5 comments about The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

1. If you're into funky, thumping, jazz oriented 70's stuff, then this is the CD you've been dreaming of. It's intense, chaotic, and yet suprisingly structured, too. Lots of brass, heavy bass, drums, and spacey marimba. I listen to it over and over and over - it's hypnotic and high energy. I wish it were longer - that's my only gripe. This goes great with the soundtrack to The Omega Man, if you can find it!



2. After the collected horror-film scores of Italian composers, Goblin, the best SINGLE film score of all time has got to be David Shire's "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three."

   The urgency of the drums, scratchers and trumpets will make you sweat with nervousness (like the hostages on the subway train)!

   If you like thumping 70's funk, acid jazz, or even classical twelve-tone composition (!) you will be in heaven listening to this soundtack, which is, unbelievably, an utterly unique amalgam of all three!

   Shire's score is a living, breathing, menacing character in the film, and one that you will not soon forget. I first saw the film when I was 12 or 13 and have never been able to get the sinister melody-line out of my head. And now it's FINALLY available on CD!

   Want the recipe for one awesome aural cocktail? Put "The Goblin Collection 1975-1989," "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" and the Beastie Boys' "Ill Communication" (for their bass-heavy, funk-jazz samples) into the CD player and press "shuffle" or "random"---then Lose Yourself!




3. By any stretch of the imagination, the 1974 subway hijacking thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE-TWO-THREE is an exciting and suspenseful ride, with plenty of fine performances, salty dialogue, and more than a little jet black humor. And a lot of the film's success with critics and audiences is owed to the propulsive score that David Shire composed for it.
   
   With the film's setting being the urban jungle of the Big Apple, it is only fitting that Shire should compose a score that is extremely urban and jazz-influenced, and, as a reviewer has said, fairly influenced by the twelve-tone methodology of Arnold Schoenberg, transposed into a Hollywood film score setting. Shire's writing for the brass sections in certain places is not only jazz-influenced, but also resembles in some small ways the iron-clad and lowering brass chorales of Bruckner, as well as the jazz-rock fusion that was so popular during the mid-1970s. The whole score in general serves the film extremely well, and is a high point in thriller music writing that one rarely hears anymore in ultra-high-budget Hollywood spectaculars anymore.
   
   Although he did not achieve the huge superstardom accorded fellow film music composers John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith, Shire nevertheless carved out a niche in the ensuing years, with his scores for ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, portions of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, and 2010. The score he composed for PELHAM was what helped establish his reputation, and its arrival on CD is something that a lot of people have been waiting on for ages. One listen to it is enough to convince.



4. This is great fun. It's also very odd, and not quite the kind of 1970s police film soundtrack you might be expecting; although a couple of tracks sound like Dirty Harry ("Blue and Green Talk", for example), it's mostly a weird but funky musical experiment. It's best listened to as one long single song, in which case it becomes a bit like Kraftwerk's "Autobahn", in that it's a series of variations on a single theme.
   
   And what an odd theme it is. The main melody sounds completely random, and apparently it was created with some kind of mathematical process. Most tracks involve variations on a swinging brass beat in the background with this random-sounding melody over the top. It's a bit like Jerry Goldsmith's music for "Capricorn One" in its mixture of atonality and brute force.
   
   Sometimes it slows down (the end of "Moving Again Blues"), sometimes it goes real quiet ("Dolowitz Gets Killed"), and sometimes it gets very loud (the beginning of "Money Montage"), but it's recognisably the same piece of music put through a blender. "Smoking More, Enjoying it Less" and the opening titles are the swinging-est, the end title is basically the opening title but not as good, and "Blue and Green Talk" is the most conventional-sounding 70s cop show track, with that wooden scraper thing that was all over the place at the time. "Dolowitz Takes a Look" is a bizarre mixture of aggressive brass funk and cocktail jazz music, and sounds like something from a weird spy thriller.
   
   I can barely remember the film, which was a minor classic of its genre. It was a police procedural with a dash of caper film. All I know of David Shire is that he went on to do some of the music for "Saturday Night Fever". This soundtrack is nothing like that, and it's worth owning for the opening title alone, which swaggers like a magickist.



5. A soundtrack can make or break a movie. Some movies were MADE by a brilliant soundtrack they didn't deserve (Conan the Barbarian, On Her Majesty's Secret Service); whereas many contemporary films are all but ruined by their abysmal score. I never realized the tremendous impact a soundtrack has on the overall quality of a film until I saw a documentary that showed the same clip repeatedly, each time accompanied by different music. It was very eye-opening. People used to go to silent movies repeatedly because the musician playing music to accompany the film would play different music different times. The Taking of Pelham, One, Two, Three has one of the most effective soundtracks for a thriller I have ever heard in my life. The fact that the film itself is also damn good makes for a real treat. The driving force of the music is almost unparalleled. By the way, pop in the DVD of Pelham and listen to the opening music. Then pop in Payback starring Mel Gibson and listen. That's right, they ripped the score off! (Do the same with Conan the Barbarian and Total Recall.)

