Director Tod Williams (The Adventure of Sebastian Cole) has drastically cut 'n' pasted novelist John Irving's A Year as a Widow into a challenging examination of love, loss and troubled character whose tone lies somewhere... more » between The Ice Storm and In the Bedroom. Williams' troubled interior landscapes inspire Brazilian composer Marcelo Zarvos to an understated, if emotionally compelling gem of a score here, one that treats the film's melodrama with measured respect and a warm, invitingly human sense of scale. The composer's cues lean towards a small string ensemble, seasoning those mature, autumnal arrangements with spare, haunting solo piano passages ("A Sound Like Someone"), gentle harp flourishes ("Orient Point," "Summer Job") and a halting, playful take on the minuet ("Gin Lane," "Eduardo Gets Fired"). The result evokes a cross between Rachel Portman's own delicate scoring sensibilities and the introspective work of Elmer Bernstein on Far From Heaven and its own 50's inspirations, like To Kill a Mockingbird), yet imbued with a stately neo-classicism that is all Zarvos' own. --Jerry McCulley« less
Director Tod Williams (The Adventure of Sebastian Cole) has drastically cut 'n' pasted novelist John Irving's A Year as a Widow into a challenging examination of love, loss and troubled character whose tone lies somewhere between The Ice Storm and In the Bedroom. Williams' troubled interior landscapes inspire Brazilian composer Marcelo Zarvos to an understated, if emotionally compelling gem of a score here, one that treats the film's melodrama with measured respect and a warm, invitingly human sense of scale. The composer's cues lean towards a small string ensemble, seasoning those mature, autumnal arrangements with spare, haunting solo piano passages ("A Sound Like Someone"), gentle harp flourishes ("Orient Point," "Summer Job") and a halting, playful take on the minuet ("Gin Lane," "Eduardo Gets Fired"). The result evokes a cross between Rachel Portman's own delicate scoring sensibilities and the introspective work of Elmer Bernstein on Far From Heaven and its own 50's inspirations, like To Kill a Mockingbird), yet imbued with a stately neo-classicism that is all Zarvos' own. --Jerry McCulley
"Being a film score enthusiast, I eagerly await the release of any movie soundtrack CD that is dedicated exclusively (or at least primarily) to the instrumental score featured in that particular film. Frequently, I will purchase score CDs without having ever even seen the film. In such cases, I generally consider the following: the subject matter of the film, and the particular composer (Although, when it comes to John Williams and Danny Elfman, I will buy anything that they produce without hesitation). But when I heard about the release of the score to "The Door In The Floor", I was unfamiliar with both the film and the composer. And when I looked up the CD on Amazon, there were no reviews posted. So even though I generally jump at any new scores, I was somewhat hesitant to pick this one up, even though it was being offered at a very reasonable price. Then I saw the movie. The film itself, as I understand it, was generally considered to be rather difficult to swallow. Personally, I found it to be very thought provoking, reflective, and strangely humorous at times. And I was also quite taken with the beautiful score, a score that I had been unwilling to take a chance on before. So I went back to Amazon and bought the CD immediately. After listening to the score, this time separated from the images of the film for which it was composed, I found the music to be very thought provoking, reflective, and strangely humorous at times. Just like the film. Hmmm... The mark of a successful film score, I'd say. Even if you haven't seen the movie, or have no intentions of seeing it, I highly reccommend this score-only soundtrack CD to those curious film music enthusiasts like myself, or indeed anyone looking for a fulfilling listening experience. If your life is especially hectic, this CD will give you 45 minutes of guaranteed peace and pleasure."
Hey, you should buy this.
Helen Scott | Pennsylvania, USA | 09/20/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I saw the movie and LOVED it, but I also noticed the music, which I don't always pick up on. And since I saw the movie, I can't stop listening to this. It is the kind of music and movie that you wishyou could revisit the mood it puts you in all the time. And now I can. Now I just listen to this and I drop watever mood I have and instantly become introspective and daydreamy. If you close your eyes, you could be on the beach, staring off into the clouds. It's very sad and very pensive and very good."
Sublime
Brian Hudson | Huntsville, AL | 12/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have seen Zarvos twice in concert and I look forward to his future contributions to music. He has recently collaborated with an incredible modern group of classical musicians known as "Ethel", based out of New York. Both Zarvos and Ethel are inspiration for future composers and fans of music that is on a classical level, but enjoyable for anyone around. This stuff will set you to daydreaming..."
The music just moves me for some reason.
Carl W. Frisk | Near Seattle, WA | 02/24/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Every once in a while I hear something that is different enough yet familiar enough that I take notice. I heard this music while watching The Door in the Floor and realized I had to have the soundtrack (and the movie). I also bought Birth and enjoy it to the same degree."