Customer Reviews

Iris (2001 film)

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

 

 

I knew I wanted this sound track from the moment I left the movie theatre. The music is beautiful, and can fully stand on its own outside of the "Sound Track category", and could easily have been sold as "classical music". The Joshua Bell violin solos are haunting and beautiful.

The track on the CD I enjoy the most is number 8. Here is the song "Like a Lark", that Kate Winslet (the young Iris) sings. It is followed by an enchanting violin piece, and the lyrics then come back. It is the only track with vocals.

I enjoyed this CD..found it to be relaxing, and comforting. It may inspire one to pick up an Iris Murdoch book, and settle in for a cozy read. I highly recommend this CD. James Horner has done very well.

The music for this movie is very beautiful. Although James Horner does repeat himself. He does not do so as much. In fact almost all but 5% of his music is original. It does "sound" like the "Spitfire Grill" soundtrack. However he did not took any music from it. I would also praise Joshua Bell for his performance on the violen.

A word of warning, the CD booklet contains some info on each of the music tracks. This info basically tells the whole plot of the movie. Avoid reading it if you want to see the film.

Enjoy

As a musician myself, I immerse myself in all types of classical, film, and opera music -- especially with magnificent writers/performers such as James Horner and Joshua Bell.

First, this is the one Horner score that will distinguish itself from his many other soft spoken scores. Many will say, "Well, it sounds like his music from 'Spitfire Grill,' and it's nothing original anyway." Liars, liars, pants on fire!! Horner includes some chords from "Spitfire Grill," but this score is very much DIFFERENT from the above score -- this is an original score, people!

Second, this is a gentle, delicate, and beautiful score -- very much the opposite from "The Red Violin" score. Bell's solos are incredible throughout the CD -- he is able to play so loudly & yet so softly, too -- incredible!

Congrats, Dr. Horner!

DEFINITELY worth your money!

Dimitri Ntatsos

I'm not generally a fan of James Horner's music, but this won me over completely. I also came from the theatre wanting the soundtrack. It does a wonderful job capturing the qualities of the story -- the fragility of life, but also the enduring beauty of love. Any composer who can do that so well deserves high praise. Thank you!

I heard this on a local classical music station and loved it. Joshua Bell is a top flight violinist and if he thought it worthy, then that is a good recommendation right there. The cd lived up to my expectations. James Horner did the score to Titanic among others, and he writes emotionally deep music.

I had first heard this music while riding in my car as it played on the radio. I sat transfixed arriving at my destination until its completion, waiting for the announcer to tell me what it was.
I quickly wrote down the title and then later realized I had seen this film. James Horner is certainly a well-versed and prolific composer as his list of other film scores attests.
This score also includes Kate Winslett singing an old english folk tune, quite beautifully in character, as a young Iris.
This composer is quite gifted and Joshua Bell playing violin as soloist is also wonderfully effective.

We really enjoyed the film score by James Horner, Joshua
Bell, et al - but, particularly the "French" song in the
background in one of the scenes. What I think I heard was
"I Wish You Love," the Charles Trenet composition sung in French by a male voice (possibly Patrick Bruel?). The film credits the
song "Que Reste-t-il de nos amours" (What Does There Remain
of Our Love)by Charles Trenet/Leo Chauliac and I didn't see "Je souhaite que vous aimez" (I Wish You Love) listed! I'd like
to know who recorded the 1942-style, French song to purchase that separately, if possible. Many thanks/Merci.
listed

This is sad music that somehow establishes an English country side tone. In some ways it also reminds me of Philip Glass' music for "The Hours". Same affect.This is a beautiful movie though not especially enlightening regarding Murdoch's philosophy at all. Rather it is a romp through her life with John from their meeting and through flashbacks and returns a comparison of their lives together then and the present of the film. It would be a little too risqué to play for students in class though I suppose everything was meant to portray the character of Iris as John recalls her. What the movie does do is encourages reading since one is curious about what the movie leaves out - what she wrote. There are a few choice interviews that Denech does wonderfully. Of interest is the happy YouTube offerings of several interviews with Iris Murdoch so one can compare. But I suppose the main concern of the movie is to present the unfortunate future for many who live the life of the mind and the eventual loss of it. The surprise is that those who are so intellectually active (as well as active in other ways) might still suffer the consequences of a deterioration of the brain and loss of what most makes life worth living for them. Sad.

If you liked "The spitfire grill" soundtrack, also composed by James Horner, then you'll love "Iris".

Boring music with no melodic content at all. Even Joshua Bell's talent can't overcome this mess.