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 A Top Ten Trackdown
August 2001
Film Music featuring the
elaborate and distinctive touch
of the Far East has thrilled
music fans for years. In recent
years, some of the best scores
featuring the distinctive sound
of the Orient have been
produced. Western composers
such as John Williams, Jerry
Goldsmith and Hans Zimmer, among
others, have tried their hands
at this type of film music and
many times with unforgettable
results!
With all due respect to the
likes of some of the Far East's
own talented composers: Zhao
Jiping, Wong Fei-hung and Joe
Haiashi, Tracksounds takes on
the task of "tracking down" the
top ten, Far East-Flavored
soundtracks from the West (from
1990 to 2001).
Let the countdown begin...
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10 |
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Dragon:
The Bruce Lee Story by Randy Edelman
Released by MCA 1993
While the
majority of the score proved to be thin, the main theme is
one of Randy Edelman's best and most recognizable themes. This
theme has been used countless times in film trailers since
its release in 1993...and with good reason. This
poignant theme brings Edelman's effort for Dragon in at
#10.
Read
the Full Review
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9 |
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The
Soong Sisters by Kitaro
Released
by Domo Records
1999
New
Age composer, Kitaro makes his return to the
film music genre with his compelling work for
The Soong Sisters. The score does not
quite measure up to his Grammy Award winning
effort for Heaven and Earth, but is easily one
of the finer Eastern scores of the last ten
years.
Read
the Full Review
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8 |
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Return
to Paradise by Mark Mancina
Released by Varese Sarabande 1998
One
of decades most mesmerizing themes is found in Mark
Mancina's score to Return to Paradise.
The title theme, which the majority of the
score is based upon, was voted by some as
1998's single best theme. A nice
departure from Mark Mancina's propensity
towards the action/adventure realm, Return
to Paradise is a solid score start to
finish.
Read
the Full Review
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7 |
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Brokedown
Palace by David Newman
Release
by
Supertracks 1999
An
unexpected gem from David Newman is Brokedown
Palace. Only a few pieces
reached the official soundtrack release,
but Supertracks promo release provides a
much fuller sampling of Newman's score.
With a style not generally associated
with David Newman, Brokedown Palace
takes a page from Return to Paradise,
but takes it up a notch with
contemporary Graeme Revell-like loops
and rhythms.
Read
the Full Review
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6 |
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Crouching
Tiger Hidden Dragon by Tan Dun
Released
by Sony Classical Records 2000
Tan
Dun's score for the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
caused quite a stir. It took home and
Oscar...and with good reason. As one of the
scores featured here that relies least upon Western
influences, Dun's score has surprisingly become very
popular even in the West.
Read
the Full Review
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5 |
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Beyond
Rangoon by Hans Zimmer
Released
by Milan Records 1995
One
of Zim's most poweful scores. His synthesized brilliance
shines through in every track. This score seldom gets the
recognition it deserves and full
reviews are a rarity on the
internet. Evenso, this
mesmerizing score is deserving of a
top 5 ranking.
Read
the Full Review
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4 |
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Pavilion
of Women by Conrad Pope
Released
by Varese Sarabande 2001
As
Conrad Pope is making a name for
himself as a composer, his work for Pavilion of Women may be
THE score that catapults him toward the
forefront of film music appreciation. This
operatic score features one of the most
satisfying fusions of Eastern and Western
instruments and style.
Read
the Full Review
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3 |
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Snow
Falls on Cedars by James Newton Howard
Released
by Decca Records
1999
Simply
James Newton Howard's most evocative score to
date! Matching the mesmerizing photography
of the film, Howard's use of wood flutes in conjunction with powerful strings, helps this score
to stand out from anything else he has done.
Read
the Full Review
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2 |
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Heaven
and Earth by Kitaro
Released
by Geffen Records
1995
Known
for his New Age compositions, Kitaro burst
onto the film music scene with his powerful
work for Heaven & Earth. While the
score dives deeply into expressing the
Vietnamese element of the film throughout the
bulk of the score in a way that might not be
that palettable for Westerners, Kitaro's main
theme is a haunting treat that can easily
become an addiction.
Read
the Full Review
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1 |
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Anna
and the King by George Fenton
Released
by LaFace Records 1999
Simply
stunning! Fenton hits a bullseye with this effort.
Matching the incredibly high standard set by the use of Kitaro's
Heaven and Earth in the trailers, Fenton makes his own brand of
magic in this East meets West story.
Read
the Full Review
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