by Swashbuckler on 2/15/2000
favorite track: 1
 
One of Bernard Herrmann's masterpieces, this score is a must-have for any film music fan.

There is not a dull moment on this entire disc; from the opening notes to the climax of the final cue, this is a wonderful score. The title music is some kind of bizarre fandango-thing that is just so filled with gusto that the listener can't help but pay attention.

The suspense music is written in the familiar Hitchcock/Herrmann style, infectious and fun. There is a love theme, a close relative of Herrmann's "Scene d'Amour" from Vertigo (at one point it even quotes the original version of that music).

However, the whole thing is, like the crazy fandango, greater than the sum of its parts. What it is is great fun, just like the film it accompanies.

Rhino's presentation of this score is exactly how film music albums should be. The score is complete and presented in chronological order. Shorter cues are crossfaded into each other to make a more cohesive listening experience without sacrificing continuity. Sound quality is excellent, with the exception of dropouts in the "Prelude", "The Wild Ride" and "On the Rocks" cues. This is unfortunate, but apparently unavoidable, and the anamolies never detract too much from the overall experience.