Customer Reviews

Giant [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

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4 star:		(1)
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GIANT was one of the last of the studio epics. Independent production companies began appearing on the scene a year later and soon took over the industry as studios collapsed under economic indiscretions and poor boxoffice return. This 3 hour and 21 minute film was the best of 1956 and although it lost the Best Picture Oscar to AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, a gimmicky travelogue with an astounding number of star cameos, it is GIANT that has achieved classic status in the years since and of all the films nominated that year, it still deserved most to win.

Tiomkin's music perfectly captures both the grandeur of open spaces and the intimacy of loving moments. Amazing when one thinks how intimate this film is. Like GONE WITH THE WIND it does not rely on crowd scenes or battles, but on loving relationships growing and changing over time.

Although this is not actually a "soundtrack" disc, it will do until someone ressurects the actual tracks at Warners. This is a studio recording with Tiomkin conducting selections (only 43+ minutes worth at that) from the film, some of which are arranged suite-like. It was rare at the time for any non-musical film to have its score released on record directly from the film's sound masters. Even BEN-HUR three years later released a studio recording of Rozsa's score, conducted by him.

This is wonderful music and I highly recommend the purchase.

I saw this movie when I was 16 and sat through it twice (those were the good old days when you could stay in a theater all day) and fell in love with both the movie and the score. It is one of our all time film epics and I've enjoyed the soundtrack for about 39 years. Slowly I'm replacing all my albums.
The big opening theme conveys the spirit of Texas. However, tracks 2, 3 & 4 totally express the lush environment of Virginia. Little by little you are transformed into the land that Giant is all about, Texas.
While Giant basically centers in and around two generations of Texans, it's also about the growing and maturing of the characters Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson portray. The score shows why Dimitry Tiomkin has been writing music for the screen since the 1929. Some other notable films he has scored are Lost Horizon, Portrait of Jennie, Red River, High Noon, The High and the Mighty and The Fall of the Roman Empire, just to name a few.
If you've seen Giant you can visualize the scenes as you listen. If you haven't, just the opening theme alone makes you want to see the movie. I've seen the movie a least a dozen times and listened to the soundtrack at least a hundred times (going back to when I first bought the album).

Tiomkin's score for Giant (1956) is one of his best only surpassed imho by the ones written for Duel in the Sun (1946)and The High and the Mighty (1954). George Stevens epic demanded Tiomkin the writing of 200 minutes (or more)of music and although on this Cd only figure the 12 main themes, they reflect the spirit of the film and are a good example of Tiomkin's virtuosity.

Giant is the title and Giant is the music and movie, and a special mention for the "Main Title" and the "Fight Scene" music, being the last one a great version of "The Yellow Rose of Texas"
I enjoy it a lot.

Songs Include : Main Title Giant Theme / Hunt Scene / Love Theme There's Never Been Anyone Else But You / First Love / Road To Reata / Jett Rink Theme / Toy Trumpet March / Christmas Morning / Angel's Return / Romantic Interludes Love Theme / Jett Rink Oil Baron / Fight Scene The Yellow Rose Of Texas - Conducted By Ray Heindorf / Home In Reata / End Title - The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You - Conducted By Ray Heindorf