Customer Reviews

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When you know a score is written by Thomas Newman, you know you're in for something unusual, a score which does not conform to the cliched yet majestic sweeping themes by John Williams, it is in stark contrast to the quiet yet melodic compositions of James Horner, minus the dramatic inclination of Hans Zimmer and surely not as bright and cheery as Randy Newman. But Thomas Newman has established such a reputation for himself; quirky, unpredictable but so very interesting. Think the theme for Six Feet Under, the score to Finding Nemo, and the very Famous American Beauty.

On A Series of Unfortunate Events, Thomas Newman has captured the mood and setting of the film that you imagine thoughts which turn out exactly like that in the film. I know this because I have not seen the film yet. But I believed in Newman so much that I knew his score for this movie would be another masterpiece. So have the voters who nominated this as a contender in the race for Best Original Score.

Music-wise, Thomas Newman seems to have reused some basic stuff found in Finding Nemo but never too much (a couple of tracks sound familiar - listen to "In Loco Parents" and "Bad Beginning" and compare that to tracks in Finding Nemo). That probably simply reminds the listener that he/she is listening to a Thomas Newman CD. I am not disturbed by that at all. The score flows very well from start to finish but there are a couple of stand-outs such as the very joyful and original "The Marvelous Marriage" and the out-of-place but making perfect sense to the movie "Loverly Spring". The best track would have to be the end title - Drive Away - it is original and showcases Newman's idiosyncrasies perfectly.

If you liked Finding Nemo, you would be pleased with this soundtrack. You won't find anything too new, so don't expect that. But know that Thomas Newman is nothing like those from Disney, who first wrote and created the foundation for music in children movies. Thomas Newman breaks this boundary. In fact, Thomas Newman's score for Unfortunate Events is so different from the score of Beauty and the Beast that you simply cannot compare the two. Both did their job exceptionally well for the movie.

He introduces some dark undertones to the movie to highlight sinister behaviour or 'that something evil lurking beneath'. What I am most thrilled of is Newman's vastly improved use of percussion and unconventional use of instruments which sound so 'un-musical', but lend such a wonderful feel and sense to his composition. What can I say, this IS Thomas Newman.

Good CD.

When I watched "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," the only time I really noticed Thomas Newman's music was at the beginning and the end of the film. That is because the 2004 film starts off with the happy music of the happy world of a happy little elf of "Lovely Spring" (we only get a taste of that up top) before the harsh reality of the narrative descends upon the rest of the film ("A Bad Beginning"), and then ends with the captivating credit crawl designed by Benjamin Goldman and Todd Hemker where Newman's score accents the gorgeously stylized animation that makes for one of the best reasons to stick around and watch until the very end of a movie I have ever seen. If you want to know what music has been stuck in my head ever since when I am doing chores around the house then play the clip from "Drive Away," because that would be it.

The fact that I did not really notice the music in between the start and finish of the film, which is where most of it takes place, does not dismiss Newman's compositions. Instead, it speaks to how well integrated they are in the film. This is not a film where we get a "Count Olaf's March" or where there are individual themes for each of the Baudelaire orphans. Instead of having the music carry the moment, Newman is content to have such things suggested: the plight of the children is captured by the sound of a music box in both "Baudelaire Orphans" and "VFD" (and this is not Harry Potter's music box either, so do not go there either for your musical reference from the history of cinema directed at the wallets and pocketbooks of young children).

There are some lovely themes here, as in the piano pieces "Resilience" and "Letter That Never Came," each as subtle as the rest of the score and yet perfectly suited to the mood at those points in the narrative. If you are familiar with Newman's score for "American Beauty" or the theme song for "Six Feet Under," then you can see this work as a continuation along those same musical lines (e.g., "Hurricane Herman"). Ultimately, it is the rhythm of the music helping to move the tragic tale along that stands out most. Besides the optimistic voice at the beginning, there are no vocals, but rather a few sound effects added to spice things up (and fit into the developing rhythmic pattern of the music as well). Newman employs a variety of instruments throughout the score, such as the violin in "Verismilitude," the xylophone (?) in "Concerning Aunt Josephine," and the distorted horns of the "Woeful Wedding" and the manic accordion of "Marvelous Marriage," the latter being one of the few times that the music jumps to the forefront in the film. No wonder I was so surprised that it was not until listening to the soundtrack that I really noticed that Newman's score was so wonderful. Even more surprising given how often I play the final track that I give the rest of the album a listen.

