Customer Reviews

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

5 star:		(207)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Howard Shore has proven his talent beyond any doubt with this, the third and final of the three soundtracks for The Lord of the Rings movies. The music is the perfect score for the three most incredible movies the world has seen, taking us from emotional heights, to depths, to simple and quiet moments with some of the most wonderful music you'll ever hope to hear, regardless of whether or not you have seen, or even wish to see, the cinema trilogy by New Line.

I'd hoped to do a track-by-track analysis, but I simply don't have room, so I'll share some of this CD's better tracks.

Track 3 (3:38): It starts out with dangerous overtones, as Pippin attempts to steal the Palantír from Gandalf, and the terrible consequences of his deed. Gandalf takes him to the city of Gondor, and we hear the premiere of Shore's theme for the City of Kings. (Actually, we first heard a sampling of the Gondor theme in the first movie, when Aragorn is first spoken of as the exiled king, and again in the motion picture preview released earlier in 2003) A wonderful choir makes way to the splendorous, magnificent theme for Gondor, perfectly capturing all the wonder and awe of the city. Awesome. Actually, the solo by Ben Del Maestro, I have concurred, is the part that plays when the White Rider dashes out onto the planes to challenge the Nazgûl.

Track 4 (3:25): A solemn tune, with distinctive Death of Boromir overtones, then the theme for Gondor again, just as grand as before. I believe (I'm big on figuring out which part of the soundtrack goes to which part of the movie) that this is the glorious music that plays as Gandalf rides through the citadel of Gondor, to the very top level of the city.

Track 5 (3:53): Not EXACTLY one of my favorite picks, but I had to comment on this one since it is the one with Billy Boyd's solo. In the beginning, it is primarily flute, along with other, somber-sounding instruments mixed in. Gondorian theme again, quieter this time. This, I have figured out, is the sad music that plays as Faramir leads his troops out onto the field. At 2:35 on the CD counter, Billy Boyd begins his quiet, dirge-like solo which provides the background theme for Faramir's suicide charge on enemy ranks. And yes, it is a very lovely, though somber and sad song. Billy Boyd sings it very well.

Track 7 (2:09): The action-oriented muster of Rohan's troops. As you could expect, the theme of Rohan from The Two Towers prevails in a heroic and magnificent way. In the middle, there is a quiet moment where Shore makes use of the generally-saved-for-hobbits Celtic-sounding flute. The track picks back up triumphantly before it ends.

Track 10 (2:35): Quiet beginning, with Rivendell overtones. Another tune begins, a very royal and glorious as the sword of kings is reforged anew. The end transitions to the creepy Paths of the Dead theme.

Track 13 (3:26): Slow beginning, then a very drawn-out tune of hopefulness. Rohan's arrival to Gondor's aid? Then the stunning, dramatic theme for the Ringwraiths is blasted out by the incredible choir Howard Shore commands. It may be the bad guy theme, but it is still incredible to hear. The track is too short, in my opinion.

Track 15 (4:02): The last desperate stand of Aragorn's troops before Mordor's endless ranks. At the same time, the quiet flute plays as Frodo works against all odds to climb the mountain of doom. This track and the next are the themes for the most powerful, poignant moments in the movie, and are NOT to be missed. (Referring to the music, but the movie too!)

Track 16 (5:13): Terribly desperate, frantic choir plays during the final moments of the climax at Mt. Doom and the Black Gate. A silent moment appears, with a slow solo by Renee Fleming, as Aragorn faces down the Eye of Sauron. Shore makes brilliant use of the choir - well, pretty much any time he uses them for his Lord of the Rings film score, but especially in this case.

