Night of the Hunter [Soundtrack]

Walter Schumann, Charles Laughton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 11, 1998)
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B000009NX6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #702,806 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Introduction

2. The Story Begins

3. Ben Harper's Downfall

4. Ben's Prison Companion

5. The Preacher's Plot

6. Uncle Birdie

7. John Hates the Preacher

8. John Will Never Tell

9. The Preacher Strikes

10. The Children Hide

11. The Children Flee

12. Pearl's Dream

13. Hunted

14. Rachel Cooper

15. Ruby

16. Rachel Defends Her Charges

17. Christmas-The Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, for inwardly they are ravening wolves." So begins this reissued soundtrack for Charles Laughton's 1955 story of secret oaths, predatory psychosis, and siblings who are terrorized by a preacher with the words HATE and LOVE tattooed on his pale, rapturous knuckles. Laughton's narration, which was not part of the original film, is the focus of this release. The music, by composer Walter Schumann, captivates as it tosses frenetic string passages into the maw of screaming brass, but the visceral treat remains the director's gothic fairy tale. Combining bared teeth with soothing murmurs, his recitation illuminates secondary characters like Uncle Birdie while it slits the throat of the Widow Harper and almost hounds her children to death. Wolves in sheep's clothing, indeed. --Michael Woodring

Product Description

CD Digipack with 17 tracks of narration by Charles Laughton, who tells the story of the classic movie that starred Robert Mitchum & Shelley Winters; also included are three songs sung a cappella by Robert Mitchum. Deluxe package comes with a 60-page booklet that includes still frames from the film and a written transcript of the narration dialogue. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charles Laughton's reading to film's music is riveting., July 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Night of the Hunter (Audio CD)

"The Night of the Hunter," directed by Charles Laughton, was unsuccessful at the box office when it was released in 1955. Having gone through a cult-status period, the film, the only one Laughton ever directed, is now hailed by many critics as a classic. Almost lost in the shuffle is this recording, originally released by RCA Victor in 1955, which has since become a collector's item, and justly so. Unlike most soundtrack recordings, this one integrates the film's music with a reading by Charles Laughton of the story, beautifully written for the recording itself. "Beautiful" may be an odd word to apply to the story of a lunatic evangelist who murders the widow of a bank robber and pursues her children in his attempt to obtain the loot for his own ends. Nonetheless, in the capable hands of Laughton and supported by the music of Walter Schumann, "The Night of the Hunter" is riveting, not to be listened to late at night unless you are sure! the doors and windows are all locked.

"The Night of the Hunter" has now been re-released on CD by Bear Family Records. The booklet enclosed reproduces several posters and a lobby card from the film, contains the complete script of Laughton's reading, and lists the musicians. Uncredited are the vocals by Robert Mitchum, the star, and Kitty White, along with an unnamed chorus of children's voices. Neither the CD booklet nor the original LP liner notes give any information on the source of Laughton's reading script, but I suspect that he wrote it himself. He was a man of many talents.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful soundtrack, but narration may not be for all, April 1, 2006

By 

Zach Pajak (Clarksville, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Night Of The Hunter (Audio CD)

Firstly, it must be said that this is a lush, beautiful, haunting, eerie, mesmerizing, sonorous, hypnotic, and truly remarkable score (phew! That's a lot of adjectives). It ranks among my favorites, and it was written for one of my all-time favorite films (too bad Charles Laughton never directed another film, for Night of the Hunter is a masterpiece of lyrical, chiaroscuroed lubricity and cinematic poetry). However, over the orchestrations, Laughton provides the listener with narration from the novel. Although Laughton's deep, measured voice may please some and compliment the music, others may find it unnecessary. If you want the soundtrack as to just have the score to listen to, this is certainly not for you. Yet this is an undeniably great score, and if you don't mind the narration, this may very well be worth a purchase.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars NOT the original sound track recording to "The Night of the Hunter", February 20, 2006

By 

grimner (DeKalb, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Night Of The Hunter (Audio CD)

This was released around the time of the film release. It has Laughton narrating portions of the novel over the musical soundtrack to the film.
Unfortunatly, it's NOT just the music to the film. Does the original soundtrack of the music exist out there somewhere?? Maybe in a recording studio, or in some vault? or is it lost. such beautiful music. & that off-screen lullaby...what a voice.....