Laputa Soundtrack [Soundtrack, Import]

Hisaishi's score for Laputa: Castle in the Sky is his best, in my opinion. Part of the magic of Hisaishi is that he draws from several rich wells of influence and blends them in his own unique way. His background in New Age music (which informed his score for Nausicaa: Warriors of the Wind) probably explains his impeccable craftsmanship, his sonic clarity, and his studio wizardry (he plays many if not all of the instruments on his works). On the other hand, he also has a classical composer's sophistication, a superb pop producer's ear for arrangement (not just the tired strings-and-symphonic-percussion of most Hollywood scores), and an ace songwriter's talent for coming up with hooks; his compositions are as catchy as any radio hit you can think of. Add that to his awareness of Japanese music both past and present, a flavour unlike any other, and you have an absolutely brilliant mix.

All the titles on this work are in Japanese so I'd have to interpret them as best I can. The title theme, "The Girl Falling from the Sky", is breathtaking. In the context of the classic Miyazaki film, it enhances the drama and takes the viewer soaring to the skies; outside of the film, it is simply a stirring composition. Hisaishi also complements Miyazaki's knack for putting touches of sly humour into his works: "Muscleheads" (the theme for the village fight), the "Pirate Ship" theme, and pirate chief "Mama"'s theme are funny, lively, and imaginatively arranged, with horns, keyboard effects and percussive sounds leaping out at you at choice spots. And the dreamier romantic pieces are serenely sublime, "A Sea of Clouds", the choral version of the "Laputa" theme, and the title song, which takes the melody of the main theme, transposes it to another key, and gives it a splendid studio-pop arrangement with a beautiful, but not overly girlish female lead vocal (sung by Miyazaki's daughter, if I remember right), closing down this score album on a spirited high note.

This is the score album I put above American Beauty, The Untouchables, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Barcelona, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, and A Better Tomorrow on my list of film scores. I play it more often than any other, and it still has a resounding effect on me every time I play it.

Laputa is among one of the best production that ever came out of Japan, and for this matter, in anime history. The characters, the story, the scenery, and especially that of the most masterfully orchestrated pieces have been imprinted in the deepest of my mind since the day I saw it on it's debute in asia - back at 1986 when I was just a little kid.

Now that I am all grown up, and could offer to view it once again on my huge screen, engolfed by 8 plus custom speakers. The magic is still there.

I had to paid triple the price, and international phone chargers plus shipping years ago to had it imported. Now you could get the almost-complete Studio Ghibli collection set for a third of what I paid, what are you still waiting for?

This truly is a classic that you won't mind passing along to your kids, or for the ones who's not afraid to show it's soft side. Big screen, great speakers, lights off; This experience is truly a must have.

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01. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky / 02. A Morning of the Slag Ravine / 03. A Fun Brawl (Pursuit) / 04. Memories of Gondoa / 05. Discouraged Pazu / 06. Robot Soldier (Resurrection - Rescue) / 07. Carrying You, Chorus Version, by Suginami Children's Choir / 08. Sheeta's Decision / 09. On the Tiger Moss / 10. An Omen to Ruin / 11. The Sea of Cloud under the Moonlight / 12. Laputa: Castle in the Sky - Chorus by Suginami Children's Choir / 13. The Collapse of Laputa / 14. Carrying You, by Azumi Inoue