Search - Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil, Tom Tykwer :: The Princess and the Warrior

Beautiful soundtrack, mediocre pop songs

Jens Alfke | San Jose, CA USA | 08/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As other reviews have noted, only half of this CD (about 35 minutes) contains actual music from the movie soundtrack. The rest is songs "inspired by" it, and although they're co-composed by Tykwer / Klimek / Heil themselves and the guest singers are fairly respectable, I just wasn't impressed. "Mediocre cookie-cutter trip-hop", say I (and I do like good trip-hop, e.g. Portishead or Laika, but this isn't it.) Now, the good news is that the bona fide soundtrack is very, very good. Like the movie itself, it's recognizably similar to "Run Lola Run" but very different in mood. Only "Truck Attack" has a driving beat; the rest pulses and hums, but only enough to make you nervous (in a good way). In particular, "The Roof" cranks up the tension steadily for seven minutes until it breaks into a flurry of piano arpeggios -- the big jump of course -- and dissolves. So five stars for the soundtrack, two stars for the songs, but I'll put my thumb on the scale and average it at four stars because the soundtrack itself is indispensable."

For Fans Of The Film Only!

Mr G Bowden | London United Kingdom | 11/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who has seen Tom Tykwer's epic third film, "The Princess & The Warrior", knows that there must have been a lot of money floating around when it was being made. The same can be said of the soundtrack also, as the co-composing team of Tykwer, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek, under the newfound moniker Pale 3, have struck gold after cooking up a storm with their rave-flavoured accompaniment to "Run Lola Run". And like the film, the follow-up could not be anymore different, as the thumping beats of "Lola" are exchanged for heartbreaking strings and slow-burning stunners that add to the film's emotional texture unlike most plop-pop soundtracks that are geared to make money.One nice little subversion is that Pale 3 have taken various score sections from the film itself and have transformed them into stirring pop songs that interlink with various moments and characters within the film. On the whole, it works, but will leave curious listeners who either haven't seen the film or didn't like it cold, as you're not going to feel moved when Louise Rhodes trills to chilling effect "I knew I'd find you there / Now our story can really start" unless you adored the film, not to mention Sissi and Bodo. That said, the best songs are Skin's "You Can't Find Peace" (singing as though she's in unspeakable pain), Rhodes' "Escape (Afraid Of No One)" (amazing ending!) and Beth Hirsch's "The Tunnel" (sampling one of the best score pieces from the film). And Franka Potente continues to follow Marianne Faithful in the name of spoken word with "Fly With Me", which again soars or falls judging on how much you enjoyed the film.The other half of the CD is score cues taken from the film itself, and again highlights the amazing versatility of Pale 3. Combining low-fi electronica with some stirring string arrangements (recorded in California - classy!), the talented troika masterfully crank up the tension (hear "The Roof") as well as absorb the listener with soothing melody (hear "Opening (Sissi Search)"). But the humdinger here is "The Escape", which sounds exactly the opposite of what the title suggests. My advice: watch the film, be amazed, then blast this as loud as you can from your CD players! Truly wonderful."

Haunting Ending Piano Solo Is Missing From This CD

Jan Edward Vogels | Long Beach, CA USA | 10/30/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It took me about an hour Googling around to find "Nothing Really Blue," by The Penguin Cafe Orchestra, the haunting solo piano piece that closes the film, "The Princess And The Warrior." It is NOT included on the soundtrack CD and it is NOT clearly referenced during the credit roll in the film. But this beautiful, stark and mysterious piano composition plays as the two main characters drive away from their troubles and towards their sanctuary on the desolate coast and as the camera slowly pulls back in a long helicopter shot. Check out The Penguin Cafe Orchestra CDs titled: "Preludes, Airs and Yodels," and "Union Cafe." They both include this solo piano piece."