Customer Reviews

From Hell (Score)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The horror/suspense genre has continually turned out some of the best film scores ever (think THE OMEN, ALIEN, INTERVIEW with the VAMPIRE, PSYCHO, JACOB'S LADDER, HELLRAISER II, etc.) yet its composers' work (Hermann, Goldenthal, Jarre, Young) goes largely overlooked and underappreciated. One of the masters of the genre (Howard Shore of David Cronenberg fame) got his due this past year (rightfully so) w/ his masterful score for LORD OF THE RINGS. However, 2001 also saw another masterful score from Trevor Jones, a man who hits a career high with his take on themes such as love, death, disease, desire, addiction, remorse, melancholy, and rememberence. To be sure, this is a "dark" score, as "high gothic" as any Requiem or cathedral in France. The score here expands past the limits of the film's narrative (that of Jack the Ripper) and soars into a larger territory, probing ultimately the dark & foggy territory of the lusciously unknown. Of course, we could do w/o the Manson song at the beginning (there to make some extra money for the studio no doubt) but the start of the score (track 2) more than makes up for this mistake, offering the listener a suite of sorts encompassing most of the themes and motifs to be elaborated on over the course of the entire score. Not only is this track worth the price of this cd but it also showcases why Trevor Jones now joins the ranks of the contemporary masters.

(Also give a listen to Han Zimmer's score for HANNIBAL if you like this one.)

Trevor Jones provides a solid if not spectacular soundtrack for "From Hell," which is actually a good thing. I have seen too many horror films where the chills are supposed to come from the loud and omnipresent musical score instead of the action on screen. The Hughes Brothers had the story of Jack the Ripper to work with and while they actually did not get as explicit as the historical record allowed them with regards to the Ripper's victims, there is enough that the music is required to add to the scenes and not carry them.

Obvious Jones is trying to come up with a gothic score with Victorian overtones (or visa versa; either way, both elements are equally strong). Because it is a horror film the use of strings is important, but Jones does this without falling into the "Psycho" psychotic slashing mode, which explains why the Academy of St. Martins in the Field was the orchestra of choice. They are going to give Jones the period feel that he wants for this score. There are even some Chinese touches, reflecting the opium den frequented once too often by the film's hero. Yes, opening the album with the "Wormwood Mix" of Marilyn Manson's single "The Nobodies" is a marketing ploy, but then it is the rare soundtrack that does not have some recognizable voice pop up in the closing credits and starting singing a song. But even with that track leading off the album there is still over an hour's worth of music from Trevor's score (most of the tracks are 5-8 minutes in length).

"In Memoriam" establishes the main theme of the film through a nice mixture of strings and choir that belies for the moment the horrors ahead. Only "Portrait of a Prince" and "Pennies for the Ferryman" allow moments of beauty and light comes back into the score. Most of the tracks focus, such as "Sprig of Red Grapes" and "Death Coach," on the horrors of the Ripper and his murders. Throughout Jones develops the requisite sense of unease and tension through the use of cellos and basses. The soundtrack ends with "Bow Belle (Absinthium)," written by Trevor Jones and Victoria Seale, performed by Amanda Floyd and Heather Cairncroft, and done so that it sounds like you are listening to it over a old fashioned gramaphone, which makes for an interesting bookend to the opening Manson track. "From Hell" does not qualify as a classic horror film score, but Jones still provides something worth listening to on its own.

"From Hell" is a magnificent score, you not only get a dark and suspenseful score that we've come to expect from a horror film, but you also get a calm and relaxing score too. "From Hell" starts out with a good track by Marilyn Manson, entitled "The Nobodies", and then starts the score with "In Memorian", which is quite peaceful for the most part. The whole score is outstanding, but I think "The compass and the ruler" is a memorable track because the first 20 seconds sound like it's playing from an old phonograph. My favorite track is "Bow Belle (Absinthium)", I really enjoy listening to it because, like the beginning of "The compass and the ruler", it sounds like it's being played from a phonograph, and I think it's an ironic way to end a horror score with such an "uplifting" track.

"From Hell" is up with Bennett Salvay's "Jeepers Creepers" as my favorite scores of 2001. Why it's one of my favorite scores of 2001 is because Trevor Jones composed a diverse and unique mixture of suspense and calmness to create an excellent score, instead of conforming with the typical jolting horror score, now don't get me wrong, I love the jolting scores that are essential to a horror film, I just think it's good to have a change. "From Hell" is a must for fans of the film and for those who like horror scores, and even those who just like instrumental music will probably enjoy it as well.

To anyone saying that they bought this cd or went to go see this movie for the song "Reflect (Time)/Tree Whispers" by Billy Corgan: you deserve your disappointment. The trailer to a movie will have different music than the film itself for obvious reasons. To say that one would want to go see a movie based on that one song is preposterous.

For the music itself, it is wonderful. It portrays the mood and feeling of the movie it represents. 4 out of 5 stars is not bad but there is a reason. The music is representative of it's source material and not entirely enjoyable unless one has seen the movie. In other words, it doesn't stand entirely on it's own two feet. But it is wonderful and definitely worth your money if you enjoyed the movie, it's mood and it's music.

informations about the trailer music for you people. The real title is "REFLECT TREE WHISPERS" and it is from BILLY CORGAN, last song on stigmata's soundtrack. This trailer song is excellent.

This soundtrack is one of the best out of my collection. It's a very haunting and dark score it is simply AWESOME!! The movie is the same, very AWESOME!!

The new film based on "Jack the Ripper"-starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham, directed by John and Emlyn Hughes gives you the feeling you are there, within the dark corridores and crevasses of London...given the assignment for scoring is Trevor Jones, who I might add, does the film justice.

Some stand outs ~ "A SPRIG OF RED GRAPES", leaves you with chills down your spine..."PENNIES FOR THE FERRYMAN", beautiful strings embrace the familiar theme, drifting across the waters with brilliant orchestration building...but the highlight is "IN MEMORIAM", captures the mood and storyline without a stroke of the quill, but through music...nothing can touch the brilliance of this composer when he's on...and with this score, TREVOR JONES is RIGHT ON!

Total Time: 72:15 on 13 Tracks ~ Varese Sarabande 302-066-296-2 ~ (2001)

Trevor Jones' scores for the films, "Angel Heart","Mississipi Burning" and "Dark City" have their own intensity but if you found the musical brilliance of his score for "Merlin" more inspiring then this is the one for you. "From Hell" is a gothic masterpiece, filled with intense strings and a huge dark thunderous male choir.Trevor Jones has with this score joined the ranks of the great film score composers and I would compare this with the great Jerry Goldsmith's score for "the Omen" which deservedly won an Academy award. This is an enormous musical feast, enjoy.

I never really thought how one would put the foggy gas-lit streets of Victorian London's East End to music, but Trevor Jones seem to have done it quite nicely. From Hell's soundtrack recalls to mind all of the dark emotions and horrors created by the madman, known as "Jack The Ripper". The music plays a very important part in setting the mood of the film, from the first attack to the bloody climax. This is a great cd for late night, right before bed listening. If you liked the movie, you'll love this cd.

If you were taken by the music from the trailer . . . a beat driven techno piece . . . then do not buy this soundtrack, that song is not included here. I have not heard this soundtrack and have nothing against it, but if you liked the song from the trailer then buy the STIGMATA soundtrack by Billy Corgan. The song from the FROM HeLL trailer is by B. Corgan and is on the stimgmata soundtrack . . . it's called "Reflection <whispers> trees". Hope this helps the people looking for this song.