Terry's Reviews Page
Terry reviews the latest Movies, Music and Books

 

Movies Music Books

 

Music Reviews:

The Aviator.jpg (13272 bytes) The Aviator – Music by Howard Shore

Decca Records – 2005

Howard Shore reaches back to the past to create a score that owes more to the way orchestra was used a long time ago rather than today’s sound.

Strings soar while woodwinds sing to bring "Icarus" to life. "There Is No Great Genius" is the first of many tracks throughout this score where the orchestra is used almost as one instrument bringing a wall of sound.

Shore has "Muirfield" delicately balanced between soft strings and rest of the orchestra.

"The Germ Free Zone" is along the same musical line.

The music backing "H-1 Racer Plane" defines the title of the cue; fast and dramatic the fourth track moves forward with aggressive force not stopping until the cue reaches the conclusion. Classical somberness puts us in "Quarantine."

"The Mighty Hercules" flies with brass lifting it skyward while the strings act as the air supporting its large structure. The simplicity of the notes and their straightforward arrangement really give this track a feel of older movie music.

Themes used earlier in the score are brought together to help define the man named "Howard Robert Hughes Jr." Shore uses the brass, strings and piano tell the audio story of "America’s Aviation Hero."

"Screening Room" has absolutely beautiful strings played in a manner similar to how Ennio Morricone used them in John Carpenter’s THE THING. They build up to a majestic yet haunting end.

"Long Beach Harbour 1947" has dialogue from the movie placed over the music. The dialogue is done in such a way that it reminded me of the Hindenburg burning to the ground in Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937.

Howard Shore and the Flemish Radio Orchestra wrap THE AVIATOR up with "The Way of the Future."

www.deccaclassics.com/music/soundtracks/