Customer Reviews

Hellboy [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One might expect the music for Hellboy to be loaded down with throbbing percussion and blaring brass, but the opposite is true. Marco Beltrami has written a sensitive score that has more to do with the characters and their relationships than battle scenes. The tracks Liz Sherman, Rooftop Tango Father's Funeral and Investigating Liz come immediately to mind as music having well developed themes that are even more rewarding when heard again. There, of course, are great dramatic moments when Hellboy battles the villains, but Mr. Beltrami does not go for a cheap effect and is nicely descriptive; the track entitled Soul Sucker has a nice spooky quality.

In short, this is a thoughtfully composed score that is charming, thrilling and atmospheric. It is a film score than can be listened to again and again for the quality of the music and a CD you will not get tired of.

I remember when Marco Beltrami was hacking away at trash like Scream and any other teen slasher flick that came around. I also remember he had one decent theme come out of any of them, which was Sidney's Lament. I then remember him falling into the role of "ubiquitous background score guy" through the rest of the nineties, with a passable score to Blade II and ending up with crap like Terminator 3.

Finally, he gives us something to actually -want- to remember! With his score to Hellboy, Beltrami gives his fans and newcomers alike a thematically rich, near-simplistic yet supremely satisfying take on an otherwordly story. His incredible opening title, the pounding and brassy battle sequences and somber funeral elegy are all features well worth a listen.

Two tracks stand out above the rest, ultimately: The cleverly twisted BPRD theme, which to me is the musical embodiment of wit and charm, and the climactic finale "Stand By Your Man", in which he overcomes his enemies and fulfills his destiny, to become a true hero. This last track, above all, strikes me as one of Beltrami's best, a majestic theme which gives me hope that more will follow.

My only real complaint with this CD is that the themes and tracks are too short! But, this is a film score, dependant on timing, and we get what we get.

Perhaps it was with Del Toro's direction that Beltrami was able to deliver what is almost a complete departure from what he's done in the past, or perhaps he's simply evolved into something completely new. Either way, I look forward to becoming an even more enthusiastic collector of his work, and encourage anyone who appreciates film music to do the same.

Marco Beltrami is a very interesting artist, indeed...

Possessing a style that is unique in it's approach to harmony, dissonance, and the mating of electronic elements with symphonic,
Marco is quickly establishing himself as someone who not only has a strong individual voice, but knows how to build on the strengths of his forbearers.

Hellboy is a phenomenal piece of composition. Highly memorable, and addicting like the best kind of drug, the score brilliantly transitions from epic thematic material, to quiet and emotional motifs that bring a deep level of heart and power to the film.

The film and the score are masterworks in the genre and should be
experienced by any who love great film, and great music.

Cheers Marco, you've arrived with this one!

Ben Isaac

The name of the band and song that is playing outside the hospital is, (Paloalto - Breathe In) I hope this helps.

The sound..Do understand that the score for Hellboy is catchie through the whole CD. You'll find yourself wanting to listen to it over and over again. Marco Beltrami has made a better then average score for a film that you wouldn't expect to have one.

The love theme for HB and Liz and the theme for Liz are pretty close to sounding the same but utilize different instruments. They're also part of some of the best tracks on the score. Pretty much all of the music on this CD is fantastic. The one thing that I wish would've been included is the music played during the end credits because most of the tracks are about 2 minutes long, or low 3 minutes. Would've been nice to have a repeat of the themes that you can't get enough of. But it's forgivable and the CD doesn't get points taken away for this.

BUT, The real downside to Hellboy score is the quality of this recording is poor. Ever 15 seconds or so there's an annoying clicking sound that shows up. And this goes for the WHOLE CD. It's not just on one track, it's the whole CD. Sometimes I find myself listening to it and it's such an annoyance I just shut it off. I've researched the problem and this is on EVERY CD. Some people say it's not on theirs but chances are they just don't realize it.

Overall: If there was no annoying clicking sound this would get a 5/5. Due to the poor quality it only gets 3/5. It's sad that they put this out like this it's really a great score. Hopefully Beltrami will do Hellboy 2 and we will see some of these themes repeated and his score will get a release without constant annoying clicks..

This cd has a good sound to it Marco Beltrami is a good composer for what i hear and this cd is just as good as the movie. This is the first time i heard of Marco Beltrami and i like his music. This cd is very good and easy listeneing to. A great Movie score cd.


If you liked this cd check out The Hellboy movie.

I recently bought The Hellboy II the Golden Army soundtrack by Danny Elfman; I loved it. I knew then that I had to have the original Hellboy soundtrack By Marco Beltrami. The music is colorful and varied, from exciting to beautiful! I love the main title theme-it just says Hellboy! The only track that I am not crazy about is track # 16. Mechanical Mausoleum. It is somewhat hard on the ears-perfect for the movie-not for listening. Anyway, if you love the Hellboy movie-you'll enjoy this! Two very different great movies and two very different great soundtracks!
My favorite tracks from the Hellboy soundtrack:
2.Meet Hellboy
3.Main title
5, Liz Sherman
7, Rooftop tango
8. Wake Up dead
11. Fathers Funeral
14, Investigating Liz
15. Abe Sapien
19. Hellboy&Liz
20. B.P.R.D.

This is definitely one of Beltrami's best works, but the CD is badly mastered. People have quoted that the ticks can be heard every fifteen seconds or so, but I've noticed they only appear when the music gets loud. When it's quiet, there aren't any ticks. It definitely makes for an annoying listening experience, which is unfortunate. It's hard to rate the score fairly because of this. If not for the ticks, I would definitely give the album four stars. But I can't in good conscience give it that when it's difficult to listen to.

I thought this was an OK soundtrack for an action movie, but certainly doesn't rise very high compared to the greats of John Williams or Hans Zimmer. There's a bit of a mix of rock and more traditional soundtracks. My guess is that this soundtrack is an acquired taste, so I'd only recommend getting it after seeing the movie (which makes sense anyway). Also, a lot of the tracks are short (2-3 minutes), so you barely have time to enjoy them. Overall, 2.5 stars.

What is the song that is playing in the background when Hellboy is writing a letter to Liz, Myers is preparing his food and its just after Liz has returned to the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense
Helen Melon: That song is "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green