Customer Reviews

The Thomas Crown Affair [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

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

 

 

Anybody who owns the Ryko version of this OST will gain nothing from acquiring this re-issue of Michel Legrand's fabulous score to one of Steve McQueen's coolest movies. If you don't own the Ryko version, you'll still be rewarded by getting this worthwhile re-issue. If the movie was a triumph of style over substance, that can hardly be said of this truly original and breathtaking score. Opening with the Oscar nominated 'Windmills of Your Mind' from a young Noel Harrison , the score takes us on a journey that swings from moody romantic tension to full blown caper, as Steve McQueen slips his way through the traps set by elegant and sexy Faye Dunaway.

Michel Legrand's remarkable work embraces his jazz upbringing, providing the perfect catalyst for this ultra cool blend of couture crime and doomed attraction shared by the leading characters. Legrand's own vocal interpretation of the beautiful 'His Eyes, Her Eyes' has to be about as good as it gets. The other jazz cues fare just as well away from the split screen frames that characterised Norman Jewison's memorable film. 'The Thomas Crown Affair'is one of the sublime M.Legrand's musical milestones, in partnership with the most stylish of 1960's American filmmaking.

The THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR soundtrack was another great CD release from Ryko and many thanks go to them for issuing that wonderful compact disc. The THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR soundtrack is available once again on Varese Records. This score composed by Michel Legrand is the epitome of that sophisticated and ultra cool era of the 1960's. It was an era stylized by high fashion and chic aplomb that was quickly coming to an end, giving way to a grittier vision of our base inquisitiveness as general filmgoers. Michel Legrand's approach to film scoring was perfectly matched to this brief and fleeting time of that dying era of the chic and urbane 1960's. The film however, has as much substance as it does style. Closing your eyes, the main title song The Windmills of your Mind sung by Noel Harrison brings many images to mind. It is a beautiful song on its own, yet it reflects the inner struggle of Steve McQueen's character of a man who has everything yet still needs high-stake risks and excitement just to survive and make some meaning out of his life. His pastime full of transgressions will ultimately remain insatiable and will never relief his boredom. Michel Legrand's music perfectly underscores the tale of this man in a rather overt style. The music, which is gaudy and hip actually demonstrates the banality of McQueen's world. A good example of this is the way Legrand scores track 4: The Chess Game that McQueen plays or toys with Faye Dunaway. In retrospect this is a great soundtrack. It is not Herrmann, Bernstein, Newman or many other composers that are too numerous to mention. It is Legrand and makes this modern film a classic as much as any of the contributions from the other filmmakers.

Ok, first, this is the 1968 Thomas Crown Soundtrack, not the modern remake.

That out of the way, this is a wonderful EuroJazz score by Michel Legrand. Everyone knows Windmills Of Your Mind, but the rest of the soundtrack is even better. Legrand mixes jazz and compositional elements to create a sophisticated crime jazz that really sticks in your hears. It swings, with sharp horn punctation and improvised vocals. Vibraphones chime mysteriously all over, as you picture black attache cases being passed from one fadoraed rouge to another on the streets of Paris.

Like so few soundtracks today, this really holds up well as music, full of nuance and detailed in atmosphere. Hearing it almost tells you a story as well as the film itself.

Steve Mc Queen is my favorite actor, and this film is my favorite. The main theme "Thomas Crown" is breathetaking. It's nice to hear the soundtrack cd in the car, I remember and visualize the action in the movie, brings smile to you. The recording is top notch. Amazon . com's service was prompt, extremely happy with the purchase. Recommended, please get it and enjoy!

Product was exactly what I wanted. It brought back memories of summer of 1970. CD was is good shape.

The music is good but not at all, only the main song performed for the film, the famous "The windmills of your mind". The voice of the singer is so good.
The rest of the music is not so good but is OK as a souvenir of the film.