Pearl Harbor [SOUNDTRACK]

Martin Tillman (Artist), David Campbell (Artist), Gavin Greenaway (Artist), Heitor Pereira (Artist), Tim Pierce (Artist), Johnny Mori (Artist), Michael Fisher (Artist), Julia Migenes (Artist), Bruce Fowler (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00005JYBD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (200 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,192 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
According to a Hollywood tradition that stretches all the way back to From Here to Eternity, there's never been anything quite so romantic as the idyllic days and hours before torpedo and dive bombers from the Japanese Imperial Navy blew the bejesus out of the unsuspecting U.S. fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor. Far be it for producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay to, er, rock the boat. Just as Bruckheimer and Bay did with Armageddon (where romance blossomed in the idyllic days and hours before a Texas-sized asteroid threatened to blow the bejesus out of Earth itself), they've again turned to über-hitmaker Diane Warren to set the tone; as sung by Faith Hill, "There You'll Be" strikes the perfect balance of apocalyptic bathos, as instantly inviting--and ultimately hollow--as an 89-cent chocolate bunny. Composer Hans Zimmer fares a bit better, though his piano dirge and orchestral score occasionally get mired in the syrup as they build toward the inevitable. The action sequences themselves are somewhat subdued (especially by previous Zimmer standards), with "December 7th" even echoing Platoon and Barber's Adagio for Strings. Crucially, Zimmer evokes the tragic loss that goes hand in hand with heroism, often no mean feat in a modern computer-effects-laden, megabudget blockbuster-in-waiting. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Romance, the Sadness, the Glory... Pearl Harbor, May 22, 2001

By	"dilinator" (Lansing, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

I have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Pearl Harbor soundtrack as much as the movie itself, being an avid soundtrack fan, and a Hans Zimmer fan as well. I had wondered what kind of music he would compose for this fateful event; whether it would be heavy on the war and fighting aspect with lots of action cues; or more somber and sad, dealing with the tragedy and seriousness of the events; or uplifing, dealing with the triumph brought out of the tragedy. I have to say that Zimmer has come through with a powerful soundtrack, dealing with all of the above types of music, as well as the romantic aspect of the film as well.

Obviously I have not seen the movie yet, as I am writing this three days before it comes out, but I know a decent bit about the movie, and using the titles of the tracks,can kinda figure out what is going on in the movie during the cues. As I mentioned before, this score covers the full scope of the spectrum needed for fully appreciating this event, and the drama surrounding it.

The CD starts off with a Faith Hill song, which wasn't a bad song, but is also not anything special or attention grabbing. The first score track though, the second on the CD is absolutely breathtaking, and unfolds the main theme for the movie. It is a soft and slightly subdued piece of music at times, outlining the sad nature of the movie, but it is also grand and sweeping at other times, often crescendoing out of the softness into a majestic and inspiring theme. This track embodies what "Pearl Harbor" is about: triumph rising out of tragedy, and the spirit behind. It isn't specificaly patriotic in sound, but one can't help but feel proud to be an American while thinking about the images this music evokes in one's mind.

The next three tracks all feature variations on this main theme, all tweaked to signify the different events they are portraying. They are pretty as well, and continue to provide the build up to the actual bombing later. Zimmer has really returned to a style with these tracks that has not been very common in many of his soundtracks. I go all the way back to "A League of their Own" to find a similar sounding piece of music from him. He does this somber, but hopeful music well.

Track 6 is where the actual bombing takes place, and it is here that I find the only piece of music that I do not like. The track starts out with a percussion driven piece, highlighted by some ethnic flute type intrument, and almost sounds like "Gladiator" in parts. It is very different from the rest of the score, and sticks out badly. Thankfully it only lasts the first minute and a half, and then after long, drawn out crescendo on a violin, probably signifying the first bomb dropping, goes into an extremely dramatic and sad piece of music for the last seven minutes of the track. I would assume this is taking place while the attack continues, and then the aftermath of the devestaion. That is the impression given by the music at least. A female choral voice in the background also permeates this portion, adding a nice touch.

Zimmer also uses this choral singer in other portions of the soundtrack, as well as a full choral chant in track 7, which is another very dramatic and sad piece of music. This full choral piece sounds a lot like a somber funeral dirge, signifying the memorial of death. It may sound morbid, but it is powerful to listen to.

Track 8 deals with the American raid on Japan in retaliation, and is very inspiring, and brings out the main theme again, mixing it in with some fast paced action cues, for a great effect. By the end, you feel like something great was just accomplished, though it wasn't easy. This is a great track as well.

The final track is another soft peice of music, drawing both the romantic, and dramatic elements back together again, and then finishing with the main theme. It builds towards this conclusion, and finshes off nicely with a soft version of the main theme.

So in retrospect, this is an excellent accomplishment by Zimmer, and just may net him that elusive Oscar that everyone thought was his for sure last year with "Gladiator". This is a far superior score to that one, and is in fact, probably my favorite Zimmer score yet. It is a piece of beauty, and I'm more excited about seeing the movie now then ever! Buy it, and be transported back to December 7th, 1941 yourself....

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, May 27, 2001

By	Jerry (Syracuse, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This soundtrack has come under much criticism. Because of this I was skeptical of buying the cd, but I did anyways. This cd is beautiful! Some people believe that it is too short (about 46 minues), but I feel that it is just right; not too much, not too little. Hans Zimmer does a great job of capturing the essence of the movie. Faith Hill is not one of my favorite singers (far from it), but her song is a great song, deseving of an academy award nomination. Tracks 2 through 5 tell the story of the love triangle within the movie. Tracks 6 through 8 accompany the attack on Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Finally, track 9 does a wonderful job of connecting these two elements of the film into a great conclusion. While I usually buy soundtracks to movies I want to see as soon a they come out (usually before the movie itself comes out), I would reccommend buying this cd after seeing the movie. It will give you a better sense of feel to the music.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Music, May 30, 2001

By A Customer

I wonder what goes through the minds of the people who wrote those other reviews . .. the ones who say this is a bad soundtrack. I really don't think they even saw the movie or own the soundtrack. Well, lets put it this way. . . The first thing I did when I got out of the theater was went over to the mall and bought this soundtrack. The music from Pearl Harbor is perhaps some of the most beautiful and moving music I've ever heard. It really brings you back to a more innocent time, and makes you stop and think about how beautiful life is and how terrible tragedies such as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that take away that innocence of life are. This is beautiful music, no other way to describe it. Hans Zimmer kinda takes a different direction than he has with Gladiator and The Thin Red Line. I think thats why people gave this movie bad reviews, because they wanted to hear the same adolescent macho cut off people's heads themes that Zimmer used in Gladiator. (in fact, what moved me to love the music from Gladiator was Lise Gerald's tracks)Well, to sum it up, this is just simply a beautiful soundtrack. If you are looking for intense, pules pounding explosive music, then this is not for you, but if you just want some beautiful music to sit back and relax to and contemplate life, and if you thought that Pearl Harbor was as good as I thought it was, then buy this soundtrack.