Review Summary: The Village has one of the most original and exhilirating soundtracks ever, if only the movie had lived up to its potential...
"Who'll pinch me to wake me up? Who will laugh at me when I fall? Whose breath will I listen for so that I may sleep? Whose hand will I hold so that I may walk?"
The Village, an M. Night Shyamalan piece of work, is one of the worst movies he's ever made. In its own league, The Village is acceptable but looking back at some of the great movies he's done (The Sixth Sense; Unbreakable) this one falls very short of the mark. Although the directing and photography was superb, one or two moments made it quite the uncomfortable watch. Its not just a movie you can sit down and expect to see explosions, fake boobs and bad dialogue. The Village is very thoughtful and well-sequenced... So is the soundtrack that made it what it is....
James Newton Howard returns to work with Shyamalan on this one-of-a-kind. The twist here (cough) on the soundtrack, is the spectacular violin by Hilary Hahn. Each song, along with its haunting atmospheric touches, is built around a beautiful violin piece. There is never a dull moment when Hahn is on the violin. Every single note is hit spot-on, slow, crafty and melodious. Some songs, especially the slower ones, take time to grow on but certainly don't disappoint. The Main Title of the album kicks in with haunting (and vicious) tribal drums that are, believe it or not, really scary. It builds up to an outro from Hahn's amazing play.
"Those We Don't Speak Of" is a work of art. In terms of production, composition and skill there is nothing matched to what you will hear in this 4-minute masterpiece. The creepy-as-f*** tribal drums are back, as well as the creature moans from the movie. It is divided into two parts, the first being incredibly atmospheric by horror standards. The second half is a very well-known violin piece, building into a sad and claustrophobic kill. A track not to be missed, will definitely appeal to some mainstream audiences.
The Village Soundtrack flows very slowly, at times as fast-paced as Forrest Gump. Each song melts into the next, leaving you with a well-composed piece of art again from James Newton Howard. This soundtrack could've been near perfection if it wasn't for some rather annoying pauses (which I figure were there for dramatic effect). Other than that, a good 4.7/5. I wouldn't recommend The Village if it wasn't for its soundtrack, but still a brilliant experience, be a fan of soundtracks/horror movies or not.
Recommended tracks:
"Main Title"
"Those We Don't Speak Of"
"The Bad Color"
"The Forbidden Line"
"Noah Visits"
"The Gravel Road"
