Much better than expectedI bought this on a whim, just out of interest really, and didn't expect that I'd go back for repeated listens. On the one hand the score is quite predictably "Hollywood blockbuster"-ish with lots of big drums, urgent marcato strings and dark industrial synth sounds. But you get past that, and the vision of the score becomes clearer over repeated listens, and I began to find it a very satisfying piece of work, and as an album, feel that the narrative and coherence works really well: the album flows seamlessly. Recommended for children of darkness everywhere.
On a different note, some reviewers commented that the album leaves off some of the score - but the CD comes in at 73 minutes, so you can't really complain that you don't get your money's worth. Possibly a double CD album would have nailed it 100%, but then maybe the album wouldn't have been so coherent, and anyway, it means you've got an excuse to watch the film for those missing parts eh?
Missed titles and mixed onesI totally agree with B.J.Lee. Some titles are missed (e.g. the piece after Gordon gives his "Dark Knight" monologue). Frankly, I bought the CD just for the last track in the film, but it wasn't there!
In addition, some other tracks are "blended together"!
Bottom line, the soundtrack on CD was worthless for me; I even didn't add it to my music library. However, the movie soundtrack is great, but they are NOT identical.
DisapointingWhilst I really enjoyed the music that Zimmer and Howard produced for the film itself, I am a little disapointed that the album appears to be the "highlights" of the score, rather than a definitive reproduction of it. For example, you only get literally about 4-5 seconds of the opening scene (where the window is blown out and the robbers get onto the roof) (the tracks are blended together). The same goes for the scene where Batman is beating the drug dealers in the car park, but here it seems to be totally missing.
There are other bits missing, but I forget. I don't think that the piece where Gordon is giving his "Dark Knight" monologue is there either.
A great great score, but poorly represented on this CD.
Listen to a new era of Batman!!!!Wow, great soundtrack!! A new era of Batman deserves a new era in music and sound to show just how much it has evoloved since the cartoon style films of the 80's and 90's! Zimmer is perfect to open up the explosive score with the harsh drums and suspencefull ear churning screeches of string instruments!!! With a definate style throughtout, the composers take you on a journey of fast paced drums and loud brass, to the harmonic, tranquil use of string and melody! Overall the scores represents a dark, suspensefull ride, that fits perfectly to a dark suspensefull superhero!!!!!
A superior soundtrackThose who remember the Danny Elfman epics from the the Tim Burton films may well be surprised at how different this score is. Where as Elfman used a much more uptempo score with flurries of brass, the Zimmer/Howard score is alternately high percussive or symphonic with strings. Hans Zimmer's score is driving and percussive, similar in style to his scores for Crimson Tide and Gladiator but a a very dark feel all of its own. His music picks out the isolation of both Batman and the Joker, the former with a heroic, determined feel and the latter with dread and fear.
Like all great scores it can almost tell the story through music in its own right; John Williams' great scores for Star Wars is the kind of tradition this music belongs to. One of the best film scores I have heard in a long time and highly recommended.
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