According to Wikipedia, the term soundtrack refers to three related concepts: recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; and the physical area of a film that contains the synchronized recorded sound.
The original movie soundtrack is finally starting to get the credit it deserves. Thanks to John Williams, Danny Elfman, and newcomer Tyler Bates, scores of people are purchasing the audio that fueled their desires on celluloid. We have collected a few of the popular, as well as some you might have overlooked that should be given a listen.
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The Dark Knight – Ok, I am sure a lot of people are still tired of hearing about this film, but the soundtrack is equally as impressive as the box office numbers. For some, Danny Elfman is the reigning king of Batman, but Zimmer and Howard put together a very competent piece of work that matches the dark edge of the reworked Dark Knight. The CD contains 14 tracks of powerful punches of Batman's struggles between good and evil. The score is extremely moody and epic. The only failure is that it wasn’t more pronounced in the film. |
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Iron Man – I was a bit disappointed that Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” didn’t make the cut, but you can’t have everything I guess. The music in Iron Man did not seem as powerful as I would have liked. Listening to the soundtrack though, composer Ramin Djawadi (TV's "Prison Break") does a very good job capturing the action and drama. Admittedly, Iron Man is a favorite character and I was looking for some more attitude. This was provided, however, in several bonus tracks including 'Institutionalized' by Suicidal Tendencies. |
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Star Wars: The Clone Wars – For those of you that actually saw the movie – I did not think it nearly as bad as the critics, the soundtrack is something worth investing in. As history tells us, George Lucas knows how important music plays in heightening the action with larger than life strings and an epic horn section.
This soundtrack not only includes 30 separate pieces of phenomenal work composed by Kevin Kiner, but also includes the original Star Wars themes by John Williams. I did not have any of the original stuff and jumped at the chance to get this as a huge bonus. Don't underestimate Kiner though. He is no stranger to sci-fi, having done work in television on the likes of "Stargate SG-," "Star Trek Enterprise," and "Superboy." He knows the score and delivers a keeper. |
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Tropic Thunder – This film was ridiculous and I loved every minute. The soundtrack captures the comedic action and even provided me a few chuckles in reflection. The music was composed by Theodore “Teddy” Shapiro, who also composed the music for the equally as funny Blades of Glory. BBC Music Magazine, in 1997, said of Shapiro, “At 25, he’s had performances at Carnegie Hall and on MTV – part of the new group of composers who can work in both places.” This is probably the first time I agree with the BBC. I promise not to make a habit of it, but encourage all to give this a listen. It is a truly inspiring piece of work. |
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Mirrors – Am I the only person that didn’t get this movie? I mean, what was up with the water towards the end? Like any good suspense/horror movie, the music must play an important role. Spanish composer Javier Navarrete, earning an Academy Award nomination for Pan’s Labyrinth, weaves an eerie mystical beast of a production.
Though not well known in the states, Navarette has scored some 30 films since 1987. It’s really not hard to believe how accredited he is when you sit down to listen to this piece of work. It's truly an eerie escape to another world. |
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Burn After Reading - Carter Burwell is, in fact, another Cohen brother. Composing all of their music accompaniment to date, is it such a surprise? Burwell's uncanny sense of timing delivers an additional character in each of their films, adding another layer of intrigue and suspense. His tools might be different, but the story he tells is equally as impressive.
Burn After Reading is no exception and provides a menagerie of melancholy piano, supple strings, and unabashed percusive assaults. The peaks and valleys strive to strengthen each moment like a good side-kick, knowing when to push and precisely when to lay off. My only criticism would be that you wouldn't guess it was a soundtrack for a comedy. But then again, it is a Cohen brothers' comedy. |
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