Customer Reviews

Hannibal: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2001 Film)

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'Hannibal' can count on some pretty good names when it comes to actors, the director, producers special effects and make-up artists and certainly the composer. After 2000 smash-hit 'Gladiator' director Ridley Scott asked Hans Zimmer (born 1958, Germany) to reunite for 2001's 'Hannibal'. 'Gladiator' was the most successful and best-selling score of the millennium year.

Zimmer is known for his rather striking and effective composing. Not many people may be aware of the fact they must have seen quite some movies that were flavored by Zimmer's great sense of drama. The many titles he worked on include 'As Good As It Gets', 'Thelma And Louise' (yet another Ridley Scott collaboration), 'Twister', 'The House Of The Spirits', 'Scream 2', 'The Lion King', 'The Prince Of Egypt' (still one of my favorite scores) 'The Road To El Dorado' (his second collaboration with Elton John after 'The Lion King') and 'Mission Impossible 2'. He has a huge productivity and never seems to over rush while writing his music. He can easily measure up with some of today's most well-known score composers, including Howard Shore ('The Silence Of The Lambs', 'Se7en', 'Dogma' and the future 'The Lord Of The Rings' trilogy) and Jerry Goldsmith ('Alien' (yet another successful Ridley Scott film) 'Basic Instinct', 'Mulan', 'Hollow Man' and the re-make of 'The Planet Of The Apes').

Enough titles, let's talk about 'Hannibal' (haven't we all for months now?). What a lot of people don't realize is that a movie's score can actually have a huge influence on how a viewer experiences a movie. Most scores work with a certain theme that is being repeated throughout the movie. A very famous (and quite recent one) is the theme for 'Titanic' written by James Horner that uses the same theme over and over again almost with an annoying effect. Howard Shore's main theme used for 'The Silence Of The Lambs', which is present during the entire movie but in a very effective way. The official 'Hannibal' trailer used the Shore-theme and maybe some moments of the movie itself also will.

The 'Hannibal' score as released by Decca is comprised of a total number of 12 tracks. All are sort of linked together as though the score is one big piece. The first track 'Dear Clarice' (6:02) starts with some futuristically haunting sounds and a choir. Then Hannibal reads his letter to Clarice. Some of the lyrics are literally taken from the novel by Thomas Harris. After the letter a great string ensemble plays with the occasional piano-parts. It reminded me a lot of the opening-track of Jerry Goldsmith's score of the Paul Verhoeven movie 'Hollow Man' (the one played during the opening credits). It is haunting, tragic and very emotional. Some use of the cello and violins. This track really sets the mood for the rest of the score. At the end it contains some whispering (probably Hannibal).

The second track 'Aria Da Capo' (1:48) is a piano-piece played by Glenn Gould. It is part of the Goldberg Variations by by Johann Sebastian Bach. Goldberg was a rich man who set Bach the assignment to write a numerous amount of variations based on one theme. I supposed this version by Gould is an older one, since I already heard this track on Napster before the 'Hannibal' soundtrack was released.

The Bach variation blends into the third track, 'The Capponi Library' (1:14). This rather short track starts with the sound of rain and some mysterious noises. It is more a transition track than a separate piece. But it sets the mood quite well for the next piece, a variation of Johann Strauss's 'Blue Danube' leading us there with a reserved, sipping, cymbal.

Now track number 4, 'Gourmet Valse Tartare' (6:50) uses Strauss's theme beautifully. This track had me triggering. If the movie would have taken place in Vienna I could have gotten over it a lot sooner. But I get it now, although it took quite some time. Zimmer starts with a very faithful tribute to this waltz but then puts in his own theme that sounds merry and happy. The staccato edgy waltz sound takes you into a joyful mood but then changes color and becomes more and more aggressive. What I like most about this track is that it is very unsuspectful. After its first climax the waltz is being continued but just as abrupt broken down as the first time. It is actually beautifully orchestrated and now one of my favorite pieces. After the second climax some dark sounds begin to disappear overshadowed by minor string parts ending in some staccato copper sounds and you begin to get back to Strauss's waltz one more time but you feel rather uncomfortable since the mood you used to be in has disappeared completely. The finale of the piece with climbing climax almost takes you into a depression. The track end in a choir and some sound effects including voices to restore the peace.

'Avarice' (3:54) is the fifth track and starts with some xylophone (or vibraphone I can hardly ever keep these two apart) and some soft string accompaniment. The track builds up in a great way. After the percussion sounds some mysterious strings appear. It is very much in the mood of 'Dear Clarice', the track this album started with. Some of the theme of 'Dear Clarice' returns in 'Avarice' including the piano parts. I think Zimmer really has been influenced by Jerry Goldsmith for this theme.

