Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl Reviews

• Great score / somewhat garbled presentation

  
  By A167GK58RS8UQ on 2003-08-08
  First of all, a wonderful score to a wonderful movie. Jack's theme is especially moving when played in its crescendo. The volume and pace is not something I regularly like being a devout fan of John Williams' work, but Badelt here has composed a score that will keep the tune and the movie in your head for hours. It makes me want to listen again and again.

  But part of the reason I have to listen again and again is that the CD itself is so short. Only 43 minutes worth of music for an almost 2.5 hour movie? I would love to see a soundtrack at least once contain all (or almost all as space allows) music in the correct order.

  One major gripe: I wonder what fool got a hold of this CD and wrote the track listing...they're either one jump ahead or one step behind. It's very confusing when trying to visualize events in the movie coinciding with the music. A better listing might be this:

  1. Fog Bound
  2. Will and Elizabeth / Jack Sparrow Appears / The Medallion Calls
  3. Jack's Near Escape
  4. Swords Crossed
  5. The Black Pearl
  6. The Black Pearl (cntd) / Commandeering the Interceptor

  It gets confusing between tracks 7-10 - I've narrowed it down to: Sailing on the Interceptor / Ritual in the Cave / Elizabeth's Rescue / The Pearl Gives Chase / Battle / Walking the Plank

  11. Duel in the Cave / Battle on the Dauntless / Jack is Cursed
  12. Duel / Battle / Elizabeth to the Rescue / Last Shot
  13. Curse is Lifted / Death of Barbosa / Opportune Moment / Black Pearl is Gone / Underwater March (for some insane reason, the marching pirates are placed at the very end of this track)
  14. Jack's Rescue / He's a Pirate / Jack and the Black Pearl
  15. Drink Up Me Hearties Yo Ho! / End titles (shortened)

  Great fun to listen to though - pick it up today!
  
  

• Incredible music, but Disney shortchanged it.

  
  By A38Y4Q4HD6WA4F on 2003-07-27
  For starters: I don't know if Klaus Badelt or Hans Zimmer was responsible for the rousing main theme of the movie (aka Jack Sparrow's theme) but whoever it was, THANK YOU. Brilliant job.

  This is a wonderful, wonderful soundtrack. As others have noted, when I first heard that epic theme blasting out as Jack approached the harbor, I wanted nothing more than to commandeer a ship and devote my life to piracy (ahoy!). I went out and bought the CD... and... well...

  Disney did a very poor job in organizing it, IMO. There's only about forty minutes of music on this CD - I haven't had the luxury of seeing the movie as often as I want to analyze missing music, but I'm fairly certain several key scenes with good music don't have a place on the soundtrack. Further, the exciting and wonderful end credits... which I stayed in the theater for... aren't here. The beginning of the end credits - "He's a Pirate" - is there, but it cuts off after only minute and thirty seconds. Arg!

  I'm giving this CD five stars anyway because the music really IS good enough to forgive the abridged version. For those that would like to see a full-length CD released, I recommend writing Disney and asking about it. This is a marvelous, marvelous soundtrack and it belongs on the shelf of anyone who loves a rousing score.
  
  

• Johnny Depp for Emperor

  
  By on 2003-09-03
  I am nearly fifty years old. A sober grown man. With children. Children with whom I have now sat through hundreds of movies. Many of which I have enjoyed. And I am not completely hardened in my sophistication. The opening music to The Lion King brought tears to my eyes when my little ones were but wee tots.

  But still, these are after all just children's movies. In another life, I would never have seen them. And, really, one can't take such movies too seriously, can one?

  And so, this summer, after the ritual badgering, I dutifully trudged into yet another Disney "adventure" movie. Named after that tired old ride in Anaheim I first went on in 1965. I mean really, how much can you expect?

  And then, it happened. The swirling intoxication. The stunned feeling. What? Who? How? Was this a movie? Or a religious experience? Perhaps more like an addictive experience...

  I cannot remember ever willingly paying to see any movie not starring a relative of mine more than twice, and I can count those movies on one hand. I have now seen "Pirates" four times. The only thing keeping me from seeing it again is the sense that this whole thing is just getting out of hand. I cannot get enough of it. It's like walking into a painting that you never want to come back out of. My children ask, with a note of concern in their voices, "Dad, you really like Pirates of the Caribbean a lot, don't you?"