I expect that this original motion picture score is going to be nominated for an Oscar. I thought Newman deserved to win for "Road to Perdition," a film that was basically Conrad Hall's cinematography set to Newman's music, but only the late Hall won. It would be rather ironic if Newman did win for a score that was less central but equally important in this film. But for the time being, at least, I think this is his best score. Now, I have to go back and play "Drive Away" again while I clean up the latest in an unfortunate series of messes.

This is an awesome score to an awesome movie! This has a lot of cool songs that just sound great. I love The Reptile Room, The Wide Window, and Taken By Surpreeze the most because they basically sound the same. Loverly Spring, Concerning Aunt Josephine, Hurricane Herman, One Last Look, The Letter That Never Came, Drive Away, and others. I would totally recommend you get this CD.

Though the movie had quite a surprisingly slow pace, the acting (even Jim Carrey's multiple characters) and the stylised look to it really made it an excellent movie overall.

And what really made me enjoy the movie the most was the end credits sequence, where the soundtrack came into its own. An incredibly catchy use of unusual percussive and stringed instruments is used to incredibly creative effect to give the whole film an unusual edge that draws you in.

There's a definite Tim Burton-esque quality to the movie, but this music is certainly not like Danny Elfman, so it really helps make the movie stand alone.

Highly recommended. The whole soundtrack makes for great quiet background music when you're reading the Lemony Snicket novels.

I'm a huge fan of the highly acclaimed series Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.I saw the movie twice and I LOVED IT!!Then I listened to the soundtrack and I just sat there with my mouth open in amazement at what I heard.There was the melancholy The Bad Beginning to the heartening The Reptile Room with it's snakey tunes and strange tropical sounds,same with Snakey Mesage which,I might add was a wonderful clip in the film.The upbeat The Marvelous Marriage was a real toe tapper and really caught your attention.The whole sountrack really expressed the feeling and mood of this amazing film.My personal favorite is the tear jerker
The Letter That Never Came. It's a beautiful work of music and it is mainly piano and so sad and haunting and beautiful and a was nearly brought to tears when I saw the scene and the music together.Thomas Newman really made a gem here and I strongly reccomend this extravagant piece of music and the phenomenal film that accompanies it.

A score like Lemony Snicket is a fairly unique project for Thomas Newman - I've become so used to seeing his name of dramas that his more recent scores for films like "Finding Nemo" and this one were surprising, to say the least. Speaking of Finding Nemo, it's not hard to draw the similarities between them. Lemony Snicket does indeed carry over some of the technique used in Finding Nemo, but because of the differences in the story they tell, you won't be confusing the two easily. Appropriately, Newman uses his off-beat, wacky style more then his heavy dramatic scoring, though they do make an appearance near the end of album. With a total of 29 tracks, Lemony Snicket is definitely a fun ride through the merry world of Thomas Newman we have all come to love.

After a false opening at the beginning of the score, painting a happy-go-lucky image in our minds (presented in full later in the album), the beginning cue, "The Bad Beginning" revels in it's melancholy undercurrent. The main theme for the three children, first presented in "The Baudelaire Orphans", is a delicate melody on music box, which repeats later in "VFD". We get a taste of a nice and exotic outbreak in "The Retile Room", featuring drenched string stacattos over a bed of light percussion. Truly a showcase of Newman's unique musical styles. We can, of course, find Newman's vibe-loving in "Interlude with Sailboat", a mellow little cue featuring a breathy flute over creaking noises and of course, the vibraphones. The highlight of the album presents itself in the cue which represents the emotional climax of the film, "Letter that Never Came", and appropriately conveyed in the music. The typical-for-Newman piano theme introduced in "Resilience" reappears and is taken up by soaring strings, tugging (very effectively, I might say), at the heartstrings. The strings by Newman and his orchestrator Thomas Pasatieri are, as they always are, a delight to hear. Unlike the typical lush sound of modern hollywood string-wash, Newman's strings are always ethereal, clear and beautiful, and "The Letter that Never Came" uses them to full effect.

