X-Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

x-men: original motion picture soundtrack [soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Michael Kamen has become one of the most respected movie soundtrack producers and composers of the modern age. And he's never lost his connection with pop music, either: most recently, he conducted the orchestra for Metallica's S & M. Juilliard-bred, Kamen has orchestrated work for David Bowie and Kate Bush, among others, and his work with Eric Clapton on the movie score for 1987's Lethal Weapon merged his two worlds into one. The summer blockbuster X-Men is a perfect match for the man who brought both Terry Gilliam's classic, Brazil, and Die Hard to life. Here, the battle of Professor X (Patrick Stewart), who must protect mutants born with unusual powers--they can mindread and fly--against the holocaust threatening their freakish existence creates massive tension that Kamen's score elaborately fulfills. Using the L.A. All-star Orchestra at full throttle, Kamen is at his Wagnerian best for "Museum Fight" and "The Final Showdown," and is noticeably more gentle with the epilogue, "Logan and Rogue." Kamen knows how to action-pack a score for maximum effect. --Rob O'Connor

X-Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,Michael Kamen,Decca,Film Music,Original Score,Pop,Soundtrack,Soundtracks,Soundtracks & Film Scores

X-Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

Average customer rating:

What really makes this soundtrack a true X-Men based medium
Adequate if uninspired score
Most appropriate to the X-Men
Logan and Rogue
Does not fulfill expectations

X-Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Michael Kamen
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004U0Q3
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Tracks:

Death Camp
Ambush
Mutant School
Magneto's Lair
Cerebro
Train
Magneto Stand Off
The X-Jet
Museum Fight
The Statue Of Liberty
Final Showdown
Logan And Rogue

Amazon.com

Michael Kamen has become one of the most respected movie soundtrack producers and composers of the modern age. And he's never lost his connection with pop music, either: most recently, he conducted the orchestra for Metallica's S & M. Juilliard-bred, Kamen has orchestrated work for David Bowie and Kate Bush, among others, and his work with Eric Clapton on the movie score for 1987's Lethal Weapon merged his two worlds into one. The summer blockbuster X-Men is a perfect match for the man who brought both Terry Gilliam's classic, Brazil, and Die Hard to life. Here, the battle of Professor X (Patrick Stewart), who must protect mutants born with unusual powers--they can mindread and fly--against the holocaust threatening their freakish existence creates massive tension that Kamen's score elaborately fulfills. Using the L.A. All-star Orchestra at full throttle, Kamen is at his Wagnerian best for "Museum Fight" and "The Final Showdown," and is noticeably more gentle with the epilogue, "Logan and Rogue." Kamen knows how to action-pack a score for maximum effect. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

What really makes this soundtrack a true X-Men based medium.......2005-03-08

So far, there have been two takes on the X-Men music: Michael Kamen's score and John Ottman's score. The differences between their scores are great, but the attitudes they created in their music are very similar. However, as far as which one comes out on top, Kamen does so, but this soundtrack may not do Kamen's score justice.
Kamen uses an up-to-date scoring style, with a bit of techno instruments mixed in with the orchestra. Ottman chooses to keep to a more traditional scoring style, as his idols are traditional musicians such as John Williams. This is a great difference in the scores of each film, but Kamen's style keeps more true to a theme such as X-Men. X-Men takes place in the future, and a techno style scoring keeps more true to that theme. In addition, when watching these films, you may feel the difference in this (for instance: in X-Men, use Magneto's stand off with the cops compared to X2's segment of Magneto in Striker's base and twisting the plot).
The attitudes that both composers create are very similar, and they are wonderful takes on the themes that reflect upon each character/group/event. So it's hard to say which theme is better over the other. However, the theme that is COMPLETELY different between the two scores is the theme for the X-Men, themselves. Kamen's theme for the X-Men is hard to describe, but it is very unique and fits the X-Men persona perfectly. Whereas Ottman's score is a very heroic theme that represents a superhero team. This is the trouble with Ottman's theme for the X-Men: it can be associated for any other superhero team, from the Avengers to the Justice League to the Fantastic Four (of which Ottman is scoring as well). It spares any uniqueness that could reflect the persona of the X-Men and just gives us an upbeat, superhero theme that amuses us. We're bound to hear a similar theme again from some other superhero franchise.
This X-Men soundtrack is really, as I feel, a wonderful score to such a franchise, but unfortunately, it's edited a bit much and leaves out some important instrumentals, which is evident once you listen to the end credits in the movie. Overall though, Kamen used all the necessary means to convey the X-Men universe in its grandest fashion, including the techno instruments and themes. But what truly makes this a solid piece for the X-Men is Kamen's style. This score could not have come to fruition without Kamen and his thinking. It's too bad that he died; I would have greatly anticipated his second take on the franchise if he was ever given the opportunity. But as a recommendation, otherwise, Ottman is a good choice; just PLLEEAASSE change or alter the X-Men theme to one more similar to Kamen's, then you're on the 'X-Men level.'

