Customer Reviews

The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada

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

 

 

I first would like to say that I really liked the film; but as the films carries on, I got more and more attracted to the music in it. I really think is a precious piece of music for a precious piece of image. I really loved them both!

When I listen to a soundtrack there are several things that I consider as fundamental in order to say that I like it or not. For me, a soundtrack must have a personal identity that can be distinguished from that of the own film. However, we know that soundtracks are meant to walk along with the images they give sound to. So you can get a good piece of music that really doesn't combine with the movie; or you can get a piece of music that does the job but on its own it is just meaningless.

With The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Marco Beltrami has accomplished both things. Making a soundtrack that stands for itself; and allowing the sound to walk along with the precious visuals that Tommy Lee Jones gifts us with. The director just got the right composer for this film. His film is visual enough to work by itself; if you saw the movie on its own you just could imagine the sound; on the other hand, if you listened to the soundtrack without having watched the movie you just could imagine those landscapes in which we wish to get lost.

Marco's work is well thought and elaborated, trying to bring the essence to the little details that make something different, like using real and natural instruments such as cactus spines, together with violins, different types of guitars, ethnic winds, viola, cello, accordion, percussion, vocals and electronics.

Being a pupil as he was from Morricone, one cannot think of certain resemblance. But maybe encouraged by Tommy not to fall under his patterns, Marco manages to make something with its own personality.

The mixture between score and songs helps to create another special atmosphere that goes beyond that one of the landscapes, bringing an essence of reality and meaning to the plot of the film. The selection of tracks has been carefully selected in order to put that essence that completes the triangle: visuals/score/songs.

Everything together really makes a perfect combination, making this soundtrack really something to listen too and have in your collection.

How can you review an album if you didn't LISTEN to it? Watch the movie and OPEN your ears.

loved the music in the movie (and the movie) but hate when amazon doesn't give enough info! this was all i could find:


1. Three Burials of Melquiades 2:07
2. Cinco Anos 1:20
3. "Fair to Midland" - Dwight Yoakam 3:26
4. Leaving Town 2:22
5. Mike Runs Off 4:01
6. "I Wonder Who'll Turn Out the Light" - Bobby Flores 2:59
7. Gift Horse 2:02
8. Can't Keep It Up 2:51
9. "The Cheatin' Hotel" - Hank Williams Jr. 5:12
10. Entering Town 1:18
11. Fleeing Illegals 1:19
12. "This Could Be The One" - Flaco Jimenez 2:48
13. Horse of Death 1:34
14. Pete Confronts Sheriff 1:16
15. Stalking Mike 1:33
16. "Workin' Man Blues" - Merle Haggard 2:43
17. Shoot Me 1:35
18. House Building 1:13
19. "Before the Next Teardrop" - Freddie Fender 2:33
20. No Jimenez 2:22
21. Forgiveness 2:07
22. Goodbye 2:46
23. "You Can't Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd" - Roger Miller 1:55
24. "Donde Estas Papa" - Lila Downs 5:11

The film could be a new version of the Spaghetti Western but with depth and a much wider range of feelings and emotions. It is about Texas and its nightmarish prejudices versus Mexico and its indestructible American dream. A Mexican migrant is stupidly murdered by a young border patrolman (Barry Pepper). The authorities can't be bothered to investigate; they bury the migrant hastily and again in a more remote spot. His friend, Perkins (Tommy L. Jones) a ranchman faces the moral duty of keeping his promise to bring the Mexican back to his village. He kidnaps the patrolman and forces him to exhume the body and to undertake an initiatic journey with it. Their encounters are of all kinds bringing comic and tragic aspects of the life in this barren land of the borders. The meeting with the old man waiting for death while he enjoys listening to a Spanish radio he does not understand is not the least original and shocking.
The patrolman is an acute portrait of a young callous man with a limited understanding of the others. He is undertaking a long and painful redemption. Perkins reminds me of two classic heroes: Antigone and Don Quixote for sticking to his principles to the point of absurdity. I was not keen on the lyrics and missed Morricone's music but the film should make Clint Eastwood jealous.

I purchased this CD because I loved the movie and the music which encompassed the flavors of its setting. All I got were 24 tracks with 16 Beltrami filler songs. All he did was string it out with boring, repetitive type instrumental sounds bearing his name. I wish he would have put the movie's best interest at heart and given us all the music that made this move so wonderful.

There is not enough information given to rate this album. The album information says that Dwight Yoakam and Merle Haggard are on the album. But the listing of songs above does not give any information about the artist who perform them. Can someone please list the artists for the songs?