Customer Reviews

Battle Of Britain: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's true, the movie contains some of the most spectacular air combat sequences filmed, but it also has some of the worst--mostly due simply to poor editing decisions. A re-edited version of this fine film would go a long way, for sure!

The "Battle of Britain" soundtrack cd has a lot to recommend. The extra score by Sir William Walton is a welcome bonus! There are many tunes by Ron Goodwin that are standouts as well: beside the main theme there's "Ace High March" which seems to weave elements from the best of proud wwII german and allied marches into a truly stirring yet pleasingly catchy melodic line. Goodwin meant this piece as a tribute to the participants on both sides. I like these kind of soundtrack marches and I think this one ranks right up there with the march from "Force Ten From Navarone" and the one from "Patton" in terms of sheer toe-tapping infectiousness. It's that good! From time to time I still hear it played at football games.

But for me, the jewel in the crown is Sir Walton's "Battle in the Air" (used in the film). Not only is this piece superbly matched to the film, but it even stirs the imgination apart from it. It's written from the POV of the british fighter pilots who must intercept the escorted nazi bombers before they reach their targets. In the music you can hear them jockeying for position, trying to get close enough to the bombers without getting jumped from behind. You can hear the confusion of a dog-fight; the close calls and near misses, the insistent machine gun fire, the ceaseless maneuverings, the brief lulls in the tension puctuated by moments of sheer panic and the feeling of needing to have your head mounted on a swivel as enemy and friendly planes "cartwheel through the sky in all directions". It's all here and it all vividly comes together in a tense and adrenaline-charged set-piece that climaxes in kettledrums as a german bomber plunges into the english channel! There are many other good works on this cd but this one is my favorite.

This is one of the most enjoyable CD's in my collection. Ron Goodwin composed fresh themes to weave throughout the soundtrack. As always,Goodwin's music is energetic and stirring. The music from William Walton is a surprising find and is an interesting, well-composed contrast.
This is a must-have CD, truly outstanding!

This is a "blinger" of a film score. It's powerful from start to finish, and easily conveys the emotion that gripped the participants in the Battle of Britain. This is a clear example of how a good score can significantly enhance a film's impact.

The music, however, is so tied to the film that it doesn't stand up on its own as well as other film scores do. But it's enough to make you want to see the film if you have not done so.

As an extra bonus, the theatrical trailer is encoded on the CD and can be played off a CD rom.

Superb martial music, with a very melodious theme for the German scences. This is a truly unique CD, since it presents the soudtrack used in the film as composed by Ron Goodwin and the unused soundtrack of Sir William Walton (even though his scoring for the climaxtic aerial battle was used). This presents a rare insight into the creative treatment two composers give the same theme. Fantastic!

If You Have Seen the film the Battle of Britain this is the CD you want it is briliant especially if you like some of the music in the film. Especially battle in the air at the end of the film with the big dogfight over London. A very worthwhile buy.

This is an outstanding soundtrack. Not only do you get Ron Goodwin music that was used in the movie but you also get William Walton's score that was not used. They are both good. Which is better? You decide. Great cover art.

I first saw this movie when I was in my teens and I fell in love with the exciting Battle of Britian Theme. Back then it reminded me of the Indiana Jones march (though this soundtrack obviously came first). An even greater plus with this CD is that they've put the score written by Sir William Walton that wasn't used for the film at the end of the CD. It is very different from the Ron Goodwin score, but is beautiful in its own right. The movie trailer that one can watch on a computer is an added perk. This is a soundtrack to have!

To be honest I only bought this CD for two songs which were the Battle of Britain themes. The rest of the songs are great although it's not music that I would just sit around and listen to but the music really flows well with the action of the movie The Battle of Britain which was what it was intended for.

I've recently purchased the Battle of Britain on DVD and noticed that they changed the song at the end of the movie when the credits roll. I didn't like that because the Battle of Britain theme sounds much better at the end of the movie and flows much better with Churchill's quote that they also took out of the new DVD version. "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few." Get the VHS version and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I was skeptical about ordering this cd since it is no longer released by an official record label. But I recieved it a a nice case and the quality is great considereing it was recorded in 1969!

What a shocker! I like movie sound tracks and I saw the movie say 25 years ago. I purchased it really just on the hope that it might be ... well stirring. I was not disappointed. The battle theme and its variations are spectacular, regal and inspirational - almost celestial at times. I play it over and over again while I'm driving and find myself trying to guess who is getting blasted out of the sky at that particular moment. The music truly inspires and I plan to buy the movie just to see if the plot lives up to its soundtrack.