Customer Reviews

Jackie Brown: Music From The Miramax Motion Picture (1997 Film)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an excellent soundtrack collection, the songs for the film fit perfectly into the theme. If you're a fan of soul music, after seeing the film you'll probably immediately jump at the chance to own this soundtrack. That's where I was coming from.

Most of the songs that you hear from the film are all here. You can be sure that the stand out moments of the movie with their related music is all here. From the opening segment with Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street", to "Inside My Love" and of course The Delfonics' "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" which is almost the theme song for the movie. This is not purely a soul soundtrack, although Johnny Cash's "Tennessee Stud" is a welcome inclusion (especially relating back to the film), but the last two tracks might make most expecting pure soul just end the disc. No matter the tracks included are nothing to argue with, except possibly the inclusion of Foxy Brown's "Letter To the Firm". As a rap fan, this is a horrible inclusion, it shows up in the movie for like 10 seconds when Max is in the music store (you could have inserted any song here, just a waste).

My only other problem with the soundtrack is that it did not give me everything I wanted or expected. With the disc only running 51 min. with the skits it really could have been done better. The Supremes' "Baby Love" is missing as is Jermaine Jackson's "My Touch of Madness" (which is pretty hard to get a hold of), and most notably The Delfonics "La-La (Means I Love You)". Also, if you have watched the DVD you'll no doubt be trying to figure out the infectious tune played during the menu's: it's The Meter's "Cissy Strut", also not included. In addition, none of the music that serves as the score is included here. Most of these songs were actually composed by the legendary Roy Ayers originally for the "Coffy" soundtrack (which actually also stars Pam Grier). I would recommend getting this soundtrack for same score.

All in all it's a solid soul soundtrack. It fails in comparison to other soul soundtracks and compilations that I have (Dead Presidents, Chronicles etc.), but I would certainly recommend it for soul fans as well as fans of the film. If it had included all or most of the films song it would no doubt be a corner stone in anyone's collection.

We all know that soundtracks are often questionnable from a quality point of view, once separated from the film they support. Well, this is a marvellous exception !

Classic artists such as Bill withers, Brothers Johnson, the Delfonics or Randy Crawford really are great listening to again. Knowing that all those artists were at their peak in the sixties/seventies, this is indeed a great opportunity to discover them for those who weren't around at that time or just listened to other things then. Consider that most of the artists featured here either aren't in the showbusiness anymore (Brothers Johnson, Minnie Ripperton) or have lost a lot of gas (Randy Crawford). I, for instance, got to listen and like a lot Bloodstone's "Natural high" and Minnie Ripperton's "Inside my love" (I only knew from her the lyrical "Loving you") which made me eventually buy her "best of"...

The album also contains humour ("Beaumont's lament", a short dialog between Samuel Jackson and De niro, "Melanie, Simone and Sheronda", and "Just ask Melanie"), a cheesy "The lion and the cucumber" (but, there again, it is part of the joke) and a song from Foxy Brown. Finally, the closing track (sounds like The Shadows...) is very characteristic of any Tarantino film.

Overall, this is a non-pretentious and nice compilation of sounds of the late sixties/seventies that you will not regret having if you liked the film and/or the music that was in fashion 30 years ago.

The soundtrack to "Jackie Brown" is going to blow you away just like the film. Quentin's choices on here are even smarter then the old forgotten retro rock and funk of "Pulp Fiction". The only songs "Fiction" like are the dark yet funky track by The Vampire Sound, Inc and Elliot's Easton Tiki Gods with a slight surfer rock number. In the beginning and through most of the albums, get ready to be moved by some soul.

It starts off with an awesome Bobby Womack song "Across 110th Street", with a soul lot of great singing on behalf of Womack not to mention awesome story telling of life on the street. The beautiful R&B tracks is kind of a theme song. Great soul groups flex their vocal power on here. "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Natural High" are great examples of radio soul and romance by the Brother Johnson and Bloodstone respectively. The Delfonics (one of the best vocal groups of the era) shine on the big hit "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time". It combines that great Motown arrangement just with a sweeter lower sound. You also get R&B divas like Randy Crawford on the upbeat sassy smart groove of "Street Life" while Minnie Riperton sweats sex on the juicy disco moan of "Inside My Love". All the songs are great and unique but it's really the funk and soul that burns brightest here. Don't forget cute rap track by Foxy Brown and a nicely sung Pam "Jackie/Foxy Brown" Grier on "Long Time Woman". Not the best vocals, but you really feel it. And there is also a live Johnny Cash on "Tennessee Stud". I love every track for a different reason.

