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60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mmmmmmm..., 18 Jan 2003
I don't think words can describe the beauty of Thomas Newman's score for "Meet Joe Black". The themes within the score are varied, and some reccur more than others; safe to say that any fan of the film will instantly recognise them and be transported back to the atmosphere and emotions of the film. Which is odd, considering how subtle the music actually is.Newman's style is simple regarding orchestration, but extremely effective, with his beautiful motifs combined with oodles of suspensions in the sweeping and yet mostly delicate strings interspersed designate the mood. The odder tracks are those of Joe Black comically meeting the world, such as the pizzicatoed "Peanut Butter Man" cue. Variety is achieved through a selection of old style blues and jazz tracks which complement the album superbly, bringing back that melancholy final scenario at the party. And you can't forget the credits roll of the relaxed, gentle, and extremely moving medly of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World". So you may get this CD because you liked the film. You may get it because you're a fan of Thomas Newman. You may get it because you accidentally clicked on the wrong button and managed to order half the contents of amazon.co.uk in one very expensive moment of error. Otherwise, you get it for Track Number 6: Whisper Of A Thrill. Well, that's why I bought it. I mean, I saw the film when it was on BBC1 however long that was ago now, and thoroughly enjoyed it, but didn't notice the music at all. (As I say, it is pretty subtle). Then those Government teaching recruitment adverts came on the TV... Remember those? The "Those Who Can, Teach" adverts? With the, "Can you spot the mean number?" lines, and a load of people dressed as numbers with one grabbing an ice-cream off another one? And annoying though it was, whenever the advert came on I would sit back and turn up the volume, and think, "Wow, whoever wrote the music to this advert is an absolute genius..." And then I (quite by accident and luck) discovered that it was "Whisper Of a Thrill" from Meet Joe Black. So there you have it. That one track is possibly my favourite film music cue of all time, with its beautiful and haunting motif. I bet that Newman had a hard time refraining himself from peppering it throughout the score. Instead he saves it for key moments, and as such it never becomes overused and stale, but a fabulous gem. And that piano climax gets me every time. If you're a fan of the film it'll send you into goosepimples, I promise.
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![Meet Joe Black [DVD] [1999]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P%2Ba6xc9eL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
DVD ~ Brad Pitt
~ Original Soundtrack
~ The Lyndhurst Orchestra
~ Thomas Newman
~ Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
![Meet Joe Black: Original Soundtrack [SOUNDTRACK]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31p94q1DOlL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Meet Joe Black [DVD] [1999]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P%2Ba6xc9eL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
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