For poetry lovers?
The theme tune from this movie is gorgeous: sweet, melancholy, unmistakably Italian. It won composer Luis Bacalov a well-deserved Best Dramatic Score Oscar. But … while it's not easy to get tired of that poignant melody, this CD tries its darndest to get the listener good and sick of it. … Half of the CD is a "Poetry and Music Suite" featuring a parade of superstars reading Pablo Neruda's poems (Neruda is one of the characters in this semi-historical drama). Julia Roberts, Sting, Ethan Hawke, Samuel L. Jackson, Rufus Sewell, Madonna, and a half-dozen others each take turns in this digital poetry slam. The performances are often quite alluring, and Bacalov's music meshes beautifully with Neruda's sweet, sweaty lyricism. But listeners who use their CDs for background music -- and those who like to use the random "shuffle" feature on their CD players -- might want to think twice before buying this disc. Darryl Cater
For poetry lovers?
The theme tune from this movie is gorgeous: sweet, melancholy, unmistakably Italian. It won composer Luis Bacalov a well-deserved Best Dramatic Score Oscar. But … while it's not easy to get tired of that poignant melody, this CD tries its darndest to get the listener good and sick of it. … Half of the CD is a "Poetry and Music Suite" featuring a parade of superstars reading Pablo Neruda's poems (Neruda is one of the characters in this semi-historical drama). Julia Roberts, Sting, Ethan Hawke, Samuel L. Jackson, Rufus Sewell, Madonna, and a half-dozen others each take turns in this digital poetry slam. The performances are often quite alluring, and Bacalov's music meshes beautifully with Neruda's sweet, sweaty lyricism. But listeners who use their CDs for background music -- and those who like to use the random "shuffle" feature on their CD players -- might want to think twice before buying this disc. Darryl Cater