Psycho: Original Motion Picture Score [Soundtrack]

Psycho (Related Recordings), Bernard Herrmann | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 8, 1999)
• Original Release Date: June 8, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B00000J6ED
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,474 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro/Logos

2. Prelude

3. The City

4. Marion and Sam

5. Temptation

6. The Rainstorm

7. The Peephole

8. The Murder

9. The Clean Up

10. The Car

11. The Swamp

12. The Curtain

13. The Search

14. The Stairs

15. The 1st Floor

16. The Search B

17. The Hill

18. The Bedroom

19. The Cellar, Pt. 1

20. The Discovery

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars they got the tempos right, September 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Psycho: Original Motion Picture Score (Audio CD)

Unfortunately since the original Psycho score by Bernard Herrmann has never been issued commercially (and was most likely recorded in single track mono given the budget of the film) there are a slew of re-recordings by different orchestras (including one conducted by Herrmann which is now out of print). The problem most of the time is the tempo: "the murder" is usually slower than it was in the movie which is about a painful to listen to as the shower scene. So here comes Danny Elfman with his adaptation for the 1998 remake and lo and behold, the tempos are right on. Most people forget that this score is all strings and Elfman's near-obession with Herrmann renders this a faithful recreating of the original.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great adaptation but we only get half of the score, June 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Psycho: Original Motion Picture Score (Audio CD)

One of the greatest film composers ever to grace the screen adapting a score from another of the cinema's greatest composers; one could ask for little more. In general, Danny Elfman sticks pretty close to Herrman's original music, but he speeds up the tempos and adds noisier orchestrations for the more exciting parts of the score, adding to its intensity. The result is a less refined but fresher and more intense score, perfectly suited for a newer generation of film music fans. The only problem with the cd is the legnth; we only get about half of the score.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elfman Is The Man, February 11, 2000

By 

R. Siebrand (Amsterdam, North Holland Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Psycho: Original Motion Picture Score (Audio CD)

This is the best adaption of Psycho since the filmsoundtrack, 40 years ago, itself. Many have tried (McNeely, Johnson) but failed. Is it so hard to do this properly? I guess not because Danny Elfman understands this music. Tempo is very important with this soundtrack and he found the right one where McNeely amongst others failed. And also reverb plays a important part. McNeely's version sounds like recorded in a huge church and it should sound short and very dry like recorded in a 'dead room'. Again Elfman did this right. The only downside on this soundtrack is that it's not the complete score. What a pity. But it still deserves 5 stars for the effort and execution.