2 comments about Gershwin: Porgy and Bess.

1. This recording of Porgy and Bess is an incredible performance!!!
   The performers sund just beautiful and the recording is very well remastered!!!!
   Buy it!!!



2. Before you declare something an antique, that is. The set is readily available in its original format, with full literature and artwork. There was room for improvement with sound balance, but ARTs are usually worse than the original! Jesus Bucket of Fried Chicken Christ, we're not that old!

4 comments about Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular.

1. I'm glad that I bought this DVD. I'm a huge Larry the Cable Guy fan. I'll watch everything with him in it. I'm sorry to say that this Christmas special is better than the ones that you see on TV today.



2. Please be aware this show is not appropriate for children. It's got jokes about Santa Claus having sex with Mrs. Claus. It's got almost-naked strippers shown close-up. It's got language that could get someone on Santa's naughty list. As far as the show itself goes, there are some laughs to be had although most of it is pretty tasteless. Maybe it's just me, but it seems a Christmas show ought to be cleaner? If you want to see some really good Christmas shows, get The Office seasons 2 and 3. Each of those seasons has an excellent Christmas episode you'll probably want to watch over and over.



3. I bought this dvd for my daughter and son-in-law because they were there in person when they recorded it. I watched it on TV and enjoyed the show myself. Mr. Git-er-done got it done. He came through and you will have some laughs.



4. i like larry and all but this special was lame and very crude, it was a total waste of viewing time. relying on crude jokes and not funny ones they should've scraped this special all together and burned it. i expected more of larry being clean and fun for a christmas special, i guess he and his writers were scraping the bottom of barrel for laughs cause they're were none. but uglyness and mean sprited against the jolly one.

5 comments about Bicentennial Man: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. If you don't like Horner's self-rip-offs, save your money. (I don't care wether Horner borrows material from earlier scores. I just want to hear good music, and I think James Horner makes the most beautiful music in the world, original or not. Actually, I sometimes like it that Horner re-uses earlier material.)

   "Bicentennial Man" is a very good, emotional, thematical score.
   In Track 1: "The Machine Age", Horner borrows the piano riff from the Main Title from "Sneakers".
   The best tracks are: "The Machine Age", "A Gift For Little Miss", "The Wedding" (which contains some material from "Braveheart"), "A Passage Of Time, A Changing Of Seasons" and "Growing Old".

   This score is not as good as "The Land Before Time", "Krull" and "The Rocketeer", but still, it's a very good listen.
   If you're a real fan of Horner's work, you'll aprecciate this soundtrack.




2. I cry every time I watch this movie and listen to the soundtrack. It evokes how fragile and alone we truly are in this world. As humans we procreate to fiegn immortality, but in the end we are only mortal. This music reminds us to live in our humanity and celebrate that mortality. Experience love and loss with all that you are. If you have not, you cheat yourself out of the very thing that makes us what we are. One of my favorite movies and favorite soundtracks (scores). I only wish it included Faure's Dolly Suite (the piano duet between Andrew and Little Miss), thus the 4 and not a 5 rating. Enjoy life!



3. Listening to this CD is one of the most profoundly relaxing experiences you could ask for. The orchestration is wonderful, the melodies haunting--you can see and feel what the music is trying to convey with no effort at all. Pure enjoyment!



4. This doesnt need to be a review as the music is CRAP!



5. This is an absolutely gorgeous score. Because of the tone of the movie, there are no dark parts. The music is at a fairly even keel with some sweeping orchestral swells. Just put it in the stereo, close your eyes and enjoy.

5 comments about The Ladykillers.

1. When these guys make a movie,they also make a great soundtrack.I'd give it a 5 if it didn't have the "rap"in it.



2. This Collection of Old Time Spirituals,Gospel Hymns and Quartet songs is done with a mix of classic artists and Contemporary Artists Including Pastor Donnie McClurkin;Rosie Stone(of the Sly and the Family Stone);Blind Willie Johnson(My favorite!);The Soul Stirrers,The Swan Silvertones.Man! How can you go wrong with this collection! THIS IS GREAT! A CLASSIC!!!



