Customer Reviews

High Road To China (1983 Film)

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'High Road To China' is yet another lovely and poignant John Barry score to rejoice to or weep to. The music is marvelous, and the sound quality of this CD is excellent. John Barry shows us again in this soundtrack his extraordinary ability to score action and events not for what they appear to be on the screen, but from inside what the characters are feeling, wondering and deciding.

'Somewhere In Time', 'Out of Africa', 'Dances With Wolves' and 'High Road To China' all have that distinctive Barry flavor -- tender, moving, searching, reaching, evoking every deep emotion we've ever chosen to feel, his phrases, changes, harmonies and arrangements touching the essence of the questions we ask about life. And often rearranging our perspective in a way that helps us find better answers...

I admire Barry's courage in saying the same thing over and over -- that life can be successfully lived only through the heart, for living through the heart is the only way we ever learn who we are and why we are here. But he says it a little differently each time, touching new places in one's spirit. Sound intriguing? Buy all four soundtracks and you might find you play them often because his music gently opens your heart.

'High Road To China' is music that lives beautifully on its own. If you are willing to spend some time of your life feeling your feelings and letting the embracing and often haunting music take you where you will, John Barry is your friend.

The sound track was wonderful. I had to go right out and get the album. John Barry did a great job of blending the music and movie together. It is worth seeing over and over just for the music. The entire album is worth every penny, and has provided me with many hours of enjoyment.

Does anyone remember "flying over Africa" from Out of Africa?
The flying scenes don't compare, but some may find High Road to Chinas' music soars even beyond. I do? John Barry's early music is his best. His more recent scores use the same style orcestrations showing that he has found a style that he loves and is sticking to it. His music doesn't surprise me any more, I always know when it's him. His older material is his most original and diverse. This one is just beautiful and would easily make any score fans' top 10.

The soundtrack is truly magnificent. John Barry captured the beauty of the film and the chemistry between the characters with a piece of music so emotionally stirring it touches the very soul. Mr. Barry, I salute you.

The music from High Road to China, as presented on this CD, is simply outstanding, and is hauntingly beautiful. The music is evocative of scenes and situations in the movie, and I highly recommend buying the movie with Tom Selleck and Bess Armstrong, which I believe is available only in VHS format. I wish it were available on DVD.

JB's strong suit has always been the lush, romantic melodies, with the trademark cellos, violins, along with with heavy use of brass. We can hear this in early use with Born Free, then in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (which may be Barry's richest Romantic score, full of dreamy, beatiful melodies), up to Moonraker, Hanover Street (a hidden gem), and Somewhere in Time. In HRTC, Barry has one of his most wisful, nostalgic scores, IMO very similiar to Alice's Adventures in it's ability to put the listener in that special mood that takes you someplace, and some time, another time in the past. It may conceded that Barry likely took the Bobby Vinton 1966 song "Mr. Lonely" as his inspiration for the lush melody of HRTC, but it's what the composer does with the material that matters. As an intro to John Barry's very special world, HRTC is a great start.
As an interesting aside, I've always thought that HRTC was the sister score to Out of Africa. If you listen carefully to the main melodies of both scores, you will find that OOA is a subtle re-working of HRTC. The 7-note main melodies of both are very, very similiar, the main differences being a lower 4th note and emphasis on the final note. So although Out of Africa would win Barry an Oscar a few years later, the seed of that music was planted in High Road to China!

I LOVE this movie and was thrilled to see the soundtrack. I was somewhat disappointed when I recieved the CD. It was a very shorteded verison of the soundtrack. Almost like a tease instead of the real thing. The quality of the recording is not the greatest. Wonderful music, sad that it cannot be enjoyed to it's fullest.

I just love staring at Bess Armstrong! She has always rocked my clock!.............Plus there is just something about the early 1920's and adventure throughout the world. Especially in a Bi plane with a Lewis Gun.......Of course if I had been the director the movie would have went into greater detail...............But the music of John Barry makes this movie a classic for me

Bought first one as a gift and had to have one for my collection. I love this film.

The CD, which is made in Australia or England (that's why its a tad expensive and hard to find) is wonderful - brings back the beautiful score of this movie. As it doesn't look like an official DVD will ever be made (and video tapes are vanishing), this is the closest to being able to see that great movie. Snap it up while you still can, as who knows how long this will be available before it too, disappears.