The Soundtrack Thread

Nino Rota - "8½" soundtrack (1963)

The soundtrack to the excellent Federico Fellini film which combines smooth classical music with loungy jazz. It has its moments but didn't really offer me a lot of lasting appeal from a purely stylistic point of view which saw me being challenged from the get-go. I went in looking for a loungy shopping mall kinda vibe & it does satisfy that criteria in patches but found that most of the high points come in the form of well-known classical pieces that you've no doubt hear many times before. That can't be viewed as a criticism of course but I didn't come away from this release feeling like I can see myself returning to it in the future.

For fans of Ennio Morricone, Jerry Goldsmith & John Barry.

3/5

Stephen Sondheim - "Sunday in the Park with George" soundtrack (1984)

A pretty decent soundtrack to the popular Broadway musical that's centered around classically orchestrated show tunes. The two female leads are stunningly talented & the storyline is intriguing so, while this isn't usually the sort of thing I'd go for, I've found the song-writing to dig its teeth in enough to keep me on my toes throughout.

For fans of Patti LuPone, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Leonard Bernstein.

3.5/5

Sunday in the Park with George, wow that brings back some memories. I'm not a fan of the whole Show-Tunes Broadway style, but "Finishing the Hat" is a phenomenal and moving tune.

Angelo Badalamenti - "Soundtrack from Twin Peaks" (1990)

This soundtrack to one of my all-time favourite TV series has been one that I've returned to many times over the years & never fails to take me back to that time & place. I've always loved David Lynch films & composer Angelo Badalamenti would seem to be somewhat of a kindred spirit in the way that he interprets Lynch's ideas. What we have here is a combination of deep & moody sounds that draw from the classical, jazz & ambient. The Laura Palmer themed tracks are the clear highlights & I absolutely adore them.

For fans of Julee Cruise, Dale Cooper Quartet & the Dictaphones & Mazzy Star.

4/5

That made it to the bottom half of my top 100 when I first heard it.  Might still be there.

Zbigniew Preisner - "La double vie de Véronique (The Double Life of Veronika)" (1991)

Some time during the mid-1990's I discovered Polish film director Krzysztof Kieślowski & very quickly became enamored with his brilliance. I soon find myself to be somewhat obsessed with his last four films in particular & their soundtracks played a very strong role in the unique atmospheres they created so I would purchase them all on CD & give them a heavy rotation in the home I shared with my de facto partner at the time. After one of the worst break-ups ever to take place in human history, I couldn't bare to face these CDs for several decades but I've recently found myself bold enough to give the first of the four a few listens & it's seen my passion for Kieślowski & Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner being relit with a flame that I'm not sure I can douse again. You see, these film scores are so much a part of the films that it's hard to separate the two which is the sign of a truly great soundtrack. The main theme reminds me very much of "The Godfather" & sees me being overcome by a feeling of peace & calm. There are incredible dynamics to this material as well as an amazing sense of subtlety throughout the short release. I will certainly be exploring my other three CDs (i.e. the "Trois couleurs" series) in the coming weeks.

For fans of Arvo Pärt, Gavin Friday & Michael Nyman.

4.5/5