Customer Reviews

Amelie: Original Soundtrack Recording

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Every year there ends up being one or two original movie scores that really blow me away. In 1999, the soundtrack to the musical South Park movie was the bomb, and there was also Thomas Newman's American Beauty score. In 2000 there was the dark and ambient Virgin Suicides score by Air and the horrifying Requiem For a Dream music by Clint Mansell. For 2001, Yann Tiersen's Amelie score takes the cake. The movie, if you don't know, is about a quirky girl who lives in Paris. She cultivates a fine taste for the smaller pleasues in life. She comes across a box in her apartment left by a boy 40 years ago, sets out to return it to him, and then discovers that it's her life's calling to brighten people's days. The score is somewhere between Nino Rota's Amarcord and The Godfather music. The mood is fun, tinged with sadness. It's like carnival music with a Fellini funeral procession, and a touch of sheer magic thrown in for good measure.

I was surprised to find out that not all of this music was written specifically for Amelie. Yann Tiersen is a guy who, apparently, records by himself and is a veritable Einstein of musical instruments. He plays accordion, guitar, bass, banjo, piano, harpsicord, mandolin, vibraphone, and toy piano among other things. The dominant instruments are accordion and piano, for your information. Apparently he's recorded a bunch of albums already, and some of his old tunes are on here, although you wouldn't be able to pick out the old from the new, except for the fact that some of Amelie songs have the recognizable Amelie "valse," or "waltz," in them.

This is the perfect mix of European classical music and experimentalism. A number of the songs are waltzes and would fit in fine with a period film. This compliments the movie because Amelie herself looks like an old movie star put into a post-modern film. The music is the same way. "Pas Si Simple" starts with a typewriter clicking and clacking and that becomes the percussion of another waltz. The orchestral version of "La Valse D'Amelie" is complimented by the toy piano to childishly magical effect. "Soir De Fete" sticks out from the accordion and piano-dominated songs with its mandolins and handclaps, and it ends with a music box playing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." It's a strangely unnerving song. The seven-minute "Sur Le Fil" features some really dextrous violin work, again, done by Tiersen. Overall, it will make you feel like you've been to Paris, seen a circus and a funeral procession, walked around a bit, and then come back. And it will make your day much better.

For any that have not seen this movie nor heard the music, you are missing one of the greatest of all time. This is a must see movie, and once you see it, you will want the music.
This CD however, is the same as the Amelie soundtrack with the green cover, that costs about 30 dollars less! The only difference of this cd is the cover, which was marketed for japan. Do not waste money on this cd, get the soundtrack with the green cover.

This is my first review. All my senses are telling me not to write anything; but, I must say something about this work of song.

My best friend came to visit me from home during Thanksgiving. He wanted to watch Amelie in the old theater we have because he knew it would take such a long time to get to Puerto Rico. I went in because I love movies and I was also intrigued by what I had seen of it.

My heart was ambushed. The story played before me and love filled my soul. The music was a warm, slow, and gentle stream flowing through me, threatening to spill through my fingertips. Comtine D'un Autre Ete: L'apres Midi, the first of Amelie's masterpieces. Once this song was played, I was hooked, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, along with Yann Tiersen, had my full attention.

Though without a doubt, the director of Amelie did a spectacular job of movie making, without the music of Yann Tiersen, it would never have been as powerful. When La Valse D'Amelie played, I felt like standing up and dancing as a fool. The first love I had ever felt for my girlfriend returned and made me want to laugh so hard, and be so happy, that I almost cried a little for not having the courage to do it then and there. (Then again, it might have been because some foreign film-junkie would have order me to sit my behind down again)

And then they played Pas Si Simple, and I was back in the small cobblestone streets of Paris riding my bycicle faster and faster though I have never traveled once there, maybe in some other life perhaps, but faster and faster as people passed me quickly and I caught a faint view of them waving though I kept going down the winding streets, of Paris.

Im sorry. I dont usually speak this way. I like it when people tell me of something they love or admire and put it in the words that their soul demands. However, to speak of this music, I have to try my very best to describe its beauty.

Beauty, and beautiful. Two words I do not take likely.

These songs, this music, are beautiful.

A great soundtrack to an even greater movie, "Le Fabuleaux Destin d'Amelie Poulain" is a showcase for Yann Tiersen's masterful use of atmosphere in music.

