This site was conceived as a side project by a "tekkie" friend of mine who suggested I use my journalistic experience to write about something I love. We bandied about some ideas before settling on this one - largely because I had collected movie soundtracks for much of my life and thought I could write about them. We wanted the site to be user friendly, well-written and reliable.
Over time, I hope to attract other writers keen to contribute to the site, who don't mind foregoing the financial benefits they may be used to in the short-term for something that may, or may not, be profitable further down the line.
The gradual demise of the cd format, re-emergence of vinyl, along with the expansion of blu-ray dvd and downloads translate to an ever-changing market place; despite this, most of us still buy cd's and dvd's and I hope that you will use the Amazon links on this site to buy online.
We have also included mini YouTube video links that accompany the reviews, so that you can listen to your favourite theme music while watching a related trailer or clip from the movie; because film is a visual medium, there seems no better way of presenting it.
Finally, a note on the type of soundtracks featured. Though purists generally view albums such as "Top Gun", "Flashdance" and others like them, as unworthy of coverage on a film soundtrack site, preferring instead to focus on orchestral scores, we have taken the view that these albums have earned their place based on their continued saleability and affection with a large section of cinema-goers. We wanted to reach as broad an audience as possible and have developed the site with this in mind, without forgetting those fans for whom composers such as Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith, among many others, are considered on a par with the master composers. We hope you can find your best movie soundtracks on this site.
Themeology: The Best Of John Barry.
John Barry.
Columbia, CD, 1997, 488582-2 Rating:
Though John Barry is probably best known for his extensive work on the James Bond films, this collection of score music demonstrates just how diverse his output is. Better still, there is not one dud note here, from the claustrophobic (‘The Ipcress File’) to the panoramic (‘Born Free’, ‘Dances With Wolves’) and the iconic theme from ‘The Persuaders’ television series. Though this collection concentrates largely on his work from the 1960s and 1970s, with only ‘Dances With Wolves’ representing the 1990s, there are so many memorable moments here that while ’Themeology’ may not be definitive, it remains a highly evocative and worthwhile addition to any collectors cd rack. Themeology: The Best Of John Barry. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Persuaders
2. Midnight Cowboy
3. Ipcress File
4. Knack
5. Wednesday’s Child
6. Space March (Capsule In Space)
7. Girl With The Sun In Her Hair
8. Vendetta
9. Danny Scipio
10. James Bond
11. Goldfinger
12. Diamonds Are Forever
13. From Russia With Love
14. You Only Live Twice
15. Thunderball
16. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
17. 007
18. Walk Don’t Run
19. Beat For Beatniks
20. Hit And Miss
21. Born Free
Halloween H20 (Portrait In Terror)
1992, Miramax.
John Ottman.
Verese Sarabande, CD, 1998, VSD-5986 Rating:
John Ottman’s interesting contribution to the ‘Halloween’ series reaches us in a rather roundabout way; re-titled and re-worked - the score was only partially used in the film, cue the title ‘Portrait Of Terror’, supplemented by Marco Beltrami’s temp-track, preferred by Miramax - this is, at times, an experimental sounding effort, flecked with vocal effects (‘Rest Stop’, ‘Disposal’) that peak your interest but sound somewhat out of place. Much stronger are Ottman’s adaptations of John Carpenter’s original theme, orchestrally beefed-up with a booming bass line, that positively differentiates it from the original sparser (though ultimately superior) material, and his new theme for Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), laden with a sense of impending doom and a childlike accent of her innocent past. Add to this a nice homage to ‘Psycho’ in ‘Advice’ (Janet Leigh, starred in both ‘Psycho’ and ‘Halloween H20’) and an impressively powerful climax (’Farewell, Michael’) and we are left with an entertaining, if flawed piece of horror fare that deserved more of a hearing in the film itself.
Portrait Of Terror (‘Halloween H20’) Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Main Title.
2. Laurie.
3. Narrow Escape.
4. Advice.
5. Rest Stop.
6. Disposal.
7. The Evening Begins.
8. Seventeen.
9. Face To face.
10. Letting Go.
11. Here’s Company.
12. Sonata For Molly.
13. Death of A Nurse.
14. Final Confrontation.
15. He’s Dead.
16. Road trip.
17. Farewell, Michael.
Get Shorty.
1995, MGM.
John Lurie/Various.
Antilles/Verve, CD, 1995, 529 310-2. Rating:
Scott Frank’s adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s comic crime novel stars John Travolta as loan shark Chili Palmer, who agrees to loosen his grip on movie producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman) in exchange for a shot at the big time. John Lurie’s breezy jazz-infected score matches up well to the films slick, stylish neo-noir feel, with a well chosen roster of songs as support from the likes of Booker T. & The MG’s and Morphine, whose ‘I Had My Chance’ is reminiscent of a less polished Chris Isaak. The light, summery, rhythmic funk of Grayboy’s ‘Panacea’, is a highlight, lined up alongside jazzy organ, making quite a few appearances, most prominently in Medeski Martin & Wood‘s ‘Chubb Sub‘ and Lurie’s ‘To Be Alive And In A Covertible’. The harder beats and electric guitar of ‘Chili At The Airport’ and Booker T’s ‘Can’t Be Still’, shake things up a bit, taking the material away from its acid-jazz roots, though this is essentially a laid back, well compiled collection with an understated slice of cool.
Get Shorty Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Chili Hot (Us3).
2. Green Onions (Booker T. & The MG’s).
3. Nose Punch (John Lurie).
4. Stink (John Lurie).
5. I Had My Chance (Morphine).
6. To Be Alive And In A Convertibe (John Lurie).
7. Panacea (Greyboy).
8. Chili At Airport (Part 1.) (John Lurie).
9. Vesuvius (John Lurie).
10. Bo’s Veranda (Morphine).
11. Can’t Be Still (Booker T. & The MG’s).
12. Bo AT Airport (John Lurie).
13. Romantic Walk (John Lurie).
14. Chubb Sub (Medeski Martin & Wood).
15. Chili At Airport (Part II) (John Lurie).
16. Chili And Karen At Sunset (John Lurie).
17. Stink (John Lurie).