3. Just save yourself some trouble and get a soul stirrers album. This album is MOSTLY littered with garbage.



4. The "old time gospel" is all well and good but, what I want/need to know is what is that beautiful piano background music that meanders so eloquently throughout the movie and where can I get a recording/copy of it?!



5. This movie has some great music in it. An ongoing theme throughout the album is "I soon will be done with the troubles of this world - going home to live with God" Great message! Uplifting and inspirational music, even for a white boy like myself!

5 comments about Handel - Semele / Joshua, Summers, Croft, Wallace, EOC, Curnyn.

1. This Semele is by the same group that did such a great job with Partenope a couple of years ago (Early Opera Company, conductor Christian Curnyn, soprano Rosemary Joshua, contralto Hilary Summers). Joshua also sang Angelica in Orlando with Les Arts Florissants, and was wonderful in the Venus & Adonis of John Blow from several years ago. I have a special fondness for anything that Norma Burrowes sang, and the old Erato recording by Gardiner and Burrowes as the heroine won't be replaced by this new version. Nevertheless, I'm glad to have this and its probably going to be welcomed by all reviewers, and by Handelians, the hardcore of which don't mind adding to their collections with multiple recordings of the same works. I like this set a lot, Joshua's voice reminds me of Sylvia McNair with her dark tone, and I hope this Early Opera Company considers a couple of other Handel operas that are due for another recording: Amadigi da Gaula & Berenice. Maybe Silla or the pastiche Alessandro ? Highly recommended for Baroque fans and a must-have for Handel lovers.



2. Let me say first that Rosemary Joshua is SUPERB as Semele. However, the supporting cast, with the exceptions of Gail Pearson (as Iris) and possibly Stephen Wallace (as Athamas), are not worthy of her. Brindley Sherrat is quite acceptable as Cadmus, but his delivery is too hard-edged and forceful for the role of Somnus, the god of sleep.
   
   Richard Croft clearly has difficulty with the role of Jupiter - his coloratura is problematic in places and where it is good the quality of his voice suffers. I even noticed pitching problems in at least one place on Where'er you walk; he doesn't sing that aria, or any of the others, with the ease or pleasantness of Anthony Rolfe-Johnson or Paul Agnew. He is not much better on the live recording I own of Minkowski's (which has Annick Massis in the title role). I am not saying he is terrible, but Jupiter really needs to be as good as Semele - and, simply put, here he is not.
   
   I have several recordings of this opera - by conductors Lewis, Somary, Gardiner, Walker, Stern, Nelson (1985 & 1990) and Minkowski. Having a complete recording as opposed to one with cuts is really only a big plus if a sense of the dramatic whole is attained and maintained. I think Minkowski attained it in his complete performance, but Curnyn does not. The may be in due in part to Curnyn's conducting, but I think much of the responsibility lies also with the soloists. Perhaps they might have achieved something better under different circumstances, whatever they were - I don't know. Whatever the reasons, this recording does not work as a dramatic whole the way that it should.
   
   So, to return to the casting, Stephen Wallace's voice is rather on the monotonous side, although at least it is on the pleasant side. But I think that Athamas has one too many arias in any case. A more serious problem on this recording is the casting and performance of Hilary Summers. She is unacceptable as Juno, and barely adequate as Ino (although, in all seriousness, she might make an interesting Athamas). She does not achieve the incisiveness or vigour required for the role Juno. Maybe if someone else had sung Juno, she would have come off better as Ino - but that is quite a big "maybe".
   
   Gardiner's recording, had it been more complete and perhaps in places better-recorded might not nowadays leave us wanting more - and I still return to it because it had such an excellent cast. And, like Stern's and Minkowski's (neither of which are without their problems) uses one singer per role, which is preferable by far to the doubling of roles. The doubling of Cadmus and Somnus is not ideal, but (except perhaps on Walker's recording, where it seems to work) the doubling of Ino and Juno strikes me as a grave mistake.
   
   If you can get it, buy it, listen to it and, if you like it, post a review. There is no denying that the opera-oratorio Semele is a fabulous composition, a great drama - but this performance is incohesive. And if I revise my opinion somewhat, I will regardless be looking out and praying for a new recording: perhaps one by William Christie or, dare I say it, Nikolaus Harnoncourt!



3. First I must disagree with the review offering only two stars. In these matters it becomes something of a matter of personal taste. Reviews have been split on this recording, but a the bulk of major and respectable journals (i.e,., Gramophone, The Guardian, The Times (London), Music and Vision) and a number of others have praised this recording, some bestowing awards upon it - while several other journals of equal repute, have found some flaws. Again, it's a matter of personal taste.
   
