Duplicity [Soundtrack]

James Newton Howard (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: James Newton Howard
• Audio CD (March 24, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B001SMC976
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,486 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. War - James Newton Howard

2. Following Claire - James Newton Howard

3. Security Meeting

4. Split to Rome

5. Tully's Letter

6. The Ghost

7. Rome Hotel

8. Back to the Unit

9. Split to London

10. The Frame Up

11. Split to Miami

12. Miami Hotel

13. Share My Fire

14. Bench Mark

15. Safe House

16. Split to Cleveland

17. The Formula

18. San Diego Airport

19. A Cream or a Lotion?

20. Airport Love

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Soundtracks & Scores
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 24-MAR-2009

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Infectious, January 7, 2010

By 

Jon Broxton (Thousand Oaks, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duplicity (Audio CD)

Duplicity is a double-crossing spy caper written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who previously worked on films such as Michael Clayton and the Bourne series. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts star as Ray Koval and Claire Stenwick, ex-lovers who specialize in industrial espionage, who team up for one last job: to swindle their respective bosses out of millions of dollars. The film, which also stars Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti, has an original score by James Newton Howard, who received an Oscar nomination the last time he teamed up with Gilroy on Michael Clayton in 2007.

Howard's score for Duplicity is an exercise in funk; it's a departure from his usual lush orchestral sound, instead making use of a bank of synthesizers and samplers, a jazz combo with plucked basses and blaring horns, and a snazzy, upbeat tempo that is incredibly infectious. In a way, it's a cross between Lalo Schifrin and David Holmes, revisiting the cool 60s and 70s retro sound that seems to be making a nostalgic comeback in modern film music. Cues such as "War", "Following Claire", "The Frame-Up", the seductive "Miami Hotel" are tremendously stylish, often employing Latin beats and prominent solo instruments alongside the electronic rhythms and jazz stylings to excellent effect. Trumpets, acoustic and electric guitars, groovy pianos, accordions, mandolins, even kettle drums have their moment in the sun, reminding us that before he was a respected orchestral composer Howard was one of the most in-demand pop arrangers in the business.

Some of the slightly more serious action-style cues, like "Security Meeting", "Tully's Letter", "The Ghost", "Safe House" and the wonderfully rambunctious "The Formula", have a darker tone and a more urgent feel, but still retain their rhythmic panache and overall lightness of touch. The subject of the film may be espionage, but the tone of the film is that of a cheerful caper. Later in the album there are some truly lovely romantic interludes built around a solo acoustic guitar or a piano, notably in "Rome Hotel", "San Diego Airport", "Airport Love" and the lithe "A Cream or a Lotion", which are all quite gorgeous.

Although Duplicity is a world away from the sophisticated orchestral writing we are used to hearing from Howard in recent years, it has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience, especially for those whose tastes encompass jazz and world music as much as the classical style.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this soundtrack, October 5, 2009

By 

Susan B. Brown "susanakame" (Pico Rivera, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Duplicity (Audio CD)

I really liked this movie... and the thing that really sold it was the music. After watching the movie, I ordered it immediately. What a pleasure. It has a prominent place in my CD player rotation. Most movie soundtracks only contain a few good tracks with filler music from the movie. This soundtrack's tracks are all gems!!!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it from the start, November 11, 2009

By 

Frank in LA "FD" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duplicity (Audio CD)

Heard the soundtrack in the movie and it just struck me so I had to order the cd right after. Made the movie for me and it is still great to listen to.