  And that Depp fellow. My God. I never had any idea who he was, but his name sounded like something created for a pubescent cover-boy for magazines published to hook thirteen year-old girls on make-up and bad music. Wasn't Depp the name of some hair-goo product back in the 60s?

  I am a straight male. I have several good friends who are gay, but have never fantasized about any gender but the female. But now I understand how women can experience swooning crushes on male film stars. He is simply extraordinary. So sly, so seductive, so canny! I read an interview in which Depp said he went through a slight depression when he had to stop playing Captain Jack Sparrow. I can see why. His inventiveness and sheer pleasure in inhabiting the character come through in every frame. How can I admit to my children that I now troll through fan websites about a former teen heart-throb?

  I often don't even watch the Academy Awards, and I certainly never have any emotional investment in who wins.

  Except for this year.

  Go Jack.

  And, in a time when many big-budget movies are little more than a hodge-podge of loosely-connected "money shots" this movie puts all the pieces together, with a sense of fun and light-heartedness in special effects that are simply dazzling. I find myself laughing with dizzy appreciation when Barbossa barks out, "You'd best be believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner, you're in one!" and the grinning skeletons come into view, with Badelt's pounding score keeping time to the beat of their maniacal deck-swabbing. And then there's the scene of the pirate-ghouls slithering up from the darkened sea on the mooring cables of the Dauntless, like infernal cats stalking their prey.

  And now to the music. I can just hear the effete aesthetes dismissing this score, as Mr. Zimmerman anticipates with his winking "overproduced by" credit on the cover-liner. "Bombastic." "Overdone." "Absurdly Stupendous."

  Well, perhaps it is, for those who spend their lives evaluating such things. To me, it is absolutely transporting. I first listened to it while doing a work-out on a rowing machine and found that I tripled my usual distance. It was like mainlining some hazardous tachycardic amphetamine.

  Once again, the children were wondering, "What's up with Daddy? Is he OK?"

  Perhaps I am just losing my grip, having an adolescent movie get to me this way. But when those final credits roll, and Captain Jack narrows his eyes and says, "Now, bring me that horizon. Drink up me hearties, yo ho" and the music swells ... it is difficult to put into words the effect it has.

  At this point my children have to yank me forcibly from the theater, lest I persist in watching the credits to the bitter end, and bid good-bye to the little monkey once more, wiping tears of exultation from my eyes.

  This is not just another "entry" in the summer blockbust sweepstakes. It is an exquisite work of fantasy and inventiveness, a true classic, on the order of "The Wizard of Oz." I do hope Depp's performance garners not just awards, but a place in the pantheon, something we old fogies -- and our gently fogeying children decades hence -- will show to our children and grandchildren like a revealed treasure. I cannot recall any movie having such an effect on me.
  
  

• Highly suggested if you liked the movie...

  
  By A2FE92D737ZRHS on 2004-03-18
  I don't own that many movie soundtracks but I was very excited when I got this one. I absolutely love it, despite some of it's short-comings. The one MAJOR complaint I have is the length: way too short. Cheapie Disney ppl... The track listings are totally scrambled and mislabeled. Some person did however make a more acurate track listing that I printed out and put in my CD case:
  1) Fog bound/Will & Elizabeth
  2)Will& Elizabeth/Jack Sparrow appears
  3)The Medallion calls/ Jack's near escape

  4)Swords Crossed
  5)The Black Pearl
  6)The Black Pearl cont./commandeering the Interceptor
  7-10) gets confusing - sailing on interceptor/ Ritual in cave/Elizabeth's rescue/The Pearl gives chase/Battle/Walking the plank
  11)Duel in the cave/ Battle on the Dauntless/Jack is cursed
  12)Duel/Battle/Elizabeth to the rescue/Last shot
  13)Curse is lifted/ Death of Barbossa/Opportune moment/Pearl is gone/ Underwater march (for some insane reason the Marching Pirates are placed at the end of this track)
  14)Jack's rescue/He's a Pirate/ Jack & The Pearl
  15) End titles (drastically shortened, if you want the real thing I suggest just recording it off the DVD itself since that's the best part of the soundtrack)

  When you first listen to the CD it sounds weird w/ lots of what I'd call "crackling" on the booming parts, it probably has something to do the recording but I have found if you have a CD player that has a "live" or orchestra setting, it takes the crackles out. (the mega base seems to make it worse)

  In any case it's and extreamly moving get-up-and-do-something soundtrack. I can't tell you how much fun it is to listen to. I recently figured out how to play afew of the pieces on the guitar and that's almost as fun ^_^. If you liked the movie I'd really suggest getting the soudntrack, it's a LOT of fun!