Adequate if uninspired score.......2003-12-03

First I love Michael Kamen's work. I think his Robin Hood score is one of the best ever written and I enjoyed most of his work. This cd is no exception. I do enjoy it, but there are better scores out there, especially in the super-hero department. Some of Kamen's tracks are excellent. The Death Camp beginning is great as is his theme for Logan and Rogue. HIs theme for the X-Men, while not as bombastic as Ottman's theme for X2 is still a fine if extremely underused piece of work. HIs villain themes and other filler music were not the best however. Unfortunately they are featured on almost every track of the cd. Also lacking is an end credits track to showcase the entire score. Overall the score to X-Men is not bad and in places is quite good, but in others it's simply unfullfilling.

Most appropriate to the X-Men.......2003-11-30

Of all chances, with Ottman not being able to compose and conduct the first film and Kamen stepping in, how did it become the perfect way for X-Men to come out in an ironic way?
Kamen came in when Ottman was to busy, yet Kamen came out with the best score to X-Men I could imagine. I just wish he was still alive.
You'll always hear about the title "Logan and Rogue", as you should because it is so pleasing to the ears and the most appropriate to the scenes in the movie.
Soundtracks always work the best in the movies, so you should really listen to the music in X-Men. You will then understand why Kamen took care of X-Men so well. Look at the scenes when Logan is fighting to save Rogue and his fights with Sabretooth, and Magneto confronting the X-Men and the police. And be sure to stick around for the end credits. I've heard from some of my peers that they liked the credits while they were conversing with each other. And every time I watch that movie or whenever I feel like it I listen to the end credits.
I swear you won't be disappointed with it especially if you respect Michael Kamen as much as I do. I find that he has his music true to the feelings of the movie, and that's what makes him so great.
Kamen died recently in November of 2003 due to multiple sclerosis at age 55.

Logan and Rogue.......2003-06-30

This CD is fantastic, but I lack of enough words to express how much I like the last track: "Logan and Rogue". It is just so beautiful, full of meaning, full of emotion that the CD is worthwhile just because of that song. If you haven't heard that song you should give it a try. After watching the movie I looked for the soundtrack just because heard that melody in one of the final scenes of the movie and i had to have it. =)

Does not fulfill expectations.......2003-06-11

I bought this score because I enjoyed the movie and particularly remembered certain moments that I really like the music. That is just about the same reaction I have to the score itself; remembering certain moments I really liked. X-Men is not a well compiled soundtrack. Although there are some great sections in the music, I was upset to find that I had to wait through several minutes of dull fill-in music in almost every track. X-men is missing a main title track (even though it might resemble "Cerebro") and an end title track. In fact, the end of the CD is quiet, anti-climatic, and doesn't really make me want to listen to it again. I give this score a 3 because there are a few fleeting sections that shine through the gloom of the bad arrangement.

X-Men: The Last Stand (Original Motion Picture)

Average customer rating:

X-travagant Score to the Third Installment
A good way to send off a great franchise!!
"Powell versus K-Men": The Last Stand !
One of the Best Superhero Scores of All Time!
A music to think about Chris Claremont stories

X-Men: The Last Stand (Original Motion Picture)
John Powell
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000FBFTCS
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Tracks:

20 Years Ago
Bathroom Titles
The Church of Magneto, Raven Is My Slave Name
Meet Leech, Then Off To The Lake
Whirlpool of Love
Examining Jean
Dark Phoenix
Angel's Cure
Jean and Logan
Dark Phoenix Awakes
Rejection Is Never Easy
Magneto Plots
Entering the House
Dark Phoenix's Tragedy
Farewell to X
The Funeral
Skating On the Pond
Cure Wars
Fight In the Woods
St Lupus Day
Building Bridges
Shock and No Oars
Attack on Alcatraz
Massacre
The Battle of the Cure
Phoenix Rises
The Last Stand

Amazon.com

While Hollywood franchises often stick to one composer as a way to establish continuity, the three X-Men movies have gone to three different musicians. And yet, the sound has remained remarkably homogenous; in other words, if you enjoyed Michael Kamen and John Ottway's scores for the first and second installments, respectively, you'll get a kick out of what John Powell has come up with for the third. Though he adopted a more contemporary, electronic-inflected sound on actioners The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, here Powell goes for the full symphonic treatment. What's most interesting is his use of a 45-member chorus, which is surprisingly varied. On "Jean and Logan," the choir delicately hovers above the strings, almost out of reach, but on "Rejection Is Never Easy," it weaves in and out in a rather spooky manner, and it unleashes at full blast on the CD's climax, "Phoenix Rises," a six-minute-plus opus that at times sounds like a weird cross between sacred music and Philip Glass. This is one of the best big-budget scores of the year. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

