Playing Lord of the Rings Online of late, I've been thinking a lot about the movies (and trying to decide if Kitten is ready for them).  Thoughts from listening to some of the soundtracks this afternoon.

It is unfortunate that far too many movies feel obliged to include a non-orchestral, usually "pop" track in their end titles, so as to provide a "hit single"  that will add additional sales revenue and perhaps even ticket sales ("Hey, that's that song from that movie -- we should go see it!").

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was no exception to this -- but was exceptional in coming up with some pieces that (a) weren't jarring pop music Top Ten hit sorts of bushwa, and (b) actually worked well with each of the films.

Fellowship of the Ring has Enya lilting "May It Be."  Enya may be an acquired taste for some, but her celtic, etherial style fits in quite well with the world of magic and elves and the like that Frodo's found himself thrust into.  The lyrics are a bit pedestrian, but Enya's voice is as much an instrument as the Howard Shore-conducted orchestra in the background. 

I'd probably have been satisfied with more Enya in The Two Towers, but instead we get Emiliana Torrini with a near-gasping "Gollum's Song."  It's not a singing style I'm fond of -- but here it works.  It's a plaintive, nearly painful ode to the whole Gollum/Smeagol tragedy, written by Shore and Fran Walsh.  It added to my movie experience, rather than distracting from it.  Or, at least, listening to it now it does. 

Shore and Walsh teamed up for Return of the King's closing tune, along with Annie Lennox (who co-wrote and sang it), "Into the West." Lennox's voice isn't as polished as one might initially hope -- but it lends a bit of human (or hobbit) heart to this song -- mostly drawing from Tolkien's own words -- about the passing into the Uttermost West.  (It also, I discovered, made a great lullabye for Katherine, once upon a time.)

Three very different tunes, three different singers, in a single movie trilogy.  And they all work (YMMV, of course).  Pretty nice.

Filed under :: Media - Movies :: Media - Music
Link · Print · Edit · TR/G