Customer Reviews

Million Dollar Baby [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Varese Records presents the acclaimed Academy Award Winning film "Million Dollar Baby", featuring the extremely haunting and entertaining score from Clint Eastwood, inclusive with all the magic this talented composer can muster...2005 Academy Awards, walked away with Oscars for Best Film, Best Director (Eastwood), Best Actress (Hillary Swank) and Best Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman)...not bad for a kid who never had a future in films by the high studio bosses way of thinking.

The duties and task of composing a musical journey was given to the man himself Eastwood...his dark magical jazz approach is a refreshing welcome with such cues as "BLUE DINER", guitar and percussion is lazily displayed..."NICE WORKING WITH YOU" and "DEEP IN THOUGHT", impressive and impeccable capturing the moment and main theme of the film.."FRANKIE'S OFFICE", piano solo with Michael Lang at the keyboard, touching and heartfelt..."BLUE MORGAN (END CREDITS)", closing interludes prevail with haunting overtones bring the score and film full circle.

A "film-score-buffs" dream come true, with plenty of room to spare...highly addictive cues that will leave you wanting more of the same...hats off to Varese Records, Robert Townson (executive producer), Clint Eastwood who composed and produced the entire album project..."BLUE MORGAN", featuring guitar by Bruce Forman gets under your skin and stays there...this is a must have for all music collectors who can't get enough of top notch composing...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 35:00 on 20 Tracks ~ Varese Records 66392 ~ (3/01/2005)

I am always hesitant when it comes to picking up albums for Clint Eastwood films. Generally, they're written by himself or Lennie Niehaus, sometimes both, and they are both effective and frustrating. Clint Eastwood's films I adore, for their gentle, effective style, and the way they accentuate characters over silly special effects. Eastwood always uses very spare, quiet, gentle music to score his films, whether it be a thriller like "True Crime", a Western like "Unforgiven", or a boxing drama like "Million Dollar Baby." The music usually fits the movie perfectly, but on album, can be a bit bland. However, "Million Dollar Baby" is one of his better scores, my personal favorite next to "Unforgiven." The first half really is a lot of simple alternations on the same theme, going back and forth between a solo aucoustic guitar and solo piano, with occasional light string accompaniment. Also, a couple of jazz pieces not written by Kyle Eastwood are tossed in the mix. These pieces were not featured in the film, and they're good in and of themselves, but don't exactly fit the tone of the score. However, some may find them a refreshing break from the soft, slightly downbeat tone of the score. The second half is where the score really shines, when Eastwood delves into an entirely new theme that is quite classical in nature. It's got a simple, gorgeous beauty that's quite effective. The End Credits music seems to be a cut and paste job, putting together the main themes from the score. It's nothing that will sweep you away or awe you with it's beauty, but the score is a very classy, gentle listening experience. A solid album that is enhanced GREATLY if you've seen the remarkable film it is featured in.

The score to Clint Eastwood's 'Million Dollar Baby' is perhaps the most beautiful film music I have ever heard.

The sound, most notably in the solo Guitar and Piano sections carries a simple, but thoroughly elegant, characteristic, and haunting melody that speaks right to the center of what this film is all about--pain, love, soul-searching, and finding hope, to name a few.

The music to this film also shows Eastwood's devotion and love of the story, and the music and the visual element click together in a way that few movies and scores match. The bittersweet, haunting refrain of the Piano and the equally bittersweet, hauting melody that is taken up, elaborated, and somewhat varied by the full orchestra serves as a beautiful foil and metaphore to echo the lighting of the film itself, and some of the sets, like the dismal, bare, dark set of the hospital late in the film.

The subtle variations that are present throughout make it even more wonderful, too. There are a couple Blues numbers in here too, which are no less wonderful than the rest, but do provide some lighter material as well.

The simplicity of it shines through especially brightly, as well. Most of the music is either the solo Piano or the Guitar, as I have mentioned above, but both show all the emotion without needing the backing of a large ensemble, though in this case, the orchestral sections do not steal the wonderful simplicity of the solo instruments.

This music has by far the most soul of any score I've heard, and I strongly reccommend you get it. Your money will be well spent. I had a lump in my throat from the first track to the last. Bravo, Clint!!

I say this to point out that there are no great films without great music, not just behind the story, but within it..and all wrapped up around it. By not overdoing the arrangements, Eastwood has finely crafted a deep and stirring ambience to accompany, enlighten, and balance the heavy emotion of the characters.
My Vote: Bravo!

He does it again!! What a great soundtrack. It is so amazing to think that Clint Eastwood did this. What a talented man. You did good Mr. Eastwood. Get this one for your collection!!

The Time Keeper

This soundtrack is worth the buy! From first watching the film, I knew I had to have the music that accompanied it. The guitars gives soothing strains that calms the spirit, and the piano keys gives a satisfying blend of eloquence and rapture. I particularly enjoyed the recurring theme in "Blue Morgan," "Deep in Thought," and "Driving" (I still remember from this track the scene when Maggie said, "I ain't got nobody but you Frankie"). And "Frankie's Office" adds a touch of electric keyboarding that basically did it for me in pulling this whole album in full circle. I collect movie score soundtracks and I am very much pleased to add this to my collection!

The simple, haunting melody of the recurring theme (It's Nice Viewing) reveals another facet of whom we know best as Dirty Harry - composer.
If you enjoyed the movie, having the soundtrack is a must.

This is a sad movie, so almost all music are slow. However, it is pretty good somehow. Clint Eastwood does a very good job on that. The whole CD feels all the sadness in this soundtrack. Especially, track 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20 are my favorites. So, people, slow music doesn't mean that it is terrible. I think this is just an exception here. So, overall, good CD. It is worth to get both the movie DVD and the soundtrack together. I say that because they are just stunning. Get it, guys!!

As much as I am a film buff, I am a soundtrack enthusiast. Sadly, most of the scores of the last years have become stagnant and boring. I assure you Lord Of the Rings would be an even more loved film if it had at least one memorable overtures like Star Wars, ET, or even Titanic. Sadly, I am hard pressed to think of one memorable theme from the movie. Just a lot of long, pensive tracks and music that served the purpose but not did not add anything to the text.

Million Dollar Baby's score (written by Clint Eastwood himself) falls into this category of servicable, but does so with a laid back approach that is charming. The first few tracks of the score are upbeat, light, and smart. They could be described as minimaist in terms of execution, yet the score has a poignancy beneath the surface. What makes the music of this film unqiue is a certain subtlety to it, it is well made yet one is never overwhelmed by the technique, it's exceptional because it never means to be anything more than about the averageness and familiarity of the music and the genre itself.

Though the score takes a strange turn near the end of the CD, one that many of the film score community have become up in arms about, where the music shifts from a score that is about simple listening comforts to one of a somewhat controversial execution. While seemingly an effortless shift, the whole of the score is completely altered by the final third of the work as a whole, and it is hard not to discuss the entirety of the work without delving into the change (one I will leave for the listener to discover on thier own).

Overall it's a memorable addition to the recent canon of above average scores, but one that will be remembered for a fundamental shift moreso than anything else.

I hope this review helps you, and since listening to this score, I can't wait to see the film.

Incredible performances by Clint and Hillary Swank.