Customer Reviews

Sleepers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For the record, the scene before Nokes is killed contains the music from the artist, Harpers Bizarre, the album Thicker than Water, the song is: Witchi Tai To

'Sleepers' was perhaps a deeply flawed outing as a film. But the brooding and tense yet lyrical score by John Williams is a most fascinating example of how a great score can emerge from a mediocre film. As the music unfolds, a great music drama can be envisioned. John Williams' instincts for drama rival Bernard Herrmann in this brilliant score that may one day be unjustly forgotten.

As a listening experience on the whole, Sleepers is not really that great. There are a few outstanding cues, and a bunch of darker, brooding cues that wear the interest thin and can be hard to listen to all the way through. However, the good parts of the disc (tracks 1,2,3,4,13) are so good that they alone merit a 4 star rating. I think this is one of the most interesting John Williams scores of the decade. The theme consists of a menacing electric bass line along with lonely, tragic solos by the flute and French horn. The soloists, by the way, are members of the Boston Pops, and they are both excellent. "Hell's Kitchen" uses some of the elements from NIXON but to greater effect. I like the way Williams begins the cue with an odd meter motif. "Hell's Kitchen" encapsulates the theme of innocence lost. There is an inspiring theme at the end of this cue, which reappears in "The Reunion." That last cue was so emotionally moving that it was the first indication to me that I might someday get the soundtrack. Finally, no John Williams fan should go through life without hearing "The Football Game." "The Football Game" is driving, propulsive, and hints at violence... it features some sharp playing by the brass, a relentless rock drum beat, and a menacing piano figure in the lower register. This cue is 100% hard. It's probably the one of the most terrifically testosterone-charged pieces Williams has ever written. I'd like to see THAT played over NFL football games...

As an anser to R. Rimple, a music CD for a film mostly contains the music written by the film's overall composer. The "external" songs used are usually listed at the end of the film, as is done here. The song you ask for, is called "Witchi tai to" performed by Everything is Everything, found on Amazon on this record:
(...)
I have heard this song several times in films, and thought it was made by one of the former Beatles.

The score for "Sleepers" is somewhat uneven, but of course story, editing and a director's directions so often govern the consistency or lack thereof of style, texture, etc. Above all, several cues for "Sleepers" - especially the final cues clearly demonstrate John Williams' masterful string scoring and create a certain sense of pain, fate, bittersweet nostalgia and overriding pathos that the actors and director strive to create. Williams is always in a class by himself even when he's so strictly bound by the technique and style of his collaborators.

This song used in the bar scene killing is best found on "Hard To Find 45's On CD Vol 6 More Sixties Classics. I suggest you move fast and order it ! ! !

I am interested as to how highly some of you rate this soundtrack. I saw the film for the first time a little while ago and thought the original music was amazing. I am watching the film at the moment and wondering how committed I am to watching the film right through at 11:30 at night just to listen to the music as the film is only quite good. What surprises me is that it is written by John Williams .... a highly proficient scorist but not one that I would listen to as stand alone music .... to formulaic and just rattled out. The choice of songs seems a little hacneyed .... heard them too many times on films. Funny what someone wrote about it being a 70's score ..... sounds exactly like that to me .... like Marathon Man, Parallax View or Klute .... 3 of the greatest .... imho.

James

I'd like to know the name of one of the "external" songs. I'ts not on the soundtrack cd. I'ts the track played in the bar's scene, when Tommy (Billy Crudup) and john (Ron Eldard), kill Nokes (Kevin Bacon).
PLEASE!!!!of anybody knows, answer as soon as possible!!!
thanx a lot!
Moacyr - Brazil

Hi,

The song from the bar scene when kevin bacon was killed was driving me mad too!! it's Witchi Tai To - Everything Is Everything if you copy and paste the link below you can have a listen. Hope this helps
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005Q6Q4/102-9863115-3549742?v=glance&vi=samples&n=5174

I was hoping to hear the songs played in backround reflecting the era and times they grew up. There is one song in particular that I heard and I do not know the name of. It sound like, "Witcha tie tie ....Owanika Owanika hey hey hey hey oh ah". If anyone knows this please respond.