|
Share on Facebook
Buy this cd at Amazon.com : $18.98
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Actors: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris, Oliver Reed
Date: 21/06/2000 Genre: Action Thriller
Duration: 155 minutes Country: United States, Germany
More info at Cinenews |
Write now your own review for this soundtrack!
|
Reviews
Filmmusicsite.com editor score: 10/10
Review of Andreas Lindahl, submitted at 2008-01-20 21:25:40, score: 6/10
"More-music-from" soundtracks are rarely better than the first, original soundtrack releases. At least not from a film music fans' point of view. More Music from Braveheart is perhaps the best, or worst, example. This release offered only a couple of minutes of unreleased music from James Horner's score, with the remaining part of the CD cluttered with sound clips and dialogue from the film, score cues already available on the first CD, and traditional bag pipe music(!). One may wonder why dialogue is included in the first place, as it is so hated among film music fans. The largest reason is probably that it makes the CD more appealing to a larger crowd of "normal" people (meaning persons that normally don't listen to film music at all).
Similar to the second Braveheart CD, More Music from Gladiator has its fair share of dialogue from the film, often mixed over music - both unreleased and already available - from Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard's successfull score. To be frank, I don't mind it that much. Mostly because so much music from the score already is available on the first album - if you don't like having the dialogue over the music, just listen to the dialogue free music on the first disc. Simply as that. But on the other hand, I really don't think that the dialogue adds anything to the listening experience, so I wouldn't say that it "works". At least not for me.
So while the dialogue is fairly uninteresting, listeners should find the cues with unreleased score music more appealing. "Duduk of the North" is a really beautiful, ethnic sounding piece, where the duduk really is allowed to shine, backed up by subtle strings, acoustic guitar and synths. "Now We are Free (Juba's Mix)" is an alternative version of the cue included on the original soundtrack. It is much more optimistic in its sound, and with a much more distinct African style, complete with African vocals. It is really quite good, but I doubt it would have worked in the film. "Rome is the Light" is a really annoying piece. I don't know why, but I really can't stand it. Might be because of the melody, which I find really blatant and uninteresting, or Gerrard's voice, which sounds really strange, with vibrato set to max. Or so it seems, anyway. Thank God this wasn't included in the final version of the film. "Maximus", track ten, is far more interesting, being an acoustic guitar version of the theme representing Maximus, the family and home. Short, but good.
"The Gladiator Waltz" should be interesting to fans' of Zimmer's music. This is an eight minute long demo version of the music written for the opening battle, performed entirely on synths by Zimmer himself. It's worth noting that it sounds remarkably close to the final, orchestral version...
The disc closes with yet another version of "Now We Are Free", titled "Maximus Mix". This is a dance version, with a strong beat and some nifty synth sounds. To my surprise it isn't as bad as I expected it to be, even if the final version, and "Juba's Mix", are better, of course.
All in all, I really don't know what to think about this CD. I don't think that a second soundtrack CD was necessary to start with, with so much music being included on the original album. However, the previously unreleased cues included are quite good (apart from the already mentioned "Rome is the Light", that is). I suppose that what I am trying to say is that if you are a huge fan of the film and the score, by all means get this release. Personally, I'm perfectly happy with the first soundtrack.
Read other recent reviews by Andreas Lindahl: The Rocketeer, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Phantom of the Opera
Tracks
1. Duduk of the North (5:35)
2. Now We Are Free (4:39)
3. The Protector of Rome (1:28)
4. Homecoming (3:38)
5. The General Who became a Slave (3:05)
6. The Slave Who Became a Gladiator (6:14)
7. Secrets (2:01)
8. Rome Is the Light (2:46)
9. All That Remains (0:57)
10. Maximus (1:11)
11. Marrakesh Marketplace (0:44)
12. The Gladiator Waltz (8:27)
13. Figurines (1:04)
14. The Mob (2:25)
15. Busy Little Bee (3:50)
16. Death Smiles At Us All (2:32)
17. Not Yet (1:33)
18. Now We Are Free (3:49)
Total duration: 55 minutes
|
Filmmusicsite.com is Copyright © 1998-2010 by Arvid Fossen
|
