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If the soundtrack from A History of Violence reminds you a bit of the Lord of the Rings' music, its not surprising. Both scores are for films exploring the nature of good and evil, and both were penned by Howard Shore, Hollywood's most Wagnerian composer.
But unfortunately the new score lacks both the epic sweep of the Rings' soundtracks and the memorable experimentalism of Shore's earlier Cronenberg outings (The Fly, eXistenZ, Naked Lunch). On the positive side, there is Shore's scrupulous instrumental characterisation, with a troubling French horn and a pure alto flute representing the moral struggle within the mysterious main character. And there are some beautifully polished individual scenes.
But overall Shore's music sounds deeply conventional, without the benefits convention confers. There is no strong theme to hold the score together, and a lamentable lack of pace or variation. Ultimately this is less 'dark and brooding' than 'dull and boring'. Send on the hobbits, please. --Morag Reavley
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shore Delivers Another Classic, 17 Oct 2005
By William Latham - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: History of Violence (Score) - O.S.T. (Audio CD)
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.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shore Proves His Versatility With "History of Violence", 12 Feb 2006
By G M. Stathis - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: History of Violence (Score) - O.S.T. (Audio CD)
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
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great soundtrack, 16 Dec 2005
By Happystamper29 - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: History of Violence (Score) - O.S.T. (Audio CD)
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.
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