   I was surprised to happen upon this fairly recent recording of Semele which I'd
   been unaware of entirely up until a few weeks ago. I've been listening to it a
   great deal this past week and couldn't be more pleased with this set, and for a
   number of good reasons. In addition to being virtually note complete, it is also
   the first complete original instrument recording to make it into the market. Oh,
   and it's also beautifully performed.
   
   If a little less ripe of voice than I prefer, Rosemary Joshua nonetheless offers a
   ravishingly sung, and completely inhabited take on the role, handling all of the
   difficulties head on, with pristine coloratura and gleaming tone. Semele's first
   great aria, "The morning lark . . . " is sung about as perfectly as one could
   want. Some of the reviews have stated Joshua has sacrificed drama for
   musical clarity but I wouldn't agree with that at all. To see what I mean,
   listen to "O sleep why dost thou leave me," to hear a nearly perfect example
   of fusion between emotion, musical intelligence and ability.
   
   Richard Croft has been my favorite Jupiter (and favorite singers) for the better
   part of two decades and how thrilling it is to finally have him commit the role
   to disc. Croft manages to combine sensuality, musical accuracy, and that
   wonderful so-necessary Handelian element "the God as Human" (or is it the
   other way around?) that seems to elude many singers in this part. In his first
   aria Handel has given the tenor a difficult, rather odd rhythm between singer
   and accompaniment, and Croft gets it just right,. The fiendishly (almost
   ridiculously) difficult "I must with speed amuse her" is sung with Croft's usual
   virtuosity and tossed off with vocal athleticism, alacrity, abandon and
   accuracy, his facility for rapid coloratura never ceasing to thrill me.
   
   "Where `er you walk" is on different footing, finding Croft softening even
   further his tone, while retaining plenty of gleam. He never oversells the
   emotion and resists any urge to move this into "schmaltz" or deliver it in an
   overly churchy manner. It is one of Handel's greatest love songs and comes
   across best when sung as one. Croft's delivery here is exquisite his
   ornamentation in the da capo, a lesson in elegance. (Note: At a performance
   of Semele in the mid 1990's, Mr. Croft as Jupiter moved through a set that
   morphed into a stage sized, renaissance artist's living vision of a glade while
   singing with such tenderness the house swooned. Upon the air's conclusion
   the house (a typically noisy one) was rapt in silence before a thunderous
   applause was unleashed. My friend attending with me (hearing Croft for the
   first time) whispered "That was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard." I
   agreed.)
   
   Hilary Summers does double duty here as Ino and Juno and while initially I
   found her a mite hooty (in the old-fashioned countertenor sort of way) she
   warms up nicely and the duality of the characters is brilliantly brought to life.
   
   Also doubling up is Brindley Sherratt who sings Somnus and Cadmus - who
   sounds like he's having a ball doing both
   
   Stephen Wallace and Gail Pearson round out the cast in impressive turns.
   The chorus is a delight - vivid and lively in some of the briefest choruses ever
   penned, and always contributing to the forward pacing of the tale at hand.
   
   Christian Curnyn leads the Grange Park Early Opera Orchestra (original
   instruments) and chorus in this first complete release of an original instrument
   performance. It is a lovely, reading with Curnyn lavishing attention on every
   musical detail, infusing each bar with vigor and dramatic purpose. The many
   tender moments come across as delicately as gauze yet he achieves also a
   thrilling, theatrical and musically visceral quality in the works' more dramatic
   (and sometimes violent) moments. What is best about this set is how it
   presents the work complete (minus a few items excised by Handel himself) and
   has all the feel of a living, breathing drama taking place in your living room (or
   car if you prefer). For several of us, at least I believe this set will offer endless
   pleasure . . . (sorry!)
   
   p.



4. NOT REALLY VERY WELL-DONE! THERE'S BETTER TO BE HAD!
   This oratorio was written at the peak of Handel's powers. It is crammed with his most sparkling music: spectacular orchestral numbers and powerful choruses combine with heart-stopping arias.
   
   Expanding a libretto by William Congreve, Handel's Semele tells of the beautiful mortal, whose short but glorious love affair with Jupiter, King of the Gods, comes to a terrifying end in consequence of both her own vanity and the machinations of Jupiter's instensely jealous wife Juno.
   
   Rosemary Joshua, who sings 'Semele', though rending her music with efficiency and some finesse, does not display the sparkle and emotional depth one should hear in this role. Although the character of 'Semele' is complex for she experiences varying degrees of desperation, yearning, joy and fear throughout the oratorio, the singer must comply. For example her delivery of the aria 'Myself I shall adore.' which should be performed in a zesty and egocentric manner does not come across to the listener. It does not convey the fact that Semele is in love with her own image.
   