It's hard for me to find much negatives about the score. It may be a bit off-putting to those used to traditional orchestral fare, but I don't see how that should stop you. Lemony Snicket is an admirable addition to the Newman collection, featuring some great representation of characters as well as a great listening experience. Definitely reccomended to all but the most close-minded of music listeners.

-prasanth1111@gmail.com

This soundtrack is excellent. I think Thomas Newman did an excellent job, and I think this score should have won the oscar for "Original Score." The music has a very earthy feel to it, which I fell in love with right from Track 1. It has a quality that no other score could accomplish, not even Harry Potter. Very Snickety, indeed. This score was a very fortunate event!

This soundtrack is absolutely beautiful. The Movie was wonderful, (each character was justly portrayed) but what really drew you into the movie was the music. each song helps you feel the pain, joy, confusion, or outright anger of the young Baudelaires from the inventive brain of Violet, to the intelligent and allways remembering mind of Klaus, to the rambunctious, biting mind of young Sunny, and even to the evil of the dark Count Olaf. SOme songs make you want to cry while others will make you laugh or want to dance. It is a great cd, and while most instrumentals are looked down upon, this soundtrack is one of the few that is actually very amazing and is worth buying.

1.THE BAD BEGINNING:*****This was an interesting piece with a melancholy undercurrent.Gets the soundtrack off to a great start. 2.CHEZ OLAF:****While I'm not sure what Chez means this is a catchy piece depicting Count Olafs outrageous personality.I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this!Maybe I was hoping for something a little more sinister.
3.THE BAUDLAIRE ORPHANS:*****This piece is hauntingly beautiful it will take your breath away .This one really makes you feel for Violet,Klaus,and Sunny.Just gorgeous.
4.IN LOCO PARENTIS:*****FANTABULOUS!I don't know how Thomas Newman came up with this,but it is brilliant!
5.RESILIENCE:*****This is stunning.There is no way for me to describe it's simple beauty.Touching.
6.THE REPTILE ROOM:*****Wow!This piece makes you get up and sing!It's rhythmic tones and feel make you wonder.
7.AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT INVOLVING A TRAIN:*****This one is positively perfect for the scene it accompanies in the film.Bravo!
8.CURDLED CAVE:*****This one is mystical,strange,imaginative,mystifying,and creative.Perfection!
9.PUTTANESCA:*****This kinda sounds like an orchestra Sunny created.It sounds like Sunny banged on a cooking pan to the beat of the song.Very inventive.
10.CURIOUS FEELING OF FALLING:****This one is very moving though doesn't have the quality RESILIENCE had.It's is nevertheless a well done piece.
11.REGARDING THE INCREDIBLY DEADLY VIPER:*****This is full of personality and rhythm.Very mischievous sounding;just right for the Incredibly Deadly Viper.
12.THE MARVELOUS MARRIAGE:*****This one is so cool!It has toetapping tunes,great sounding instruments,and it is chock full of life.Fabulouso!

Those are just 12 of 29 inventive tracks by musical whiz Thomas Newman.Buy this album...you won't regret it!!!!!!!

My daughter introduced me to the books - great, I watched the film - wonderful, but it is the music that is so exceptional. Thomas Newman I now realise is the composer of the music to many of the films that I consider special - I think now special because of the music.
The closing credits to this film are splendid and are accompanied by the key pieces of music in the film. I confess to having watched and listened to the credits perhaps some 7 times. The music is magical - buy it, love it.