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Serenity (Newman)


RRP: £13.99
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A beautiful accompaniment to the film.
Review date: 2005-11-24 Rating: 8 out of 10

This is an essential purchase for those who enjoyed the score in Serenity. I must warn you that the track titles do contain spoilers for the film, so avoid reading them if at all possible so do not read on if you don't want mild spoilers of what happens in the film.

Serenity is the feature film based on the TV series Firefly, about a group of outcasts who live on a spaceship, named Serenity, roughly 500 years in the future. Before the Serenity score was produced, writer/director Joss Whedon wrote a three page production memo outlining how he wanted it to sound, basically understated yet complex, featuring unusual instruments, but also at the same time to become epic and emotive when necessary. The fact that Whedon was already so involved in creating a specific sound for his film shows just how much attention and importance was attached to the score.

It is no exaggeration to say that David Newman surpassed these requirements. The score for the series Firefly (which is also available on CD and which I cannot recommend highly enough) was a fusion of Western music with Eastern music, the coming together of old and new, and Newman's Serenity score is both a continuation of that work, and also something slightly different.

The Western elements in both the film Serenity and score are slightly less prominent than in the preceding series, and as a result Newman is much more open to experimentation, but never at the expense of taking the score too far in one direction, and he successfully meshes the different influences on the Firefly-verse and how it should sound.

Possibly one of the best tracks here is the main theme Serenity which uses violin and light percussion to create a real sense of a refuge and hint at the different themes which will appear in the film. River Goes Wild accompanies one of the most well executed and surprising fight scenes in the film, and suits it perfectly, conveying the sense of confusion and excitement that scene evokes.

Mal Decides is a real heart-stopper that emphasises the danger of the scene. Space Battle is one of the most epic tracks on the soundtrack, incorporating several themes and really capturing the action and excitement of the scene. Run To Black accompanies the last stand of our Big Damn Heroes, and is infused with sadness and hope simultaneously.

Jayne and Zoe/Final Battle is similarly fantastic, showing the nobility and strength of the characters, builds to a climax as River enters the fray and ends on something quite powerful and beautiful. Funeral/Rebuilding Serenity is another standout that really hints at the ultimately hopeful ending of the film.

I have to admit that the first time I saw Serenity, as the title appears and the camera pans around the outside of the ship, as the main theme begins to swell, I truly did feel hairs stand up on the back of my neck, and I feel that the score was a huge part of that. As a whole it is very cohesive and definitely captures the spirit of the film.

There are a few minor complaints, though, which is a shame because they aren't actually related to the quality of the music on the CD and marr what is otherwise an amazing product. On one of the tracks Jayne's name is spelt as Jane which is just one small nitpick that does lead one to think that the package might have been hastily put together. It would also be nice to have more colour photos in the liner notes, but Joss's essay is a nice addition.

Many fans are also disappointed that the instrumental version of the Firefly theme The Ballad of Serenity, which played at the very end of the credits of the film, was not included here, and it is difficult to understand why such a popular track was excluded. Also missing is the Fruity Oaty Bars jingle which perhaps wouldn't have been out of place as a final bonus track, just for fun, although the advert can be seen in its entirety as a bonus feature on the Serenity DVD.

So unfortunately I have to give the CD a 4 star rating simply because it feels slightly incomplete, but the quality of the Newman's score is so strong that it deserves 5 stars. It's just a shame that it is let down by the slightly subpar presentation and omission of one popular track.

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Reviews


Serene Serenity
Review date: 2005-11-11 Rating: 8 out of 10

You're probably interested in this CD if you saw the film: believe me, it is worth buying. The themes are haunting, and the guitar led orchestra gives a real feel for the style of the film. The only reason it doesn't get five stars from me was that it didn't feature the Firefly theme from the TV series - not David Newman's fault ... Joss, what were you thinking?

Great music, not so great packaging
Review date: 2005-11-10 Rating: 8 out of 10

The music for Serenity, assuming you have seen the film, is rather impressive, mixing classical, western, eastern and contemporary music styles into a subtle blend. River's theme, repeated throughout, is a highlight, as is the main Serenity theme (especially the end credits version). The way the music underpins the on-screen action is even more impressive than it was on Firefly, though obviously that effect isn't really applicable if you're listening to soundtrack only. Still, you can feel some key moments of the film simply from the subtle atmosphere.

The packaging for this soundtrack is a little bit less impressive however, with the booklet interior in black and white and the cover design a little lacking. For a soundtrack of this caliber it would have been nice to see a slipcover or even hardback version. Still, the inclusion of a short piece by Joss Whedon about the music and the composer is good, and you can't really complain too much about what is after all, just music.

In summary: Music is great, package is so-so.

Product Details/Specifications


Artist(s):
Original Soundtrack

Recording label: Varese Sarabande
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
EAN: 4005939668228
Binding: Audio CD
Format: Soundtrack,
Release date: 2005-10-10
Number of discs: 1

Disc 1 Tracks:
1. Into The River
2. Escape
3. Serenity
4. Going For A Ride
5. Trading Station Robbery
6. River Goes Wild
7. River And Simon In Locker
8. Population Dead
9. Haven Destroyed
10. Sheperd Books' Last Words
11. You're Not A Reaver
12. Mal Decides
13. Truth/Mal Speaks
14. Space Battle
15. Crash Landing
16. Run To Black
17. Generator Room
18. Mal And Op Fight
19. Jane And Zoe/Final Battle
20. Funeral/Rebuilding Serenity
21. Prep For Flight
22. Love
23. End Credits

Publishers: Varese Sarabande

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