Search - Elliot Goldenthal, L'arc-En-Ciel, Lara Fabian :: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Final Fantasy to Movie Score

thezerg | Chicago, Il. | 07/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow, simply the best movie soundtrack I've heard in a long, long time. Only playing a handful of the games and listening to a good amount of the music produced by the composer (sorry, don't know how to spell his name) I have gathered the movie to be a hit but I had a certain expectation for the music. Knowing that the composer of the games really makes a landmark every time he makes a game soundtrack I hoped that the film soundtrack would be nothing less. Thus, I present to you my opinion that the soundtrack meets those hopes and then some. In a way, the soundtrack didn't sound like the game music in a sense because it's not a game rather a movie soundtrack. But don't let that discourage you, because I've heard Elliot Goldentahl's last soundtracks and they were amazing also. So it would seem that Square would pick him for the job since he has the background of a real composer that could fit the criteria of an emotional and beautiful movie. He has some really "big sounding" tracks in the score and some really soft and emotional pieces also. Without a doubt, Goldenthal has captured not only my imagination, he's made me buy a soundtrack without even seeing the movie, which is something I've never done and I'm happy with my choice. Buy it."

Perspective perceptions...

Andrew W. Cunningham | Indianapolis, IN United States | 07/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not a great fan of the gaming series. With that said, I can only lead the average (or otherwise) soundtrack patron to believe that I am basing my opinions of the series and the film on the previews I've seen, and it seems phenominal. The subject alone, with the marriage of philosophical, scientific and cult-fiction elements, has caught my attention and now, with the release of the score to this cinematic marvel, I am fully resolved to enjoy this film.Now I don't know the mystique surrounding this Uematsu fellow, who I gather scored the games, but Elliot Goldenthal surpasses my own expectations as to the substance of music in the film. He has surprised us all before with his Heat, Alien 3, Titus and even the ill-fated Batman scores, but with this he invites us into a further developed example of his art. The score lavishes the senses with its own method of melodrama and genuine excitement, which has been evident before in only a few tracks from his latter scores, such as Alien 3's ''Adagio" and the orchestral accompaniment to the alien creature's death, with lightly falling violins and heavier, magnanimous brass. Particularly for this score, track 9 and 16 fall into the range of heavier emotion, while tracks 2 and 5 give a lighter appeal to the action in the film. On a whole, the score is a marvel, with its only shortcomings being the final two tracks, both lyrical and depressingly inadequate, and its short running length, the entirety being just shy of an hour. A must have for any Goldenthal or film score enthusiast."