Track 19 (5:48): Of the three songs (May it Be, Gollum's Song, and Into the West) that Howard Shore has featured on his soundtrack, I nominate this one as the best. It is sung by Annie Lennox, whose voice credit-viewers may recognize from Apollo 13's end credits. Her voice in this sounds somehow a little less feminine, and a little more like a male with a high-pitched voice, but that's just an observation, not a complaint. The song itself is really great. It sings in very poetic, descriptive terms basically of Heaven. For anyone, but particularly believers in Jesus like me, it is an especially inspiring and thrilling song of hope for the World to Come; of heaven. Beautiful. And as usual, the end credits song also includes a bit of the film score after the song.

Folks, Howard Shore's soundtrack abilities remain unequaled. For fans of the film, the music is an excellent way to relive parts of the movie when silly things like, say, real life prevent you from going to the theater. For people who haven't seen the movie, this music is awesome no matter which way you dice it. Please, please buy this CD.

I enjoyed the continuation of the Howard Shore scores. It sets an appropriate brooding tone for the last movie of the trilogy.

I was really looking forward to receiving this enhanced CD. Sure enough, I got the DVD and the enhanced part of the CD. Problem was - NO SOUNDTRACK!!!

I STRONGLY recommend sitting down, by yourself, with a copy of Tolkien's novel, and then listening to this soundtrack in full. I had some pretty high hopes for this soundtrack, and this music exceeds them.

Some of my favourites include -

Track 1 - A Storm is Coming
A surprisingly upbeat and whimsical introduction to the film. Compared to the previous openings (especially the fantastic 'Foundations of Stone' from The Two Towers), it sounds surprisingly subdued. Still, it's an enjoyable listen, and does provide excellent musical accompaniment to seeing Smeagol sans' makeup.

Track 10 - Anduril
Finally, after three years of impatiently waiting, we at last see the forging of Anduril - the Sword of the West! And it's about time!!! Howard Shore makes sure that the payoff here is absolutely huge, with a liberal (and beautiful) use of choral arrangements, and the elven themes from both Rivendell and Lothlorien (just to emphasis exactly who is reforging the Sword of the West).

Track 11 - Shelob
This track sounds like it belongs more to an Aliens film than an epic fantasy - it is, however, mildly scary (at least to my ears). Howard Shore has often composed music for David Cronenberg (a famous horror film director), so it should be no surprise that he knows how to scare the pants of film audiences. After hearing this music, so goodness only knows what Shelob will actually look like. And I hate spiders!

Track 15 - The Black Gate Opens
Despite its bleak title, this is a surprisingly hopeful and optimistic tune. There are a few welcome reprises of tunes from FOTR and TTT, including the Fellowship tune, Hobbiton, and the 'Into the West'.

Track 16 - The End of All Things.
It's interesting to note that both 'The Matrix Revolutions' and 'Return of the King' use choir music to great effect. I really enjoyed Don Davis excellent work on the Matrix soundtracks. The films may not have lived up to all my expectations, but the music definitely did.

Track 17 - Return of the King
It's 10 minutes of pure Howard Shore LOTR music - which is always a major plus in my book. It's the most uplifting and optimistic track in the entire album, and it has Viggo Mortensen in it singing vocals - which really knocked me for a loop! Not to mention an excellent reprise of the Fellowship and Hobbiton themes from FOTR. Oh, and did I mention that James Galway gets to play a solo on flute? At the moment, my number one favourite track from all three films. Mostly because I've been waiting for this emotional payoff for the last three years. Excellent, outstanding stuff!

Track 18 - The Grey Havens & Track 19 - Into the West
I know you have mixed feelings about the last track (sung by Annie Lennox). I'm really pleased with it - it reflects exactly how the reader should feel at the end of ROTK. There's a sense of elation, but also a deep sense of sadness when we realise that Frodo and Bilbo are taking the Grey Ships "beyond the circles of the world". The tunes used here are a radical departure from what we've heard before. There's a sense that the slate has been wiped clean, of new beginnings.

This is a stupendous soundtrack - required listening regardless of whether you enjoy the films or not. I wish I could've been part of the orchestra recording this wonderful music - being there for that would've been the experience of a lifetime!

