Customer Reviews

Hamlet: Original Score from the Miramax Motion Picture

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Carter Burwell fans will not be dissapointed with this one. This score will take the listener deep into the mind of the obsessed Hamlet, and oh what a dark road it is.

As is the case with many of the great film composers, we get to see what the characters are feeling through the music, and Burwell creates a tremendous feeling of dread, obsession, and revenge within the audience. It's a masterful job and one not easily done.

But buyer beware, this is not for the constant fan of upbeat musical scores. This cd will take you to a realm of dark melodies and a deep feeling of hopelessness. On a brighter note, though, this score is great to write by, especially for dark and gloomy subjects.

To sum it all up, this cd is for the music fan of not only cheery and pleasant music, but also for those who tend to wander into the dark regions of the other spectrum. Good luck to you on this one. The melodies are brilliant and are somewhat hard to forget, stirring emotion deep within the listener. Enjoy and get ready to hear some serious music.

Varese Sarabande presents Carter Burwell's latest score - "HAMLET", many mood swings in this soundtrack, which draws the listener into a music trance. An example of this is track four - "DARKROOM", inner themes that go seemingly into counter melodies and back again. Much of this score is dark and brooding - "TO BE OR NOT TO BE" goes deep into the subconscious - "WIRING OPHEILA" simple and moving effective track - "THE END" which is the final track, very classical sounding to the very last note, with a resounding strike of percussion.

Burwell who gave us such wonderful scores - "MILLER'S CROSSING" (1990) - "ROB ROY" (1995) - "FARGO" (1996) - "THE CONSPIRACY THEORY" (1997) - "GODS AND MONSTERS" (1998) - "THE CORRUPTOR" (1999) - "THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER" (1999), once again proves his talent as a composer knows no boundaries.

This score with each theme underplayed and orchestrated is the power of the entire album, almost what Bernard Herrmann strived for in his film music. The first time you hear this score you dismiss it, but give it another listener and then another, and see if you don't agree. Believe Carter Burwell has given us a classic score, for a very classic title - "HAMLET!"

Total Time: 39:14 on 13 Tracks/ Varese Sarabande - 302 066 125 2 (2000)

I liked the combination of electronics with traditional acoustic intrumentation. This seemed to echo the way the film takes Shakespeare and transposes him into an glossy but existential New York locale.

While this album may not be any longer than his others, the cues are, and many of the themes that have been dancing around in his mind, particularly for _Fargo_ and _Gods and Monsters_ went into this. He scored eight other films and got married last year, so developing previous themes is hardly anything to complain about. Most of the tracks on this album are over two minutes, and many longer still. This isn't characteristic of Burwell scores, though I think that's something the film dictates, although it has the same brooding nature and quirky sense of humor that marks those other films. It does contain a descending triad featured in _Being John Malkovich_, but that doesn't automatically make this album a rehash. If you like Burwell, this is an album to get. You'll hear some familiar sounds come to the fore and receive a lot of care.

Unfortunately, there is a problem with this album's sound. Something across between the sound of tape hiss and a high-pitched ring is in the back of every track. It tapers off a bit as the album progresses, but never quite goes away, except where the tracks break. It is a bit irritating, particularly if your player goes automatically goes back to the beginning and starts playing, then you can really notice it. I've heard it on three different systems, and the amount this distortion can be heard varies a great deal, but always seems to be there, intrinisic to this recording.

this CD is another triumph for Burwell. He wrote and arranged this score for a very small ensemble, and is similar in tone to his previous underrated work for "Gods and Monsters." The music is not overtly beautiful, but still goes a long way in defining the genius of Burwellian darkness. A triumph of small ensemble orchestration. If you need a comparison, steer clear of Doyle's bright and happy (although excellent) score, and look toward Ennio Morricone's version of "Hamlet."

This score is dark, moody, and in short is everything you come to expect from a Burwell CD. That being said, it isn't his best. No one came blame him, for this Hamlet certainly isn't the best film. Still it's a good listen, and if you have other CD's of his, you'll want to check it out. If not, you may want to look at maybe his fantastic work on Fargo or Being John Malkovich beforehand, lest you be quite chapfallen.