Customer Reviews

Brazil

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

 

 

Michael Kamen's score for Brazil is sweeping, soaring, and captures all of the hopeful longing of the protagonist dreamer of the film. Any fan of Erich Wolfgang Korngold will love Kamen's symphonic rendition of the title song, which plays throughout. I don't normally care for dialogue provided on a soundtrack (for instance, the overbearing voice-overs on Hans Zimmer's Hannibal soundtrack or the sometimes unnecessary dialogue on Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack), however I didn't mind so much for the dialogue on this soundtrack. Recommended for anyone who enjoys grand, sweeping film scores.

I bought this soundtrack shortly after hearing the news of Michael Kamen's untimely demise and thought it fitting to purchase one of his earlier works in memory of him. I didn't know what I was getting myself into.

Right away, BAM! I was in another world. I loved how realistically it depicted fantasy. You heard me right! If you've ever had a dream where you are flying, it feels exactly how some of this score sounds.

The score also illustrates how dreams are not enough to isolate you from the horrors of reality. As in the film you are taken to the heights of escapism and then mercilessly dragged back to the nasty truth.

Now you're all thinking that this is a negative review, but it is not. I absolutely LOVE this score! I even tolerate most of the dialogue that is present with the exception of the track called "The Party(Part 1)/Plastic Surgery", It didn't add to the overall listen and wasn't necessary.


In conclusion, I am more than pleased that this score is still available after twenty years and can only hope that they'll realize there is a market for this and re-release Munchausen. Please?

Brazil, Brazil, Brazil. No longer a place of jungle and tree, but still a place of mystery, misery, and sudden, unexpected, horror. Maybe Brazil is really only like that in the movies, but nevertheless. Brazil is a poignant film of love, loss, and a statement as bold and as powerful as that of Huxley or Bradbury. No less is the soundtrack a work of art, carefully crafted to linger in the listener's mind not as an annoyance, but as a gentle, lilting memory that takes one back always to the heyday of BRAZIL.

Repeatedly, I've seen this film many times, and I love it very very much for its fluent fantastic melody and sound. Every time I see this film, I feel this film's fantastic soundstrack make my brain out. Because I don't have this CD, I made my mind to order one as soon as I found this site(I've just found this site). Well, it will be much anticipating days to wait for it, for I'm livi'n in the other side of your country, South Korea, near to Japan or China. Until then, I must have to make my mind to be calm and sound.

My growing movie soundtrack collection could not be without this CD! This movie is the graduation piece of both Michael Kamen and Terry Gilliam; such a sweeping score with unusual touches. The first track puts you in Gilliamland and never lets up. Listen closely for dialogue bits here and there.

I highly recommend also acquiring the Criterion DVD because it has a nice video interview with Kamen on the music. Rock on!

This is one of my favorite soundtracks and clearly resembles Terry Gilliams unique ability to entertain through wonder, confusion, mystery and the occasional hint of madness. Listening to this soundtrack makes me want to see the movie over and over unitl I go mad myself. However, I must say that my favorite part of the whole CD is that it comes with the words to its main title theme "Brazil". Finally for all of you who collect soundtracks or love cult classics, this is the CD for you.

Michael Kamen has written a lofty score for the movie Brazil. The seriousness of the music forces you to pay attention and take to seriously a movie that would otherwise seem preposterous. As mentioned by the other reviewers the different renditions of the title song are rousing and beautiful. Also as mentioned before, the inclusion of dialog from the movie is distracting and in my opinion, pointless. I can not recommend the movie.

Still an exciting piece of fused cinematic scoring the likes rarely if ever matched, Brazil's sporadic missteps can easily be overlooked because of the constant visionary spectacle.

It's obvious that Michael Kamen had Richard Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel in mind for this work, and Sam Lawry couldn't have had a more sympathetic and pathetic likeness to the Till of "Merry Pranks" fame. In interviews he said he was pleased with the way the ineffectual heroics of the solo violinist pretended to triumph over the powerful machine of the orchestra. I wonder if he'll be doing something similar for Gilliam's long awaited film on Don Quixote.

Brazil is one of the all-time great movies. The soundtrack is a perfect compliment to the visual artistry in the movie. This CD is great, but it could have been just a tad better. Much of the great music in the movie is left off in favor of some obscure tracks with samples of the dialogue from the movie. If you're a fan of Brazil, you will still enjoy this CD.