  -TK
  
  

• This score scores twice

  
  By A26TSW6AI59ZCV on 2004-08-15
  For a movie soundtrack, I look for two things: Does it fit and enhance the movie? How is it as a stand-alone piece of music, separate from the movie?
  
  
  On the first count, POTC scores five stars easily. In pace, tone, themes, and atmosphere created, the score fits and enhances the movie beautifully. It is hard for me to hear the music and not visualize what was happening in that part of the film.
  
  
  On the second count, this is a somewhat mixed bag of very good but diverse pieces of music. Many film soundtracks fit that description, as they are not made to stand alone, and are specifically designed to fit the movie. However, for POTC, this does not adversely affect the score. As it moves from one theme to another, it might be briefly startling, but all the pieces are great. I do not, and cannot, know what I would think of this music if I had not seen the film. I did see, and enjoy it, and the music is very good.
  
  
• Great soundtrack
  By on 2003-07-23
  I saw Pirates of the Caribbean opening day and I'll admit I wondered if the music would hold up the movie any. I was totally proven wrong, Badelt and team have done extermely well with this score, it really gets your blood pumping when watching the fight scenes and hearing the rousing music in the background, track 2, 7 and 11 are some of my favs. Many music reviews will bash this soundtrack saying its too much bass and sounds too much like a Zimmer score well I'd say to them it works with this movie sure its not a period film its not meant to be its a movie that makes fun of itself so why can't the score be something unexpected, if it works and gets you more into the movie then it has accomplished its goal. This score really adds to the movie in many ways, if your a fan of The Rock or Gladiator, or if you got into the music when seeing the movie pick up this soundtrack, my only disappointment in the cd was it was too short only 43 minutes long, but it does have all the big themes from the film.
  
  
• On the strengths of the theme alone...
  By A1F99E4LWLB6AH on 2003-07-23
  ...which is almost all I have to go by because I keep going back to the same track, this album warrants a 5-star review. It's been a while since I've been this anxious to own a movie score and, now that I have it, I just want to keep running errands at work so I can put my headphones on and crank it up.
  Klaus Bedalt's magnificent score - which varies very well with a spooky beginning, melodic love theme, and rousing action pieces (especially the outstanding theme played in full force on the final track) - is turning me into a fan of his very quickly.
  The only drawback is that I was hoping for a very long end credits suite, but it cuts off after just two minutes and change. It kinda reminded me of the Face/Off soundtrack where there the boat chase music, the strongest piece in the whole score, was missing from the album.
  But even though it is a complaint that knocks my review from 5 stars to 4, the "Pirates" album is truly a worthy buy and I will be keeping an eye on Klaus for a long time to come.
  And Hans, what can I say except, you've given us yet another musical poet.
  
  
• Where's the rest of it?
  By on 2003-08-05
  Obtaining this soundtrack immediately after exiting the theater registered as the next logical course of action for me. I was, however, greatly disappointed to find that the CD is filled with only half its potential. Why?! Was there not enough varied music in the film to include on the soundtrack? I find that unlikely, considering how many times the "main action theme" is on here, which by all means is a wonderful cue. Nevertheless, I find main themes that sparsely populate a soundtrack are far more effective: Lord of the Rings, with the exception of the Nazgul chant; Star Wars 'token themes' (Duel of the Fates, Across the Stars); Gladiator.

  The song that played in the credits is noticeably absent. A ten minute long 'Caribbean Suite' or some such at the end would have been a great decision to make. Alas.

  Concern over the movie's success being a deciding factor in how much time is spent on the soundtrack is foolish; look at the Time Machine: waste of a good score if you ask me.

  I never understand why music from a film is left out of the soundtrack when there is plenty of room to spare for it. Pack in 80 minutes! Make the CD worth it!
  
