Listen before you buy!!
Daniel Wolters | Sweden | 02/27/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"When I saw this movie I was really surprised with the way Disney had chosen to tell the story. This is one of the few Disney movies that actually qualifies as a real family movie, because it can actually be enjoyed by all members of the family and not just by the kids. There are no suddenly burst into, sing-along-songs. There is only the story and it's told in the same way as in many Japanese anime movies.
The music does a huge part in all this. So unlike Disney, there are no particuar, overly sugary themes - the tracks are very mature, and they perfectly complete the pictures on the screen.
Ironically, this is one of the biggest drawbacks with this CD, because it suffers from scene-to-scene music, like so many others in this genre.
A good excample is the track "The city of Atlantis", the scene where you get to see the first wideshot of the city in all its splendor. This where the theme picks up and becomes bombastic and really emotional. This was the track that made me want to own this CD. However, this scene is approx 15 secs long, which means that when the music builds up an all the different instruments are added, ethnic percussion, strings, horns, choir, the whole ensemble - just when it's about to reach that climactic part where you get the feeling of "Yesss!!!", the music stops abruptly and is reduced to a lingering. This is where you get the feeling of "Nooo!!!". You could've sworn that this part you heard when you saw the movie was at least twice as long and yes, it did give you goose bumps. This is the essance of anti-climax and this CD is packed with 'em. Any self respecting album producer should and would avoid this by actually putting some effort in adapting at least the various themes to "listening only" so they work without the pictures!
Thanks for nothing, Exclusive Album Producer Chris Montan!
After listening through this CD and having heard all my favorite themes chopped up and spread out across 17 tracks I was so frustrated that I made my own fan edit using my array of various sound tools. The result gave satisfaction a whole new meaning, and I believe even James Newton Howard (the Man) would be pleased.
But since not everyone can do a remix to their own liking, I just can't love this CD.
So my advice is:If you love this music, I suggest you buy the movie, and listen to it the way it was meant to.
If you are addicted to it, listen before you buy the CD! It might not be all that you hoped for.Sure wasn't for me..."
Enjoyable Howard score
J. K. Moser | Flemington, New Jersey USA | 03/10/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Atlantis: The Lost Empire was the second in James Newton Howard's big Blockbuster Disney scores. First he did Dinosaur & Atlantis was followed by Treasure Planet. I found Atlantis to be an enjoyable score that successfully captures the adventure of an undersea voyage and the mystical heart of Atlantis. What weakens this score slightly is the lack of a cohesive main theme, and the fact that the score opens well into the movie as opposed to the beginning of the movie with the sinking of Atlantis, the cd starts at the beginning of the submarine voyage. The pop song is worthless and could easily be ignored. I believe that Treasure Planet was a better score, but Atlantis was and is another enjoyable step in Howard's musical resume."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
