Movie Music and More #50: "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1982)

I (Hamlette) am here today to discuss one of the coolest soundtracks ever.  Ever.  It's one of those soundtracks that is delicious to listen to by itself, but when paired with its movie, it's just sublime.  I am, of course, talking about John Williams' insta-classic score for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1982). 

The first track I'll share with you is "A Thought for Marion/To Nepal."  I love how expectant it is, beginning with some soft, sweet ponderings, then a little mystery creeping in.  And from there, a jolt of excitement, that wonderfully playful Indy theme popping in for a moment.  Then it finishes up with a little Oriental flourish to bring in the idea we're going somewhere Foreign and Exotic. So cool!

My next selection is "The Basket Game," which balances playful and fearful so niftily.  We're worried cuz Marion gets chased and then abducted, but there's a lot of comedy going on during the chase scene too, so the whole song feels like juggling, doesn't it?

This might be my favorite moment in the whole movie -- when Indy's in the Map Room and the medallion on top of the staff actually shows him the location of the Ark.  "The Map Room: Dawn" perfectly captures Indy's expressions there, going from hopeful to awestruck.

"Washington Ending & Raiders March" starts off all sentimental.  Indiana Jones has lost his prize.  But he's got Marion still, so that's something.  The song doesn't waste too much time on his annoyance -- he gets one minute to grouse, and then here comes the most glorious theme song in action movie history (IMHO).  Really, the Raiders March feels to me like eating a giant Snickers bar while riding on a roller coaster with my best friend -- like being surrounded with joy, in other words.  I'm sitting here with a big, goofy grin on my face, bobbing my head along with it as I type, and fully intending to hit "replay" as soon as it ends.  How about you?

That's all I've got for you today, but if you want to listen to more, the entire album is available on YouTube here.

Movie Music and More #49: "Charade" (1963)

I (Hamlette) am finally back with another delicious movie soundtrack to discuss with you!

Is there any composer at all who embodies '60s cool so completely as Henry Mancini?  Yeah, didn't think so.  And nowhere does his music exude cool so much as in the soundtracks for The Pink Panther.  Be that as it may, today I'm going to talk about a different movie Mancini scored, namely Charade (1963).  It stars Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn and James Coburn and Walter Mathau and George Kennedy, and if you haven't seen it, I'm not going to spoil it for you.  If you like cool '60s movies OR rompy mysteries OR movies with a Hitchcock vibe, then go watch it.  But if you don't have time to watch it just this minute, then just hang out here and listen to a few of my favorites from the soundtrack.

"Main Title" has this sexy, lounge-y theme set over some very tense and insistent percussion.  Like someone telling you to run away from the bad guys, but be sure to look really fetching while you do so.

"Megeve" has that mellow '60s sound going on -- a good rhythm to keep life moving along, but overall it's laid-back and happy to just hang out in the background while you sip a few cocktails and discuss who's cooler, Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin.

"The Drip-Dry Waltz" comes from that super-famous scene where Cary Grant takes a shower.  Oh yes, he does, in his own charming Cary Grant way, and if you want to watch, I can almost guarantee it will make you laugh (and want to watch the whole movie -- that's what happened to me.  I saw this scene in some sort of PBS program when I was a teen and would not rest until I found and watched the whole movie).  But anyway, the song is a frothy little bit of adorableness that perfectly matches the scene in every respect.

If you want, you can listen to more here on YouTube.  Ciao!

Movie Music and More #46: "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hit theaters recently and so did Hans Zimmer's latest, and apparently last, score for a DC flick. As a whole, Zimmer's score is good, albeit a bit generic at times, but there are a few specific tracks that standout. My personal favorite is, "Is She With You." If you have seen the film or trailer, it is played when Wonder Woman first appears in costume. The use of, what I assume, is the electric guitar captures the mystery of the character perfectly. During the scene, the music was noticeable and made me want to find it as soon as arriving home from the theater. Sure, the track itself isn't a masterpiece, but it contains a unique blend of instruments that appeals to me. Even though Zimmer will not scoring Wonder Woman, hopefully a variation on the theme will be used for the film. 

