Windtalkers (Score) [SOUNDTRACK]

James Horner

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Original Release Date: May 21, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00005Q4JE
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #172,084 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
During World War II, American forces needed a foolproof way to keep their radio communications secure from enemy code breakers. The elegantly simple solution is the subject of this unusual John Woo film: Navajo Americans were recruited and utilized their native language as a code that was never broken. Veteran James Horner turns in a score that interweaves the Navajo's ancient mysticism amid more somber and brooding orchestral writing that occasionally evokes Copland during his introspective, American pastoral prime. Horner has oft been knocked for repeating himself, and the occasional nod to Enemy at the Gates is both obvious and dramatically pragmatic. The brass, strings, and driving percussion that power much of "Marine Assault" and the final, musically jagged third of the score draw on some welcome postmodernism, helping to reinvent and bolster what could have been standard action cues. Though the score lacks the strong central melodic themes to make it a war-film classic, the power of Horner's moody music to evoke the sheer physical terror and mental anguish of battle is undeniable. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not the best score by horner, June 23, 2002

By A Customer

No doubt that this is not one of James Horner's best score. I can tell this because the theme of the movie wasn't compatible with Horner's deep inner self, emotional style of music. Movies of this type such as Braveheart, Glory, Titanic, A beautiful Mind bring out the best in Horner. I recommend seeing the movie before buying any soundtrack. Some reviewers complained that the song in the commercial was not on the cd, it wasn't even played in the movie. You can't expect that for every movie(such as this and Saving Private Ryan). Another reviewer said that this cd was poor because it contained no Navajo songs(again none were played in the movie). Yes this album is poor, but not just because it doesn't contain any Navajo music.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Listen To It Before You Buy It, June 19, 2002

By	Suzanne Reese (Scottsdale, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This soundtrack is a major disappointment. There is no melody, only a repetitive one cord that the composer is trying to demonstrate how many ways he can have an orchestra, or one instrument from the orchestra play it. When Horner does give us a bit of variation to his music, he falls back on bits and pieces of his previous works. I heard snips of "The Perfect Storm" in this soundtrack. Too bad for his fans. Some of the most beautiful soundtracks have been done for War films. George Delerue's "Platoon", Hans Zimmers" "Then Red Line", Michael Kamen's "Bamd of Brothers, and recently Rachel Portman's "Hart's War", fall in this category. One of the all time classic war scores is James Horner's "Glory", so we know the composer is capable of producing something better than this.
Horner really missed an opportunity here. To integrate the beautiful Navaho music into this score would have been more appropriate to the film and to those of us who expexted a film score worth listening to.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not one of Horner's best and of course not ORIGINAL, March 4, 2005

By	J. K. Moser "JKM" (Flemington, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Windtalkers had a chance to be such a good score. But thanks to James Horner's penchant for repeating himself, it's not. His Marine theme is enjoyable and the use of Native American chants is ok, but overall he simply redoes previous music. There's a bit of Enemy at the Gates and Mask of Zorro in this score. And he's not done reusing it, in Troy he uses some od the same music. If you are a hardcore Horner fan, buy this cd. If you don't mind the fact that it is repetative music, buy this score. Otherwise, stay away.