Various Artists - Nine (16 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Better than expected!

broadway309 | 12/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being an avid fan of the original Broadway musical, I was pleasantly surprised with the excellence of the movie soundtrack (and the movie, for that matter). As with Chicago, Rob Marshall et al. have taken a not exactly fantastic musical and turned it into a spectacular film. Even for those weary of the casting decisions (Kate Hudson? Fergie? Really?) should be enthralled.

Yes, several songs were cut- including my personal favorite "Be on Your Own". But anybody who is familiar with the musical knows these cuts were necessary, otherwise the film would have been 2.5 hours long and would not have appealed to a mass audience. The new Golden Globe-nominated song "Cinema Italiano" is a welcome addition, and is in fact the song I listen to most along with "Be Italian". Fergie deserves some major credit, by the way, as her provocative number is perhaps the most impressive of the entire film.

The entire cast does extremely well, and even for those with less than stellar vocal talents (Daniel Day Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench)- the lack of vocal strength is hardly noticeable when coupled with such strong character performances. Orchestrations are perfect and the fusion of the original and new material is beautifully crafted, making this one of the best soundtracks of the year.

Standing ovation all around!"

"Nine" a Solid 8 1/2

David Cady | Jersey City, NJ USA | 12/24/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Nine" has been a favorite musical of mine since Tommy Tune's electrifying original production back in the early 80s. It's not necessarily the most accessible show ever written - it's no "Fiddler on the Roof" -- but it pulsates with an infectious energy and theatricality all its own.

I can't think of a film director better suited to the material than Rob Marshall; from early clips, and this splendid soundtrack, it seems as if it's going to be great. Which is not to say that the album is a complete success. The good news is that Marshall has once again gotten terrific musical performances out of movie stars one doesn't necessarily think of as singers. Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson and Marion Cottilard all turn out to have great voices; their star turns are marvelously realized, with Cruz' definitive "A Call From the Vatican" outdoing both Anita Morris' and Jane Krakowski's Broadway versions (which is saying a lot). Oddly enough, Nicole Kidman, the one performer we've all heard sing before - in "Moulin Rouge" - comes off as bland and flat; I wish her blunt rendition of "Unusual Way" were more expressive and heartfelt. I'll reserve judgment on Daniel Day Lewis' Guido until seeing the film. On this recording, the performance seems a bit perfunctory and detached. But one can never underestimate an actor as skilled and subtle as he; there's likely far more to the portrayal than meets the ear.

I sorely miss some of the stage play's best songs, including "Only With You," "Simple" and, most particularly, "Getting Tall," which would seem to be indispensable to any production of "Nine," as it expresses Guido's personal epiphany. But one has to trust Marshall and see if his conceptualization of the piece justifies the cuts. I have a feeling they will. The new numbers Maury Yeston has written are, for the most part, successful, with the exception of the embarrassingly inept "Take It All." To quote Carol Channing from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," it's simply "tres lousay."

That "Nine" was ever filmed in the first place is a miracle. That most of it seems to have been done with the care and theatricality that the material deserves is a tribute to the skill and taste of Mr. Marshall. Can someone please get him to film "Kiss of the Spider Woman," perhaps with Ms. Cruz and Javier Bardem? Or how about "Follies" with most of his "Chicago" cast. That's something I'd dearly love to see happen."

Nine Is A Plus Ten!!

HP Cohen | 12/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"WOW!! Having just returned from seeing the movie and having seen the Broadway production with Antonio Banderas, Chita Rivera, et al--the movie blew me away. It is a first rate film beautifully directed by Rob Marshall and beautifully acted and sung by the entire cast! But this is not a review of the movie, but rather of the nicely produced CD, which captures all of the excitement of the film.

Sure there are tunes missing that were in the Broadway show and sure there are tunes added for the film. After hearing that a film was going to be made it seemed to me that it was next to impossible to capture what was on stage. But it has been accomplished.

Daniel Day Lewis sings well, as does Nicole Kidman. But it is Fergie and Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard who are the scene stealers in the voice department. All three do great work as singers and interpreters of Maury Yeston's fabulous score.

Dame Judi Dench does a nice rendition of Follie Bergere and Kate Hudson does well with one of the new additions written specifically for the film entitled Cinema Italiano.

