Kevin 22 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Can you give me the quick low-down, if this score is worth buying and why? Or why shouldn't I buy this score?Filmtracks gave it four starsMMUK gave it five starsMovie-Wave gave it three starsSoundtrack Express gave it four stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,096 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 The main theme is pleasantly festive and simple - I like it, although it may not be to everyone's taste. A fair amount of the score is pretty low-key, with some darker stuff featuring male choir and low strings and whatnot. Hardly Williams' most exciting score, but not bad at all. Without knowing more about your tastes, I can't really say whether I'd recommend it or not, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,810 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 I'm not so sure about it as to recomend it as a blind buy, but IMHO, Dry your tears africa is worth it, much like hymn of the fallen is worth in Saving private ryan.in this one you have also cinque's theme, that is nice irrc.but i say, judge for yourself, take a sample from youtube. Search 'dry your tears, afrika' and 'cinque's theme' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,251 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 It's quite wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 155 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 It's very good. "Dry Your Tears" is fantastic, but the other less obvious cues really grew on me and I really love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oierem 165 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 It's quite wonderful.Yes. I really like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,276 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 I can't recomend it enough, and it's quite easy to find at a low price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,770 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 I'd find a way to preview it. There are some outstanding tracks, but as DM said there's also a lot of lower-key stuff which doesn't hold my interest personally so you'll want to see if it works for you. Main theme is very noble and beautiful though.Although if nothing otherwise grabs you, buy 'Dry Your Tears' - a completely addictive track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis 250 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 I love Cinque's Theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie 45 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Dry Your Tears, AfrikaCinque's ThemeThe Long Road to JusticeThree awesome themes. Three awesome concert pieces. Rest of the score uses them well and appropriately. Awesome score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,096 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm listening to the score for the first time in a little while, and I want to reiterate what others are saying - it really is worth buying. I'd forgotten how good some of the other themes besides the delightful "Dry Your Tears, Afrika" are. Again, not my favorite Williams score, but still quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neimoidian 14 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Highly recommended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,096 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Also, there's some material (especially in "Mr. Adams Takes the Case") that sounds like it could be right out of TPM's more tender moments, so if you like that sound, this caters well to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 a lot of lower-key stuff which doesn't hold my interest personallyThis. However, it's definitely worth getting. I'm sure it's dirt cheap anyway. The patriotic underscore for Adams is really nice. "Dry Your Tears, Afrika" is good, but I wish they'd included an instrumental-only version as the reprise. I don't dislike the lyrics, however.It really displays JW's talent and diversity as a composer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 A little schmaltzy, maybe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,096 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Perhaps. "Schmaltzy" isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, as E.T. demonstrates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Which I've never liked that much... but E.T. is a film about a kid who befriends an alien, so I just sort of take it and roll with it. I heard Amistad received rather sour reviews for painting everything in a sentimental way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,096 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I feel ya. E.T. was a little TOO schmaltzy for my tastes for a long while, despite its undeniable greatness, but it's grown on me. In any case, Amistad (the score) doesn't usually seem overly sentimental to me...seems to work pretty well, though I haven't seen the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,368 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Amistad makes me feel a bit embarrassed to be a John Williams fan. Even grannies finds it too tame and too polite. Who's with me?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahler3 478 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Sorry Alex, you're on your own!This is a score which is always overlooked, very patriotic and noble brass writing (typically exceptional playing from Tim Morrison / Jim Thatcher) and the strings are very lush and warm.The scene in the court room when Cinque stands up and proclaims freedom (or something like that) is beautifully scored (using the main Dry Your Tears motif).Get it Kevin, you'll not be disappointed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,096 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 "Tame" and "polite" are definitely good (if rather strong) words to describe parts of this score. I just happen to be fortunate enough to not be bothered by it.I'm sure if most people thought this was the pinnacle of film scoring, I'd hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean1700 4 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 The Liberation of Lomboko is also another great track too. I would say get it and if you don't like it just get rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,770 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I feel ya. E.T. was a little TOO schmaltzy for my tastes for a long while, despite its undeniable greatness, but it's grown on me. In any case, Amistad (the score) doesn't usually seem overly sentimental to me...seems to work pretty well, though I haven't seen the film.Much of E.T. is too schmaltzy for me, but then these days I find a tender piano more effective than strings.Or maybe Doyle's cringeworthy death cue in GoF is making me remember things that aren't there.I enjoy the nobler tracks in Amistad. It's the really low key stuff where it approaches dissonance that I go off JW beause it starts to sound dated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,065 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 A couple of good tracks. The rest is JW on his Americana autopilot. That's it.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,719 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 A couple of good tracks. The rest is JW on his Americana autopilot. That's it.KarolI'm afraid that I'm inclined to agree with Crocodile. "Dry Your Tears, Afrika" sounds as if it was written to be performed at a political rally to be attended by Nelson Mandela, or someone of that ilk. The rest is effective, but...well, that's about it. IMO, a batter "historical" score is "Rosewood", with the wonderful "Look Down, Lord". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,810 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I heard Amistad received rather sour reviews for painting everything in a sentimental way.The Spanish in that movie dont get any love, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neimoidian 14 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 A couple of good tracks. The rest is JW on his Americana autopilot. That's it.KarolNot really. There are only 3 Americana tracks and none of them can be called "on autopilot" since they were written before Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot and American Journey. One of them (Long Road to Justice) actually sounds exceptionally inspired. The rest (app. >10 tracks) is African-favoured JW, very original, fresh-sounding and with more than few stand-out moments (Dry Your Tears Africa, Capture of Cinque, Crossing the Atlantic, Cinque's Theme, Cinque's Memories of Home, Middle Passage, 4th of July). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,065 Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 But then JFK, Nixon, Born in the Fourth of July and countless concert pieces were already there. But that's not the point, really. I'm just tired of hearing noble solos by Tim Morrison.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,368 Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Alex is right! Away with Amistad! It's too polite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now