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The Movie Album
by Sony
| List Price: |
$7.99 |
Unavailable for
purchase at this time |
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Audio CD
Sony
Publisher: Sony
It's a given that Barbra Streisand loves being a movie star. But this collection of pop songs culled from 60+ years of Hollywood history displays a love and understanding of movie songcraft whose depth is surprising, even coming from the legendary diva. Few are likely even familiar with Andre Previn's evocative main theme for The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse; fewer still would cajole veteran songwriters Alan and Marilyn Bergman to give it lyrics, then make it their wedding song, but that's the unlikely genesis of "More in Love With You" here. If its overwrought classicism represents Streisand at her most cryptically opaque, her playful recasting of the chestnut "I'm in the Mood For Love" as jazzy bossa-nova showcases the low-key sense of adventure she brings to many of the performances here. Her veteran dramatic sense effortlessly drives Chaplin's "Smile" beyond schmaltz and elevates Inside Daisy Clover's "You're Gonna Hear From Me" to nothing less than theatrical showstopper. But it's in the album's smaller, more unexpected surprises (an exotica-tinged "Wild is the Wind," the slinky, electro production of Bagdad Café's "Calling You," "Moon River"'s faithful evocation of Hepburn strumming her guitar in the film) that it reveals its true heart and soul--and that of Barbra Streisand, unabashed Hollywood movie lover. --Jerry McCulley
| Customer Reviews: |
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| Premium Babs!! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Barbra does justice and then some on this lovely collection of movie themes and songs. The arrangements are interesting and flattering to her voice. My favorites are EMILY and YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM ME, but all the other tracks have their merits. My only reservation is when she lapses into her Babs-isms, which sound self-indulgent to me. Otherwise, a very worthwhile album for Barbra's fans.
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| baked potato of perfection |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This is an intense collection of music ..... Barbra knew exactly what she was doing in putting these songs together and housing them under The Movie Album. for my two cents worth, I would like to say this is one of the best Barbra recordings ever released. The arrangements are perfection. On the first listen, each song has a similarity; but - go below the surface and you discover nuances in each song that you realize they are vastly different. What an incredible range of emotion there is here.
To those of you who dismiss this as "boring", well.... you are missing out on an incredible gift of music here. To Barbra, I say thank you for this album, bless you for your strength and generosity and sharing your God-given talent with us all for the past 45 years. Your dad must be beaming up there in heaven. hugs, Ron
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| lacklustre |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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my initial thoughts of this album were that it's boring.
after several listens to it this remains my impression still.
there are two problems:
1. the song choices. they are dull. streisand needs to hold back and allow the album's producer and A&R guy do their jobs. that's what they are paid for.
2. the songs arrangements. they are dull. streisand needs to hold back and allow the song arrangers do their their jobs. that's what they are paid for.
it seems that this streisand vehicle suffers from that recurring problem: streisandisation. the woman has too much hold on the product and just can't let go, and there seems to be no one willing to tell her when she's getting it wrong.
now, if you want a DECENT streisand album, listen to "guilty pleasures"/"guilty too". in one is charge (barry gibb) know what he's doing and he does it very well. streisand's job is to do what she does very well and that is to simply open her mouth and sing.
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| It'll be hard to "keep the music playing" |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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Like The Broadway Album, Barbra Streisand had a very inspiring idea that, despite the odds against it, had the makings of being a huge hit, as well as a must have for the fans. But unlike The Broadway Album, it did not live up to its promise, and not only struggled to go gold, but many fans (as you can see with previous reviews) expressed their disappointment. And while I would like to say this album was unfairly treated, I can't.
One main problem is the terrible song selection. While the album begins promising enough, with a touching version of "Smile," a nostalgic version of "Moon River," a beautifully smooth "I'm in the Mood for Love," and a make-your-hairs-on-your-arms-stand-up version of "Emily." This is where, for a brief moment, her obscure selections (with the exception of "Moon River") are very wise decisions. However, she does not balance these with more well-known selections. Instead of songs along the lines of "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman, "Theme from Mahogany," or "Unchained Melody" from Ghost, we get songs from movies you either can't remember seeing, or more likely, movies you have never heard of.
The bigger problem here is that these songs are all the same in mood and tempo. Therefore, instead of hearing a bunch of distinct recordings, they all sound the same, and blend together, making you forget what you've heard. Also, there is no balance between more cheerful songs and more depressing songs, so all the depressing music here makes for a real downer of a listen.
In short, this here is an album that could have been great, but turns out to be mediocre (and I'm being really generous there). Only buy this album if you are a Barbra completest.
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| First off, I am a huge Streisand fan! |
| Customer Rating: 1 out of 5 |
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First off, I am a huge Streisand fan! I wanted to get that out of the way at the beginning of this review.
In high school, I used to announce her birthday at lunch time. I have every album and CD she has ever made, including the elusive soundtrack to "The Owl and the Pussycat" and rare demo recordings of "Yentl". I finally got to see her in person in Atlanta in 2006....a 37 year old dream of mine. Price was no object.
I love her obscure stuff. I want "Higher Ground" played at my funeral. I have seduced to her "Classical Barbra" album. (If you have not tried this, you should, regardless of your preference! Throw a few candles in for good measure and a massage.) As her albums were changed to CDs, I bought them again. As her videos were changed to DVDs, I also bought them again. I have purchased her personal artifacts at auction. I have every book and magazine that has featured her.
All this is to say, politics aside, I worship this woman. Luckily I married a woman who understands and accepts this and will sit through "The Way We Were", if only to see Robert Redford's chest.
I have to say that her "Movie Album" is my least favorite of all her works, including the french one that she did in the 60's. I made it through this once, and have not had the stomach to listen to it again. It rated right down there with Bernadette Peters' Rogers and Hammerstien CD....another one time listen, and another performer that I adore.
Don't get me wrong, there are bright spots in this offering, but all in all, with plethora of great songs that have come out of Hollywood, why did she pick these? "Emily"? Oh, please! (I think I really stopped listening with this track.)
I believe that there is a reason there are 122 used and new offerings of this CD starting at $0.99.
Barbra and Bernadette, if you are reading, I still love you!
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Smile
Moon River
I'm In The Mood For Love
Wild Is The Wind
Emily
More In Love With You
How Do You Keep The Music Playing?
But Beautiful
Calling You
The Second Time Around
Goodbye For Now
You're Gonna Hear From Me
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