The Man Who Wasn't There (2001 film) [Soundtrack]

Carter Burwell (Artist), Ludwig van Beethoven (Artist), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 30, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Decca U.S.
• ASIN: B00005QK53
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,955 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Twenty years after their accomplished and unsettling first feature film, Blood Simple, the brothers Coen have returned to their film noir roots with an ominous, monochromatic vengeance. As in all their films, music again plays a crucial supporting role and that means the sonic seasonings of career collaborator Carter Burwell, along with a slate of typically obtuse catalog choices. Though that latter music is hardly the sort of smoky urban jazz usually associated with the genre, its mood and composer are as brooding as they come: Ludwig van Beethoven.

New, abridged recordings of LvB's "Pathétique," "Appassionata," and "Moonlight" sonatas and Piano Sonata No. 25 set the tone, along with a Beaux Arts Trio version of Piano Trio No. 7 (and a brief excerpt of Karl Bohm's "Che soave zeffiretto" from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro). Burwell's original music is shaded similarly, subtly different yet equally somber in mood and character. The composer occasionally reprises his compelling, autumnal string writing from The General's Daughter, progressively darkening the atmosphere to great effect here. The urgent '40s romp "Nirdlinger's Swing" offers up the score's only bowing to period conventions, a brief shaft of light flickering among the shadows. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars re: Carter Burwell, Perfection, Disapointment, and Noir, May 4, 2003

By 

"cogito_ergo_sum" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Wasn't There (2001 film) (Audio CD)

If you can't seem to find enough merit to this soundtrack to label it impressive or at least concede that it has managed to weave film noir and classical music together in a tapestry of dark, rich, soulful bittersweetness, then you have obviously missed something. Let's not linger too long in thought on it.

Context, folks. Put it in context. Soundtracks are not composed and arranged as stand alone albums, but rather as the rhythm to which a movie is played out. Within the confines of these cinematic constraints, the album manages to wriggle and squirm enough to accomplish what other soundtracks fail to do: it becomes more than background noise, and writes itself into and becomes indispensable to the film.

I am not afraid that I must disagree with whomever contests that expecting only perfection, we are never disapointed. On the contrary, high hopes and high expectations lead mostly to disapointment, as anyone who has expected this much from anything could tell you.

The soundtrack has the flavor of noir, that mysterious, twisted edginess and allure. Burwell's contributions stand out. While acting as critic, please don't make the mistake of comparing this soundtrack to purely classical renderings. To do this would be like comparing great tea and excellent coffee and complaining that tea makes a horrible cup of joe. Classical musicians make their money by interpreting others' pieces and playing them with precision. This is not the case when arranging pieces and composing your own score. Hats off to Burwell.

If you enjoy the novelty of original and compelling music, buy this album now. Conventional classical enthusiasts beware.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Carter Burwell does another swell job on this one., August 14, 2002

By 

Joel Munyon "Joel Munyon" (Joliet, Illinois - the poohole of America.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Wasn't There (2001 film) (Audio CD)

You might know Burwell best for his score on Fargo but 'The Man Who Wasn't There' is another solid job by one of Hollywood's best composers.

While nearly half of this cd focuses on some songs by Mozart and Beethoven, the score is solid. You will hear the main theme played four different ways on this score but they are all splendid, a melody that is somewhere between the description of relaxing, beautiful, and dark.

Another Burwell cd I highly recommend is Hamlet. Hope you enjoy either of these cd's if you pick them up in the future. I know I have. Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My my my, look at all the negative reviews..., April 22, 2002

By 

C. B. Newman "moodindigo2" (Brisbane, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Wasn't There (2001 film) (Audio CD)

In a perfect world, all soundtracks would contain the scores and diegetic music the screenwriter and/or director intended to be heard in the cinema. In a semi-perfect world, the recordings themselves would a heavenly digital transfer of the original recording sessions. And in an imperfect world, the album would contain all of the sounds and music viewers enjoyed from the film.

After listening to the album, I disagree with the rancor of other reviews of this album. The technical points hold merit, but the distraction is non-existent for the non-audiophile. As a Doors fan, I was initially dissapointed to learn only a handful of the some 30 odd Doors songs in Oliver Stone's film did not make the film soundtrack. "How could they do this!" And after buying "The Bandit Queen"'s soundtrack, I was suprised to find most of the music was a derivative of the actual film score. Do these complaints sound vaguely familiar (see older reviews of The Man Who Wasn't There) Perfection is not found in those albums, nor is it in The Man Who Wasn't There. Yet if one does not go looking for it, one will not be dissapointed, and instead, you are left with an insightful compilation that sets a Film Noir mood to the genre of Classical music. This is not something so readily done with a genre that cut its teeth on Jazz music (See "Romeo's Bleeding"). And the original music composed for the movie is excellent and narcotic. I yearned to listen to those tracks especially, again and again.

Don't compare the album to other music and albums, and you will find a subtle gem that needs only a little bit of polishing to shine through.