Give director Jean-Pierre Jeunet credit for his hands-off approach -- Tiersen, who doesn't often have very many nice things to say about directors and the movie scoring process, was given free reign to do whatever he wanted on this project. And what he wanted to do, apparently, was to recycle many of his old songs that fit the mood of the film, all of which have an otherworldly-yet-familiar feel to them, while adding an equal number of new compositions to round out the collection. The result of Tiersen's autonomy was a unified soundtrack that captures the mood of both the film and the composer.

This album -- almost exclusively instumental -- features nine songs compiled from Yann Tiersen's other albums (from 1995's "La Valse des Monstres" to this year's "L'Absente"), nine new Tiersen compositions (a handful of which are variations on the "Valse d'Amelie" theme, all of which are fortunately distinct enough to merit life on their own), and two 1930s songs featuring vocals ("Guilty" and "Si Tu n'Etais Pas La" both contribute to the nostaligic air of the movie, especially with the old vocal style).

Really, there's no way to adequately classify the accordion-driven folksy milimalist lullabyes that permeate this collection. Whether using orchestral touches, retro-future instruments straight out of an Ed Wood movie, or just playing the piano, Tiersen puts an alternately melancholy and jubilant edge on beauty while doing a magnificent job at evoking the whimsy and nostalgia of "Amelie." The source of Tiersen's music, just like the Paris of "Amelie," seems to be located in some alternate dimension, maybe a parallel universe that never escaped from the 1950s.

"Amelie" is a wonderful example of an excellent movie turned into an instant classic through a soundtrack that perfectly captures the mood of the film and adds another layer of depth to an already formidable medium. See the movie, and buy the soundtrack.

The soundtrack to « Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulin » is every bit as charming, magical and unexpected as the film. Besides the ubiquitous Parisian accordion, the soundtrack sways gently with waltzes, including three versions of Amélie's waltz: accordion, orchestral and the haunting piano version, "L'autre valse d'Amélie," "La valse des monstres," and "La valse des vieux os." There are touches of Gypsy violin, toy piano, bells and typewriters that also add their voices to the soundtrack. All of the songs are instrumental with the exception of "Guilty" and "Si tu n'étais pas là," vintage performances complete with record hiss that bring back memories of Edith Piaf and black and white films from the 1930s and 1940s.

Piano also plays a central role in the soundtrack ("Comptine d'été," "Le Moulin," "La valse d'Amélie," "Sur le fil," "La redecouverte" and "La dispute") and is balanced out by vibraphone, harpsichord, toy piano, guitar, banjo and bass, all played by multi-instrumentalist Breton composer Yann Tiersen. Many of the songs from "Amélie" were taken from Tiersen's earlier recordings, but all of the songs capture the charm of Montmartre and the spontaneous joie de vivre feel of the film. This is like a vacation to Paris on CD, and definitely the best soundtrack of the last few years. Buy it and let Amélie bring some magic to your life!

This is more of a music/movie review. Amelie (by Jean-Pierre Juenet) is truly one of the best films I have ever seen. I bought the soundtrack specifically because I wanted to relive the general emotion and life of the movie. But now that I have the soundtrack itself, it has begun to have a life of it's own apart from the movie itself-it's that good!
Amelie is arranged and written by French composer Yann Tiersen. Tiersen truly is a composer in that the music is "composed" not strummed blindly, or synthisized mechanically. The music is so vibrant and alive that you can't help but listen. What makes this soundtrack stand out is that it is a great album in and of itself, apart from the movie. There is such great variety in the each of the different pieces. If you've ever listened to other soundtracks, like Braveheart, Gladiator, Amistad, or the like, you notice that the songs are all done with the same instruments, and have the same sound, just different tempos, and you end up being very tired of it by the third or forth song. This just isn't true of Amelie. It is also not like "pop" soundtracks which are just a compilation of popular songs cleverly placed in the movie. The music is written specifically to describe Amelie herself and therefore the songs are quite diverse and yet distinctive. The music is like France itself, it is like Amelie's character. One French critic instucted all Americans, like an international diplomat, to see the movie "now!" because it gives one new optimism, passion for life, and love. How can I explain that the soundtrack does all of these things as well?
Admittedly, Tiersen somewhat plagerizes his own work by using the melody of some of his works (Les Jours Tristes) from his solo album (L'Absente, 2001) for this soundtrack. In L'Absente there is an introspective darkness which is also very stimulating but in a more experimental fashion. But, in Amelie, the music is optimistic without naiveté, uplifting without melodrama, inspiring without losing reality; like skipping stones on the ripples of the Thames.
If you are a conesour of world music, Amelie also has an eccelictic range of instruments including the toy piano (for the child in us all), carillon, banjo, mandolin and accordion (without which it would not be French music), harpsichord, vibraphone, and melodica. Together these make a somewhat modern, neo-classical, uniquely French sound that is great study music, party music, and yet, still somewhat singable (as my shower head can attest to!).
In the end, there are very few things in life that all people recognize as truly wonderful and Amelie may just be one of them. But in my mind, we would all do well to learn from the life and passion of Amelie the movie as well as the music of Yann Tiersen.

