Search - John Williams :: The Witches of Eastwick

The Devil gets all the best tunes

E. NOBLE | London, England | 02/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 15 years of fruitless hunting in the UK, I was delighted to find the Witches' soundtrack lurking in Amazon's US vaults.



One of Williams' finest hours, it's much wittier than his more popular 'magical' movie scores - namely the Harry Potter series for which he merely plundered his own Star Wars back catalogue.



Mischievous and playful yet edged with a hint of menace, it's the perfect accompaniment to a film about Satan and his unwitting concubines. Williams evidently put a lot of thought into matching the music to the characters and the actors that play them, combining Jack Nicholson's roguishness with the beauty and maturity of Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer. The result is utterly enchanting."

Delightfully wicked composition from the Oscar winner!

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 03/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While John Williams will probably be most remembered for his music to Spielberg blockbusters ("Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial," "Schindler's List," and "Jurassic Park," among ohters) or other moneymakers (the "Star Wars" saga and "Superman-The Movie"), his score to the Jack Nicholson film ranks as one of his finest. The score foreshadows some of the arrangements that he would later use in the "Harry Potter" series but has hints of Camille Saint-Saens as well as Williams' own earlier work.



However, the composer really pulled out all the stops and created a blend of excitement, wonder, playfulness, along with macabre humor. He carefully incorporates a "linking" melody throughout most of the fourteen cuts, making each selection a fitting accompaniment to the ones that precede or follow it.



"The Dance of the Witches" is a triumph and stands as one of the composer's most infectious and jaw-dropping concoctions. And "The Seduction of Suki and The Ballroom Scene" are near perfection, both lilting and captivating. "The Destruction of Darryl" explodes with frenetic action that I'm sure the musicians were exhausted after recording it.



"The Witches of Eastwick," along with the composer's work for 1979's "Dracula" and the early 70's television of "Jane Eyre," reveal the many facets of a multi-talented artist who has been at the forefront of film music writing for more than four decades."

Witches of Eastwick Score Review

Sharon Rutledge | 06/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This score, composed by John Williams, is a must-have soundtrack for anyone who appreciates Williams' music. Although the film is not the greatest, the score adds a unique flavour to William's repertoire of excisting classics. There are a number of themes which have been cleverly woven into the music, some being mischevious, such as the main 'Dance of the Witches' theme, and others quite sombre yet breathtaking, such as the 'Ballroom' cue. Overall, this soundtrack will keep you entertained throughout the whole hour or so of playing time, and will also continue to surprise on numerous listenings."