The Beauty of Movie Soundtracks Doesn’t Fade Over Time

Let’s start with the comedic coming of age film starring a young Dustin Hoffman. Scratch that, let’s start with “Mrs. Robinson.” What’s that you say? Anne Bancroft’s portrayal of Mrs. Robinson lends the push-and-pull to the main character’s wrestling with adulthood. The Simon & Garfunkel smash hit song named after the character perfectly captures the bounce and life of the Mike Nichols Oscar-winning film from 1967 (which was based on a 1963 novel, by the way). And who can forget not-quite-swimming to “The Sound of Silence,” also on the soundtrack? Add on “Scarborough Fair,” “The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine,” and instrumental flair from a still young Dave Grusin and you have flashbacks to a movie while enjoying a soundtrack that stands on its own. This edition of the LP is exclusively at Barnes & Noble on swimming pool blue vinyl.

David Bowie’s face may have been on the original movie poster for this 1983 film, but he was not the title namesake (nor musical contributor). Bowie plays a British POW in a Japanese war camp who decided that empathy and generosity would achieve a greater honor than what tradition would suggest. The film’s musical score composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, plays the camp commander who is part of this rich collection of characters inspired by and adapted from a novel called The Seed and The Sower. Sakamoto’s score is anchored by a theme that will stick between the listener’s ears for years to come. The entire soundtrack in fact blends tradition with more modern textures that evoke the spirit of the film. After this score, go down a Sakamoto rabbit hole and discover more of his beautiful film-work, electronic Avant-pop, and solo piano works. This 2-LP set is available exclusively at Barnes & Noble on translucent orange vinyl.

Composed by the legendary Hans Zimmer, the music washes over the listener in impressionistic color. The ambience is sometimes uncomfortable, but then so at times was this controversial yet cinematic motion picture.  Based on a 1962 James Jones novel, the 1998 film and score touches on themes of war surrounded by cultures that barely want to know each other. The music feels gradual in the way it builds, but eventually you are taken along with the characters toward redemption. This 2-LP set is exclusively at Barnes & Noble on translucent red vinyl.

Elmer Bernstein is another iconic legend of film scores, having worked on over 100 of them ranging from The Magnificent Seven to The Three Amigos. Based on the 1920 novel from Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence is the second of the 3 movies in the 1990’s for which Bernstein worked with Martin Scorcese. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score AND a Grammy nomination in the process. This was rich material, and the soundtrack weaves its own tapestry of romance, high society restraint, sophistication, and personal themes for the characters portrayed in the film beautifully by actors such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Put this on your turntable and hold your stemware appropriately while dining with friends. This new pressing of the soundtrack on vinyl is only available in the U.S. at Barnes & Noble

It should come as no surprise to the book lovers among you to state that this is yet another score for a film adapted from a book, the 1972 adventure classic starring rabbits in a frighteningly human world. The 1978’s animated movie’s trailer starts with the ominous narration “It’s a beautiful day. All is calm and peaceful in the meadow … or is it?” I’ll leave the analysis to English Lit majors; this is a blog page after all!  But the music? For those who were impacted by the movie, the music brings back the images of the animated story in all its tragedy and beauty. Composer Angela Morley had recently achieved Academy Award nominations for her scoring of 1974’s The Little Prince and 1976’s The Slipper and The Rose: The Story of Cinderella. She was the perfect choice, working quickly and using her skills as multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. The result feels equal parts dangerous, sad, and pastoral. The key crossover feature is the breakout single “Bright Eyes” by Art Garfunkel, which reached #1 on the pop charts in the UK. This new pressing of the soundtrack on vinyl is only available in the U.S. at Barnes & Noble, and it includes new liner notes by recognized film music expert Charlie Brigden.

The only title on our list that is not based on a book, Naqoyqatsi instead draws on heady concepts such as human language and connection being muscled out by virtual reality and indescribable technology, summed up by the title which is a Hopi word meaning “life as war.” It is admittedly pretty darn heavy. The director of this 2002 art house classic describes the concept as “civilized violence,” so while the film didn’t have a linear narrative the soundtrack performs almost as a traditional 3-act symphony. Philip Glass’s compositions for the score and Yo-Yo Ma’s cello performance provide a deliberately wobbly balancing act of disquieting tempo and softened warmth. Philip Glass’s style is distinctive, and this piece doesn’t stray from what fans expect. Ma’s performance is what surprises, as the icon showed once again that the man can be the best at anything he plays. For the vinyl collector, this 2LP Barnes & Noble exclusive is pressed on opaque red vinyl, which will look nice in your living room even if you are listening with your eyes closed.