  

• Amazing CD...Four and a half stars!
  By A3ED8NGO2NDR95 on 2003-07-24
  What an amazing soundtrack for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl! This album completely captures the feel of the movie. I love it when I hear the soundtrack and can see parts of the movie that go with the music. The only reason I gave it four and 1/2 is because the track names were a little misleading. Each title was about a song late... e.g....number 12: Bootstrap's Bootstraps should really be titled over number 11: Skull and Crossbones. But, all of the songs were in order of appearance (don't you just hate it when they are out of order?). Also, this is a great soundtrack to listen to all the way through. The songs blend into each other but you can still put one song on repeat and not get it cut off. My three personal favorites are 1: Fog Bound because it has that Aztec-y feel in parts 2: The Medallion Calls because it has the 'Captain' Jack Sparrow theme and 13: Underwater March (or 14: One Last Shot) because it has that slightly sad music "I feel!...cold." All in all, this is an amazing soundtrack for anyone to listen to. Buy it and listen!

  Acacia
  
  

• Roiling and Sea-faring
  By AHSFBLP3U027 on 2003-07-26
  Having heard the tantalizing music in the movie there was no doubt in my mind that the soundtrack would be much enjoyed. Klaus Badelt deals very well with the whole score and it fits on a grandiose scale with the movie, exploring the rousing feeling the sea can awaken. It is a pity that the whole soundtrack runs a mere 44 minutes. From the first number to the last there is not one piece that does not contain within itself a passage that soars all on its own. It has the feel of the first Lord of the Rings score.

  1. Fog Bound - The violin frolics in the beginning then transforms into an entirely foreboding tune and quite jarring, fitting perfectly into the very first scene of the movie with the uncertainty and subtle fear.

  2. The Medallion Calls - Perfect introduction for a perfectly eccentric character. The music swells triumphantly and happily turning aside to mourn until rising again to display the whole glory of a very strange but befitting entrance.

  3. The Black Pearl - The beginning is shadowy and suspicious rising into the theme of the daring escape from the hands of the Commodore. Uplifting and happily mocking to only turn foreboding once again.

  4. Will and Elizabeth - Starts off with the same theme heard in the previous number it tracks our hero through the streets and, I believe, is witness to the extensive swordfight in the smithy. It turns desperate before dissolving.

  5. Swords Crossed - Going from jarring to a fearful creep the music accompanies our first look at the cursed crew. The theme is repeated in other pieces where we come across the pirates.

  6. Walk The Plank - Soft and deceptive, it makes a surprise turn for the violin and the theme of Jack's strange antics.

  7. Barbossa is Hungry - It makes one think of the ship upon the sea, rising and falling with the waves. The music booms and thumps energetically, completing the feel of a chase. This is a great highlight to the score.

  8. Blood Ritual - A slow start that reels and cavorts as the piece progresses, building on the previous number, urgent and beseeching. Continuing with elements of the theme of Jack's strange antics and transforming into the heroic theme, fully developed in the final number.

  9. Moonlight Serenade - Courting as the title would suggest but mid step turns jubilant and adventurous.

  10. To The Pirates' Cave! - The pirates' theme returns, jarring and discordant, with artificial sound effects added to make for a stranger mix for a befitting strange company. Tribal drums turn into the frequently recurring heroic theme only to fade away to tranquility.

  11. Skulls and Crossbones - Violent and urgent from the beginning, falling back into the sea and heroic themes, high and steadily rousing the spirits.

  12. Bootstraps' Bootstraps - Sinister and lacking real coherency at first, it breaks out into an excellent variation and while still keeping its disturbing hints it rolls with a relish and a bang. One can see it swagger. The heroic theme makes another break for it.

  13. Underwater March - A melancholy beginning suitable for a funeral, pulling at the heartstrings, then slowly rising into a cadence of hope, making one think this a tame piece. It veers unexpectedly to a forceful, thumping beat as the horrors stalk across the sea floor.

  14. One Last Shot - Calm at first, melding into the playful violin, until finally falling into the all out jaunty tune. There's longing and finality put across by the calming music, building upon itself to end in a promise of more adventure and the limitless soaring of spirit.

  15. He's a Pirate - Heard in a few previous pieces the heroic theme breaks across perfectly. The whole orchestra contributing to the weaving and exultant end.

  Overall it is a worthy buy.
  
  

• Incredible; powerful; exciting!
  By A2ZM2XGG2D1QKQ on 2003-07-25
  I'd absolutely fallen in love with this movie, and now the score, along with it.

  Klaus Badelt (and his trusty companion, Hans Zimmer) have brought the pirating atmosphere to life with this soundtrack; the chosen instruments, the Celtic air, the action that's involved, they all fall together to make one very complete, and very energising, score.