If you want a film that really captures it characters with music, see the film then buy the soundtrack and think about the film. If you don't want to see an intelligent action movie, just buy the soundtrack for a mixed bag of rare goodies. The album is a must for fans of not only R&B, soul, funk, but also a few odditiy rock songs that sound really well. Just an awesome mixed bag of great music.

Tarantino's third film and also a chance for yet another great compilation of music.
This was Tarantino's first time using atmospheric music to set a scene rather than only having music when the characters are listening to it.
All the tracks on this album are worth listening to. The obvious ones that stand out are 'Street Life,' 'Strawberry Letter 23' and 'Across 110th Street' but there are also other more subtle tracks that hit you when listening to them; especially 'Tennessee Stud.'

There's even a track by Pam Grier, 'Long Time Woman.'
I have given the album five stars for two reasons -
1) The film is exceptional and uses all of the pieces of music in an innovative manner
2) Even as a seperate entity this is a brilliant compilation of songs that are more than worth listening to.

Rock On.

This soundtrack is absolutely compelling because it meshes beautifully with the scenes, acted brillantly by an incredible ensemble cast of assorted hero/anti-heroes and icons from the 70's, 80's and 90's. The mix of songs, especially the inclusion of Johnny Cash's mournful and classic rendition of "Tennessee Stud," provides superb insights into the souls of this collection of people on the periphery of society. The music like the film captures that "desperation" of "hustlers" out for their biggest and probably last "score." This is perhaps one of the finest movie scores ever assembled for one of the best movies ever made. The incredibly rich layers of visual, aural, and emotive cues deserves multiple viewings. The soundtrack will reverberate in your soul.

Tarantino's third film and also a chance for yet another great compilation of music.
This was Tarantino's first time using atmospheric music to set a scene rather than only having music when the characters are listening to it.
All the tracks on this album are worth listening to. The obvious ones that stand out are 'Street Life,' 'Strawberry Letter 23' and 'Across 110th Street' but there are also other more subtle tracks that hit you when listening to them; especially 'Tennessee Stud.'

There's even a track by Pam Grier, 'Long Time Woman.'
I have given the album five stars for two reasons -
1) The film is exceptional and uses all of the pieces of music in an innovative manner
2) Even as a seperate entity this is a brilliant compilation of songs that are more than worth listening to.

Rock On.

Quentin Tarantino has unearthed some great 70's R&B chestnuts for his soundtrack to a wonderful film. An eclectic compilation with stand-out songs by Brothers Johnson and The Delfonics. Tarantino has a great knack for juxstaposing music with images in setting the mood for his films and the songs on Jackie Brown are wonderfully sublime. Definetly a soundtrack worth owning.

When my mother first bought the movie, it was good even though I wasn't all that deep into music at the time. Yet the song that the film opens up to, "Across 110th Street" by Bobby Womack is an amazing song that not only captures what was taking place back then in the ghetto/urban streets, yet it still has truth in the current condition of the under privileged. The mixture of songs from Johnny Cash to psychedelic rock, is beautiful. This is a keeper for those that really just enjoy music. Oh and Brother's Johnson "Strawberry Letter #22" is off the chain!

I have to admit that my high rating of this album is mostly because of Pam Grier's presence. I am a huge Pam Grier fan and she can do no wrong. However, the soundtrack is very good because it does a good job of blending 70s music (Blaxploitation) with the "Tarantino movie sound" i.e. heavy guitar & rock based. Go back to Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. I have an even greater appreication for Bobby Womack who doesn't have the smoothest voice in R&B, but his raspy/scratchy voice is very unique.

Mr. Tarantino hits the soundtrack jackpot again with a more focused collection than the one he put together for "Pulp Fiction", although he again includes a few unobtrusive snippets of dialogue. This time, most of the (vintage) artists are from the genres of soul, funk, and rap. This includes The Delfonics with "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" (also the title of Rhino's awesome "Soul Hits of the '70s" series) and Jackie Brown--Pam Grier herself--with the funky "Long Time Woman".