Search - David Raksin :: The Bad And The Beautiful: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Raksin's Haunting "Bad and the Beautiful" Best Score Ever?

rambutan | 08/28/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is David Raksin's standout work, possibly the best musical score ever written for any motion picture. Lonely, evocative, erotic and haunting, this work is compelling even without an association to the 1952 film it accompanied; always a great listen on a rainy night. The "Spellbinder" theme interweaves through all of the selections, many of which are in short snippets, but roll fluidly thanks to an excellent job of editing. As a bonus, the tracks include two variations on the main title theme, which are arguably better than the final cut, and variations on the end title that likewise were not used. Try listening to the "siren song" qualities of the alternative selections without feeling the surges of passion the trumpet solos and saxphone wailings engender. The masterpiece Mr. Raksin created here tells the story of Jonathan Shields - movie mogul, star maker, and heel - but, as all great music does, it creates its own associations for the listener. For me, a beautiful woman on a foggy, chilly night on San Francisco Bay, blonde hair blowing in the breeze, silhouetted against the lights of The City. Thanks, Mr. Raksin."

Mysterious

rambutan | Singapore | 07/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Raksin was adept at sax and clarinet. And no wonder. When the sax solo comes on, you can tell by ear that it`s perfect orchestration. It too was featured in Raskin`s earlier (1944) score for Laura. Commercially, Percy Faith`s version is tops. But wait. There`s another out of print version by Stan Getz on sax with Arthur Fiedler`s orchestra at Tanglewood. When you hit the first three notes of this music on the keyboard, you can feel the hypnotic pull of the saxophone. The sheet music is still available."

Most extraordinary film score ever!

rambutan | 01/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are certain pieces of music - like Pachelbel's Canon or Samuel Barber's Serenade for Strings - that can totally take over & transform an individual's emotions, mood or mindset. It just seems to be a certain combination of the right notes. This score has that quality. I've had the main theme pop into my head out of nowhere & stay for days at a time - this even when I haven't seen the movie for years. But when you listen to the soundtrack itself, particularly the main theme, it seems like your own personal soundtrack - the events of your life unfolding in music. Whatever that template of universal musical experience is, David Raksin truly captured it here."