Gladiator: More Music From The Motion Picture [ENHANCED] [SOUNDTRACK]

Hans Zimmer (Composer), Lisa Gerrard (Composer)

Product Details

• Composer: Hans Zimmer, Lisa Gerrard
• Audio CD (February 27, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Soundtrack
• Label: Decca U.S.
• ASIN: B000058TJG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,163 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If there's one thing film producers and record executives like more than Success, it's Success: Part 2. Thus when Ridley Scott's high-tech sword 'n' sandal epic scored both Golden Globe wins and Academy Award nods for Best Film and Best Score, it was a sure bet that another volume of Hans Zimmer's and Lisa Gerrard's music for the film couldn't be far behind. Though not exactly leftovers, the tracks here sometimes point to the fact that there wasn't enough fresh material to fill this volume out, hence we get some remixed cues, a handful of familiar music with dramatic dialog excerpts edited and superimposed (or misplaced, with decidedly mixed results), and even a beat-heavy, dance-club mix of "Now We Are Free." With a little over half an hour of entirely fresh material and some souvenir dialog snippets over the rest, there's enough here to please Gladiator die-hards. Also of note: guitarist Heitor Pereira's flamenco-flavored flourishes are better showcased throughout; and "The Gladiator Waltz" serves up one of Zimmer's original synth demos (with a dash of Russell Crowe dialog up front)--a dramatic amp-up of Holst's "Mars, the Bringer of War" that's a prime example of the composer's state-of-the-art digital orchestral conjuring. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You dont know what you're missing!, March 24, 2001

By	Nicole (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

I LOVED the first Gladiator soundtrack, and I still to this day play it over and over.

Upon hearing about the release of a second "Gladiator" CD, my first reaction was excitement and I couldn't wait to hear it. Then I read that many of the songs on the second CD weren't even in the film, and I became skeptical. I thought that it might disappoint me, as I put the original soundtrack up on such a pedestal. Nevertheless I bought it. As I held it in my hand I immediately wanted a refund, as I was too scared that it would disappoint me and ruin such a good thing between me and my baby, "Gladiator" (LOL).

But something made me put it in my CD player and press "play" and boy am I glad I did. It's no wonder they made a second CD- Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard certainly know how to compose music! It makes me wish that the film was an hour longer, just so they could use all this unused music! Hans gives a wonderful commentary of the composition of these songs and what emotions he wanted each one to radiate. Some of the songs were actually put into various scenes of the movie, before finally being scrapped, and it's great to imagine what scene X would have been like with "this" particular track.

There are, of course, still many tracks on this CD that are in the movie- like the unforgettable scene where Maximus is riding frantically on his horse to reach his wife and son, and many other songs which are featured throughout the movie which have been mixed together with dialog from the movie.

Keep a special ear out for "Duduk of the North". This is so beautiful, and towards the end, Hans wrote in a Spanish theme, which is just indescribable. I play this one over and over and over. "Homecoming" is the music to the scene where Maximus is riding home to his wife and child...so urgent. "Rome is the light" features Lisa Gerrard's vocals. According to Hans, this song was going to go at the end of the movie where "Now we are free" (from the original CD) is used. It is again beautiful. It almost sounds like she uses some of the same lyrics in "Rome is the light" as she did in "Now we are free", but the tune is completely different.

I could go through them all, but that it would exceed my word limit! And it's good to keep some mystery about the other tracks. This is a great, great CD. If I could give it more stars than 5, I would! Definitely one of my better investments! Nicole, 19, Australia

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A re-run of the first CD, April 14, 2001

By A Customer

After being amazed by the first 'Gladiator' soundtrack, I was surprised and delighted to find a second offering. I was rather dissapointed to find that there really isn't much new here. Many of the tracks are the same songs as the first CD, the only change being in the instruments that are used. This often proves to be a change for the worse. At times its painful to hear the haunting echoes of Lisa Gerrard's wordless songs being marred by the intrusion of staccatto African drumbeats.

As for the new songs, many of them are far too short and mellow to be appreciated. The last half of the CD contains many songs that are just one or two minutes long. If you happen to be doing something else as you listen, you can barely tell they're there. But the CD has it good points. The 'Duduk of the North' is very well done and I don't think it's possible to grow tired of the battle theme, regardless of which version it is. The movie dialogue is well-chosen and skillfully placed.

If you absolutely adored the first soundtrack it will probably be worth your time to listen, but in the end you will find yourself returning to the original for your 'Gladiator' fix.

-Boyler

49 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a must-have, May 9, 2001

By	"oamazonka" (Riga, Latvia) - See all my reviews

First of all, this disc should've been called "Exercises in making the music for the motion picture Gladiator", to warn off those eager Gladiator fans from spending their unrefundable 14 bucks. The disc contains 4-5 decent finished pieces (tracks 1,4,5,12 and 14) that due to some reasons have not been included into the original soundtrack. The rest are half-baked, unorchestrated and repetitive "tries of the pen" by Mr Zimmer & Co. Altogether the tracks are either too short or too rough to create a coherent musical canvas (unlike the superb first CD). Other reviewers express dissatisfaction with a few Spanish guitar motives, but they are not bad, except, of course, track no. 10, called... "Maximus", which is an offence, for the only image that comes to your mind listening to this cheesy track is (hold tight!)... A Banderas.

I was especially freaked out by the last track, "Now that we are free" disco version (it reminded me of another shameful creation: chart-friendly adaptation of "Don't cry for me, Argentina". For Christ's sake, it's a dying woman's song!) And why on Earth it's called "Maximus mix"? Should be N'Sync's or "Deep Forest" mix.

At least I could read H Zimmer's comments to each track and thank his prudence and God's providence that resulted in the magnificent first original Gladiator's soundtrack. So guys, you can't step into the same water twice. I could have survived without this CD.