A History of Violence [SOUNDTRACK]

Howard Shore (Composer, Conductor)

Product Details

• Conductor: Howard Shore
• Composer: Howard Shore
• Audio CD (October 11, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: New Line Records
• ASIN: B000B9EYHA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #138,448 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This is the latest collaboration between esteemed director David Cronenberg and Howard Shore. Best known for his score to "The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy", Shore delivers a dynamic soundscape to Cronenberg's thriller, starring Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, and Ed Harris. Previous collaborations include "The Brood", "Scanners", "Videodrome", "The Fly", "Dead Ringers", "Naked Lunch", "M. Butterfly", "Crash", and "eXistenZ", all spanning a period of nearly 20 years.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shore Delivers Another Classic, October 17, 2005

By	William Latham (Connecticut) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Howard Shore often does some of his most interesting work on his collaborations with David Cronenberg, but this one is particularly special, for what is arguably Cronenberg's most commercial film since "The Fly" back in 1986. With a charmingly gentle love theme that captures some sense of Americana at the same time, Shore's vocabulary continues to expand with this work, deftly bringing out the drama in action sequences (of which this film has several show-stoppers) and the intensity of a man's past encroaching onto his present. LotR fans will hear faint echoes of Shore's ability to capture dread and anxiety in his music, but it's the lighter side of the film that Shore scores with, touching on romance in ways we haven't really heard from him since "Prelude to a Kiss".

With the disappointment of his score to "King Kong" being rejected, Shore can nevertheless feel proud of this work, which shows a master craftsman effortlessly doing what he does best.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shore Proves His Versatility With "History of Violence", February 12, 2006

By	G M. Stathis (cedar city, utah USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Many of us were sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear Howard Shore's score for Peter Jackson's "King Kong," but alas it was not to be; not yet anyway. Disappointment with the "King Kong" situation was in part eased by the release of the first of the extended scores from "The Lord of the Rings" that is history-making and fantastic. And for some of us there was cause to focus on Shore's earlier score for "A History of Violence," which proved to be a good move. Shore is one of the leaders of a new generation of film composers. He proved his worth with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, but continues to impress with other films as well. His music for David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" at once shows his versatility. It captures a certain level of Americana in key sections, and underscores drama, and well violence in ways that reminds us of the great Bernard Herrmann (particulary with "The Road"), and please note this favorable comparison is not made lightly. This is one of the best scores of the year that works well on the screen and as a soundtrack album. Well produced and packaged by New Line Records

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great soundtrack, December 16, 2005

By	Happystamper29 - See all my reviews

I enjoy Howare Shore's brilliance when it comes to music and this soundtrack was a must have for my collection after I saw the movie. The quiet, subtle yet hauntingly chilling songs are yet another masterful work of art created by Shore. This CD is well worth it.