Customer Reviews

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989 Film)

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

 

 

...just like the flim. The whole score is an overshadowing funeral procession that never gives you a doubt that bad things will go down soon, and according to the story they did.

The opening title on disc can be oppressive at 12 minutes, but the next 3 that follow are fine pieces that showcase both the lighter (few that there are) and darker points which do not overstay their welcome. The closing composition is a chorus (the London Voices) featuring a floating saprano that is great, however it too like the 1st take is close to 12 minutes long and it can grate on you if you're not in the mood for it.

As far as the remastering goes, I only have the original pressing of the cd, so I won't know (but how could it not be better?). The graphics look like they were done by 23 Envelope.

It's nice to see it's not forgotten.

This movie is both beautiful and disturbing. And Nyman has captured that wonderfully. This soundtrack was an important part of the movie which is very apparent once you start the CD. It's as powerful as any of Nyman's work.

There is no lack of passion or fire in this soundtrack. In particular, Memorial- a song Nyman wrote in response to a soccer riot- is a true masterpiece that is the ultimate expression of emotion and tension.

I was at the theatre watching something dull, and inexplicably starting feeling really anxious. During a quiet moment in the film I was watching, I realized I was hearing Nyman's soundtrack coming through the wall from the next theatre. This was about two months after I first saw The Cook/Thief. It is a beautifull score, but still gets to me.

If you found the movie disturbing then you might prefer a Zed and Two Naughts which is as lush and beautiful, but without the emotional side effects.

Like other Micheal Nyman scores, these are not short music cues, but fully developed pieces. I wish other soundracks were as carefully considered before release.

When I saw this great movie many years ago, the music was often compelling and hypnotic...really engrossing you in the imagery of this film. The picture and the movie are quite stark in contrast...the former is confronting and disturbing, whilst the latter is generally peaceful and relaxing. Composer Michael Nyman has his own particular style...when I heard the pop song "Your woman" by White Town, I thought that there was definitely a Nyman-esque element to the music. I may want to check out Nyman's score for another Greenaway movie, "A zed and two noughts" which also sounded interesting. Anyway, this album is good to chill out to, apart from the opening track. May have dozed off for a bit during one listen, but isn't that what chill out music should do for you? I replaced my original purchase because the liner notes were bent. Maybe just that particular release had some distortion on the first track...don't think my replacement had that. The final track on my replacement cd also had two seconds less displayed on the lcd for running time. Second track listed as one second shorter than my original purchase too. Think that my replacement was the newest release of this title...not sure how substantive these differences are though. Could give this cd up to 85/100.


The tracks:


Memorial - 12:07 minutes long. Has that Michael Nyman feel right from the start. Perhaps has a hint of Vivaldi to it as well? A processional, repetitive sounding track with throbbing violins. This is the piece which I found hypnotic watching the movie and made me want to listen to this album. The brass section on this piece really hits those brown notes, if you know what I mean. Melodic violins run throughout the piece. Sometimes you hear a melodic trumpet part, I think. Outro is a tad carnivalesque. There is probably a boy soprano vocalising on this track...or maybe it's a violin...not 100% sure!

Miserere paraphrase - 5:43. Melancholic, plaintive violin hitting high notes. Brooding piano notes, heavy and light. Percussive piano at times too. Has some folk style fiddle. Original purchase listed this as running 5:44 minutes long.

Book depositary - 5:41. Middling brass instruments. Violin, I think, is similar to classical compositions...perhaps Pachabel or Vivaldi at times. Violin hits the high notes and there is a low down brass instrument...tuba perhaps. Pleasantly mellow sound, but the low down brass instrument sounds like it is snoring! A slow piece. Abrupt ending.

Coupling - 5:17. Naturally follows on from the last piece, it seems. Violins, percussive piano playing. Low end brass. Moody but melodic. A little bit serene, yet pensive, yet sombrely aristocratic yet...(I'm sounding like Kenny Everett's comical critic Quentin Pose here!). Odd sounding piano here, perhaps...or maybe it's some other stringed instrument.

Misere - 11:32. Unaccompanied choral piece. Eerie, with an ethereal sounding boy soprano who sings in ear-piercing English. Adult males with lower voices sing in a language which may be Latin...dunno. There are female singers too. Religious lyrics...a sinner seeks the grace of God. Nice harmonies and counter-harmonies...pretty at times. The adults sing in English and the other language.



To check out:


Michael Nyman - A zed and two noughts. Another collaboration (soundtrack) with film maker Peter Greenaway.

Excalibur - soundtrack to the great English movie. Uses existing compositions, perhaps entirely. Does have that stately sound that you do get in this Nyman cd though.

Pachelbel - Canon. A hypnotic classical piece.

Vivaldi - The four seasons. Classical music...jaunty to sombre.

this soundtrack and movie are really, really wonderful. i noticed some people lamenting about the missing "love theme," so i thought i'd let you know (if you didn't already) that it's called "fish beach," and it's on the soundtrack for peter greenaway's film "drowning by numbers," which is why it's not included here.

it's still available:
http://www.amazon.com/Drowning-By-Numbers-1987-Film/dp/B000000HTR/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1229671981&sr=8-2

Where is the love theme music? It's the only reason I bought this soundtrack?!