Above is one of the stronger atmospheric tracks from the film. Contained within the embedded video is the rest of the soundtrack in a playlist. After listening to the entire score, there are not that many memorable tracks, aside from "Is She With You." It is quite good at times, yet never finds a true theme that carries across the film. During the film, the score is fine, but after listening to it, it lacks a central theme, like Alan Silvestri's Avengers main theme. Maybe I am missing certain cues in the music that others have picked up. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know! And if you missed it, click here to read my review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Movie Music and More # 47: "The Princess Bride" (1987)

I (Hamlette) am here to discuss one of my most recent soundtrack acquisitions.  It's quite ridiculous that it took me this long to buy this soundtrack, because I've loved The Princess Bride (1987) for more than twenty years.  Sometimes, I make very little sense.  Anyway, Mark Knopfler's score for The Princess Bride is as subtly off-kilter as everything else in the movie.  Fairy tale motifs get twisted slightly to make them fresh, funny, and surprising.

"I Will Never Love Again" begins very sad, pensive, minor.  Lots of strings, a bit of a twangy '80s sound going on here and there.  It's a love theme gone horribly wrong, which suits the early part of the film perfectly.

"The Friends' Song" is an obviously humorous song, got a good swagger and a bounce to it.  Some cheeky guitars open it, then a flute joins in with a delicate little strain of sweetness that is eventually overwhelmed by more strings.  But that flute isn't going down with out a fight, and reasserts itself, learning to play nicely along with the strings.  After two minutes, the whole mood shifts to almost a dance, bits of a menace coming in underneath.  It's like a little peasant dance that's being interrupted.

"The Swordfight" is delightful.  Parry, thrust, parry, thrust -- even the music is dueling.  There are some blithe castanets at the beginning to bring in a Spanish flair as befits Inigo, and lots of worried strings keeping us anxious as to what the outcome of this duel will be.  Some trumpets try to butt in triumphantly, but they get pushed back out, and the song twists minor, the strings get dizzyingly busy, and it almost feels like something you'd hear during a swashbuckly silent film where the story has to be helped by the music because there's no dialog.

You can listen to the whole soundtrack on Mark Knopfler's YouTube channel here.  And if you've never visited it, the Official Site is a delight for any Princess Bride fan :-)

Movie Music and More #46: "Emma" (1996)

One of my (Hamlette) favorite film scores, Rachel Portman's Emma (1996), won the Academy Award for best original score that year.  Since we've got Oscars on our minds, I thought this would be a great time to discuss this delightful soundtrack.

Rachel Portman is one of those composers whose scores I almost always enjoy.  She's great at writing joyful music that moves scenes along, and she can layer deep emotions under the surface of that joy as well.  

"Main Titles" gives you a great idea of what the tone of the movie will be before anyone says a single word of dialog.  It begins softly, sweetly, a little bit pensive even, then picks up tempo and becomes sprightly and humorous.  Then it ends with grace and dignity.

"Harriet's Portrait" makes me smile, and not just because the part of the film it belongs to makes me laugh aloud.  It's such vivacious music, isn't it?  Playful and bright and energetic.

"The Dance" is pure fun.  It makes me want to cavort.  Sometimes I do.  It's a little bit repetitive at first, and you can envision people doing an English Country Dance with it's fancy patterns, and then about 40 seconds in, it gets louder and boisterous, and yeah... who can resist dancing to such music?

"Emma Insults Miss Bates" is a more serious track, as befits a more serious scene.  You hear that same theme from the opening credits, only now it's very slow and sad, mournful in places.  Emma grows up quite suddenly in this scene, realizing that her behavior can affect others in bad ways as well as good, and this delicate, wistful song fits the scene perfectly.

The entire soundtrack is delightful -- you can listen to it on YouTube here.  It's one of my favorites to listen to in the early spring, when I'm feeling very bright and hopeful, but with a touch of wistfulness here and there too.

