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.
Red Dragon.
2002, Universal.
Danny Elfman.
Decca, CD, 2002, 473 248-2. Rating:
Brett Ratner’s film version of Thomas Harris’ bestselling prequel to ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ sees Hannibal Lecter behind bars (again) and another killer on the loose, this time with Ed Norton as the detective in charge, in an enjoyable but unremarkable thriller. Much the same could be said for Danny Elfman’s score; while his melodic ‘Main Title’ is listenable and cues such as ‘The Old Mansion’ and ‘The Fire’ atmospheric, there is a sense that he is going through the motions, trading in the inventive orchestrations that made his work on ‘Batman’ and ‘Beetlejuice’ so impressive, for stock scoring that does the job but little more. The sound isn’t much better; dull, plodding and distant. Hans Zimmer’s score for ‘Hannibal’ is much better. Red Dragon Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Logos.
2. The Revelation.
3. Main Titles.
4. The Cell.
5. The old Mansion.
6. The Address.
7. We’re Different.
8. The Note.
9. Enter The Dragon.
10. Threats.
11. Tiger Balls.
12. Love On A Couch.
13. Devouring The Dragon.
14. The Fire.
15. The Book.
16. He’s Back!
17. End Credits Suite.
Quentin Tarantino’s latest bombastic offering sets a group of Jewish/American soldiers loose in Nazi occupied France; the result is a violent and caricatured combination of historical (though, far from historically accurate) set pieces, in which the characters crash into, or merely skirt past each other. As with previous efforts, ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Jackie Brown’ et al, the soundtrack borrows heavily from other sources (Tarantino rarely commissions a composer to write a score for his films), with the likes of Billy Preston’s 1970s raucous funk rock, ‘Slaughter’ and David Bowie’s ‘Cat People (Putting Out The Fire)’, alongside film score music from Ennio Morricone and Lalo Schifrin. While ‘Inglorious’ may have trouble finding a market - it could be too off the wall for regular listeners, too familiar to soundtrack collectors - the diverse styles generally work well together and it at least brings Morricone’s atmospheric work to a wider audience, which, despite its shortcomings, makes it a lot more interesting than many of the film tie-in fodder on the market. Inglorious Basterds Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Green Leaves Of Summer (Nick Perito).
2. Verdict (Dopo la Condanna) (Ennio Morricone).
3. White Lightning (Main Title) [from White Lightning] (Charles Bernstein).
4. Slaughter (Billy Preston).
5. Surrender (La Resa) (Ennio Morricone).
6. One Silver Dollar (Un Dollaro Bucato) (The Film Studio Orchestra).
7. Davon Geht Die Welt Nicht Unter (From Die Grosse Liebe) (Zarah Leander).
8. Man With The Big Sombrero (Samantha Shelton).
9. Ich Wollt Ich Waer Ein Huhn (Willy Fritsch/Lilian Harvey).
10. Main Theme From Dark Of The Sun (Jacques Loussier).
11. Cat People (Putting Out The Fire) (David Bowie).
12. Tiger Tank (Lalo Schifrin).
13. Amico (Ennio Morricone).
14. Rabbia E Tarantella (Ennio Morricone).
Jerry Goldsmith’s impressive score to Paul Verhoeven’s steamy thriller is a sedate affair; rather than go for the jugular (or the ice pick!), he has used a fair amount of restraint (and you could argue, intelligence), exploiting the sensual, mysterious elements in the story, while playing down the sleazier side show, to classy effect. When he does up the excitement a notch, most impressive in ‘Night Life’, the result is sleek, stylised and full of atmosphere. ‘Roxy Loses’, pulls out all the stops, with full string and brass sections, reminiscent of Pino Donaggio’s score for ‘Blow Out’, while ’Catherine’s Sorrow’ weaves the (rather over used) main theme into an effective new one. Despite being re-released in complete form in 2004, with additional, rather brief cues and expanded liner notes, this original release remains the most cohesive version available. Seductive. Basic Instinct Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
1. Main Title (Theme From Basic Instinct).
2. Crossed Legs.
3. Night Life.
4. Kitchen Help.
5. Pillow Talk.
6. Morning After.
7. The Games Are Over.
8. Catherine’s Sorrow.
9. Roxy Loses.
10. An Unending Story.
Other Versions Available:
Basic Instinct Soundtrack CD
Promethius, CD, 2004, XPCD 154. Rating: Track Listing:
1. Main Title 2:13
2. First Victim 1:39
3. Catherine & Roxy 5:14
4. Shadows 0:41
5. Profile 0:49
6. Don’t Smoke 2:26
7. Crossed Legs 4:49
8. Beth & Nick 2:21
9. Night Life 6:03
10. Home Visit 1:13
11. Your Wife Knew.
12. Untitled.
13. That’s Real Music.
14. One Shot.
15. Kitchen Help.
16. Pillow Talk.
17. Morning After.
18. Roxy Loses.
19. Catherine’s Sorrow.
20. Wrong Name.
21. She’s Really Sick.
22. It Won’t Sell.
23. Games Are Over.
24. Evidence.
25. Unending Story / End Credits.
26. First Victim (alternate version).
