American Beauty: Original Motion Picture Score [Soundtrack]

american beauty: original motion picture score [soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
We knew Thomas Newman was versatile (he's created gripping soundtracks for everything from The Shawshank Redemption to Desperately Seeking Susan), but his score for American Beauty is simply gorgeous and one of his best. Filled with inventive instrumentation--tablas, bird calls, dulcimer, banjo, ukulele, detuned mandolin, and more--the score varies between highly rhythmic, world-music influenced passages ("Dead Already," "Lunch with the King") and the more subdued ("Mr. Smarty-Man," "American Beauty"). Throughout, Newman's score is inventive and a great complement to the dark comedy's numerous mood swings. The movie's other soundtrack--a collection of memorable alt-rock tracks--gave us just a sampling of this score. Here's the rest. It's short (37 minutes) but sweet. --Jason Verlinde

American Beauty: Original Motion Picture Score,Original Score,Dreamworks,Film Music,Original Score,Pop,Pop/Rock,Soundtrack,Soundtracks & Film Scores

American Beauty: Original Motion Picture Score [Soundtrack]

Average customer rating:

It was just what my husband wanted
Film scores rarely stand on their own; Thomas Newman has written one that can.
?
Newman's acclaimed score is worth all the praise it recieved
Brilliant

American Beauty: Original Motion Picture Score
Thomas Newman
Manufacturer: Dreamworks
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00003XACV
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Tracks:

Dead Already
Arose
Power Of Denial
Lunch W/ The King
Mental Boy
Mr. Smarty-Man
Root Beer
American Beauty
Bloodless Freak
Choking The Bishop
Weirdest Home Videos
Structure & Discipline
Spartanette
Angela Undress
Marine
Walk Home
Blood Red
Any Other Name
Still Dead

Amazon.com

We knew Thomas Newman was versatile (he's created gripping soundtracks for everything from The Shawshank Redemption to Desperately Seeking Susan), but his score for American Beauty is simply gorgeous and one of his best. Filled with inventive instrumentation--tablas, bird calls, dulcimer, banjo, ukulele, detuned mandolin, and more--the score varies between highly rhythmic, world-music influenced passages ("Dead Already," "Lunch with the King") and the more subdued ("Mr. Smarty-Man," "American Beauty"). Throughout, Newman's score is inventive and a great complement to the dark comedy's numerous mood swings. The movie's other soundtrack--a collection of memorable alt-rock tracks--gave us just a sampling of this score. Here's the rest. It's short (37 minutes) but sweet. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

It was just what my husband wanted.......2007-06-02

I purchased ths item for my husband because he loves the score of this movie. The CD arrived in adequate packaging, and the product was un-damaged and played perfectly. The haunting sounds of this CD are ideal for sleeping with. Sounds crazy and some of the tracks are sporadic and not good for restful sleep, but with modern technology you can pick the tracks you want to listen to over and over.

Film scores rarely stand on their own; Thomas Newman has written one that can........2007-04-14

I enjoyed reading D. Mok's review, but I am compelled to disagree about the invisibility of the score due to intricacy with the action, mood, and so on of the film. The first time I watched American Beauty I noticed the score. It's so gentle, patient, and gorgeous - I don't know how anyone can miss it.

When I go to watch this movie again - and I have more than once - I am always waiting for the music to move me into the world of the characters. I cannot imagine the film beginning with a better tune than "Dead Already." I cannot imagine the plastic bag dancing without its music. I cannot imagine Lester ogling Angela without his music (and her dancing). And that is one of the secrets of great art - if one's work is so complete that the audience is incapable of imagining a better brush stroke or better placement of music, the artist is viewed as great and an authority.

To pretend that I don't notice the greatness of Thomas Newman's score every time I watch the movie is not only dishonest, but an insult to Newman. I don't think D. Mok intended dishonesty or insult. I believe that the score stands on its own, although in a different way than it stands with the movie. With the movie, it flows easily and naturally. Without the movie, pieces of the film and strong emotions filter into your mind; it's a different experience, indeed, and it's one I recommend to everyone.

?.......2006-12-31

I can't find a song, which is playing when the two cheerleader-girls are danceing infront of they parents and Lester got crush on Angela at the first time?

Newman's acclaimed score is worth all the praise it recieved.......2005-11-24

American Beauty - a great movie with an equally great score. Directed by Sam Mendes, who went on to equally great heights with "Road to Perdition", it is mainly a comedy-drama, though begins to focus more on drama later on. Newman's score perfectly suits the surroundings. It was largely an experimental score, compared to the style of his previous works before this film. However, he delivered quite well and the soundtrack added immensely to the film. This is probably what influenced Sam Mendes to use music so respectfully in "Road to Perdition" - who knows what he would have done had he hired another composer for American Beauty, and recieved a score of lesser brilliance.

American Beauty is characterized by three main motifs. First is the excited vibes and marimbas, second is the gentle piano wanderings, and third is the bearing string pads. The vibe sound is used often throughout the score. It is used to full effect to open the score, then continues to create a dreamlike trance in "Arose" and an upbeat atmosphere in "Lunch with the King". "Bloodless Freak" is repetitive - and that is most likely intentional, to represent the repitition of the character's actions on screen. The first piano theme is introduced in "Mental Boy", admist weird noises which leave abruptly to let it sink in.

If there is one thing that is remarkable about this score, it's that Newman uses themes to denote atmosphere and idea, rather than something blunt, like to denote a character. For instance, the theme in "Mental Boy" is first used to describe the character Ricky filming the family from their window. Later, it is used when Lester is nearing his fantasy about his daughter's best friend. The connection between the two isn't obvious, but it is present, as something, to put it bluntly "weird". Slightly surreal, "wrong" in many ways, dark. In a more positive tone, the theme from "American Beauty", rather than representing a scene or character, it represents beauty itself, and is played at two moments where we catch glimpses of beauty as explained through the characters.

The downside to this score is that some may find it gets repetitive on a constant listen. Many of the motifs are repeated almost exactly as they were previously, and not developed much as one would expect in other scores. For instance, the theme from "American Beauty" repeats in "Any Other Name" in an almost identical way, although with slightly varying string patterns and an extra piano motif near the end. Similarly, "Dead Already" and "Still Dead" do not differ greatly in their presentation.

Thomas Newman has established himself as a diverse and original composer with a unique tone in his music. What astounds me is that he is great with minimalistic instrumentation and odd sounds, but can also strike a chord easily when it comes to emotional, heartfelt music. If you liked American Beauty, I reccomend you check out "Road to Perdition" for more Tom Newman magic.

Brilliant.......2005-10-19

The American Beauty Score is larger than life. Thomas Newman's masterpiece simply kills me with the heart earning everlasting impact of the sound on this score. The Plastic Bag Theme is something that makes my brain wave a million invisible white flags to it's tremendous simple melody. As corny as I might sound, I celebrate most of life's ironic moments by playing this very melody either on my PC or on my mind. American Beauty is my favourite film of all time and it wouldnt have been possible if this magical score was to be left out. The coordination with the story line and the melody is super and quite award winning. This was probably the first score I truly noticed besides Road To Perdition (Another outstanding composition) If you like this try out "The Village" by James Newton Howard. However if you want something better,keep looking. The music contained is creative and refreshes one's own existance like a blood purification process. I think I have said enough so let's just play "dead already" and enjoy our charades. [ Pardon my overdramatic self]

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