Customer Reviews

One Hour Photo [Original Motion Picture Score]

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

 

 

In response to music fan from Florida, open your mind a little!

Judging from your rather ignorant review, you
a) know absolutely nothing about electronic music and are in no position to be talking about its use in the film, or anywhere for that matter
(hiphop beats? are you serious? this is the farthest thing from it!),
b) are unwilling to accept things simply as they are, and
c) have no appreciation for the way in which this soundtrack works its way into the film and under your skin, giving it so much more depth.

Yeah it's sparse, but so is Sy's whole existence, and in that respect it is a perfect match. Would you have liked to have some overt, bombastic John Williams orchestral accompaniment? I know I wouldn't. Seeing as how most of it is strings and what not, this is nothing "like the type you'd hear at some rave or trance dance gathering." Trust me. I know. Xenophobia/philia has nothing to do with it. Since most to all music out there is electronic in the sense that it is almost always manipulated post-production, there really is no grounds to be so irate. Never mind about production processes, what really matters is the emotional impact of the music and its seemless integration into the film.

One minor problem I did have was that in a couple of spots, the music brought me back to Der Krieger und die Kaiserin, also a Klimek/Heil score, but that's only from my own experience, and actually its a compliment to their resounding style.

"Throbbing techno hip-hop beats." I laugh.

The score to One Hour Photo is an excellent embodiment of the mood of the film. When watching the movie, we feel a mixture of sympathy and fear for the protagonist, Sy Parrish. His tragic past and friendless existence inspire empathy from the audience, but his obsession with a family whose photos he develops is unsettling and disturbing.

This score portrays that very feeling -- it strikes a haunting piano and harp chorus that is sad and quietly emotional, yet chilling in other aspects.

Other tracks, like "The Pursuit", are intensely orchestrated sequences of action, keeping with this theme to Robin Williams's character while simultaneously conveying a feeling of urgency and climax.

My favorite tracks are "Afga Montage", "The Pursuit", and "Will Returns Home".

Buy this score if you want a musical profile of a character whose life is a tragedy, but whose volatility we fear. My only complaint is that with some tracks there is a bit of uneventfulness (i.e. long expanses of uninteresting string movement), but this usually isn't a problem. I recommend this soundtrack highly.

After reading the unsubstantiated and down right idiotic reviews of some (I won't name names) I thought an honest review was in order.

I love music and I play several classical instruments and I must say this work perfectly embodies the mood and the atmosphere of the movie "One Hour Photo". I am always critical of classical works (as most people tend to be harshest on what they know best) and I would rank this work up there with pieces like "Adagio for Strings" by Barber and "Carmina Burana" by Orff.

This work is quite beautiful and can be enjoyed even by those who haven't seen the movie. As noted in a previous review it relies on subtle changes from major to minor chords thus creating an almost transcendental feel. The movie itself is one where you are left with a feeling such that you are unsure if you should feel fear or sympathy. The feeling is created almost entirely by the music.

All in all, this piece is not only great as a stand-alone work of art as it also matches perfectly with the movie to create the perfect feeling of an almost surreal eeriness. Get this CD you won't regret it.

i watched this movie with a few friends and we all agreed that the score helped make the film. i took note of a lot of sequences of music that i really enjoyed and decided to purchase the album. now that i have it i listen to it frequently when i am looking to relax or have some nice ambiance. a fair amount of the tracks are ominous but the soundtrack overall is light and fulfilling.

Wow. Some of these reviews are scathingly harsh! I felt the movie track was appropriately additive to the tone of the movie, in both atmosphere and emotion. Spooky+sweet like the movie. To the reviewer who bemoaned the lack of a memorable theme, I would argue that this isn't Star Wars or Indiana Jones, just not that grand in scale. In this case, something more subtle is necessary so as not to distract from the movie. The soundtrack creates a setting, much like a museum provides for the art that it showcases. The use of silence can be an art at well. Not knowing who these two guys are (and being a die-hard Skinny Puppy fan), I couldn't help noticing that one of the tracks is a watered-down rip-off (or should we say "homage") to "Theme From Pressurehead" by one of thier many spinoffs, Doubting Thomas. If you want something infinitely more memorable, check out their album "The Infidel".

I loved the movie, "One Hour Photo," for numerous reasons. One of them was the music. I just could not get it out of my head. A few days later I decided that I should pick up the score to it. I did, and I am very happy with this purchase.

Very much like the scores to "Insomnia" and "Unbreakable," this is a sometimes quiet and very haunting score. Other times the songs are wild and filled with chills and suspense. YOu also will relive the movie when you place this CD in your stereo.

My favorites tracks? I don't really have any, because I enjoyed them ALL. But the ones that stick out the most to me are "main titles," "birthday party," agfa montage," "wall of photos,"I'm letting you go," "breaking and entering," "the pursuit," and "end titles (Sy's theme)." I'm sure I'm missing more, but that's all I can think of now.

In fact, the best track on the soundtrack has to be "the pursuit." That has to be the best chase music I have ever heard. You will appreciate it more if you have seen the film. In fact, I am listening to the very track right now as I write this review. Just to have that track alone is worth the price of admission.

Overall, a very awesome score to an awesome movie. This is one of my new favorite scores, and I will listen to it over and over again. If you love the film, get this soundtrack. With 22 tracks, "One Hour Photo: The Score" is outstanding. Check it out when you get the chance.

If you like the score to this Movie, you might want pick up the Score to "Amerian Beauty" and "Requium for a Dream" ...

Compared to the temp music (and almost all motion-picture score music I've ever heard), this final score used for the heart-breaking "One Hour Photo" is horrid. It's not befitting of the movie at all; it doesn't capture the loneliness Sy feels. In fact, the score is so hollow, it has almost has a crass MTV feel to it like it was made to be hip for the younger crowd. It's pseudo-techno for crying out loud! Whoever gave Klimek and his partner the go-ahead to tack this onto the film should be replaced with someone who knows the difference beween a drum loop and actual music. What's on this album can't even be classified as music; it's just throbbing beats (like the type you'd hear at some rave or trance dance gathering). Sure a synthesizer was used (which I have no problems with), but the fact that it was just used to make stupid drum beats is unforgivable. This final score, in my opinion, ruined the film, because the "sounds" (i.e. techno beats) are so annoying and out-of-place. Rule #1: Throbbing techno hip-hop beats backing a scene of an angered, bespectacled Robin Williams lifting a hunting blade from a store DON'T mix. Klimek and what's-his-name partner ruined the tension of this film with their laughable score. There isn't one melody or tune I can remember (because it has none) from this, which is a very bad sign... "One Hour Photo" video seen at Sundance with the "Requiem" score, and you'll be much happier.