The bonus tracks on the CD include a fine Fergie cut of Quando, Quando, Quando, which is in the film, but not done by Fergie. And a young singer named Griffith Frank does a nice reading of Unusual Way.

I highly recommend the soundtrack CD of this great Yeston score!"

In a Very Unusual Way, I Like It.

MSam | Queensland, Australia | 06/26/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After being stranded a couple of days in London, I ended up viewing NINE on an airplane after being awake around 30 hours. My initial thoughts were that the movie was muddy and lacked cohesion, but there were certain moments were I took notice of the score.

The mixture of the musical genre infused with Italian operatic styles is an interesting mix that doesn't take off as soon as it's heard, but there are several moments that immediately capture ears. Fergie's rendition of 'Be Italian' is the signature tune of the score, the fiery song showcasing her impressive vocals, punching through the score. 'Cinema Italiano (Ron Fair Remix)' is a glam and glitzy number, its driving retro-samba rhythm and

percussion topped with Kate Hudson's sparkling vocals resulting in an extremely catchy tune. The quintessential moment in the soundtrack is 'My Husband Makes Movies', performed by Marion Cotillard. Cotillard's dreamy vocals paired with a subtle and romantic orchestration paint the story of the trial and pain of devotion. The piece culminates with a strong, fierce, and frustrated plea which are so powerfully and sorrowfully delivered it creates a moment of pure invigoration.

The rest of the score is not bad at all, although it can take a couple of listens for the listener to establish a recognition with the melodies. Other notable numbers include 'A Call from the Vatican', a sassy and erotic number which Penélope Cruz playfully breezes through, and Judi Dench performs so well in character that while 'Folies Bergères' doesn't possess the same calibre as the rest of the score, it's quite enjoyable with the spoken dialogue.

The most detached part of this soundtrack are the bizarre 'bonus' tracks. The highlight of these is the brilliant remix of 'Cinema Italiano' (and the Club Mix of 'Be Italian', which unfortunately only features on iTunes). The performance of 'Unusual Way' receives far superior instrumentation and mixing than its counterpart, featuring a studio artist with a similar timbre of K.D Lang, and Fergie participates in a rendition of Renis' 'Quando, Quando, Quando' which is admittedly catchy, however differs considerably from the melody so much it leaves fans of the original much to be desired. The worst point of the album is the bobpy elevator music 'Io Bacio, Tu Baci', which features an unremarkable and somewhat nasal vocalist performing some ridiculous lyrics that are totally out of place on the album.

On a whole, the album is extremely enjoyable, with strong performances all-round paired with gorgeous instrumentation wrapped in excellent production. Although it can take a couple of listens to become familiar with, NINE boasts an excellent cast with some beautifully intimate melodies paired with exciting and toe-tapping tunes. I watched the film again not so long ago, and I'll admit that it has also grown on me - although I'm willing to bet that connection is almost entirely from the music."

6.5 for NINE

Neil Elliot | W. Hollywood, CA | 02/14/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"First saw the show a week after it won the Tony Award in 1982. Got the album, wished it had more....then the cassette version with more was released and finally, after the single CD the double almost complete version came out. Then there was the terrific studio version from London with Jonathan Price and Elaine Paige (can't find the complete two disc version anymore, but RCA has a condensed single CD available). I haven't heard nor can find the Australian version, but the revival in NY with Antonio Banderas had some terrific work, though some of the "stars" didn't shine as brightly as I would have thought.

And now we have Rob Marshall's attempt at recreating the success of CHICAGO with a musical that requires a lot more adjustments to make it work. I think DD Lewis is one of the finest actors around, but a hot blooded mediterranean soul is hard to capture through a British actor. Dame Judi.....anything she does is terrific. Penelope Cruz, good for you, Nicole Kidman....hey, she can act AND sing. But best of all was Fergi.....now THAT was a performance to remember. M Cotillard was given short shrift, with probably the most difficult female character, and in general the movie limped....at least we know that Sophia Loren is still gorgeous in her 70's......

The score has been greatly cut, songs and character pieces are gone, CINEMA ITALIANO didn't get me anywhere except back to the memory of RICH MAN'S FRUG from SWEET CHARITY. So, if you want all of NINE, get either the orginal Columbia 2 disc version, the British studio verson or the new RCA NY Revival......"

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