Stardust [SOUNDTRACK]

Ilan Eshkeri (Composer)

Product Details

• Composer: Ilan Eshkeri
• Audio CD (September 11, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000U788SY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,417 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK STARDUST ORIGINAL MUSIC BY ILAN ESHKERI The Decca soundtrack featuring original music by Ilan Eshkeri (Layer Cake) will release on September 11.

From the "imaginations" of best-selling author Neil Gaiman and director Matthew Vaughn comes STARDUST, the enchanting tale of a fallen star who crashes into a magical kingdom and turns out to be no ordinary meteorite at all, but a beautiful imperiled woman chased after by an incredible array of seekers who want or need her secret powers. From wicked witches to power-mad princes, from flying pirates to dueling goblins, each person who encounters the star has his or her own agenda, but they all desire just one thing: her heart. The result is a rip-roaring tale of true love and high adventure that mixes and matches all the grand themes and imagination-sparking elements that have ever accused anyone of any age to fall in love with fairy tales. STARDUST begins in the sleepy English village of Wall, so named for the cobblestone wall that has, for eons, kept the villagers safely apart from the supernatural parallel universe that lies just on the other side. It is here that young Tristan Thorne (Charlie Cox--The Merchant of Venice, Casanova), makes a wild-eyed promise to the prettiest girl in the village (Sienna Miller--Alfie, Casanova, Factory Girl), whose heart he hopes to win; that he will bring her back a fallen star. Now, in order to make good on his promise, Tristan will have to cross the forbidden wall, and enter a mysterious kingdom lit by unending magic and unfolding legends of which he will quickly become a part. In this fantastical realm known as Stormhold, Tristan discovers that the fallen star is not at all what he expected but a spirited young woman (Claire Danes--The Hours, Shopgirl, The Family Stone) injured by her cosmic tumble. Now, she is in terrible danger, sought after by colossal powers including the King's (Academy Award® nominee Peter O'Toole--Lawrence of Arabia, Venus) scheming sons for whom only she can secure the throne; and a chillingly powerful witch (Academy Award® nominee Michelle Pfeiffer--Dangerous Liaisons, The Fabulous Baker Boys, I Am Sam) desperate to sue the star to achieve eternal youth and beauty. As Tristan sets out to protect the star and bring her back to his beloved on the other side of the wall, his journey will bring incredible encounters with a pirate captain (Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro--The Godfather Part II, Raging Bull) and a shady trader (Golden Globe® winner Ricky Gervais--The Office) among other surprises. But if he can survive by his wits and the strength of his newfound love, Tristan will also uncover the secret key to his won identity and a fate beyond his wildest dreams. Paramount Pictures presents STARDUST, opening August 10 in theatres nationwide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A New Star Composer? Ilan Eshkeri and "Stardust", September 12, 2007

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

Two of the better film scores this summer came from relative unknowns: Nicholas Hooper and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Ilan Eshkeri and Stardust. The latter was a particularly pleasant surprise. Both Mathew Vaughn's film, Stardust, and Eshkeri's music more or less came out of nowhere at the end of the summer when we usually are left with less than prime films. Stardust proved a sheer delight as did its score. Generally, Eshkeri's music is a fine fit to this film, especially the chase scenes, and works as a very pleasant soundtrack. There are several tracks of music by other people, the director, Take That, and oh yes, Bach, Dvorak, and Offenbach which are important in the film and the latter are a fun aside on the album as well. Overall, Eshkeri's orchestral (with some chorus) score captures the magic, romance, awe, and sense of adventure that we associate with the fantasy genre. Solid production values and nice packaging by Decca.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure magic, September 12, 2007

By	Malia (ONT, Canada) - See all my reviews

Few movies have entertained me in recent years as much as Stardust did this summer. Stardust is a blockbuster and a cinematic beauty - a glorious telling of a wonderful adult fairy tale that made me yearn for princes and fairies and magical worlds beyond high stone walls. It definitely is one of the few films I might pay exorbitant movie theater prices to watch again and again.

And while I anxiously await the release of the DVD (oh, please be packed with extras), I'm delighted to have a piece of the magic with me. This soundtrack, composed by Ilan Eshkeri and majestically performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra, is a delight in every way. Tristan & Yvaine (my current favorite track) is tender and sweet, while Shooting Star is swift, enchanting and so memorable - definitely the track that will transport you back to Stormhold! Not a single composition in this entire CD is lacking, but an honorable mention must go to The Mouse and Epiloque, two very sincere, powerful pieces that most definitely capture the romance of the film.

Reportedly, British band Take That had recorded a piece named Rule The World that was to accompany the movie as its theme, but does not appear on this soundtrack. It is to be released on Take That's upcoming album this October (2007). I'm not unhappy about that - an entirely instrumental Stardust soundtrack is good enough for me!

All in all, a stunning soundtrack to accompany a magnificent film. Make this a part of your collection, and get ready to daydream!

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent ... but one track is missing, methinks, September 12, 2007

By	Steve Reed "Greybird" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

The music in this film is at least a fourth of the reason why I've gone back to see it, in the theater, six times to date! (The rest being a superlative, perfectly cast fantasy-action-romance, impossible to describe easily, which can only be conveyed fully on the big screen.)

Eshkeri's score is lush, evocative, using the full London Metropolitan Orchestra to resonate against the visuals. It's perfectly pitched to the action - and with three tracks on this CD reflecting the final battle, in various phases, the listener can tell that the composer is not falling back on shortcuts or needless repetition.

When a motif is used again, it's to evoke a particular character. This helps in seeing the film, as it has three broadly sketched plot lines, involving growing romance, murderous witches, and plotting princes. The cues make the plot intersections even more fluid than the screenplay has already done.

The score is, however, not all of the music. The song "Rule the World" by the British group Take That, over the first half of the end credits, has its own lush and emotional take on the romance that's at the heart of the film, and wears its feelings on its lyrical and melodic sleeves. It's a superb follow-up to Eshkeri's symphonic score, and (as I am told - see below) the last track on this disc has a transition into the song's chord scheme.

I said "am told," though, because I have not yet bought this disc. This, and my rating it only 4 instead of 5 stars, is because Take That's song is NOT included on the disc. I cannot fathom this decision on the part of the producers - unless the song was recorded considerably later than the symphonic score.

Offenbach's "Can-Can" (track 14), used in the film to hilarious effect, is repeated over the second half of the end credits. So this disc ends up including the entire musical experience ... except the one part that involves melodic human voices. To me, the disc has an esthetic hole in it.

I may buy this CD nonetheless, and will edit the review if I do - but until I can obtain the Take That song as a single, the musical experience will be incomplete, to my great regret.