Movie Music and More #45: "Wolf Children"

Hello, all! It's me Jamie again! Today I have two musical tracks for you all today from the stunning film, Wolf Children. Wolf Children is a gorgeous story of motherhood, told through fantasy and realism: a must-watch film to be sure! From it's OST for you today, I'm sharing two of my favorite tracks!

Ki Toki To – Yonhon Ashi no Odori. There is no other word to describe this piece but pure joy. The strings fly and the piano triumphantly plays waterfalls up and down the scale. The flutes and harp literally create the sound of the wind in your ears. And the symbols give the magic an extra oomph! I can almost see the wolf children and their mother joyously fly down the side of the snowy mountains, eating up the ground in the happiness of fresh snow. This is the sound of sentiment and adrenaline: but most of all, it's the sound of joy.

Oyosute Aina. This second piece isn't as spirited and galloping as the last. Yet it certainly doesn't lack emotion in the least bit. A steady ticking like a clock keeps tempo as the piano enthusiastically, yet gently, trickles up and down the scale. A soft guitar and intriguing vocals join in, creating a warm, gentle ambiance. It nearly conjures the images of summer and wafting curtains in the kitchen. At moments the song is almost loud with excitement before mellowing out again. To me, this track's emotion, or sound, is hope. The tension of hope, the joy of hope, the peace in hope. and the expectation of hope. All in all, it's a truly peaceful track.

Hope you enjoyed those! If you enjoy soundtracks, you can find plenty of suggestions for others on my blog Jamie Talks Anime; I post a weekly series of music there! I also blog about my life in general at Through Two Blue Eyes and music pops up there quite often as well. Thank you for reading!

~Jamie

Movie Music and More #44 : "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938)

I (Hamlette) am here today to discuss a film score that is a classic in every possible way a soundtrack could be.  From long ago, still enjoyable today, and something others might try to imitate but can never duplicate.  And it even comes with an adventure story of its own, separate from the one in the movie it accompanies!

Composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold and his family escaped Vienna just before the Nazis invaded in 1938 thanks to this film score.  According to the liner notes of my copy, Korngold was offered the job of composing the score for The Adventures of Robin Hood in Hollywood, and he took his wife and younger son along, leaving his older son with family in Austria.  They arrived safely in California, where Korngold promptly turned down the job because there was too much action in the film!  He wrote operas and scored romantic movies, not action films, and he didn't think he could match the studio's needs and expectations.  But they prevailed on him to try, so he stayed, and wrote the entire score in six weeks.  During that time, Hitler invaded Austria, and they learned that their other son had escaped with his grandparents to Switzerland just in time.

This score went on to with Korngold his second Oscar, which is amazing when you think that he wrote it in a relatively short time-period and didn't want to write it at all at first.  It's a very sweeping, lyrical score, one I enjoy listening to on a glum morning to help boost the mood for me and my kids.  They're actually the reason I bought this album in the first place -- they love the movie and kept asking why I didn't have the soundtrack.  Well, I didn't have it because the original recording isn't available -- all you can get are re-recordings.  I did some research and consulted with a knowledgeable friend, and learned that the 1988 recording available from the Varese-Sarabande label is the best available, so that's the one I got.  It was produced by George Korngold, the composer's young son who accompanied him to Hollywood on the trip to compose the score.

When we listen to this, my kids will tell me exactly what's happening in the movie during different parts of the music, and sometimes act it out :-)  Very fun, though sometimes a bit disruptive of breakfast.

The first cue, "Prologue (Main Title)," begins with a lot of rollicky, boisterous prancing that lets you know this is the sort of movie that will make you bounce up and down in your seat and cheer.  Then the mood shifts and a softer theme weaves its way in, alerting the audience to the fact that yes, there will be a love story here too.  But that doesn't last long -- the piece ends with a some bold and vaguely regal flourishes.