   However, there is more character in the performance from the rest of the cast with very fine contributions from Stephen Wallace (countertenor) who plays 'Athamas' and Brindley Sherratt who sings the roles of Cadmus and Somnus (bass). Hillary Summers, as Ino and Juno, has a voice with a somewhat peculiar and annoying quality. In fact, it reminds me of a male falsetto rather than a true contralto, and this makes for disconcerting listening. Richard Croft as Jupiter is adequate, but his voice, while having a pleasing sound in the lower range, is thinner higher up. His famous solo 'Where'er You Walk' was really not memorable.
   
   The chorus is excellent, and it is the only time I felt any real involvement. Curnyn does not seem to move the music forward, as say. a Gardiner or McCreesh might do.
   
   It behooves me to mention a truly marvelous award-winning recording (1990) by John Nelson and a cast of star-studded singers: Kathleen Battle (Semele); Marilyn Horne (Juno & Ino); Samuel Ramey (Cadmus & Somnus); Michael Chance (Athamas); John Aler (Jupiter); Neil Mackie (Apollo);Sylvia McNair (Isis). A SUPERB PRODUCTION IN EVERY WAY!!
   
   I must add that in the interest of 'fairness' I probably would not have been as critical of this performance if I hadn't been listening for years to the John Nelson recording.



5. This new Semele bests the available competition in two areas in particular - the excellence of Rosemary Joshua's voicing of the title role and the use of Handel's complete 1744 text. John Eliot Gardiner's Erato effort of 25 years ago was significantly cut (as was Somary's old Vanguard version). Nelson, on DG employs a more complete text, but with a couple of exceptions, is bested by the new Chandos offering.
   
   As mentioned earlier, Joshua is a very fine Semele. Of the competitors, Norma Burrowes is too much the nymphet and Kathleen Battle too much the diva. Joshua's lovely tone and good technique (a few sketchy trills aside) make the character very appealing. Hilary Summers, also in very good voice is a scheming Juno who tears into the music with relish. As Ino, a doubling that is authentically Handelian, she demonstrates her chops as a vocal actress by offering a portrait of Semele's lovestruck sister that is completely different from the goddess. She does not efface memories of the wonderful Marilyn Horne's work in the competing DG set, but this is a very fine piece of singing.
   
   Richard Croft brings a dark tone to the role of Jupiter and sings with good coloratura technique. His singing is sensitive to the text. Listen, for example, to his touching utterances of regret in "Tis past recall; she must a victim fall." Brindley Sherrat is a sturdy voiced Cadmus and doubles as an appropriately somnolent Somnus.
   
   I don't care much for Stephen Wallace's pallid countertenor as Athamus. Michael Chance is much better for Nelson. The chorus sings lustily and the period instrument orchestra is colorful and technically adept. After all these years of hearing Handel on period instruments, Nelson's admittedly excellent modern band is missing the last measure of color. Conductor Curnyn paces the performance very nicely. He also allows the crashing tympani to cut loose when appropriate, adding to the fun of what Charles Jennens, Handel's Messiah librettist, dismissed as a "baudy opera".

5 comments about Forbidden Planet: Original MGM Soundtrack.

1. This was a clever film, a sci fi rendition of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." A trekkie whom I dated in my single days referred to the film as a prototype of Star Trek.

   So the film, shot when I was just a boy, was a prototype, in many ways ahead of its time. So, thusly, is the music.

   While electronics have become a way of life in the "developed" world now--How long has it been since you've heard a phone "ring?"--in the mid 1950s, they were still fantasy. The film works simulataneously at three levels, the interstellar voyage of the characters, the far more advanced technology/prehistory of the Krell, and the subliminal, and very animal, instinctive id. The composers did a clever job of mixing electronic sound effects with a "musical" tone, some later mimicked by a number of minimalist composers, to develop the ambiance of these levels.

   If you haven't seen the film, maybe that description will entice you to see it. And the soundtrack will remind you of they mystery and intrigue of the story.




2. I was never quite sure whether the score for this movie was music or sound effects. The two seem to blend together. If you loved the movie sounds, you'll love this CD.
   This music is unique, a product of genius. I played it at work one day and one of my co-workers got the heebee-jeebees because it brought back memories of being terrified by the movie when he saw it as a child in 1956.



3. Louis & Bebe Baron, pioneers in electronic film music.
   It is clearly stated in the album's liner notes that no theremin was used in the creation of this landmark score and with good reason, the artists actually created by hand specialty circuits (in keeping with the basis of cybernetics) to create either individual sounds or sometimes even a huge long circuit board for a complete musical piece, it took them almost a year to do the entire score.
   
