Customer Reviews

The Good German

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Thomas Newman has created a score that recreates the style of 1940's film music while never falling into soulless mimicry. It's much more than can be said about the disappointing film. While hitting almost every action on screen, "mickey mousing" the film, Newman manages to bring out the passions of these characters, who otherwise remain ciphers in the impenetrable film. He also creates one of the most gorgeous themes he's ever composed, filled with heartbreak and yearning. If you like film music at all, pick this up.

-Channeling the old Hollywood scores from yesteryear is what Thomas Newman does with this fantastic score and which is why it works so brilliantly. The score starts with the Main Title track, which after some pretty loud horns, and strings settles down to play the beautiful theme for the movie. How great is the theme for this movie?, even people don't care much for the score admit it's fantastic melody so I think that should be proof to what a great theme that Newman as composed. It reminds me a little of the love theme from "The Mummy" but I'm guessing it's a happy accident. I love the little French horn he brings during the last 34 seconds to play this little tune that we never really hear again during the album.

-One criticism that people love to bombard the score with is that apart from the main theme there's no other memorable moment on the album. I do agree that nothing lives up to the main theme of the movie, but that's not to say that the other tracks aren't fantastic. "A Good Dose", "River Havel", "Such a Boy", "Countless Redheads", "Muller's Bullet", "Dora" and "Jedem Das Seine" are all wonderful cues that more than justify why this album is so great to listen to. I do hope that those people accusing it of only having a great theme and nothing more come around and listen to the album again, because there's a lot more that Newman has to offer here other just his wonderful theme.

-We do get a lot of versions of the main theme from a version done with an oboe to one done with tremolo strings. I love how the track "The Good German" it starts with the just the chords playing before the solo violin comes in plays the main theme. It really lets you appreciate the theme to a great level because even it's stripped down to just the chords it's still a fantastic theme. It's a shame that the movie never lives up to the music, but then again a lot of great composers write great music for less than great movies so this is nothing new

-I would have loved to see Newman get his Oscar for this but I guess he was no match for Gustavo's 6 minutes of guitar plucks. Hopefully someday he'll write something wonderful like this again and finally get his much deserved Oscar.

For hardcore Thomas Newman fans this CD will be a very pleasent surprise. This is something new from the unique styled composer, who we love so much. The score for the Good German isn't as melodic, and easy to listen, as all the other Newman-compositions. But it certainly brings some new flavour and a new side of the multitalented composer. The CD is quite short, but it's still enjoyable, although I would've nominated Newman's other score this year, Little children for the Oscar. If you like Thomas Newman, you should definately own this soundtrack.

Definitely one of the best scores of the year. The music is exhilarating, haunting, jaw-droppingly beautiful, and stunning. My only complaint is the many short cues on the album make for a slightly stuttered listening experience. But if you are a fan of orchestral film music, you MUST own this album!

After watching The Good German I rushed out to buy the score by Thomas Newman. Newman's previous body of work such as the music for Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty and television shows like Six Feet Under speaks for itself. Newman is brilliant. He is a worthy successor to the mantle once worn by Bernard Hermann. His score for The Good German captures the wistful sadness lingering around the shattered Nazi capital in July 1945, as well as the simmering tensions that ripple around the noir anti-hero Geismar. If you love film noir, you must see The Good German and buy this soundtrack.