X-travagant Score to the Third Installment.......2007-02-26

As Michael Kamen provided a rushed, unfocused score to the first X-Men film and John Ottman provided a much better and more thematic score to the second installment, John Powell continues along the same lines as Ottman did, only much larger in scope. For X3, Powell beefed up the brass and percussion sections, providing a dynamic, heroic sound.
This album neatly divides into 2 halves, with the first half consisting mostly of suspense and ominous music with some outstanding orchestral and choral outbursts and the second half consisting of non-stop action music that never lets up until the final note. The first two scores provided a main theme for the X-Men that sounded consistent throughout both scores, even though the themes were different and from different composers. Powell manages to do the same here, providing a powerful march, complete with your typical brass fanfares you would expect and can be found in "Bathroom Titles", "St. Lupus Day", "Attack on Alcatraz", and "The Last Stand." The percussion section is very reminiscent of John Williams' Superman theme here.
Dark Phoenix has a theme, performed mainly on the strings, which can be found in "Dark Phoenix's Tragedy", "The Battle of the Cure", and "Phoenix Rises". Angel has a theme too, which is found in a few sections in the score and is a heroic, uplifting motif for brass. The action music, which begins in "Cure Wars" and finishes out the album is an all-out, pounding, orchestral and choral battle. Here, the various sections of the orchestra compete with each other with several different motifs going on all at once, most likely draining the musicians' stamina, while the chorus wails throughout the orchestral frenzy. It is music that will definitely wear you out after a while.
All in all, a powerful score that in my opinion, is the best score of the X-Men franchise.

A good way to send off a great franchise!!.......2006-08-17

I've been a huge fan of the X-Men movies and their soundtracks ever since I saw the first movie. When I saw X-Men: The Last Stand I have to admit that I didn't like the music. I found it to be too loud. When I went to see the movie a second time I was able to appreciate it a bit more and I found some themes very good. Once I bought the CD I fell in love with it. I still find some parts a bit too loud but overall it's good. My favorite theme in the entier CD is the Phoenix theme. (Played best in #14. Dark Phoenix's Tragedy and #26. Phoenix Rises) It is one of the best themes I've heard in a long time. I still hold the soundtrack to X2: X-Men United as the best of the three films but this one is one of my favorite soundtracks I have.

"Powell versus K-Men": The Last Stand !.......2006-08-07

What else is left to say about this big great soundtrack album? An outstanding emotional score composed by one of the biggest in this business - John Powell. I agree with an earlier reviewer who said that all the action and emotion of the third movie installment of this Marvel series has been captured marvellous good in this play of violins and other great instruments on CD. The orchestral arrangements are the most powerful on this third score. While Michael Kamen still made a very good job and owns all of my respect as my favorite composer, this third release still has its very own big ones: "The Funeral" track is my favorite on this whole album, not to mention the main theme "The Last Stand", which both play very well eventhough they ain't as much dramatic as the score tracks for the high action sequences. Also I think we all loved the "Jean and Logan" part that reminded me personally a lot of K-Men's last track for X-Men "Logan and Rogue", which still is the most loved and most harmonic arrangement of violins I've ever heard yet! And no, I'm not kidding!
Powell still made a good job though (watch my rating for this album), and yet it doesn't ecstasize me as much as the K-Men score did with its last track "Logan & Rogue"! Some scores go well with the film, but completely fail at listening when heard by themselves. I think at K-Men's position we had the perfect precedent for exactly the other way around: K-Men's score flew over the top as it was too good for X-Men 1 or in other words: X-Men 1 wasn't worth a score like the one K-Men finally delivered it! The problem with the first installment of the X-Men series was that most of the budget has been focussed at effects and characters only. The filmmakers spared a lot at the script conception and focussed only on the events that lead up to the romance or to what we call a father-daughter-relationship between Logan/Wolverine and Marie/Rogue. That's exactly where K-Men marched in with a whole orchestra and dramatized the emotional scenes which even the actors could not do better; e.g. when Wolverine rescues Rogue on the top of the Statue of Liberty and saves her life. I know it must be scathing for a director to hear that the only thing useful in his movie was the soundtrack, but it's possibly more ecstatic for the very composer to hear that his score pushes the action back into background and takes on the actual leading role of the movie!
With X-Men 3: The Last Stand all that has changed: We have action sequences as big as the expenditure for making the score. That's also the reason why Powell's work fits so well at this point. I'm glad he signed in to made this score, as much as I am excited to hear some more from this great composer. For me it truly is a work of art, flawless...but never as sublime as K-Men's masterpiece for the first installment, that one was a gift!!! At this point I should depart with the words: Sometimes the fine nuance that makes the difference "between as..." better or "not better as..." is bound to ones taste. And that is what makes us humane, isn't it?! At least the mutants of the X-Men circle will know what I mean. ;)

One of the Best Superhero Scores of All Time!.......2006-07-07

I am ecstatic about this score. Powell has done some good ones, but this is his forte, (no pun intended.) I listen to this while I'm working out, while I'm reading, while I'm playing video games, while I'm in the car... It truly is a masterpiece. I place this on the same level as the Elfman hero scores, and ABOVE Ottman's recent efforts, (Which were actually quite impressive as well.) I cannot really compare it to Batman Begins, as the genres are very different.

Buy this today! you will be amazed.

A music to think about Chris Claremont stories.......2006-07-04

Better than the film itself, this soundtrack is a good performance with several and different theme. "The last stand" theme, seems to transport you in the Chris Claremont Comics: yous are in the middle of the battle, with Cyclops shouting out "X-men, Go on !".

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