Search - Ennio Morricone :: Phantom Of The Opera: Original Soundtrack Recording (1998 Film)

Coming to terms with Dario Argento's reinterpretation of Gaston Leroux's ever-mutating story, Morricone interlaces his original compositions with snippets of such French belle époque as Bizet's Carmen and Gounod's Faust. The track layout is semisatirical, with such titles as "Sighs and Sighs," "Threatening Cries," and "Romantic Pollution", but the relentlessly suspenseful mood gets old quickly. One highlight--reminiscent of music fitting for the famous silent film--is the organ solo on "Playing Alone." There are more than enough soporific moments, but Morricone's unabashed love of sentimental melodies, heavily orchestrated melancholia, and occasional outbursts of violence are ideal for the subject. Here, as in many of his later efforts, Morricone can evoke a distinct sense of déjà vu, being that he likes to borrow from his past work. --Joseph Lanza