Felicia's Journey [Soundtrack]

Mychael Danna | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 9, 1999)
• Original Release Date: November 9, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Milan Records
• ASIN: B00002Z785
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,885 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Danna offers a strange experiment on this score to Atom Egoyan's wistful and sinister film. He combines his familiar Celtic dirges, the nail-grating violins associated with Bartók, and some scattered traces of evil, backward-looping noises. Danna also (probably inadvertently) forges an under-explored link between New Age and the easy-listening style once referred to as "Beautiful Music." Oddly, the most intriguing elements are the reverberant Mantovani-style strings, none of which is Danna's own creation. He instead takes them directly from old and uncredited archival library recordings. Still, there are some interesting moments, as heavenly and sentimental moods fuse with the dark and foreboding. Included are two songs by crooner Malcolm Vaughan and a brief a-capella rendition of "My Special Angel" by the film's star, Bob Hoskins (!). --Joseph Lanza

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Heart of a Child meets the Soul of a Monster", March 8, 2000

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Felicia's Journey (Audio CD)

Dark and brooding this score is very different with a sense of the past that keeps flashing before the characters in this film by Atom Egoyan. From the liner notes Egoyan writes..."Mantovani, Strauss and Bartok, throw in some traditional Irish instrumentations, as well as the piercing sound of a military sare, and it's safe to say that this is the most adventurous soundtrack that Mychael Danna has ever composed for one of my films".

"In Felicia's Journey, the Heart of a Child meets the Soul of a Monster. As he explores a spectrum of tonalities and textures, Mychael makes the journey shockingly gentle and reassuringly violent. Nothing is what it seems. Listen and you'll hear what I mean."

The liner notes in Gaelic is very original with english translation provided. This group of artists and musicians, especially soprano Kate Crossan set the Celtic pace for this soundtrack. Malcom Vaughan sings THE HEART OF A CHILD and MY SPECIAL ANGEL is simply warm and beautiful. The closing track MY SPECIAL ANGEL performed by Bob Hoskins is very touching.

Total Time: 44:50 on 15 Tracks/ Milan Records - 7 3138 35896 2 (1999)

5.0 out of 5 stars A genial chef d'oeuvre, January 12, 2010

By 

A. Bellani "Alex Bell" (with Agnes on the plateau) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Felicia's Journey (Audio CD)

The Danna's typical celtic echoes encounter here the Malcolm Vaughan sound, that represents in the movie the fictional world of Mr.Hilditch, some contemporary and military influences that represent the journey into the madness and the parallel life of an ordinary boy, Johnny, ignorant of the drama around him, no less than the constrast between the Felicia's primeval world of nature and sentiments and the modern industrial world of alienation.
The climax ends with "Rest in Peace" superbly interpreted by irish soprano Kate Crossan (present also in the tracks 2, 5 and 12.)
In my opinion is misplaced the final performance "My Special Angel" (by Bob Hoskins,) that would better stay through the tracks 12 and 13, as in the movie.
Unfortunately the soundtrack not contains the song of Kate Bush, that's so evocative and precious for the initial part of the film.
Excellent graphic for the sleeve of this cd, a delight for the fans, with particularly the fabulous Elaine Cassidy. Naturally, you have to look also the motion picture, i recommend it.