|
-
News
- Features
- Blogs
- Events
Calendar
- Editorials
- Monthly
Zine
- Offworld
Report
- Our Daily
RSS Feed
- Google Toolbar scifi
- Movie/TV
Reviews
> Recent movies
> Movies by year
> Movies by title
- Book
Reviews
> Recent books
> Books by year
> Books by title
- Home
- Worlds
- Biography
- Bibliography
- Appearances
- Reviews
- Blog
- Community
- Press
- Links
Become
an Advertiser
- Web
Site Directory
- Search
the Net
-
Hivemind
- StephenHunt.net
- WoodenRocket.com
- Check
your E-mail
- Non Sci-Fi
News
|
Superman Returns: Original Motion Picture Score by John Ottman
01/07/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
CD: Rhino R2 7654. 15 tracks 55minutes plus extras. Price: £ 8.99 (UK), $18.98(US. Buy Superman Returns: Original Motion Picture Score in the USA - or Buy Superman Returns: Original Motion Picture Score in the UK  check out websites: www.rhino.com and www.dccomics.com
You can always tell the level of promotion that a new film is getting, not only by how much related material that is coming our but in how quickly we get to see things. With the CD of John Ottman's soundtrack of 'Superman Returns', I've had an opportunity to listen to the music long before I get to see the packaging that will accompany its release. As the delightful Beth promoting this tells me, this is the way the news media gets it to ensure they listen to the music in plenty of time. The cover arrived this week and although there is sufficient notes to explain composer Ottman's like for John Williams' original score, not surprise booklets.
As the film about the return of the man of steel hasn't been released in the world as I type this, any assessment of the music will be strictly standalone. Well, not too strictly, there are four extras on this CD that can only be run on the computer. I would also recommend that you don't try these out on a CD drive, use your DVD drive to stop it hip-cupping and not getting to the soundtrack. There is a warning in the packaging about this but never does any harm to test these things out. These extras include two 'Superman Returns' trailers, a look at the history of Superman mostly on screen and TV with clip interviews from people who've played him and watching the orchestra perform the main theme. I have to confess this more than makes up for the absence of anything extra with the sleeve.
This neatly segues us into the music itself. Ottman yields the main theme to the original John Williams version both on the main title and periodically in the other 14 tracks here, including once using the Lois Lane love theme. Having said that, the music is a glorious production of a rich sounding 97 piece orchestra that fills the room when you play it. If I have to be critical then it would have to be how Williams' original dominates so much. Whether this is because of familiarity or not is debatable. Even Ottman professes that he didn't want to change the 1978 as even he saw it as perfection. Whether it dilutes his own contribution is hard to say. It will make his contribution to the film as a whole interesting to watch.
If you're going to pick up all things related to the 'Superman Returns' film then this CD is already on your buy list. It is certainly worth listening to and deserves to be amongst your soundtracks collection anyway.
GF Willmetts
|
|
