There are superheroes and superheroes and judging from the kind of business they make these days, we love them all. Some of course, more so than the others. Take for example Spider-Man, the popularity of whose franchise has surpassed everybody else’s. Superman? Batman? Kids do not give a hoot about them these days. All that they can think of is the web-swinger and the coming release of his new movie Spider-Man 3.
The first two movie versions of the adventures of Spider-Man did not disappoint. They were of course, manipulative, but were so well-made that you did not at all mind getting caught up in Spidey’s troubles and watched enraptured throughout believing he can save the world with his powers. Then there is the soundtrack and I really have to say that the makers of those films also delivered cool music.
The Spider-Man flicks soared to great heights with the score created by Danny Elfman. He also did films like Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas and has this quirky, eerie but also dramatic style. You hear the theme and you instantly get the image of Tobey Maguire scaling walls and leaping from tall build-ings. When that was not playing there was this collection of sounds in the soundtrack by some of the hippest bands of the time.
In 2002, the first Spider-Man album had Hero by Chad Kroeger; Undercover by Pete Yorn; When It Started by The Strokes; Bug Bites by Alien Ant Farm and a rendition of the Theme from Spider-Man by Aerosmith. Not everything was used in the movie. That was why the album was entitled Music From and Inspired by Spider-Man. But the tracks chosen were great and led to an increase in interest in other recordings by the featured acts.
Two years later, there came Spider-Man 2 with its own soundtrack album. There were more Elfman compositions and another interesting line-up of tunes. That one was more pop and more emo than the first one, a change that resulted in a more commercial compilation. Did You by Hoobastank; Hold On by Jet; Gifts and Curses by Yellowcard; Woman by Maroon 5; This Photograph is Proof (I Know You Know) by Taking Back Sunday; Lucky You by Lostprophets and Someone to Die For by Jimmy Gnecco featuring Brian May.
Spider-Man 3 comes three years later and once again here is Music From and Inspired by Spider-Man 3. The producers have decided to do away with the Elf-man score in the album but serves up a more varied selection of tunes. How varied? Very varied because you will find Signal Fire by Snow Patrol keeping company with The Twist by Chubby Checker. In between these are Move Away by The Killers; Stay Free by Black Mountain; Scared of Myself by Simon Dawes; Falling Star by Jet and would you believe something called The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How to be in Love by The Flaming Lips.
I do not know how these songs are used in the movie. I thought of grand opera while listening to the way the first two films were scored so I guess we can ex-pect something as riveting in the third.
We All Love Ennio Morricone
Still on movie music. This time around the album is entitled We All Love Ennio Morricone and it is made up of new recordings of some of the best known works by one of the greatest creators of movie music. Morricone, who comes from Italy, was honored with an honorary Oscar for his contribution to cinema this year and this tribute album is an off-shoot of that event.
The songs and the featured artists all testify to the their massive admiration for Morricone. A lot of big names are here. There is no question about the merits of the music. What I found really interesting though is this chance to again play a guessing game. Movie buffs will enjoy this very much. Like I did with the John Barry songs in the Ten Tenors’ Here’s to The Heroes album, I tried to remember from what movie came a particular Morricone song.
Love Affair performed by Chris Botti is a given. So are The Good, The Bad and The Ugly by Quincy Jones featuring Herbie Hancock and Once Upon a Time in the West by Bruce Springsteen. But what about the hauntingly beautiful I Knew I Loved You sung by Celine Dion or The Ecstasy of Gold by Metallica?