   Worth owning just for the historical significance but IMO it definitely has a musical flow to it that has artistic merit.



4. Yes, this is music! But I'm not surprised if there are doubts about it. Back in 1956 when I saw the movie (numerous times) in theaters, I didn't recognize the sounds as music either. I thought the Spacecruiser C-57D actually was supposed to sound like that when it landed. I thought the Krell power station emitted those sounds. I thought the id monster roared like that during its attacks. Even Louis and Bebe Barron weren't sure they were making music back when they started doing their first experiments, composing with electronic circuits and recording the results on tape. Even the movie credits state that they only provided "electronic tonalities". But that was because the studio feared union protest. The Barrons were not union members and didn't employ any players. But in the end this is a great filmscore. As soon as I take delivery of the Forbidden Planet Film Score Guide (search) I will begin trying to figure out how it might have been conceived. Louis was responsible for generating the sound elements; Bebe was the tape archivist and effective composer. But no notations of theirs have been published. The "film score guide" is an after-the-fact writeup by someone else.
   
   This is excellent film background and has a great deal of importance in generating the emotional impact of the movie.



5. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THE MOVIE "FORBIDDEN PLANET", AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT IT IS THE SOUNDTRACK TO THE MOVIE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT SURE WHETHER THIS IS MUSIC OR SOUND EFFECTS, TO ME IT IS AVANT GARDE, EXPERIEMTNAL ELECTRONIC MUSIC, VERY ATONAL AND THERE IS NOTHING ELSE I HAVE EVER HEARD QUITE LIKE IT. THIS PRODUCTION IS FROM 1956, AND IT IS AS FAR AHEAD OF ITS' TIME NOW AS IT WAS THEN. IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY, DIFFERNT, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THIS CD. WHEN THIS MOVIE WAS MADE, THE SCORE TO THE MOVIE WAS LABELED "ELECTRONIC TONALITIES", WHATEVER THAT MEANS..........

5 comments about Batman: Original Motion Picture Score.

1. What more is there to say about Danny Elfman's Batman score? It's one of the most popular and well-known scores of all time. Thousands of people have written their opinions of it. What more can I say? I can say how it affected me personally. It was the first movie score I ever bought, and it was brought to my attention from my dad when we watched the film together as he said "listen to this music in the opening credits Riley". Since then, my score collection has expanded 400 times, and my life and filmmaking career have thrived because of it.
   What can I say, really? I can't continue to bore you with pointless anecdotes. I can say that this music is incredible and still in my top 5 of all time. It's Elfman's best work. It's heroic, it's dark, it's thematic (I dare you not to whistle the Batman theme when this CD is over), it's operatic, it's over-the-top, it's action packed, it's brilliant from start to finish. There isn't any wasted space on this album. Elfman has a job to do, and does it with rarely elsewhere seen success. He practically created this idea of a "dark superhero theme", and while the movie was a slight dissappointment, this CD continues to thrill people of any generation.
   What can I say? This score is a masterpiece. End of discussion.
   cheers
   KZ



2. I thought the Batman score was brilliant, although some of the music that they had from the 1989 movie wasn't on the CD. For example, the bit at the beginning when the boy and his parents got mugged in the alley way. Jack meets up with Eckhart. The Axis Chemical plan with boss Carl Grissham. And a few others that I thought should be good enough to be on the CD.
   My favorite would have to be all of it, but track no. 17 would have to be my pick where the Joker and Vicky Vale going up Gotham City Cathedral and definately The Waltz (track no.18). I loved the Smiley tune that was not on the CD but in the movie where the Joker interrupts the news footage advertising his new Joker brand. That's tune's really fun to listen to. If you loved the movie, then this would be an ideal CD for you. Don't be dissapointed though that some music from the movie is not on the CD because it is still good to listen to.



3. For anyone with even a passing interest in film scores, or even music in general, this is must-own. Danny Elfman's score for Tim Burton's first (and best) Batman film is, in a word, magnificent. Inspired, memorable, and moving, Elfman's score is easily one of the greatest soundtracks in cinema history. Although fantastic if listened to alone, the way this music is used in the film itself elevates what is other-wise a very good movie into a great one. This score compliments the film so well, it's frightening. The main theme is a perfect reflection of Batman himself: it's majestic and powerful,yet tortured and dark.
   
   This gothic, elegaic score is easily one of the finest soundtracks ever written, and stands as a testament to the power and importance music holds in the world of movies. You'd do yourself a tremendous service to buy this soundtrack, and at this price, you'd be hard pressed to find a reason not to.