This score has some of the most cheerful action music you'll ever hear.  "Escape from the Castle" is a joyous romp from start to finish, lots of flourishes and musical galloping.  

My favorite track is "The Archery Tournament."  It's brash and playful and ready to have a good time.  Rather like Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) in this version, come to think of it.

This is a really fun movie.  If you haven't seen it, I strongly encourage you to!  You can read James' review of it here (on this blog), and my own thoughts here (on my own blog) if you want to know more about it.

Movie Music and More #43 : "The Sting" (1973)

The Sting (1973) follows two con artists (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) as they run a long con to ruin the man who had their friend killed.  It's set in the 1930s and filled with amazing period costumes, sets, and music.  Marvin Hamlisch blends Scott Joplin's classic rags with original bluesy variations of other period songs to create a soundtrack that is a pure delight.  Here are my three favorite tracks from one of the first soundtracks I ever heard -- my parents owned this on LP!

My favorite song of all is Joplin's "Easy Winners."  I love how jaunty it is.  I can't help smiling when I hear it.

"Luther" is more melancholy, a solemn contemplation of loss and mortality.  It takes bits of "Solace," another of my favorite Joplin rags, turns them minor, and turns them into a dirge.

"The Entertainer" is probably the most famous rag, whether by Scott Joplin or anyone else.  The Sting uses it to great effect, as it's a great blend of spry playfulness and an undercurrent of more dramatic seriousness, which pretty perfectly describes the movie as well.

That's all for today, friends.  If you liked these selections, you can hear the full soundtrack on YouTube here.

Movie Music and More #42: Berserk

Hello all, it me Jamie! I generally blog over at "Jamie Talks Anime" but I'm here to discuss a very unique, airy yet earthy, memorable anime soundtrack. After a thousand repeated recommendations from James The Reviewer, I plunged through the 1997 anime Berserk a couple weeks ago! It was definitely as good as he'd said, and I’m determined to read the source material this year!

However, one of my favorite things about Berserk was, hands down, its soundtrack. It added SO. MUCH. DEPTH. to each and every scene that it was used in. It created such a stunning, atmospheric sound that brought that entire, medieval world to life. Somehow it tugged on my heartstrings too, and now I can’t stop listening to it!

Track 08: Earth. It starts off very airy, with harps, a couple voices, and a bagpipe, just filling the air with atmosphere for the first two minutes. Then, as the rhythm picks up, the pipes go much faster, driving in rhythm of ambition and the taste of ancient times. I get lost almost immediately in the male and female vocals and the sound just swallows me whole by the four minute run time is over. I’d like to note that the synthesizer is used many times in this OST and it’s one of the key elements to gave Berserk such a wonderful sound.

Track 01: Behelit. The first track of Berserk’s OST begins with the urgent movements of the harp and an uneasy wind instrument. The tension grows and remains high through the track’s entirety before softly ending. This melody is definitely a fantastic tone setter for the more mysterious moments of Berserk as it dances around the supernatural wonder of character Griffith and simply the world of Berserk its self.

Track 04: Guts. “Earth” and this track “Guts” are the two I’ve listened to most the past few weeks. This piece has several layers of emotion, just like character Guts himself. Firstly kinda eeiry and mysterious. Then full of rich longing with hope and wonder. This track in particular also executes the electronic sound very well! You can especially hear it in this piece, as reverbs become a intricate part of the musical sound. Somehow it works perfectly with the medivial setting in the anime!

Track 05: Murder. This soundtrack incredibly long with a 9 minute running total! This has got to have one the most ominous, deep, dark sounds I’ve ever heard in an anime soundtrack though, so I'm sharing it anyway. It starts off quiet, and strings and electronic reverbs slowly begin to grow as utter darkness swallows the air for the first two minutes. Then the pace begins to quicken followed by pounding percussion at the 3 minute mark. At about the 5 minute mark, vocals take charge for a bit, soft but haunting and rather disturbing, rejoined later by the percussion. A truly captivating piece of haunting darkness if ever I heard one!