  If you liked the movie Gladiator's score, you'll love this.

  You can feel the aura of cursed evil around Captain Jack Sparrow's old ship, The Black Pearl, with the track by the same name; there is swooping action involved with the track "He's a Pirate," which gives you the distinct impression of a very energetic ... well, pirate; one may think the track "Will and Elizabeth" is romantic, but, on the contrary, it well-encompasses Will adventurous passion for saving his damsel; "Swords Crossed" is wonderful, WONDERFUL war/battle music.

  I could go through every track, but I recommend getting the CD for yourself - it's worth it, every second.
  
  

• Three Cheers for the Year's Best Soundtrack!
  By A36SYCHGPSTXU6 on 2003-08-05
  This, for my money, is the finest movie soundtrack of the year! For one thing, THANK YOU, Hans Zimmer (producer) and Klaus Badelt (composer) for not trying to shove some horrible pop song in over the closing credits. (Don't you just hate when they do that? Totally ruins the mood -- especially in a period movie!) This soundtrack is all orchestral (with some effective choir moments) and all great. Yes, Badelt's music does recall the best of Zimmer and has similarities to Howard Shore's brilliant "Lord of the Rings" music -- but this is all good. The tracks are rousing, exhilarating, and absolutely fit the mood of the movie (a lighthearted, heroic romp). Favorite musical moments -- the entrance theme of Capt. Jack Sparrow (just fits that hilarious moment perfectly!), and the music accompanying the first sword fight (in the smithy). Amazingly, I have read that this soundtrack only came about at the last moment -- when the movie's producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, decided that he did not like the music that had originally been written (by another composer) -- he didn't think it sounded "piratical" enough. So he called in Badelt and had Zimmer produce -- and with only six weeks to go before the movie's release, they came up with this fantastic score. Say what you will about Bruckheimer -- he has his finger on the pulse! A big hats off to ye, Jerry, and Hans and Klaus. And -- the list of musicians and recording crew inside the liner notes HAS to be read: almost everyone is listed with their "pirate name"! (Hans "Long John" Zimmer...ok, I don't even want to know...)
  
  
• Badelt is Awesome!
  By A39VGR9XC4EOQJ on 2003-07-23
  The soundtracks to both K-19 as well as the Time Machine were both awe inspiring, but they don't compare to this movie. The movie in itself has a lot to do with how well a soundtrack does. I loved the movie, let me just get that out there. I know and my girlfriend can attest to the fact that I walked out of the theater whistling the main theme.

  Unfortunately, the way amazon.com does the previews, you can't hear the exact theme which is "He's a Pirate." It gives you shivers, and it reminds me a lot of the way I first felt when I heard some of Hans Zimmer's soundtracks.

  But in the same breath, Klaus is not Zimmer, and therefore, he shouldn't be compared to him. Badelt's first few releases in the soundtrack genre are very strong, and I think there are probably better things to come. But as of right now, this is his best one, and it might be one of the best instrumental scores of the summer. Particularly strong tracks include #'s 2,4,7,9,11,14-15.

  If you're buying this CD without seeing the movie, then it's definitely worth it. However, if you've seen the movie, this soundtrack is perfect for remembering any scene and for making you want to go back and see it again, just for another chance to hear it on the speakers at the the theater.
  
  

• What a Ride!
  By on 2003-07-24
  After seeing Pirates of the Caribbean (best movie of the summer!), I knew I was going to get the soundtrack the minute it came out. I have listened to it non-stop since then. This whole score is packed with quick and lively music and I absolutely LOVE the theme! My favorite tracks are #4 and #15. The voices in the background ad a wonderful blend and they almost sound like pirates yo-ho-hoing! There is also a helathy mix of eerie, ghostly, and haunting music that is just too freaky! This is such an amazing soundtrack and I give a nod to Klaus Badelt for it. The music has you reliving the movie over and over. You won't regret buying this cd and you won't be able to stop humming along. WOW!
  
  
• Great music saves this terribly organized CD from one star
  By ANAKWVSRJHAFB on 2003-07-28
  Like many of the viewers who have already commented on this page, I knew I had to grab my hands on this CD the moment I left the theatre. The credits which replayed the main theme was the icing on the cake. My first disapointment was seeing that I would have to wait for almost two weeks to buy the soundtrack as it came out on July 22nd. That in itself is downright puzzling as most movies now will even release the soundtrack before the movie even hits theatres.

