Customer Reviews

Red Dragon

5 star:		(6)
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Danny Elfman is an excellent composer. From his frequent collaborations with director Tim Burton (Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas) to his more dramatic genre of composing (he wrote for Good Will Hunting as well) to the "everyone knows it" genre (The Simpsons), it is almost certain that every full-blooded American has at least HEARD an Elfman original. This (RED DRAGON) is one of his best! It is strangely haunting, remarkably nuanced (listen for the sound effects and the flavors from Hans Zimmer's HANNIBAL score and Howard Shore's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS score), and down-right chilling. Bernard Herrmann, who frequently composed for Hitchcock, is a self-professed favorite of Elfman. And why shouldn't he be? Hitchcock told Herrmann to do whatever he wanted for PSYCHO, except write anything for the shower scene. Thank God he didn't listen! Herrmann's violin shrieks are now well-known to nearly everyone. While Elfman's score may not last through the generations or be quite as "off the beaten path", it is none-the-less a wonderful performance from one of the greatest composers we have today. I think Herrmann would be proud. . .I know I am glad to own this, even before having seen the movie.

After the emotionally intense and appetizing music of Hannibal Rising, what can we expect for an entree? The soundtrack of Red Dragon is absolutely pure suspense and a delight from beginning to end. The opening theme from the pre-title sequence is hypnotic and drags you right into the story, never letting up for a second until the final chord vanishes from hearing. Elfman did another spectacular job with this soundtrack (as he has done with Sleepy Hollow). The movie is just as entrancing as the score. All this is a lead-up to a most exquisite main course (albeit with a minor bone in the food) and a scrumptious dessert. Buy all four movies AND the soundtracks; you won't regret it. "What did you see, Clarice? What did you see?" "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver, with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."

This music fits well with the Harris novels about Hannibal Lector. This time around it's Danny Elfman's turn to give it a shot. Howard Shore's was simple yet hauntingly beautiful, Hans Zimmer's boardered on some classical work, but again beautiful, Elfman really gives us some great music here and I would recommend it to anyone.

Now before you scream at me for liking this score, let me tell you I am an AVID fan of Manhunter. I love every part of it, and I really don't mind this remake since it will be more about madman Francis Dolarhyde and his love interest Reba McClane than FBI Agent Will Graham (Dolarhyde and Reba being my favorite characters who did NOT get enough screen time in Manhunter, although they put on the best performances in the movie).
The score is one of Danny Elfman's voice, and I proudly say it's superior to Silence of the Lambs' score. The violins make sooth little sounds and then out of nowhere come violently shrieking up and down, creating intense imagination. The piano whispers like a softly spoken lullaby; listen to the first track, Logos - it is perfect for this gothic cinematic pleasure.
I won't deny at all that Manhunter had one of the best soundtracks ever - I own the soundtrack and listen to it a lot. You cannot compare Red Dragon's score to Manhunter, though. Manhunter's score is very atmospheric and features a lot of Enya-type tunes and good rock songs fit to every scene (This Big Hush was brilliantly picked for Francis and Reba's love scene), but Red Dragon's score is pure orchestral beauty. The music does have a huge "I KNEW Danny Elfman scored this" mark to it, but it is very different from his other works. This, Batman Returns and The Nightmare Before Christmas are his best works. I can barely wait to go see Red Dragon in theatres now considering how grand of a score this is.

This is one of the hardest soundtrack for me to under stand because every thing is so well connected. Elfman gives smooth transtions, with feeling melody and sound. You must get my tied for my 2nd favorite Elfman soundtrack with Nightmare before Cristmas. GET BOTH!

I'm a fan of danny Elfman's compositions for movies. His score was also good in Spider-Man, but this was just awesome!