Forces. Ok, I can’t end without talking about this song. It plays during the final bit of each episode during “Next Time” and it’s fantastic! It’s loud, it’s brash, it pounding like horses on a battlefield, and yet it’s also triumphant and full of longing and glee. The voice work is incredibly strong, especially during the chorus. There’s just a driving fire in this piece; it’s wild and fierce and electric; it captures the spirit of Berserk incredibly well!

Have you seen Berserk? What did you think of its soundtrack? Have you heard any more of the great composer Susumu Hirasawa’s music (if not, go listen to this immediately!) Let me know which track is your favorite!

Jamie writes on her personally chaotic blog "Through Two Blue Eyes" about her life as a maturing fangirl in the center of Arizona. She also enjoys anime enough to write about it, and often times its music, on a second blog "Jamie Talks Anime." Drop by anytime! ;)

Movie Music and More #41: "3:10 to Yuma" (1957)

George Duning's brooding score perfectly suits the original 3:10 to Yuma (1957).  It's dark, intense, and full of emotions, just like the film, which tells the story of a desperate rancher (Dan Evers) who agrees to help take a dangerous outlaw (Glenn Ford) to the train to Yuma State Prison in exchange for enough money to save his drought-stricken cattle.

If you had a western movie or TV show theme song you needed sung back in the 1950s, Frankie Laine was a the guy you wanted singing it.  His husky, lonesome voice so perfectly evokes the sorts of strong, yet weary men that filled those stories.

"Lovely Emily" reuses the melody from the "Main Title," but turns it into a tender love song, simple and haunting.

"One More Shot" might be my favorite cue of all.  It combines both danger and peace, starting out with a shiver of violence, then pulling in a wistful melody that was used in earlier scenes at Dan Evers' quiet ranch.  This track feels very yearning and anxious to me.  And there's a menacing little duet between piano and guitar that reminds us there's a lot to be done before this can be resolved.  Parts of the theme song come into play too, never letting us forget about that train.

You can listen to the whole soundtrack on YouTube here, if you liked these selections and want to hear more.

Movie Music and More #40: "Hamlet" (1996)

Since the beginning of October, I (Hamlette) have been hosting a read-along of Hamlet on my book blog, The Edge of the Precipice. We've finally finished it up, and to celebrate, I'm holding a giveaway of several Hamlet-related items, including two movie versions AND a brand-new copy of Patrick Doyle's soundtrack for Kenneth Branagh's 1996 film version. You are hereby invited to enter that giveaway here, on my blog.

Now, for the music!

The first track on the CD is "In Pace," which is Latin for "in peace."  It's sung by the great tenor Placido Domingo.  I love how it begins softly and intimately, like a prayer asking for peace, and then swells gradually to a bold statement that someone has found the peace they sought, even if it's only peace with themselves and not with the world.

"Oh Heavy Deed" is a much darker track, full of discontent and malice.  It makes me think of someone pacing back and forth, plotting something.  Or maybe a predator stalking its prey.  You get a pretty clear idea just form the music that something very bad is happening.  

"Good Night, Sweet Prince" is soft and sad, but not despairing.  It begins with that same theme from "In Pace," but without the vocals.  It feels calmer, thoughtful, almost dreamlike.  Events have reached their inevitable conclusion by this point in the story, and now the remaining characters need to process all that has occurred.  Then the music swells briefly, like it's crying out for our attention before it subsides into a more accepting attitude.  Doyle is a master of lush orchestral scores, and this definitely showcases his expertise.

Again, if you'd like to enter the giveaway, go here to do so.  It runs through Monday, January 4, 2016.

Movie Music and More #39: "Star Wars (1977)"

As everyone already knows, Star Wars music is absolutely freaking amazing, and arguably the best film score of all-time. Of course, music is highly subjective, but it should be no surprise to say that it is my favorite, with no other even being close. And with Star Wars: The Force Awakens coming soon, there is literally no better time for Star Wars to be featured in "Movie Music and More," and by Star Wars, I am referring to the original 1977 film, Star Wars, or as it has been retitled, "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope," aka one of the best films ever made. Below are a few of the many absolutely incredible Oscar winning tracks from John Williams' score. 