Track #6 was given the title 'For A Small Stipend' (0:55) and is very much a transition to the next track. Not much happens in here and I wonder why this is a separate track. It starts with some haunting strings and introduces a rhythm that is being more explored in the next track. This rhythm reminded me a lot of the music Zimmer wrote with Stephen Schwartz (who wrote the lyrics to the Alan Menken songs for Disney's 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame') for 'The Prince Of Egypt'.

Track 7 is called 'Firenze Di Notte' (3:09), meaning: 'Florence at night'. It uses a rather futuristic mixture of sounds, almost sounding like a lifting helicopter it also uses some Middle East sounding instruments (hardly audible though). After the rhythm has stopped the strings come back in using some of the theme we already heard before.

The next track, entitled 'Virtue' (4:37) starts with a choir and a nice string ensemble. I find this track very touching and emotional. It has a really soft, gentile flow and a great arrangement. You should just listen to it and close your eyes. It uses a lot of strings (a lot of cellos) as well as the harp, the instrument that also closes the track.

Track 9, 'Let My Home Be My Gallows' (10:00) is the longest track. It starts with a tremolo string theme and you even hear the sound of sitars at the background as well as the xylophone/vibraphone (whatever) merging with a choir. This is one of my favorite pieces. It is long but not too long. The pace is very pounding, like a heart-beat. After about two and a half minutes some horns and trumpets come in and a new choir theme starts (I think it's Latin, not sure) and a glockenspiel with a heart-beat rhythm leads into a great new choir theme leads to Hannibal's lecture to the group of scientists. It is about Dante's 'Inferno'. The speech is not distracting at all. It adds something to the music. Hopkins even starts talking Italian, which is pretty impressive. After the speech a woman starts singing followed by a choir. I see the great visuals Ridley Scott is known for of Florence when I close my eyes. It would fit the images I have seen perfectly. Then mysterious frightening sounds lead into the main theme again ending in a thunder of noise and sound effects to close the track.

The tenth track is called 'The Burning Heart' (4:24) and starts with the gentile string theme we heard earlier in 'Virtue'. Hannibal speaks again about the burning heart. I am not sure what part of this movie this is. Yet again the voice is not distracting at all. The track as a very soothing, comfortable pace with strings and choir.

The fore last track is called 'To Every Captive Soul' (6:55) and starts slowly and melodramatically. The strings are leading to the main theme but are a bit different and very tragic. It has a great new theme and an emotional flow.

The last track 'Vide Cor Meum' (4:20) is the mini-opera composed by Klaus Badelt. It is an opera about Dante's life and sung by Danielle DeNiesse (as Beatrice) and Bruno Lazzaretti (as Dante). Badelt might use this piece to write and entire opera about Dante. The piece is beautifully sung and sounds like a dream. The end of this track has Hannibal saying: "Ta ta, H", just as in the letter of 'Dear Clarice' and at the very end a loud sound makes you jump up from your chair.

With this score Zimmer has shown he can still write great scores. The score uses a lot of strings and has a dark mood. But the feeling that was most present for me is tragedy. Hannibal's life just as Clarice's is one of many tragedy's. Hannibal losing his sister and parents to a couple of man-eating poachers and Clarice losing her dad and mum, becoming an orphan. Many people may not realize this but their lives have many things in common. And Clarice doesn't want to face this but Hannibal is very much aware of this. But mayb

I was looking to purchase this soundtrack for one reason only...the music from the opera scene blew me away! The problem was that I am not a big classical music fan & I was not familiar enough with this type of music to know if that music I was so enamored with was an original piece from a real opera or if it was written by Hans Zimmer specifically for this movie & if it was just for the movie, would they have enough foresight to include it into the CD!? I was very happy to have been given the opportunity to read other reviews and listen to clips of the music BEFORE I purchased it to only be disappointed later. I read a review by Eugene, that stated he enjoyed the last two songs the best, so I listened to which one's he was referring to when low & behold I found my beloved opera music on Track 12 "Vide Cor Meum". How incredible that song makes me feel. Thanks Eugene for mentioning it and thanks to Amazon for giving me a chance to listen to the clip!! I'm buying it immediately for sure!

Like many others, I was struck by the score from the moment I saw the movie. Unlike most movie scores, this served both to the move the plot of the movie forward, and is an integral component of the movie in its own right.

I am a huge Hopkins fan, so was not bothered by the idea of having his voiceovers. However, if you are concerned, they are very quiet and subtle, and easy to ignore.

The track "Let my home be my gallows" is a masterpiece, and the rendition of Aria da capo from Goldberg Variations is superb. This is music to shut your eyes and the world out, and just soak it all in.

Incidentally, you do not need to see the movie to enjoy this CD. Even with the voiceovers, as stated before, they are very subtle and minor. It's simply a beautiful soundtrack with much "mood music".

I intend to check out other Hans Zimmer scores. I have never encountered a composer who has moved me this much with the exception of Danny Elfman. They are a totally different style, but they both have the same effect... wonderful music that stands apart from the movie, as well as being an integral part of it.

