The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe [Limited Edition, Special Edition, Import, Compilation, Soundtrack]

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Score = 5 stars

Bonus Songs = 0 stars

DVD content = 1 star (for the interview with composer Harry Gregson-Williams)

Packaging = 0 stars

This is a very poor package, something knocked off at the last moment in Disney's marketing department and unworthy of such a wonderful score.

There is precedent for creating special edition releases of soundtracks to major films that are truly special. The soundtrack to the most recent Star Wars film, "Revenge of the Sith," included a DVD with one hour of original content made specifically for the soundtrack release, an audio and video montage of Williams' work from all six films with introductions by one of the film's main actors. The first of the most recent Star Wars films, The Phantom Menace, also saw a special release that featured the entirety of the film's score on a two-cd set.

This special edition of the Narnia soundtrack features only 50 minutes of the original score, about half of what was composed (according to information from an interview contained in this set's DVD). Four "bonus songs" are appended featuring insipid performances by vocalists ill-suited for creating music for this style of film - Alanis Morisette, Imogen Heap and Tim Finn. The one vocalist with the appropriate pedigree, Lisbeth Scott, who has performed on Paul Schwartz' "State of Grace" neo-opera projects and on films such as Mel Gibson's "The Passion," is forced to sing beyond her range in a performance that is painful to listen to.

The bonus DVD is a collection of edited versions of behind-the-scenes films likely to appear on the extended DVD version of the film. There's a 10-minute interview with composer Harry Gregson-Williams, followed by 3-minute versions of featurettes such as The Director, The Story, and The Special Effects. You also get a trailer for the film, a photo gallery, and an art gallery, plus an extended television commercial for the Music Inspired By cd, featuring pop-rock dreck from artists you've likely never heard of (and never want to hear of again). If you plan to purchase the extended DVD package there is likely nothing in this Soundtrack Special Edition that won't be replicated in more detail there.

The packing for this special edition is nothing special - no leather, no metal studs, no book format, just a typical cardboard digipack that someone along the way apparently screwed-up. Either the original plan was to have the back panel be blank, or an error was made in the contents of the package. The back panel is now a vinyl sticker affixed to the cardboard.

If you want to purchase this soundtrack, stick to the standard release. You get the same score (plus the same insipid "songs") for approximately $10 less.

After seeing the movie I knew I wanted to buy the soundtrack. I absolutely fell in love with the score. I think it is one of the most brilliant scores I have ever heard. It is almost up there with John Williams score for Star Wars and it definately rivals some of the pieces from Lord of the Rings. But in this case the score is more magical and has a child-like innocence quality to it. And at the same time it has epic themes and pieces that really tug at the heart.

I am extremely pleased with this special edition soundtrack. It comes in a very nice package that has a strong Narnian feel to it. It comes of course with the soundtrack itself, which you can also put into your CD-ROM to access special internet features. And then it comes with a dvd that has several features pertaining to the making of the movie itself and also a special mini-documentary on the making of the score with the composer. In additon to that, it has two very cool art galleries and stills from the movie set to music from the film. And if that wasn't enough it also features the full-length trailer in excellent quality and sound and another featurette about the making of music inspired by the film. Finally, it also contains a 40-page souvenir booklet about the film that includes snippets of interviews pertaining to the movie and to the score surrounded by goregeous stills from the film itself.

This special edition soundtrack exceeded my expectations. I absolutely love it! I've listened to the score in it's entirety 4 times now, and I've only recieved it yesterday! I highly recommend it to all!

Besides seeing The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I was really looking forward to the original score, especially when I found out that Harry Gregson-Williams would be writing the music, especialy after his excellent score for Kingdom of HEaven. It is unquestionable that Gregson-Williams gives Narnia a beautiful voice on screen, and at firt I didn't think that the cd measured up to the film. But over the last month, I have found that The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is dominating the music I'm listening too. I simply cannot stop enjoying this music. There are several themes that go throughout the film, from the Nazi theme that is transferred to the White Witch to the Lucy/Tumnous theme which practically defines Narnia. There is also a heroic main theme, heard as the children first escape from the wolves on an ice flow and later heard with thundering effect in the battle track. There are only two disappointments, the four contemporary songs at the end of the cd are songs that I don't care for and I found that I wanted more of the score to be on this cd. I'm hoping a complete version is released, like the complete edition of Fellowship of the Ring, that was recently released, epsecially since this is a special edition collection of the soundtrack. The DVD included with the cd is cool and a nice little addition. Whether or not it makes the price worthwile depends on what you're looking for. Overall I would rate this score highly. Not as good as the Lord of the Rings score, but then again, it doesn;t have to be, because The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe score by Harry Gregson-Williams stands tall in its' own right.

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