Honestly, ranking Star Wars music in general is virtually impossible for me to rank since there is not a single track in the OST that is anything but exceptional, especially in the Original Trilogy. And there is not a film score that I have listened to more times than Star Wars. Whenever I do not know what to listen to while writing, I always go back to Star Wars for guaranteed excellence. What do you think of the score? Please comment below and let me know! 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Movie Music and More #38: "Kara no Kyoukai"

Haunting and epic the best way to describe today's music! Hello everyone, it's Jamie from Through Two Blue Eyes and today I get to share one of my all-time favorite soundtracks with you guys! While I've sadly not seen the Kara No Kyokai movies, I’d love to one day just because its music is epic. Simply epic. I’m incredibly excited to get to share these with you guys today because I'm still not tired of listening to them!

薄れる – Fade: I was floored by this track. Just floored. It’s tone is airy with a touch of peril and techno, followed up by the angelic female vocals. Then a driving beat come in to round it all out. It’s beautiful, deadly, alluring, and determined all at the same time. Mid-way through it softens back out without loosing any of its drive and we get a soft airiness to carry us to the song’s end.

Mirai Fukuin: Wow. The reverb. The darkness. The power; this pieces emanates such power! Again, the airy dark techno, the female vocals; they work so well to create a chilling approach of shadows. I wish this track wasn’t so short because I could write pages of fiction to it. Just wow. I really must give a round of applause to the composer Yuki Kajiura for her talent in creating such chilling musical soundscapes.

Ryogi Shiki – A bone no a lily: Now this piece is very different to listen to. It opens with a powerful chorus that reminds me of a 16th century church chorus, mixed with bits of chaos–and then it cuts to very powerful, gentle notes on the piano. Airy wafts of sound flutter in and the two build to the finale of orchestral strings and bass. A very beautiful piece in its own way!

Jamie enjoys Sherlock Holmes, Marvel movies, and anime among many different things. She loves blogging about anime soundtracks and more at her blog Jamie Talks Anime and everything else under the sun at her blog Through Two Blue Eyes. Thank you for having me again, James!

Movie Music and More #37 : "Mad Max : Fury Road"

Mad Max: Fury Road, one of the summer's biggest and most critically acclaimed films, and while you may not have noticed during the explosions, Junkie XL's score is one of its many highlight! Today's "Movie Music and More" features Mad Max: Fury Road's score because on Thursday, I will be reviewing the film, so until then, check out the intense soundtrack below. 

My only real complaint about the score is it can be considered repetitive with its almost tribal rhythm of drums, except with a modern electric guitar twist. Due to the insane nature of the film, the music perfectly tone of the film. And while the film on its own is insanely intense, with the addition of the pulse-pounding score, the film feels even crazier! Below are three of the tracks, which are connected to the full playlist if you wish to listen to it. Also, please do not forget to check back Thursday for review of the film. If you reviewed the film, please let me know in the comments! 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Movie Music and More #36 : "The Monuments Men" (2014)

I (Hamlette) think The Monuments Men is a lovely movie, if you can ever call a movie about war "lovely."  It feels like a throwback to classic WWII films from the 1960s, like The Great Escape (1963) and The Guns of Navarone (1963).  Alexandre Desplat's soundtrack also hearkens back to the movies of that era, and it has become one of my favorite scores to write to. 

The first track I'm sharing is "Basic Training."  It's upbeat and cheery, one of those "let's all get working on something together" sorts of songs.  And about 30 seconds in, it brings in the movie's main theme, which is endearingly jaunty and optimistic.

"I See You Stahl" is completely different -- dark and foreboding, and with a sense of desperation.  In the middle it gets very menacing before a calmer theme arrives to bring a sense of hope that leads back into the more can-do feel that pervades the movie.