  Now after finally finding a store that had this CD, I knew my wait would be well worth it. I couldnt wait to hear the main themes that sounded so unforgettable in the movies.

  While the music on this CD is great, I could not help but be terribly dissapointed by what Walt Disney records put out to buysers. If the music wasn't so amazing, I would consider getting a refund on the CD. The organization of this CD has got to be the poorest quality I have ever seen on a movie soundtrack. Its as if a six year old snuck into the studio, hit a lot of buttons that put random pieces of music together and the producers never caught it.

  Not one title save for one or two has the correct music attached to it. When seeing track #7 was "Barbossa Is Hungry" I knew the music would be when Ms. Swann found out that the pirates were cursed. But no, on this CD you hear the main theme played.
  The first track "Fog Bound" has a happy fiddle playing in the beginning of it, when there was none to be found in the movie. Track #14 is titled "One Last Shot" which is in reference to Captain Sparrow using his bullet on Barbossa, which killed him. Instead the music heard on this track is of the final few minutes when Jack escaped onto his boat and Will and Elizabeth kissed.

  These are just a few examples of the terrible disorganization that appears on this CD. To top it off, nothin is even in sequence. The "Underwater March" which is track 13 comes after the music you hear in the final battle which is "Skull and Crossbones" on track 11.

  The final kick in the but was the total track time on the CD, which is just a shade under 44 minutes. Does Disney think we're that dumb to think there was just 44 minutes of music in a 2 1/2 hour movie?! Music from two of the four major battles are missing, those being the fight between Jack and Will in the shop and the crew of the Black Pearl taking over the ship that Jack had stolen.

  So lets see Disney, you leave 30 mintues of the CD blank, you give us music that isnt chronological, and you dont give accurate titles. Essentially, you would have to see the movie about 15 times to know where the music fits in scence for scene.

  Now after all is said and done, I am still giving it three stars because the music is that good. The main theme in this soundtrack has got to be one of my 5 favorites of all time, and having over 100 soundtracks, thats a statement not taken lightly. Sure it may sound like Hans Zimmer's "Gladiator", but c'mon, everything done by Zimmer sounds similar. "The Rock", "Crimson Tide", "The Peacemaker", all sound nearly the same. Gladiator joins the ranks of those three in some scences. So why are we to think that one of Zimmers disciples Klaus Badelt isnt to do the same. Harry Gregson-Williams, Trevor Rabin, and Badelt all have the same percussion dominant touch in their soundtracks, just as Zimmer did in his 1990's glory.

  Sure it may sound repetitive, but if you enjoy that kind of music, who cares? Don't you think Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach had music that sounded similar at some point? That is a bad comparison, but each composer has his/her own style, so if you loved Gladiator, you wont be dissapointed in this music.

  In closing, if you loved the music as much as I did, buy the soundtrack. But be warned, there are a lot of problems with this CD which will downright annoy you. But for those 10-15 minutes where you can clearly picture the scences in the movie, or when you hear that main theme playing, you'll know the money was worth it.
  
  

• Decent moments, but redundant overall
  By A5VQ93QZGKOFC on 2003-08-05
  A conniseur of film scores like myself would die to hear what Alan Silvestri would have done with this score, because Klaus Badelt and the rest of Hans Zimmer's men couldn't put the score back together again.

  There are moments in this score that just scream adventure, whilst others simply scream at you. I can't complain much about whether the thematic material sounds like The Rock or other Bruckheimer flicks. It does have that flavor, just as one can tell a John Williams score from a John Barry score. The main theme, most prominent in the beginning, is piratey enough for me, but after hearing it fifteen times over the course of the album it tends to wear on the old ears.

  Much of the action queues tend to break down like The Rock, what with the orchestra romping along with what sounds like a drum kit providing the percussion. Overall it's not TOO synthy, but if you've listened to Zimmer/Badelt/Media Ventures scores long enough, you KNOW they're there, and inevitably you hear them.

  At 43:30 worth of running time, one can tell the score was a slap-together and sell, rush-job sort of production. There are a few shining moments, particularly the moment in the film when we first see Captain Jack Sparrow, and the lilting cello piece towards the end when Will Turner frees Jack from the gallows, and the love theme when Jack and Elizabeth profess their love for one another before the Commodore.