Like the film, the soundtrack version of "Amelie" is breathtaking, heart-pounding, magical, wonderful, romance. The score perfectly emulates and supports the whimsy of the film's narrative, and one follows Amelie through her adventures once again just by listening. (And listening again - over and over...)

Tiersen's compositions are constant movement, but are so quirky and majestic that one wonders what musical twist is coming next; it is with these elements of harmonious surprise that he has crafted the musical mirror-image to Jeunet's film.

"Amelie" is a Parisian film, and Tiersen uses riffs and instrumentation that is closely associated with Paris - the lilting waltzes, and the accordian's tangoes are all referenced here. Like Paris, the music is light and romantic one moment, and then strange and haunting in the next.

There is one scene in the film that particularly makes me pause as I review the soundtrack - when Amelie comes upon the blind man playing the Frehel record in the metro. The scene is too true of the musical surreality of Paris, and for anyone who has ever heard a distant melody floating through the caverns of the Paris metro - this album (and film) will make you reminisce. Each tune, for me, recalls a moment walking through Paris, taking in the music of the city - street performers, cafe chatter, artists, merry-go-rounds, all are drawn upon in this collection of songs. It is a pocket-full of memories for any Parisian - native or expatriate, and is not only the soundtrack to a film, but to a city.

The soundtrack brings me back to the scenes the songs were played in and it's maddening!! I loved the movie and now I love the soundtrack. It makes me want to go back to the theatre and see Amelie played over and over again. While the film itself displayed the true innocence of Amelie it was as much the music helping to portray that very feeling of a young child in France.

While this is more about the soundtrack I must add that the movie was just as successful as the former (City Of Lost Children) by this same director, Jeunet. I can't choose which was a better film! The musical direction is just as awesome!

It is not typical of me to purchase and enjoy a soundtrack, especially one that is mainly instrumental, but I couldn't resist since I enjoyed the film so much. If you are like me...watch the film first and then consider the soundtrack. I guarantee it will bring you back to the film ... a film that will leave you with wanting more of Amelie and her adventures!

This soundtrack will take you right back to the movie Amelie but, even if you've not seen the movie, it is a great CD to have on hand. The songs are all so very French but subtle yet intense. This is great dinner party music or rainy day, sitting at home, reading a book music. This CD is a must-have and one that you will never get tired of. It definitely does the movie justice.

There are certain movies that inspire you to go out and purchase their soundtracks. Most of mine include Danny Elfman (Beetlejuice, Good Will Hunting, etc.) and John Williams (Harry Potter and the much forgotten though equally incredible 1941 soundtrack). There are of course the required recent releases such as the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, and the spooky Lemony Snicket soundtrack. Then there are movies that have soundtracks that you purchase because they are a good collection of popular songs (Shrek movies come to mind).

There are a lot of movies that you watch, then purchase the soundtrack. However, Amelie was one of those movies that I actually watched because of the soundtrack. I remember purchasing the CD, and being absolutely amazed. Every track, every song on the album was almost beyond brilliance. The skill in playing the instruments, the unique progressions, the range of emotion - all are presented to the fullest that I have ever heard on a movie recording. Soundtracks seldomly reach the genious that this one reaches.

I watched the film after listening to this, expecting the film to match the emotional and technical supremacy I found on this CD. I left the theater, pleasantly at a loss for words. This is a soundtrack that actually matches the movie in its content. If you enjoyed the movie, you will love the soundtrack.

If you have never seen the film, this soundtrack is a joy to hear. This is not a soundtrack that you have to have seen the movie to fully appreciate. I know several people who have never seen Amelie, but they all own copies of this album.

Even if you disliked the film, or even if you abhor movie soundtracks in general, you can still appreciate and probably enjoy this CD. It is engaging beyond anything that you will hear for a long time, whether it be popular, classical, or even another film soundtrack.