Infamous

Rachel Portman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 8, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: CreateSpace
• ASIN: B000ICLSGK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,145 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Describing his film about Truman Capote, Infamous, director Douglas McGrath says "it has both the bright and the blue of that sad and gifted man." The soundtrack follows suit. It is divided almost evenly between an intimate chamber score by the excellent Rachel Portman and pop, jazz, and country songs anchored in the 1950s. Portman veers effortlessly from the jazzy "La Cote Basque" (echoed later in "Porn Magazines") to the melancholy "Truman's Mother" and the atmospheric "Truman Decides to Open Up/The Killings." Among the songs, the biggest novelty coup is the album's opener, a cover of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love" by Gwyneth Paltrow; Paltrow acquits herself far better here than on her tracks from 2000’s Duets, but she's still far from a great singer--especially when you can hear Dusty Springfield's heartwrenching take on Charles Aznavour's "Yesterday When I Was Young" elsewhere on the CD. Fellow actor Daniel Craig sounds lightweight on "There's a Goldmine in the Sky," showing music may not be in the new James Bond's arsenal. For the real thing, check out Johnny Bond's two previously unreleased Harlan Howard songs. Now that's singing! --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed full and worth every second, October 20, 2006

By 

jto "apsht!" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Infamous (Audio CD)

Rachel Portman's score for the newest telling of Capote's life navigates the disintegration and turmoil Capote experiences from openly gay socialite in the 1950s through his dangerously complex relationship with one of the murder's of the case he's writing about (which became "In Cold Blood"). A small orchestra is used to create a subtle score, one that creates empathy for Capote's emotions instead of exaggerating them. Coupled with this score are original performances by Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig, definitely worth the listen. Paltrow's voice is smooth and clear and Craig's supports the centeral theme of the men's relationship. If that wasn't enough, the soundtrack features never before released demos by Johnny Bond, an influential country singer and actor from the time period. Perfect for anyone who enjoys the 1950s music scene.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rachel Portman's Important Contributions, February 15, 2007

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Infamous (Audio CD)

Rachel Portman is a gifted composer and an even finer craftsman of working through film scores to find just the right touches to serve the story well. Her credits are rather staggering: her film scores include 'Chocolat', 'Emma', 'The Human Stain', 'Nicholas Nickleby', 'The Little Prince', 'The Cider House Rules', 'The Manchurian Candidate', 'Benny and Joon', 'Miss Potter', etc - scores that touch almost every period of music.

INFAMOUS requires a score that can muster the sense of glamour of New York and also find the essence of Kansas, traveling the gamut between the flamboyance of Truman Capote's cavorting with his famous friends to narrowing down Capote's dissolution at the hanging of Perry Smith. Portman does it all with aplomb. The soundtrack CD includes that magical moment of Gweneth Paltrow singing in a club at the beginning of the film, and Daniel Craig's simple guitar song he croons on a tape for Capote - a rendition all the more touching because of its honesty in allowing a non-singer to render the song instead of lip synching a pro's voice.

But for this listener the treasures of this CD are Portman's compositions for chamber ensemble and duets for oddly paired instruments that haunt the atmosphere of suspense and thwarted love in the rainy night of the Kansas execution. This is an album that bears close attention as an example of just how important fine music is to the overall success of a film.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rachel Portman's Important Contributions, February 15, 2007

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Infamous (Audio CD)

Rachel Portman is a gifted composer and an even finer craftsman of working through film scores to find just the right touches to serve the story well. Her credits are rather staggering: her film scores include 'Chocolat', 'Emma', 'The Human Stain', 'Nicholas Nickleby', 'The Little Prince', 'The Cider House Rules', 'The Manchurian Candidate', 'Benny and Joon', 'Miss Potter', etc - scores that touch almost every period of music.

INFAMOUS requires a score that can muster the sense of glamour of New York and also find the essence of Kansas, traveling the gamut between the flamboyance of Truman Capote's cavorting with his famous friends to narrowing down Capote's dissolution at the hanging of Perry Smith. Portman does it all with aplomb. The soundtrack CD includes that magical moment of Gweneth Paltrow singing in a club at the beginning of the film, and Daniel Craig's simple guitar song he croons on a tape for Capote - a rendition all the more touching because of its honesty in allowing a non-singer to render the song instead of lip synching a pro's voice.

But for this listener the treasures of this CD are Portman's compositions for chamber ensemble and duets for oddly paired instruments that haunt the atmosphere of suspense and thwarted love in the rainy night of the Kansas execution. This is an album that bears close attention as an example of just how important fine music is to the overall success of a film. Grady Harp, February 07