makes the most of his limited resources, creating a series of deceptively simple themes that nevertheless speak volumes about the film's outlandish characters. With less than a half-hour of content, however, it's difficult to recommend purchasing the Varèse Sarabande soundtrack release, especially given Fierce Creatures' status as such an anomaly within Goldsmith's overall output. It's for serious enthusiasts only. ~ Jason Ankeny