Ta ta.

OK, this was a tough CD to rate. I enjoyed the movie more than the book (thanks to the change in the ending), and I remember noticing the score while watching it. So, I was really excited to pick it up (especially since I am a huge Hans Zimmer fan). Upon getting it home and listening to it, though, I began to think that maybe this was a rare case where the film enhanced the music (rather than the other way around).

Certainly, the score has its moments (I've never listened to a Zimmer composition that didn't have something good in it). The last track, "Vide Cor Meum", is gorgeous and a feast for the ears. But as beautiful as that piece is, it is quickly followed by absolute stupidity in the placement of Sir Anthony Hopkins' dialogue from the film and a loud boom / explosion (which I thought blew out my speakers for a moment). So, when I say it "ends with a bang", I mean that both figuratively and literally. It is things like that which make this soundtrack a mixed blessing.

Overall, a few nice tracks, but a disappointing effort from a great film composer. A "put-it-on-the-shelf-and-pull-it-out-occasionally-to-listen" type of CD.

As a huge Hans Zimmer fan, I was disappointed with this soundtrack, even though a mediocre Zimmer score is still better than most. It lacks the listenability of his work on Thin Red Line, or Gladiator. Like the film itself, it is less haunting than it aspires to be. The only two tracks I enjoyed were the last two, To Every Captive Soul and Vide Core Meum, both of which are exceptional. The latter is from the opera that Lecter attends in Florence. The soundtrack also has lots of soundbites from Lecter, pulled from the film. Personally, I'm not a big fan of scores that resort to that, as I prefer to just listen to the music on its own merits.

Also, one warning. The end of the CD concludes with Anthony Hopkins saying "Tata," and then a violent loud explosion from the orchestra which nearly blew my eardrums (let alone speakers) out. Totally unnecessary, so be forewarned.

Being a huge "Silence of the Lambs" fan, I have been highly anticipating the long awaited sequel "Hannibal." After hearing a few clips of the soundtrack to Hannibal, I went out immeadiately and bought the CD for myself! I feel that Hans Zimmer has done a wonderful job capturing the evil and passion of the character Hannibal Lecter and the film. All of the pieces on the soundtrack are haunting and yet elegant. I especially enjoyed the tracks that had Anthony Hopkins (as Hannibal Lecter) speaking with the beautiful and flowing music. Overall, a wonderful soundtrack (or score), and a must have for any "Silence of the Lambs" or "Hannibal" fan!

Hans Zimmer seems to be the composer of the moment in Hollywood, and why not? His score for "Hannibal" further proves that when he's on, he's really on -- his score for "Hannibal" is more entertaining than the film it has been written for, not to mention more haunting, scary and beautiful. But along with being a popular film composer comes the wrongheaded ideas that often get forced upon film soundtracks. Why are there dialogue snippets here? Sure, Anthony Hopkins is a wonderful actor and I love to hear his voice, but not when the music he is speaking over is superior to the film! Most dialogue tracks on soundtracks are annoying, and these are no different. Two big releases raped Zimmer's music in this fashion in the same year (remember "More Music from Gladiator"?). That being said, this is top-notch work from Zimmer and collaborator Patrick Cassady. Especially wonderful is the final track, an original operatic piece with a libretto taken from the writings of Dante Aligheri. Absolutely astonishing music in that last cut.

The music selected for this film was all that one would expect for such a thrilling screenplay, exciting, touching, unobtrucive and atmospheric. The highpoint for me was the scene at the Opera which left me spellbound. So delightful was the piece that I hummed it for days afterwards. The thrill was boosted by my finding out that a fellow Irishman, whom I had met often around Dublin over the past few years, Patrick Cassidy, hed written "Vide Cor Meum" especially for the scene. Woe of woes! I had hoped that it was an Opera which I could buy the next day. The good news is that the piece is featured on this soundtrach and Patrick is rumoured to be incorporating the piece into a forthcoming Operatic work. I can only commend you to his exceptional talent, recordings of which are available from Amazon and hope that you too will await the new work with my baited breath.

This is worth it just for the last track (Vide Cor Meum). Beautiful warm tones that will take you through an emotional journey. Pay attention, however, and stop the song before the last few seconds, or you'll be in for an unneeded orchestra Hit that will shock you or blow out your speakers. Buy it for the last track but beware of the last few seconds...BANG!!

I bought this soundtrack right after I saw the movie. The music on here is absolutely breathtaking. There are selections performed by a boys choir, as well as soft piano music, along with other pieces that leave you with eerie flashbacks from the movie. There are speaking excerpts from various Hopkins soliliquies blended with some of the music, which are a little annoying at first, but then you grow to enjoy listening to his haunting voice. This is a truly wonderful soundtrack and I urge you to get your hands on it as soon as possible.