Customer Reviews

M Butterfly: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

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

 

 

The soundtrack score composed and conducted by Howard Shore is surely one of the finest in the ranks of film scores. He manages to blend excerpts from Puccini's MADAMA BUTTERFLY, the opera on which so much of the story is based, by including orchestral transcriptions of some of the music from the opera while also allowing singers to offer the arias and the famous Humming Chorus to be part of the background. In addition to this he adds his own sweepingly romantic music to set the mood for the love scenes as well as the scenes depicting the young people in action involved in the Cultural Revolution. Add to this two excerpts of Chinese opera music he composed - those who have heard this strange but haunting sound of the voice in a radical range blended with the few Chinese string instruments that occupy the stage with the actors will appreciate this most - and we have a score that not only is descriptive and in keeping with the visuals, but a blend of East and West, just as the story of the film is a strange blend of the two opposites. This is a remarkable achievement. Grady Harp, January 12

I love this soundtrack because it reflects a feeling of foreign country.When you hear the music you will really recall the movie and ponder it.It's a beautiful love story so you won't miss it!

fans of howard's scores for cronenberg's films will like this just the same,but fans of the rings scores may be less familliar with his usually dark and scary music and thusly it'll take a few listens to truly enjoy his earlier works.In my mind Howard Shore and Angelo Badalamenti are the two best composers at what they usually do-dark,unsettling soundscapes that put you in ,say,the drearyness of a dank basement or the chill of a bare forest in the middle of winter.
this particular work has howard tackling asian influences to go with his orchestral movements,and as expected it's truly amazing in it's subtle,ambient darkness.there are a few"wake up"points where part of the m butterfly play are spoken in japanese(?)and it's a bit startling and comical.
also,I've never seen the actual play other than what's in the movie,but the person who said it was bad or a weak effort on both the musical and theatrical level is dead wrong in my personal opinion!the first time I saw the film I had no prior knowledge of the story or anything about "madame butterfly",so the ending was a total shock and mind trip for me!see the film(first rent,then buy)and definatly buy the score before the last copies are gone!!!

Howard Shore's score is good for mood music, something soft and pleasant for a candlelit evening, perhaps, but it lacks vigor, real drama. It is a disappointment, just like the movie.