4. I bought the soundtrack to "Batman Begins" a few years ago and really liked it. I considered it the best "Batman" score. Then, a few weeks ago, I bought Danny Elman's original score from "Batman". While I still like "Batman Begins" (I like Zimmer and JNHoward), I ask myself now, WHAT WAS I THINKING??? This score is vastly more complex and enjoyable.



5. Hello everyone. I am an avid collector of film scores, especially rare or out of print promotional items. With over 200 scores in my collection, I know my subject well. Although I do not own a copy of the 2CD Expanded Score from Batman, it is still well-worth looking into if you are an Elfman fan....or just a fan of film music. Here is a track listing for the Expanded Score:
   
   CD1:
   
   1. The Batman Theme (2:38)
   2. The Future (4:08)
   3. Robbery (1:00)
   4. Roof Money (1:01)
   5. Roof Fight (1:21)
   6. Alley Meeting (1:29)
   7. Grissom Loft (0:15)
   8. Bad Guys Plan (1:39)
   9. Wayne Party 1 (Vicky Waiting) (4:52)
   10. Wayne Party 2 (Electric Chair) (4:08)
   11. The Cave (1:18)
   12. Factory Robbery (0:34)
   13. 1st Confrontation (4:45)
   14. Diner (0:16)
   15. Kitchen, Surgery, Face-Off (Album Version) (3:09)
   16. Kiss (0:12)
   17. Meet the Joker (3:40)
   18. Roasted Dude (1:01)
   19. Flowers (1:51)
   20. Clown Attack (1:45)
   21. Photos/Beautiful Dreamer (2:30)
   22. Joker's Factory (0:35)
   23. Joker's Commercial (1:19)
   24. Front Page 1 (0:10)
   
   CD2:
   
   1. Museum Wait (2:17)
   2. Party Man (3:11)
   3. Source Music (1:23)
   4. Boo! (1:05)
   5. Nice Toys (0:27)
   6. Batman to the Rescue (3:57)
   7. Decent into Mystery (1:32)
   8. The Bat Cave (2:34)
   9. The Front Page 2 (0:10)
   10. Joker Visits Vicky (1:45)
   11. The Joker's Poem (0:58)
   12. Searching for Clues (0:39)
   13. Childhood Remembered (2:42)
   14. Love Theme (1:29)
   15. Charge of the Batmobile (1:43)
   16. Trust (4:24)
   17. Attack of the Batwing (4:46)
   18. Up the Cathedral (5:06)
   19. Waltz to the Death (3:56)
   20. The Final Confrontation (3:49)
   21. Finale (1:46)
   22. Batman Theme Reprise (1:27)
   23. Scandalous (6:15)
   24. Batdance (6:13)
   
   See photos of the artwork/covers under "customer images"

5 comments about Disney's Greatest 3.

1. Nothing brings sweet recollection of Disney movies like hearing the wonderful songs. In an age where there so much music with no redeeming qualities, these Disney CDs are priceless. Wonderful for the entire family to listen to around the house or in the car while traveling. We can't help but sing along. We love that these are the original tracks from the movies! Wonderful! We now have all three volumes.



2. This is one of the better volums for kids and for those who are
   above 18 but still have some kid in them



3. This is a Disney disc I bought to go on my Yamaha disklavier for my kids to play and dance along. It is not irritating, has some great, recognizable Disney songs and overall is a very nice addition to the kids' music library.



4. Right from the beginning, this CD will move you. Track 1 "I'll Try" might be the most under-rated or under-appreciated Disney track of all-time. Following this is equally engaging "When She Loved Me" from Toy Story. Other good tracks include light-hearted "Gaston" from Beauty and the Beast and o course The Siamese Cat song, which is a classic.
   
   I held off purchasing this CD as I have other Disney CDs with overlapping tracks, and those tracks on this CD I was unaware of didn't interest me. I'm glad I bought this CD though, because I didn't know what I was missing.



5. I ordered all 3 of the Disney's greatest cds for our road trip to Disney world and they are all awesome! This one is not as good as the first and second but it rounds out the collection well.

5 comments about Jerry Seinfeld Live on Broadway: I'm Telling You for the Last Time.

1. I think People sometime's forget just what a brilliant comedian Jerry Seinfeld really is. The television series was remarkable and the best ever, in my opinion. This movie; Jerry Seinfeld Live on Broadway: I'm Telling You for the Last Time, reminds us that the show was based on material that Jerry came up with. I have had the pleasure of seeing Jerry twice in Sacramento, California. He is brilliant with the most impeccable timing I have witnessed. This movie captures Jerry at the peak of his performing prowess with timeless material that serves as a testament to his sharp wit and billiant comedic mind. 5 Stars!