"Normandy" is a more thoughtful song, quiet and reflective, and yet ultimately also strong and confident.

If you enjoyed those three short selections, you can listen to the whole soundtrack on YouTube here.  I heartily recommend it.

Movie Music and More #35 : "Anastasia" (1997)

I (Hamlette) have owned this soundtrack since I was in college.  I first saw Anastasia (1997) on Thanksgiving break during my freshman year of college, and loved it so much I bought the soundtrack when I was home for Christmas.  Anastasia is hardly the stuff historical documentaries are made of, but if you're like me and don't expect your animated movies to be exactly factual, then you can enjoy it for the history-inspired fable it clearly is.  The music by David Newman, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty, was nominated for two Academy Awards, though it didn't win either of them.

The first song in both the movie and the soundtrack is "A Rumor in St. Petersburg," and it's so much fun -- it reminds me of the song "The Rumor" from Fiddler on the Roof, as I'm sure it's meant to.  After all, both movies are set in Russia in the early part of the 1900s.  The song works splendidly to communicate not just the setting, but also tell us the basic plot:  two con artists (voiced by John Cusack and Kelsey Grammer) are searching for a girl to impersonate the missing Princess Anastasia to get them a big reward from her grandmother.

Meanwhile, an orphan named Anya (Meg Ryan) with no memory of her past sets off to figure out who she used to be, as the song "Journey to the Past" explores.  The music helps us feel the mixture of determination and hesitancy she feels about trying to find out her history.  The music swells as her questions give way to optimistic ideas of what she might find on this journey.  This was nominated for the Oscar for Best Song, but of course it lost out to a little tune called "My Heart Will Go On."  Sigh.

My third selection to share today is "Once Upon a December."  I think this is the most beautiful song in the whole score, and the one that best captures the mystery and yearning that run through this film.  In it, Anastasia regains a memory of dancing with her father in the palace as a child.  It's haunting, isn't it?

Usually I limit myself to three tracks for these reviews, but today I'm sharing one more song.  "At the Beginning" plays during the end credits, and it's my favorite song on the whole album.  This song gives me a happy energy high, and I could listen to it over and over.  In fact, I have :-)  My favorite part is at 2:25.  

Dasvidanya!

Movie Music and More #34: "The Untouchables" (1987)

I (Hamlette) am back again to share another wonderful movie soundtrack with you.  Today, I'm featuring Ennio Morricone's delicious music for The Untouchables (1987).  Both movie and music are a masterpiece, and this soundtrack is one I pull out and listen to quite regularly.  By now you're probably aware that I'm a Morricone fan, and this is definitely one of my favorites of his.  

I'll start off with "The Untouchables Theme," which is such a lovely blend of tender feeling with determination.  It tells you up front that this is a story of Good Guys and Bad Guys, doesn't it?  I like how it soars at the end, but remains melancholy and grounded, not utterly triumphant.  Definitely brings home the idea that winning a war comes at a steep price.

Next up is "Strength of the Righteous," which is very militant and swaggering.  I love the way the percussion makes me think of both footsteps and gunshots at different times.  As a song it doesn't exactly go anywhere, which also works to underscore the idea that this fight against organized crime is ongoing, not something that gets all tied up quickly and neatly.

And I also love "Machine Gun Lullaby," which plays during the famous shoot-out on the long staircase, a scene that deliberately evokes the famous slaughter in Battleship Potemkin (1925).  The music leads off with a tripping little melody like a baby's music box or wind-up toy, then adds some ominous strings underneath that gradually swell and are joined by menacing horns. These burgeon until they overwhelm the music box melody, and by the end, the whole piece is eerie, high-pitched and minor.  It's such a chilling, evocative piece of music, isn't it?

That's it for today, friends :-)  Until next time, remember:  if they put one of yours in the hospital, you put one of theirs in the morgue.  Always excellent advice, don't you think?