Search - John Debney, Hollywood Studio Symphony :: Dragonfly [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Great music. soul stirring

frodo_lives | Regina, SK Canada | 03/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"the song in the end credits is called "Star" by Zoo Story (for whoever wanted to know). I really enjoyed the soul stirring effect this music had on me, especially the last track."

John Debney's got quite a future ahead of him

Varese Fan | Sunny FL | 07/18/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In my opinion, John Debney is one of the very few composers out there who can truly represent emotions with music. He's no Jerry Goldsmith, but comes awfully close. DRAGONFLY is no exception. Why it was never nominated is beyond my understanding.Christopher Young was initially hired to score DRAGONFLY, but was forced to back out due to scheduling conflicts(?). John Debney was then asked and, despite being busy with THE SCORPION KING, accepted the assignment. Busy or not, he still delivered an outstanding & effective score for one of the most underrated films of 2002. DRAGONFLY is an extremely powerful score that explodes with drama and supernature, but is never overblown. One can follow as Joe Darrow goes through the sadness of losing a loved one, the suspense/fear of the "other world", and his quest to find out the truth behind Emily's mysterious signs. For those that are disappointed by its 31-minute running time, this is not the fault of Varese Sarabande. It is simply all they could afford. The score was performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, which requires payment for an album. Sometimes these fees can be very high. In this case, they were. But sometimes 31 minutes is all you need. One must listen to the album straight through and concentrate not only on the music, but the story as well to fully appreciate the album itself. With the right selections and sequencing, this can be possible without it falling a bit short. This brings me to the one and only gripe I have about this CD...I gave this CD four stars because of its arrangement. Up until "Emily's Grave", the album was running smoothly, wonderfully telling the film's story in such a short time. However, I think track #6 should have been replaced with the action cue from the bus sinking scene. It would have prepared the listener for the breathtaking conclusion in "Emily's Message Revealed". Unfortunately, the ending comes without warning and before you know it, the album is done. But, despite the importance of a good score album arrangement, I am not about to lose sleep over it."

Flies over as a great score

Brandon Cutro | Tyler, Texas United States | 02/14/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Film composers have to switch back and forth from genre to genre to stay competitive with other composers. Hardly anyone does it better than John Debney, as he reveals a side of him that I have never heard before in this score. The music is genuinely subtle and atmospheric with plenty of emotion. That is unlike Debney's previous works which have mainly been action music scores. That is why I like this score so much - it is so much different. The main theme, while not something that will make you turn your head, is a 3 note motif usually played on the piano or lightly by the strings. Get used to this theme because you will hear it in just about every track, if not all of them. "Main Titles" start things off on the right track with plenty of horn trills and driving percussion. "Donor Body Awakens" is more of a horror track throughout this suspenseful score with ominous strings and pulsating orchestral blasts. "Meeting Sister Madeline" and "The Plane Ride" basically contain variations of the main theme. "Emily's Grave" is more attention getting with a solo cello, while the best track of them all is the last one, "Emily's Message Revealed". This track starts out slowly with ominous brass and choir chants, with the 3 note main theme reappearing. Later on, the choir turns up the volume and the melody really bursts onto the scene. The music keeps building and building and finally, the orchestra and choir soar into the heavens leaving you wanting to hear much more of that. It is really a breathtaking part and one of Debney's most gorgeous melodies of all time. It's too bad that most of the score is low-key and atmospheric in nature and not as awesome as the end of the final track. Regardless, this score will have to be listened to more than once in order to capture its real meaning behind it. It will begin to grow on you more and more with each listen."