The Holiday [Soundtrack]

Hans Zimmer | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 9, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B000LPR4U8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,205 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SCORE SOUNDTRACK Means No Singing, People, March 26, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Holiday (Audio CD)

It's absolutely amazing how people still don't get the concept of a scores soundtrack, then rate it low because "It's just boring background music." If you scroll down to the track listings and you don't see any artists listed, that should be your first clue. With that said...

I think Hans Zimmer did an excellent job on the score for the "Holiday," and it's very obvious that he took his inspiration from the wonderful Ennio Morricone, a legendary composer whose music is actually featured in this movie (when Jack Black's character, Miles, meets Kate Winslet's, Iris, for the first time, you can hear it playing from his car). I'm a sucker for lushly romantic music, and if you are too, you won't be disappointed in this music.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the music is somewhat repetitive. There are three or four main themes that Zimmer has interwoven and enhanced. It also does not include, to my knowledge, the songs that were written for the characters of Iris and Arthur. Here are a few of my favorites:

"Maestro" - This is the opening theme at the very beginning of the movie, played by Miles on the piano. It's absolutely beautiful and one of the more Morricone-esque songs on the score.

"Iris and Jasper" - This song plays throughout the scene at the office, when Iris learns of Jasper's engagement and goes home alone. It's mostly piano and strings, and there is gorgeous guitar at the end.

"Anything Can Happen" - Mostly piano, this has the Santa Ana winds theme when Iris is standing outside her LA house after meeting Miles.

"Kiss Goodbye" - This is a reprise of the Maestro theme and has a little bit of the Santa Ana winds theme as well, but it is much more upbeat than in 'Anything Can Happen' and has some choral voices.

"Cry" - Most everyone who liked the score has been looking for this song -it's the upbeat energetic song playing when Amanda is running over the snowy countryside to Graham near the end of the movie.


Please definitely give this soundtrack a try if you're into movie scores. Hans Zimmer really did a wonderful job, and it's a great CD to relax to.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's got gumption!, March 4, 2008

By 

Melissa Niksic (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Holiday (Audio CD)

"The Holiday" is an uplifting movie, and the film score is equally as delightful. This is one of those feel-good CDs that is guaranteed to put the listener in a happy mood, no matter what. I'm particularly fond of the main theme, "Maestro;" "Dream Kitchen," which reminds me of some music from the soundtrack to "The Thomas Crown Affair" (the 1999 version); "Definitely Unexpected," a sexy and flirty little number; "Busy Guy," which is basically a reprise of "Definitely Unexpected;" "For Nancy," a jazzy and cute tune; "Kiss Goodbye," which is slightly bittersweet at first but then extremely fiery and passionate; "Three Musketeers," a mellow and sentimental melody; "Gumption," which is invigorating and spirited (and also incorporates the melody that Jack Black's character wrote for Arthur in the film); and "Cry," the traditional happy ending song. What a great soundtrack!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hans Zimmer Shows His Versatility With This Warm & Melodic Score, March 8, 2007

By 

Kaya R. Savas (North Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Holiday (Audio CD)

Hans Zimmer's breathtaking year of 2006 came to a close with The Holiday. He started off by exciting us with his follow-up score in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. He then wowed us with The Da Vinci Code, truly the best score of the year. The Academy should be shot for not even acknowledging his great work. So, after composing the two highest grossing films of the year Zimmer decided to go small and composed fellow collaborator Nancy Meyers' The Holiday.

What Hans Zimmer is masterful at is simply being able to go from thriller to action to romantic comedy all in one year. While 2006 was nowhere near the grand year he had in 2005, it was truly a benchmark for the composer. What we have with The Holiday is a very melodic and soothing score. It reminds me a bit of the work he did on Nine Months and As Good As It Gets. The piano and guitar are the key instruments here in the score with a grand backing by string instruments. Zimmer utilizes his buddy Heitor Periera's skills on the guitar to give it that signature Zimmer feel that we've come to know. Periera has collaborated with Zimmer on films such as Madagascar, M:I-2 and more appropriately in Spanglish. The score is playful at times, it becomes warm, some sad parts to suggest isolation. It has everything a romatic comedy score should have. The first track is definitely the highlight of the album, it's trademark Zimmer and the most melodic track on the album. Track 16 was unique for the use of the single trumpet. It was a jazzy cue that really did not sound like Zimmer at all, maybe Periera had the greater influence since he provided vocals. Another thing to point out is that this the first time Zimmer used his wife for vocals in one of his scores. A great finish to a great year that earned Zimmer 6 IFMCA Nominations and two wins. He won for best action/thriller score for The Da Vinci Code and The Holiday earned him a best comedy score win.