Charles Laughton's reading to film's music is riveting.
07/27/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
""The Night of the Hunter," directed by Charles Laughton, was unsuccessful at the box office when it was released in 1955. Having gone through a cult-status period, the film, the only one Laughton ever directed, is now hailed by many critics as a classic. Almost lost in the shuffle is this recording, originally released by RCA Victor in 1955, which has since become a collector's item, and justly so. Unlike most soundtrack recordings, this one integrates the film's music with a reading by Charles Laughton of the story, beautifully written for the recording itself. "Beautiful" may be an odd word to apply to the story of a lunatic evangelist who murders the widow of a bank robber and pursues her children in his attempt to obtain the loot for his own ends. Nonetheless, in the capable hands of Laughton and supported by the music of Walter Schumann, "The Night of the Hunter" is riveting, not to be listened to late at night unless you are sure! the doors and windows are all locked. "The Night of the Hunter" has now been re-released on CD by Bear Family Records. The booklet enclosed reproduces several posters and a lobby card from the film, contains the complete script of Laughton's reading, and lists the musicians. Uncredited are the vocals by Robert Mitchum, the star, and Kitty White, along with an unnamed chorus of children's voices. Neither the CD booklet nor the original LP liner notes give any information on the source of Laughton's reading script, but I suspect that he wrote it himself. He was a man of many talents."
NOT the original sound track recording to "The Night of the
grimner | DeKalb, Illinois USA | 02/21/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This was released around the time of the film release. It has Laughton narrating portions of the novel over the musical soundtrack to the film.
Unfortunatly, it's NOT just the music to the film. Does the original soundtrack of the music exist out there somewhere?? Maybe in a recording studio, or in some vault? or is it lost. such beautiful music. & that off-screen lullaby...what a voice....."
Beautiful soundtrack, but narration may not be for all
Zach Pajak | Clarksville, MD USA | 04/02/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Firstly, it must be said that this is a lush, beautiful, haunting, eerie, mesmerizing, sonorous, hypnotic, and truly remarkable score (phew! That's a lot of adjectives). It ranks among my favorites, and it was written for one of my all-time favorite films (too bad Charles Laughton never directed another film, for Night of the Hunter is a masterpiece of lyrical, chiaroscuroed lubricity and cinematic poetry). However, over the orchestrations, Laughton provides the listener with narration from the novel. Although Laughton's deep, measured voice may please some and compliment the music, others may find it unnecessary. If you want the soundtrack as to just have the score to listen to, this is certainly not for you. Yet this is an undeniably great score, and if you don't mind the narration, this may very well be worth a purchase."
Track Listings (17) - Disc #1