Customer Reviews

Patriot Games: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have this CD for many years now, and I still find it as one of the best soundtracks ever, featuring great pieces of classical music with a Celtic flavor (and some electronics to spice things up).

But the reason this CD holds the test of time is that it is an awesome hi-fi recording. I have been using it as one of my test CDs for quite a time, and it can tell you a lot about a system's low frequency reproduction capabilities, as well as being a good test for dynamic range and visceral impact (my favorite test track is "The Hit", by the way).

A tour de force by both composer and recorder.

After watching the movie, I kept thinking about the soundtrack... Then when I got the CD, I was not disappointed! Highlights include "Harry's Game" (If you remember the movie, it was the song playing on the TV) and the intro and exit songs are some of the best on there. This CD is very easy to listen to.

Action scenes are great even today watching the movie for the umteenth time. Its a must see if you are a Harrison Ford fan.

This is such a great cd. It makes great background music when studying or entertaining.

The one thing that really made me appreciate the music and the movie even more, was watching the movie after having listened to the cd several times. I had the cd almost memorized, when I watched the movie for the first time in several years, wow, you really have a better appreciation for both, and for Horner's work.

One of the most common complaints about James Horner is that all his stuff sounds alike. Perhaps, in general, but he was at the very top of his "game" for this one. PATRIOT GAMES really is one of the most exciting and fun-to-listen-to soundtracks I've ever heard.

In addition, the score boasts a fast musical pace, and mixed in throughout is a wonderful blend of Irish/Celtic themes and a couple of songs sung by the Irish singing family Clannad (which formerly included the world-renowned Enya) including what is perhaps their most famous piece "Harry's Game".

This soundtrack is perfect reading music, because it is intermittently fast-paced and peaceful and relaxing. Even if you haven't seen the film, if you enjoy Irish instrumental music, you will not be disappointed with this purchase.

This is the best soundtrack!I mean that!It's awsome!The music gets loud and exciting then drops low.Perfect!Great Irish music too!

James Horner dignifies himself with this soundtrack. The music in some respects is haunting and memorizing and helps underline the scenes. The traditional Gaelic song only helps to transport us to Ireland and the troubles. The movie needed this soundtrack and so did I! Great work by Horner!

Perhaps I spoke too soon when I originally called the combination of the soundtracks for "Legends of the Fall", "Braveheart", and "Titanic" the Horner Trilogy. After receiving this CD, it would appear that long before these three scores, there was "Patriot Games." There are so darn many similarities in all of them it's uncanny. My guess is that Horner created a formula that worked for this movie and then made different combinations from the same elements were needed for any future movies involving Scotland or Ireland.

As a listener, you will pretty much figure out that when the Celtic instruments begin playing it's because the terrorists are attacking in the movie. In another time and place, vocalist Maggie Boyle's traditional Gaelic song heard in the Main Title might be the sound of the choir at the beginning of "Titanic". The "Hit" track, heard when Sean Miller rams Katherine and Sally off the highway, follows much of the same kind of wood flute, keyboard and percussion patterns I described in my review of the "Legends of the Fall" CD. And the assault on the Ryan house is an eleven minute long track on this CD that sounds like an early-in-the-making-but-rejected version of the Revenge track on "Braveheart." And oh yeah, one last thing that I find rather amusing: all during the heavy action tracks on this CD you can hear either a flute or a pennywhistle soaring up and down all kinds of ways that don't seem to gel with what every other instrument in the track is doing. I wonder if this is Horner's way of trying to show two different sides of Ireland: the dark side affected by terrorists and the bright side that many tourists will see if they visit Ireland.

The opening & closing credits feature moving celtic vocals that builds up but never seems to go anywhere. The deep low-frequency bass is nice and adds a-lot to the scope & suspense of the film. The vocals in these tracks are nice.. beautiful even, but the theme could have built up into something awesome with the celtic strings and piano. Perhaps it was the director's desire to keep it low key in conjunction with the film, but it could have been ALOT more.

There are the typical Horner-hack suspense/action cues.. like the boat chase might as well have been Commando or 48 hours, and putting the pieces together sounds almost completely 100% like his Aliens.

It's a good sounding score. The problem is if you've listened to film music before your going to be left feeling empty here. And if your buying it for Clannad I feel sorry for you. There are better Clannad albums that feature "Harry's Game" on it. There's several greatest hits albums, but I recommend "Lore" which includes the track on a seperate cd and actually features a full album music.

I'm SO GLAD I am not the only one who likes Horner's work for PATRIOT GAMES!
James Horner is one of the most controversial score composers because of his habit to quote works from other composers, but I don't care.
Three reasons why I started collecting soundtracks: James Horner, John Capenter, John Williams.
Many people consider Horner's Patriot Games one of his weakest works, and I don't know why!
Horner just knows how to score an action movie, and he reached the pinnacle with COMMANDO. And why does his RED HEAT score get so bad reviews? Whatever.
James Horner did things only James Horner could have done(COMMANDO, RED HEAT), and PATRIOT GAMES is another score from Horner that is full of excitement.
When Horner scores an action scene he throws in everything plus the kitchen sink, resulting in such tracks as THE HIT, and achieving something like a musical orgasm. Wow!
There are many great moments on this CD like the quieter MAIN TITLE and HIGHLAND'S EXECUTION.
All in all, highly recommended!