2. Jerry Seinfeld in his DVD "I'm Telling You for the Last Time" (1998) delivers as a consummate comedian. Seinfeld has the unique ability to see complexity and detail in supposedly simplistic everyday life and things. These include aspects like airflight traveling, cab drivers, airport bathrooms, doctors and waiting rooms, grocery stores, elderly folks in Florida, McDonalds, horses, and so much more. What is seemingly irrelevant and unnoticeable, is what Seinfeld can turn into jokes, and simultaneously keep the audience laughing and pondering, and talking about it the next day. Because much of what he portrays is based on common daily circumstances, Seinfeld's comedy is largely timeless. He certainly comes across as a meticulous master observer, one who gathers up unnoticeable and ignored detail in everyday life, and transmits this through comedy. Here are bits of Seinfeld humor. "Airline peanut bags are too small, dig?...so are airline booze bottles and bathrooms." "When people go to the store they can never remember if they have enough milk." "New York cabbies are bad smelling foreigners and airport security guards are too fat."
   
   Notably, Seinfeld loves the short Question-Answer technique. He asks the audience, why this and this happens, and while they laugh at the seemingly simple yet intriguing question, he offers an answer that people would not expect, sending the audience into a frenzy of uncontrollable laughter. Example: "Dogs are broke all their lives. You know why they have no money? No pockets. They see change on the street--there's nothing they can do about it." Not to mention, most of Seinfeld's jokes are fresh. Furthermore, profanity does not exist in his routine, something he is so much credited for, given the significant employment of profanity by many comedians. Look at more of Seinfeld's comedy: "I'm going to tell you the secret of the male mind---all men think of themselves as low-level superheroes."
   
   Jerry Seinfeld is remarkably comfortable on stage. He starts his joke routine casually then digs in with mostly fresh material. His appeal also has to do with his humility, calmness and ease, as well as genuine appreciation for his audience, all this despite the high level of success with his television show. Seinfeld even allows for audience questions, an aspect quite rare among comedians. Seinfeld is genuinely touched when the audience gives him a standing ovation whether at the beginning of or at the end of his set. Both on TV and stage, Seinfeld is a highly skillful comedian. The combination of his TV show (that ran for an impressive 9 years) and the stage performances build him into a much greater performer. The TV show offers more flexibility and body expression, whereas Seinfeld demonstrates far less facial expressions in the stage acts. Nevertheless, Seinfeld dramatizes that comedy can come across plainly but excellently without the employment of grotesque facial expressions that many comedians are known for.
   
   While using some of the most mundane things in life for his material, he still possesses and transmits an intellectual form of humor. The Seinfeld performing on the DVD is quite the same as the television Seinfeld. Many of the jokes are familiar, and even those that are not tend to sound like they are. That Seinfeld is also consistent in the humor from start to finish is undeniable. Further, Seinfeld tends to appeal to quite a wide audience, that transcends gender and even age to some extent, just as long as this audience is in tune with his intellectual oriented humor. Some of his jokes do have a mature backdrop, but overall Seinfeld's comedy can be enjoyed by both young and old. A good example that gathers a wide breadth of laughs is the segment about trick-or-treating as a child and drive toward a constant need for candy. Much of Seinfeld's presentation is about Seinfeld's writing ability combined with physical representations of the off-the-wall characters he has met.



3. If you are a fan of the stand up comedy of Jerry Seinfeld then this is a must in your DVD collection!! From milk to cab drivers to candy to Chicken of the Sea,it is still outrageously funny. 75 minutes of pure comedy plus cameo appearances at the beginning with Ed McMahon, Jay Leno, Robert Klein,Gary Shandling, and the late Alan King among others.This is great comedy Jerry Seinfeld's way! Okay we have the complete "Seinfeld" collection, "I'm Telling You for the Last Time", "Jerry Seinfeld Comedian" and in a few months,"Bee Movie" to add to the collection! Just enjoy!!



4. What can you expect from a used product... The CD had scratches and the cover was pretty worn... decided not to give it as a gift because it looked like I found it in a thirft store.



5. Jerry Seinfeld is good at being funny. This DVD doesn't let you down! He sees everyday things that we all notice and finds a way to make them funny. You'll often find yourself thinking "That is so true!" Another plus is the fact that Jerry doesn't swear at all which is always a difference when talking about stand up comdedians.
   The only minus i can think of is you can watch it once and then remember most of the jokes, which makes the next time you watch it not quite as funny. It's also missing the classic writing of Larry David and 3 other actors to make it as hilarious as the usual 'Seinfeld'.
   Good fun for a rainy weekend.