A Simple Plan: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

Danny Elfman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 26, 1999)
• Original Release Date: January 26, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Chapter III Records
• ASIN: B00000HZEV
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #200,225 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Main Title

2. The Moon

3. A Change of Heart

4. The Farm

5. Betrayal, Pt. 1

6. The Badge

7. Stop It

8. Tracks in the Snow

9. Death

10. Burning $

11. End Credits

12. Preachin' the Blues

13. So Sleepless You

14. Deliver Me

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Those more familiar with Danny Elfman's gothic Batman scores, or the often dark whimsy of his other collaborations with director Tim Burton (Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!) may find Elfman's work on Sam Raimi's fine, understated moral thriller A Simple Plan to be nothing short of a revelation. A mature, masterfully evocative exercise in shading and subtlety, Elfman's Plan music breaks new ground for the composer, seeming closer in tone and spirit to Thomas Newman's fine '90s work (especially the Oscar-nominated Unstrung Heroes). It's an exercise in delicate, minor-key moodiness, delivered by a small wind and string ensemble and decorated with brief, quirkily effective percussive motifs, that's ultimately a seeming contradiction: sadly pastoral. Bluesy, roadhouse romps by the Imperial Crowns, Jolene, and Tina & the B-Sides gratifyingly fill out the set, instead of dominating it as is the case with many soundtracks. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a beautifully original and unusual approach, June 17, 2003

By 

a leprechaun (ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Simple Plan: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

the soundtrack to a simple plan is simply astounding. by danny elfman...a musical genius, it evokes the emotions of the film perfectly. it is simply the minds of the characters ,and their simple plan gone wrong, playing through your CD player. it's amazing what danny has done here.he's taken a completely new direction in terms of his musical voice. it's certainly his most minamilist approach to scoring.the music has a most melancholic tone to it, but there is a strange warmth to it that is so intriguing. this is a complex score that may sound like nothing more than random notes thrown blinly on the page upon your first listen, but give it a chance. unfortunately its fairly hard to come by but when it does, grab it.its a gem!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elfman At His Best, September 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Simple Plan: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

Once again Danny Elfman has managed to create a score wich fits the movie perfectly; I doubt any other musical interpretation of the emotional element of this film could have been more fitting; his dissonace, cold and hars, match the spiritual decay of the main caracters, and his intensly haunting themes are brilliantly composed. In all honestly, this score is one of the best ever made, and while many may be turned off by the rather unusual ochestra-arrangement it is a stunnig psychological materpiece...a musical journey into fear, betrayl, greed and freindship.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting, and truly elfman, November 21, 2002

By 

rkchin (new york city) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Simple Plan: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

Usually when we think of Danny Elfman, we think of someone indulging us in delightful absurdity. His music is inspired by whatever movie he is trying to score, and much of the movies he had scored happened to be dark fantasy, and comic book adaptations.

In A Simple Plan, the film is a serious thriller about greed and desperation. The somber nature of the movie is reflected in the soundtrack. The music is slower in tempo, and there is more use of traditional instruments in addition to various synthesizer samples.