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
The Deep.
1977, Columbia/EMI.
John Barry/ Various.
Casablanca. LP, 1977, CAL 2018. Rating:
This glossy adaptation of Peter (‘Jaws’) Benchley’s bestseller about a couple (played by Jacueline Bisset and Nick Nolte) who stumble across a drugs haul while diving for treasure in the Bahamas, is visually lush but lacks the bite of its predecessor. John Barry’s score effectively harnesses the beauty of the Caribbean locations to good effect with a swaying melodic main theme, ‘Deep, Down Inside’, underpinned by a gentle disco beat. While his twenty four minute ballet based on the score provides a slightly more substantial element, three versions of the main theme, two performed by Donna Summer, who also wrote the lyrics, make this seem more like a marketing exercise aimed at DJs than a score; not very flattering for a composer of Barry’s standing. The Deep Movie Review. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
Side One:
1. Return To The Sea – 2033 A.D.
Side Two:
1. Theme From ‘The Deep’ (Down, Deep Inside) (Donna Summer).
2. Theme From ‘The Deep’ (John Barry).
3. Disco Calypso (Beckett).
4. Theme From ‘The Deep’ (Down, Deep Inside) (Donna Summer) (A Love Song).
Midnight Cowboy
1969, United Artists
John Barry/Various
EMI Manhattan, CD, 1985, PRMCD 6 Rating:
John Schlesinger’s off-beat buddy movie about a Texan hustler turned prostitute (John Voight) and a seedy lowlife (Dustin Hoffman) who dream of leaving New York City for a life in the Florida sunshine, is one of John Barry’s more interesting, if less substantial scores; largely because his instrumental cues have to jostle for attention alongside a collection of psychedelic pop numbers and Nilsson’s much loved, and played, ‘Everybody’s Talkin’, which does steal the show somewhat; still, Barry uses it to his advantage by writing cues that expand upon the theme, such as ‘Joe Buck Rides Again’ and the stand-out ‘Midnight Cowboy’. The memorable ‘Florida Fantasy’, which I guarantee you have heard before, and the Mama’s and the Papas-esque ‘A Famous Myth’ by the Groop bring another dimension to the mix. Midnight Cowboy Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Everybody’s Talkin’.
2. Joe Buck Rides Again.
3. A Famous Myth.
4. Fun City.
5. He Quit Me.
6. Jungle Gym At The Zoo.
7. Midnight Cowboy.
8. Old Man Willow.
9. Florida Fantasy.
10. Tears And Joys.
11. Science Fiction.
12. Everybody’s Talkin’ (Reprise).
