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Composed by:
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Chris Wilson
Alexander Janko
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Orchestrated, Conducted, and Produced by:
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Alexander Janko
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Release Date:
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July 16th, 2002
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Availability:
Regular U.S. release.
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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you want a souvenir from the film that includes all the
important score and Greek songs that you heard in it.
Avoid it... if Greek folk music sends you running in terror, and if 20
minutes of conservative, romantic underscore isn't worth the purchase.
Filmtracks Editorial Review:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding: (Chris Wilson/Alexander
Janko) The 2002 smash hit that took everyone by surprise, this film outpaced
many of the year's blockbusters and turned profits that raised all arthouse
films' hopes for mainstream success. Actress and comedian Nia Vardalos first
performed the idea of My Big Fat Greek Wedding in her stand-up solo
comedy routine before the producing husband and wife team of Tom Hanks and
Rita Wilson propelled the film onto the big screen. For anyone who has not
had the privilege to know or live with a true Greek, then My Big Fat
Greek Wedding is a must-see experience for purely educational reasons.
While the film makes light comedy out of the differing cultures of Greek
Americans and "Xenos" (non-Greeks), it also presents a balanced and
frighteningly accurate portrayal of Greek eccentricities. A thirtysomething
Greek spinster (Vardalos) falls in love with and becomes engaged to a Xeno
(John Corbett) and thus, from the Xeno's point of view, a "Wedding from
Hell" kind of scenario is put into action. The music for the film proved to
be a popular hit with audiences as well, combining an orchestral underscore
with several Greek songs licensed for use in the film. Some of the Greek
songs are traditional, while others are of a more modern Greek heritage,
though much of the difference between them will likely go unnoticed by
American ears. In the film, the songs alone offer some of the comedy of the
story, often presenting a saturating Greek atmosphere at times when it is
comically convenient. While some might consider this use belittling to the
traditional Greek songs, nobody can argue that it isn't an ineffective
approach. Whether American ears can withstand the powerful Greek style on
album is another issue.
The album for My Big Fat Greek Wedding has been
largely a success, partly because it is true to the music used in the film
and partly because audiences simply haven't heard this kind of Greek
soundtrack compilation in recent times. It offers an almost even split
between songs and score, with each receiving about 20 minutes of playing
time. The songs explain themselves; all of the pertinent ones from the film
are offered, including those that accompany the restaurant at the beginning,
Toula's transformation, the party backgrounds, and the two songs for the
wedding at the end. The highlight of the songs is arguably the hysterical,
wordless Baydur/Thomas creation "Istanbul Coffee House," which offers Greek
folk music at its most comical level to Xeno audiences during the front yard
lamb-roasting party scene. For the Xeno listener, the traditional and
original songs will likely meld together seamlessly, leaving much of the
original score as the only differing element. The My Big Fat Greek
Wedding score by Chris Wilson and Alexander Janko is a surprisingly
enjoyable romance effort that allows the songs to handle all of the comedy.
Led by a nearly continuous piano theme, the score elegantly offers acoustic
guitar and string section accompaniment to the flirting and dating scenes
involving John Corbett's character in the film. All of the vital score cues,
from the hip rhythms of the flirtation at the travel agency to the light
background solos for the first date, are presented on the latter half of the
album. It's a pleasant underscore that rarely mingles with the Greek
material (except for the silly "Moose Caca" cue). If the album has a fault,
it is this disparity between the two sounds, the Greek songs and the modern
romantic underscore. And yet, that's the essence of the film itself, and the
album still manages to hold itself well throughout its length. Overall, it's
mostly a pleasant souvenir from a very enjoyable film. ****
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Viewer Ratings and Comments:
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• 1. Stalia, Stalia - traditional Greek song (2:47)
• 2. Xekina Mia Psaroboulla - traditional Greek song (3:02)
• 3. Orea Pou Ine I Nifi Mas - traditional Greek song (3:41)
• 4. Moose Caca (2:17)
• 5. Kefi in Katavia - song by Emanuel Kiriakou (3:51)
• 6. Secret Garden - song by Jeannie Niokos (2:23)
• 7. Yasoo (2:57)
• 8. Istanbul Coffee House (Kafe Neio) - song by Daghan Baydur/Richard Thomas (2:49)
• 9. Time with You (1:30)
• 10. Yiayia (1:10)
• 11. Generations (2:40)
• 12. Toula and Ian (2:20)
• 13. Apples N' Oranges (2:40)
• 14. All My Only Dremas - song by Scott Rogness/Rick Elias (3:08)
• 15. First Date (4:09)
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The insert contains extensive credits, but no information about the score or film.
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