Customer Reviews

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5 star:		(50)
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3 star:		(1)
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I wil admit that I am an avid purchaser of movie scores/soundtracks so I don't know how objective this review can be, but I will say that for people who buy soundtracks and listen to them regularly, this one is extremely well orchestrated and choreographed. It is definitely in the league of film soundtracks like Gladiator and House of Flying Daggers, two other great scores.

My litmus test with soundtracks is if they survive a good listening experience on their own as either classical pieces or showtune type songs and this one does it better than most.

Not having seen "Pan's Labyrinth" yet, I can only imagine how it can be, after having listened to the soundtrack a few times. Spanish-born Javier Navarrete adds music to Guillermo del Toro's most recent production, in a style the meets halfway between the works of Howard Shore in "Lord Of The Rings" and Alberto Iglesias in any of the scores he composed to go with Almodovar's movies. The result is a haunting, epic sound that goes perfectly with the dark feel of the movie (judging from its trailer). Since I got it, it's been playing non-stop on my iTunes.

In the liner notes to this soundtrack, Mr. del Toro describes how the film itself is a bedtime story and how it required a lullaby to carry the tale from start to finish. Javier Navarrete's score nailed it. The film is breathtakingly beautiful with an unforgettable story filled with eye candy start to finish, but del Toro was correct, the soundtrack was the glue that made this film seamless. I found despite all the shockingly graphic and beautiful imagery in the film, it was the soundtrack that was haunting me, (that and the pale man scene *shiver*). No surprises here folks, no bonus material or cheesy love song vocal sung by one of the myriad of american pop singers that soundtracks love to include for a selling point, just a chillingly beautiful orchestral score from start to finish.

This is my first review on Amazon. I can't believe that I'm doing this for a soundtrack instead of the books I've read but I just can't help myself.

This soundtrack is simply amazing. I've been to the Pan's Labyrinth Official site before I watched the movie and I was blown away by the background music on the site. I left the window open and I was delighted to know that every song (or almost every song) is looped on there. Since I didn't know the name of the melody I was hearing, it melded together into a euphoric delight. In part, this is what drove me to watch the movie. I believe this is the most beautiful soundtrack I have ever heard for a movie. I have a little misgiving for bumping the Gattaca soundtrack to number 2 on my list now. I can't wait to lie in bed dreaming of returning to Pan's Labyrinth.

This is the best soundtrack I have heard in a very, very long time. The film itself is a perfect joining of image and music, and this CD perfectly captures one half of it--I can't watch the movie without noticing the music, and I can't listen to this CD without thinking of the movie. That's the way it should be.

Establishing a simple, repeated lullaby early on, Javier Navarrete's entire score builds on this tune, exporing deeper, darker, and ever more complex tunes with every track before returning to the simple melody at the end.

This CD includes musical cues not actually used in the film, although after repeated viewings of the film and listening to the soundtrack dozens of times, I'm hard-pressed to tell you which are which. The music--all of it--is so beautiful that the listener is almost immediately lost in the world it evokes. And even at nearly an hour and fourteen minutes, the music rarely repeats itself and never gets old.

An excellent companion piece for anyone who enjoyed the movie or anyone who loves beautiful music. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful soundtrack. Haunting and lovely. It leaves you with a true magical feeling.

Javier Navarrete has composed such poetic and beautiful music. The opening piece is both emotive and haunting. I find myself humming it all the time. The harmonies of the string section really build the pieces and the use of voices as instruments to add to the dramatic quality realy works. Although it's witten for the movie, it's a wonderful album in it's own right.

I'm what you might call a score-whore, I listen to them all, collect them all, enjoy them all - but, as far as 2006 goes, this is the year's best. Javier Navarrete creates an eerie/fantasy theme that is like no other (the notes are EDCDEFE EDCDEFD ED EF GE for the musically inclined) He also uses this theme consistantly throughout every scene, hidden sometimes, and full of emotion others. It creates the perfect atmosphere for the movie, but is just as great listening to it by itself. If you've made it this far, you're interested enough that you'll want to go ahead and buy it. It's really, really good.

(PS. for the complainers about the trailer song, it's by X-Ray Dog and called "The Revelation" as far as I know it was recorded for the trailer so it's not released anywhere, but the crafty might have luck finding it on the internet)

I just had the opportunity to watch Pan's Labyrinth last night, and what an experience it was. I actually had the opportunity to listen to the soundtrack a few weeks ago, and was encapsulated. The soundtrack is a marriage with the visuals. Some movie themes tend to overpower, some not enough, but a tribute is due when it can blend so well with whats on screen that you don't even notice it. Its emotional and haunting. I made a fool out of myself in the gym last night because I was humming the wordless "Mercedes Lulliby". Got a lot of weird stares from the Jason Statham types. Its been stuck in my head all day as well. I am debating on writing a review of the film, because I have no criticisms (its near flawless). If you are debating on seeing the film, debate no more. Yeah, its subtitled, get over it. Until then, check out the soundtrack. Definitely gets the imaginations juices flowing.

The music for this soundtrack is amazing. It has a dark, melodic, imaginative feel to it. If you once had an imagination, or would like to reclaim yours with a rejuvenated spirit, I would highly recommend this. The main melody to this movie, is some how haunting, yet calming. A melody that does not need words to express its self.