Jesuit missionaries trying to convert the native Indians, and the slavers who want to destroy them. In keeping with the serious subject matter and epic scope of Roland Joffe's film, the score is by turns grave, lyrical, and tense. Ever inventive, Morricone mixes liturgical chorales, native drumming, and Spanish-influenced guitars, often in the very same track, to capture the drama of the culture clash. His trademark lyricism also comes through, notably in the beautiful themes for "Gabriel's Oboe" and "The Mission". Not as over-the-top as his well-known spaghetti western scores, The Mission shows Morricone at his dramatic best. --Heidi MacDonald
get into what was wrong with Brian De Palma's Mission to Mars and can instead pretend Morricone was just writing for himself. In which case, the initial cue--"A Heart Beats In Space"--(actually the film's denouement) can be enjoyed as an intricately woven overture to a celestial symphony. Progressing from an actual heartbeat, the piece repeatedly plays with a selection of upwardly ascending phrases--often gorgeously accompanied by an uncredited group of female choristers. The theme of "up-up-up" continues into "A Martian", but packs less punch by introducing the score's only flaw: some rather twee electronic effects feel like an outsider's idea of what must constitute a sense of futuristic environment (Morricone isn't known for sc-fi of course). With "And Afterwards?" some dissonance might then make a large chunk of the running time a little unpalatable. To truly enjoy this release, forget the film, consider the music a symphony in three parts, and skip the middle part. --Paul Tonks
Advantages: Great tribute to a great composer. Disadvantages: Not suitable to anyone who isn't familiar with Morricone's music.
...I think the title of this album should be considered a solid fact. We do all love EnnioMorricone! He's easily one of the best composers of recent times, and hundreds of films would be lost without his music.
Despite not giving a full picture of Morricone's work, i think this is still a great tribute album. The fact that artists from Celine Dion, to Bruce Springsteen, to Metallica, ahve come forward to pay their tributes shows the extent to which Morricone has touched the world.
I found out about this tribute from the Metallica website when they announced they'd recorded their own version of "Ecstasy Of Gold", and I immediately bought it. Ecstasy of Gold, and Bruce Springsteen's "Once Upon A Time In The West" are my favourite tracks on the album, but they all have their strengths. At that, I wouldn't say that any of the artists...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: A good intro to Morricone's work Disadvantages: Is it really his most significant work? "the very best"?
...Like most compilations, this is a slanted album that shows just the most popular (rather than "the very best") of Maestro Morricone.
How dangerous it is to reduce such a prolific composer to one single CD! Certainly a good intro for someone who doesn't know anything about him, but still in that case, I´d rather listen to a complete soundtrack of his.
If you are a Morricone fan, you would agree that Morricone's eclectic spirit could suit any music lover... yet this album cannot offer an eclectic picture of his genious. Please take a look in online databases at his filmography and you'll find over 500 soundtracks. He has virtually touched every style of music except for rap (or am I wrong?).
Fundamentaly Morricone is all about emotions. Thus his work is varied and eclectic as an unfolding life that nurtures itself from the multiple...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Beautiful, touching work Disadvantages: Can't think of any
...Would Morricone be upset if we said he can sometimes represent Italian nostalgia at its best?
Nostalgia is a universal humane emotion. Time passes by and all of us become old and eventually die. This film looks back at the best and worst moments lived by a boy before during and after Italy's WW2.
Maléna is the epicentre of the story and the icon of that lost youth, with all its dreams and illusions.
Morricone's music often embodies the fusion of folk and "cultured" music. The haunting melody of Maléna could be the soundtrack of anyone's life. If you're sensitive enough you could listen to this album as you remember your own past experiences in life and you will be touched.
Happiness and sadness mix as well when it comes down to a work that can evoke nostalgic sentiments so well.
You don't need to see the film to be touched...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful 29.07.2005
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08.10.2007
29.07.2005
29.07.2005
