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Composed, Conducted, and Produced by:
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George Fenton
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Performed by:
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The London Symphony Orchestra
The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford
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Release Date:
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January 25th, 1994
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Availability:
Regular U.S. release, but out of print and difficult to find.
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Sorry, there are no commercial ordering options for this title. However, you can
search for this title at the soundtrack specialty outlets listed on the Filmtracks Links Page. |
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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you can relax to unchallenging and soft romantic
underscore with occasional beauty from chorus and vocal solos.
Avoid it... if the light classical nature of historical, symphonic
romance music puts you to sleep.
Filmtracks Editorial Review:
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Shadowlands: (George Fenton) Among Richard
Attenborough's narrative triumphs was 1994's Shadowlands, a
glimpse into the later years of admired British scholar and author C. S.
Lewis. In his career of biographical storytelling, Attenborough would
experience the full range of success, from the heights of Gandhi
to the failures of Chaplin, and while Shadowlands is not
anywhere near as well known as many of his other pictures,
Attenborough's telling of the friendship and love between Lewis and
American poet Joy Gresham is widely regarded as a nearly flawless film.
Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger perform with heartfelt respect along
with an accomplished supporting cast. Some of the lesser important facts
about the lives of the two leads were altered for the purpose of pacing,
but the plot stays true to the long distance friendship between poet and
author that would eventually lead to marriage and the trials of illness.
As usual, Attenborough's touch would lead to a film lovely in its
English setting and sharp in its dialogue, but never allowing such
elements to overshadow the genuine, underlying emotions of the story.
Perhaps it was this plain sincerity that led to the film's box office
demise, for despite the many fine qualities of Shadowlands, the
film has gone largely forgotten. One of the sadly forgotten aspects of
the film was George Fenton's score. The third collaboration between
Fenton and Attenborough, Shadowlands would avoid many of the
pitfalls of other historical English films of the early 90's. Perhaps
this success in scoring was aided by the relatively recent time period
of the story, though more of the credit should go to Fenton's ability to
write compelling music that doesn't need much volume to be effective. To
the delight of Attenborough, Fenton would record with The London
Symphony Orchestra and The Choir of Magdalen College at Oxford to match
the authenticity of the film's setting.
The overall impression that Shadowlands will
leave you with is one of restrained beauty and elegance. No part of the
score overwhelms you like some of Fenton's larger, later efforts. He
develops one primary theme of romance in the two "The Golden Valley"
tracks, though since the relationship between the poet and author does
not include sparks, the theme quietly meanders with the ease of a
typical John Barry venture. Performances of this theme are typically
restrained to strings and woodwinds, with the only robust statements
placed near the end. In all honesty, the score's beauty would likely
have been equal with a smaller ensemble, though the cumulative force and
talent of the choir is commendable as recorded. For the orchestra, only
two dominant cues will impress you outright; "As a Boy and As a Man" is
the highlight of the score, allowing the romantic title theme to
flourish with the full orchestra while accompanied by a solo treble
voice. Likewise, the "End Credits" add further depth in the bass string
and brass regions to provide a satisfying conclusion to the score. The
choral performance of the "Front Titles," with organ accompaniment, will
remind of the serious religious side of Home Alone. Other
techniques by Fenton in Shadowlands could easily go unnoticed,
however. One such idea is a light string quartet theme for the character
of Lewis, addressing the classical nature of his existence at Oxford and
also moving at a pace that suits his wit. While some of the
classical-style music in the score is from Fenton's pen, three cues will
be recognized as traditional pieces, mostly aimed at the chorus. On
album, the score will pass as smoothly as possible, creating a very
relaxing and unchallenging listening experience. For some listeners, the
loyalty to one theme, as well as extended sequences of very subdued
conversational underscore, will cause the score to languish in the realm
of boredom, though the choral cues throughout the score should help
avoid this eventuality for some listeners. Sound quality of the choir is
especially impressive, and even with the traditional pieces, the album's
flow is consistent. A fine, undemanding score. ****
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Viewer Ratings and Comments:
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• 1. Veni Sancte Spiritus: Front Titles (2:19)
• 2. The Golden Valley (1:58)
• 3. Quartet in "D" (1:49)
• 4. The Wardrobe (2:39)
• 5. "The Plot Thickens" (2:33)
• 6. The Lake (3:14)
• 7. O Little Town of Bethlehem --traditional (2:42)
• 8. Once in Royal David's City (1:37)
• 9. The Friendship (2:09)
• 10. The Wedding (2:43)
• 11. Sumer is Icumen In --traditional (1:38)
• 12. The Drive to the Hotel (1:34)
• 13. The Golden Valley, Part Two (1:58)
• 14. Mr. C.S. Lewis (1:42)
• 15. Joy Goes Home (2:33)
• 16. "I'll be Here Too" (1:56)
• 17. The Silence (1:54)
• 18. "As a Boy and as a Man" (3:26)
• 19. Sanctis Solemniis (2:03)
• 20. Joy and Douglas (1:41)
• 21. Shadowlands (End Credits) (3:35)
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The insert includes a pictorial and long note from Richard Attenborough.
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