Missouri Breaks (3 Bonus Tracks On Japan-Only Release) [Import, Soundtrack]

John Williams (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Japanese Import edition
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Soundtrack
• Label: Ryko
• ASIN: B00001NFOR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Track Listings

1. Missouri Breaks (Main Title)

2. Arrival of the Rustlers

3. Love Theme from the Missouri Breaks

4. The Train Robbery

5. Bizarre Wake

6. Celebration

7. Confrontation

8. Love Theme (Reprise)

9. Crossing the Missouri

10. The Chase

11. Remembrances

12. The Horse Rustlers

13. Love Theme (End Title)

14. Main Titles [Film Version][*]

15. Train Robbery [Film Version][*]

16. Jane and Logan [Film Version][*]

Editorial Reviews

From the Label

The Missouri Breaks is without a doubt one of the oddest Westerns ever committed to film. Despite an impressive pedigree [directed by Arthur Penn (Bonnie & Clyde, Alice's Restaurant), scripted by Tom McGuane (Rancho Deluxe, 92 Degrees In The Shade), and starring Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando], the film is a classic example of 'too many egos spoiling the broth,' and was a commercial and critical disaster when released. Nicholson stars as the rather hapless leader of a gang of incompetent horse thieves, and Brando is the Irish assassin hired to hunt down and kill him and his gang. The film includes such memorable moments as Brando in a dress and sun bonnet (who is that strapping lass?), and Brando reading poetry to his horse. It is quite clear that Mr. Brando was calling the shots on this one, much to the detriment of the film, but it does have its fun moments!

The score for the film was done by the man who is possibly the most famous living composer of film music, John Williams. His credits are too numerous to mention, but some of his more memorable work includes Jaws (Oscar® Winner Best Score), The Towering Inferno, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Superman, Star Wars (Oscar Winner Best Score®), and Saving Private Ryan (Oscar Nominee 1998 - Best Dramatic Score). Williams began his career as a jazz pianist before moving into TV scoring in the late '50s and film scoring in the early '60s (who can forget his score for I Passed For White (1960)?). He has also composed works for the concert hall and has conducted the Boston Pops. In short, he's the King of Movie Scoring.

His music for The Missouri Breaks is atypical in the context of his better known work; it's a quirky score for a quirky movie, not a huge, sweeping work with a hummable main theme. However, Williams' name will sell this one as he has a very devoted following. The album will include four bonus tracks. These are versions of cues that appear on the soundtrack album (which is comprised of rerecorded music) as they were actually heard in the film.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "rustlers, shoot-outs, bounty-hunters and John Williams", February 5, 2001

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Missouri Breaks (Audio CD)

The "American Western", a favorite among Hollywood film-makers and the audiences that flock to see them is still going strong. The director Arthur Penn takes a complex story shared with two major film stars Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson - "Missouri Breaks", a comedy mixing moods of chilling shocking violence. Penn who gave us - "The Left-Handed Gun" "Little Big Man", "Tom Horn", "Rancho Deluxe", provides identification with the criminal element - rangy horse thieves and downtrodden heroes. But the whole venture of cattle rustling, bounty-hunter, ranch, hired-gun, conflict, outlaws, tracking is pulled off, not by the director and stars...but by our favorite composer - Mr. John Williams.

Williams was between his Academy Award winning scores "Jaws" and "Star Wars", with "Missouri Breaks" - our composer writes a tuneful often sweeping treatment of the western-canvas - like his scores for "The Reivers" and "The Cowboys".

Of course the highlight - "LOVE THEME (FROM MISSOURI BREAKS)", sketched out by Williams with a gentle melody for solo guitar, chimes, electric harpsichord and harmonica - a bittersweet love song between Jane Braxton (Kathleen Lloyd) and Tom Logan (Jack Nicholson) interweave throughout the score. And the bonus tracks (Film Versions) is like finding a goldmine, your first impluse is to yell - "gold, gold, I just found gold".

Hats off to the people at Rykodisc - Ian Gilchrist (produced), Dr. Toby Mountain (art director/design/remastered), John Norman (original album engineer), Lukas Kendal (production assistant) and to John Williams (composer)...and for all you "film-score-buffs" and "Williams Fans"...this is a crowd-pleaser!

Total Time: 44:21 on 16 Tracks...Rykodisc RCD-10748...(1999)

3.0 out of 5 stars A really interesting score for Williams' fans, August 25, 2000

By 

Enrique Muñoz Ortega (Mexico CIty Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Missouri Breaks (Audio CD)

If you'll see the 1976's Penn film,a bizarre western well acted for Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Brando,you can apreciate all the landscape of themes the old wise master Williams has reunited in his score:a mixture of irony,violence,humoristic relief moments and,in the middle,a nice quiet "leit motiv",the "Love theme",that remains in the memory of the audience for a long time.Available at last this is one of the less known works of the Boston Pops' conductor,but will be a pleascent surprise for his fans indeed.

5.0 out of 5 stars John Williams: The Missouri Breaks, July 4, 2000

By 

Chris Stevens "Christopher 'ChrusherComix'" (Oswego, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Missouri Breaks (Audio CD)

As a rabid John Williams fan, I can never get enough of his original material. Although this is not one of his most popular scores, it does not disappoint. It reminds me of some of his other scores "The Cowboys", and "The Rare Breed", which, in turn, can remind one of Aaron Copeland's "Americana" style. If you are a fan of John Williams scores for Spielberg, Lucas, Hitchcock, Stone, and countless others, than pick this one up.