Customer Reviews

The Interpreter [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

James Newton Howard has been consistently crafting stunning scores for years now, without the notice he deserves. Would any of M. Night Shyamalan's films have half of their power without his breathtaking music? Look up almost any romantic comedy of the last ten years, chances are he scored it. He created the definitive sound with "Pretty Woman" and "Dave."

"The Interpreter" finds him in urban thriller mode, which he did so well in "The Fugitive." There are hints of that score here, as well as some of the Shyamalan scores. Like Williams or any great film composer, Howard has a distinctive sound, and it's a pleasure to distinguish it from the mass of sound-alike film music.

Howard creates an intelligent, chilly mood for this thoughtful thriller. Blending in African sounds and traditional songs at times, he gives a sense of Kidman's character's roots, while always staying modern and spare, fitting the New York setting.

The cue "Simon's Journals," is from a pivotally emotional scene for Kidman's character, and is a highlight, blending percussive African rhythms to create a powerful effect. Tracks 12 and 13, however, are what I end up playing over and over. They play as one continuous piece in the film, and form the ten minute action finale of the film, as the assassination plot unfolds.

Highly recommended to film score collectors.

Bruno Mertens "cyberghandi" the song you are after is F-Stop Blues. It is by Jack Johnson, and you will find it on his album Bushfire Fairytails. Great song. Great Album.

Oh, and great film!

The song your looking for is by Lyle Lovett, If I had boat. I agree great song.

I saw the movie today (hey... Europe is always several steps behind...) and I really liked it although it's certainly not Pollack's best. I did enjoy the score (very reminescent of Howard's work in The Village). I would like to thank several reviewers for pointing out the song in the bar by Lovett. But I'm looking for another track as well. When one of the agents is in his car we can hear another song (I think it's right before Nicole's charachter enters the car, before the bus-situation). It seemed like a very mellow acoustic track sung by a male artist (very Jack Johnson-style, maybe even him, although it's certainly not on his albums as I know them all by heart). Can anyone help me with that? It would mean a lot to me. I've looked everywhere (google, official site) but I can't seem to find it. Obviously it would have to be in the end credits but since the movie just came out here... Does anyone have it in DVD? Can anyone help me with that? Thanks!

anthony_mertens@hotmail.com

Great Film and also a great soundtrack...But I'm looking for who's singing the song that Sean Penn select after plug off the power chord of the jukebox machine...It seems that is the favourite song of his recently dead wife...Could anybody help me to find the title of that song and the artist that sing it?

I loved the movie and the music, often ethnic African. Its the reason I bought this. But there is nothing in this CD like it. I didn't recognize a single movement, and I've seen the movie a dozen times. I expected the songs that played through the movie, like when Tobin plays the juke box in the opening or Sylvia's flute song... not the background music of when they are moving up a street, riding the scooter. its just background music. Do NOT waste your money on this.

I bought "The Interpreter" soundtrack CD just to find out who sang the beautiful "Atolago" used twice on the soundtrack. I had to search all over the Internet to find out who was singing this gorgeous song, as it was uncredited on the soundtrack! Luckily Kouame Sereba had it listed on his own website, or I would never have been able to find out more about this great artist known for vocals and mouth harp among other African instruments.

He wrote and performed this wonderful song "Atolago" which made the entire soundtrack worthwhile. I love James Newton Howard, and commend him for his as always excellent work, but question why credit was not given where credit is due? This is unheard of!

In the film, you can hear the song "Atolago" inside the United Nations building (Drowning Man Trail) and at the End Credits.

This song is "a Power and a Prayer... a wisp on the wind that brings one nearer to God." For me, this music is "A Sunrise renewing the world again for another day." I would love to have the English translation.


There is much more information on Sereba's website, and he has played on "From Senegal To Setesdal" with Kirsten Bråten Berg from Norway (CD also sold on Amazon), which has become one of my favorite CD's of all time. One of his other projects, the "Dodo" project, can be heard on myspace.

I look forward to many more CD's and concerts in the U.S. that we can attend, as everyone should have the opportunity to hear this incredible music. It brings peace to the heart, makes one want to "dance with joy" and helps one to "forgive the unforgivable." There IS a chance for us all to work towards a world of "light and peace" which is the thrust of the film to begin with.


Sereba has played many concerts all over the world, including the Imagine festival at the Royal Festival Hall, in London, and has worked with many artists from Norway, where he lives.

He plays with a group called Zikalo, which plays traditional West African dance music. The music is written and arranged by Raymond and Kouame Sereba, both from the Ivory Coast. Zikalo is the name of the rhythm, that influences dance, play and activities in their home village.

The Group has existed since 1983. Zikalo also exists in a new and more modern version where the music becomes an exiting blend of elements from rock, jazz and the traditional african music.

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More info: Biography Kouame Sereba, Musicians Portrait
From ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide


Ivory Coast-born multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Kouame G. Sereba has played a major role in the music of Norway since moving to Norway in 1983.

In addition to playing "hundreds" of concerts in Norway, Sereba has been embraced by the country's government. The foreign department sponsored tours of Japan, Germany, and Africa and Sereba accompanied Norwegian prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik to Angola, Mozambique, and South Africa.
Sereba joined with Norwegian musicians Kirsten Braten Berg (vocals, mouth harp), Bjorguiv Straume (mouth harp, vocals), and fellow African Solo Cissokho (kora, vocals) to record an album, "Fra Senegal Til Setesdal", that introduced his culture-blending vision to the international stage in 1997. In addition to playing guitar, percussion, and djembe, Sereba is a master of the dodo, a mouth harp known for its overtone-rich, almost electronic, sound.

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When Amazon doesn't give us the ability to "test drive" the songs on a CD, how do we know if we want to shell out the $20 to purchase it?

I heard a James Newton Howard song on my local radio station, and the DJ said it was from The Interpreter. I couldn't wait to see how the album sounded (and this particular song, as I only heard about a minute of it).

Too bad. I'm not buying the soundtrack if I cannot hear at least a snippet of a song or two.

Does anyone know the song played in the movie thats starts when sean penn y talkin' to nicole kidman and she goes to sleep with the phone (this sceane is before she gets in the bus that explotes)...PLEASE HELP!

not included in the cd. does anyone know who sings it?