In a time when most studios bank on a combination of bubble gum pop, hip hop and rap to sell soundtracks for a film, we are gifted with true greatness. Howard Shore looked at each film as a separate entity that required a continuous bridge as a theme, and different voices to carry each movie to the next. You had Enya (May it Be) for Fellowship of the Ring. For the Two Towers it was Sheila Chandra (Breath of Life), Isabel Bayrakdarian (Evenstar), Ben Del Maestro (Forth Eorlingas, and with Elizabeth Fraser on Isengard Unleashed) and Emiliana Torrini (Gollum's Song.)

On the final soundtrack, we get a host of voices to treasure. We have the sublime in Renee Fleming (Twilight and Shadow, The End of All Things) and Ben del Maestro (Minas Tirith). We also have the flute of James Galway (The Black Gate Opens, The Grey Havens.) But what is most endearing is the voice of Billy Boyd (The Steward of Gondor)and Viggo Mortensen (The Return of the King) singing laments to mark their historical journeys.

Peter Jackson has created a gut wrenching, emotional trilogy. Howard Shore has blessed us with music that grabs your heart and soul and never lets go. I highly recommend all three magnificant sound tracks.

I love the movies and love the soundtracks also! Howard Shore is a brilliant composer.
I heard that late this year or in 2005 will be released a BoxSet with 9 CDs of the complete LOTR Movies Soundtracks in Extended Editions. It's a box with the complete soundtracks to all the LOTR Trilogy Movies as seen on screen - Theatrical Versions - YES!
It will be 2 CDs for FOTR, 3 for TT and another 3 for ROTK and an extra CD with rarities and unreleased music from the films with commentary from Howard himself!!
What a BIG surprise!

Howard Shore has proved himself as a musical genius in The Lord of the Rings soundtracks. As the Amazon reviewer said, he mystically ties emotion and music into one beautifully. Every single track has something special here. I have never before heard music that could be so haunting, so inspiring, so beautiful, and so deeply emotional as this. If you are a LOTR fan, or just a fan of soundtracks, this is a must-buy. You will not be dissappointed.

This score was beautifully, and masterfully crafted. I love the "Into the West" Theme that occurs so often... The song Grey Havens nearly brought me to tears the first time I heard it and continues to be one of the most beatiful pieces of music I have ever heard written for an orchestra. Every time I hear it, I get chills. This score takes you places as only excelent music can do. Howard Shore is a gifted and brilliant composer and director... This score and its two companion scores (LOTR 1 and 2) are incredibly moving and well-crafted!

The ROTK soundtrack is a magnificent installment of Shore's. The songs capture the distinct climaxes of the movie, allowing the listener to visualize those great movie scenes again and again. Howard Shore's creation is a great companion to Peter Jackson's "The Return of the King".

This album is just as good, if not a bit above the other two soundtracks. With The Return of the King, Shore did much more than just make a copy of his first two scores. He composed another wonderful score that has a character all to its own. You can actually see the white walls of Minas Tirith in the third, fourth, and fifth tracks, see the battles on Pelennor on the thirteenth track, and hold your breath as the fate of Middle Earth is decided as Frodo and Gollum fight for the One Ring in the later tracks.

My personal favorites are The Steward of Gondor, The Grey Havens, and Into the West. In The Steward of Gondor, Billy Boyd shines through with his amazing talent that is mixed in with eerie and ominous strings as Faramir's riders go on the suicide mission to attempt the recapture of Osgiliath. In The Grey Havens, you can feel the Hobbits' sorrow as they realize Frodo and the rest of the last Ringbearers on Middle Earth, Bilbo, Elrond, Galadriel, and Cirdan, must leave for Valinor.

And Annie Lennox does an absolutely outstanding job with Into the West. It is the perfect song to fall asleep to, or just to light candles and relax.

Overall, this album is definately worth every single penny. The other tracks are just as good as those that have received mention (but have slipped my mind at the moment. Heh.). An enjoyable CD for any Lord of the Rings/Howard Shore fan.