  Most important about these moments, is they provide a chance to sigh after the bombast that is typical of a Media Ventures venture. Filmtracks has it right, do not buy it if "you despise the use of volume rather than style in Media Ventures scores." The volume does swell to the point that you can't really tell what is being heard.

  Fair thematic and piratey music, and worth a download from KaZaA, but I wouldn't buy it.
  
  

• The truth about the Pirates soundtrack
  By A1RBN5EKNVQOQ4 on 2003-07-28
  First of all.. in my opinion, this soundtrack is excellent. However, my whole life I have been a) a Disney fanatic, b) obsessed with Pirates, c) in love with Hans Zimmer. So, that aside..

  If you liked Pirates of the Caribbean enough to watch it numerous times and if just the thought of seeing Jack Sparrow riding into port on his ship gets you giddy, this is the soundtrack for you. The movie was just what a summer blockbuster should be and the soundtrack that accompanies it reflects the pure fun of the film.

  I have to agree, though, that the unorganization of the music on the CD was frustrating. I'm one of those people who just has to try to picture scenes from the movie in my head while listening to the music, and this score just randomly places bits and pieces everywhere. However, if you love the movie and you're a fan of Hans Zimmer's work, you're sure to like this soundtrack.
  
  

• Amazing
  By A3ML4TMS5SLI5A on 2003-07-25
  This Soundtrack I knew from the moment I first heard it watching the movie was amazing. It is very forceful, (typical Han Zimmer). Especially reminds me a lot of Gladiator, but with a better twist. Preferbly a much better soundtrack. THIS IS A MUST HAVE SOUNDTRACK!!!!!
  
  
• Even better the second time around!
  By A24JAK05BX4MY7 on 2003-10-08
  Some reviewers have complained that this is esentially the Gladiator soundtrack on the high seas, and I would have to agree. However, in my opinion, the soundtrack was Gladiator's only good point. In fact, it was far too good for that overrated dog of a movie. In the case of Pirates, however, I felt that the music enhanced what was already a very entertaining movie. The tension created by the very powerful music was amazing. And let's not forget, Hans Zimmer "borrowed" rather liberally from Gustav Holst (listen to "The Planets") to create his masterpiece for Gladiator. I ran out and bought this CD the day I saw the movie (sorry Amazon, I couldn't wait!) and then went to see the movie again. This score is probably too similar to other works to be nominated for the Best Score Oscar, but I doubt that any of the upcoming movies (except The Return of the King, of course) will have scores this powerful and entertaining, not to mention appropriate.
  
  
• A delightful, adventurous, over-the-speed-limit soundtrack
  By A2LGYXRWE4FNEG on 2003-07-24
  "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" is easily the best movie of the Summer. And the music that accompanies it is just as dramatic and fun as the movie itself.

  Klaus Badelt, a relative newcomer to film score composing ("The Recruit," "K-19: The Widowmaker"), has come up with a wonderful, original score here. It would have been easy enough to simply play instrumental variations of "A Pirate's Life For Me" eight thousand consecutive times to underscore the film, but Badelt wrote _original_ stuff. And it's _good_ stuff.

  The soundtrack starts off with "Fog Bound," an almost Celtic piece that sounds like music from the period of the film itself. Track two, "The Medallion Calls," is Captain Jack Sparrow's entrance theme, as adventurous and thrilling as the character is himself. Track three, "The Black Pearl," and four, "Will and Elizabeth," are also great adventure-type pieces, vivid songs that make you picture the movie scenes again as they play. Track five, "Swords Crossed," is played during the scene where Elizabeth first sees the crew of the Black Pearl in skeletal form, and the music is a cross between New Age Celtic and the kind of eerie stuff you'd hear in a haunted house amusement ride. Track nine, "Moonlight Serenade," is a slower, sweeter track, wistful and lighthearted at the same time. The last handful of tracks -- "Bootstrap's Bootstraps," "Underwater March," "One Last Shot," and "He's A Pirate" -- are of the heart-pounding, action-packed variety that generally encourage one to drive a little more briskly than is strictly necessary while one is driving one's car with their "PotC" CD playing. Watch your speedlimit if you get caught up in the music -- and you certainly will.

  The _only_ negative thing I can say about this CD is length; at 43 minutes, it's at average length for a soundtrack, and yet a two and a half hour movie certainly could have provided a fuller, hour-long soundtrack. But this doesn't lower my rating of the soundtrack, because somehow the length seems to feel just right. All of the best music themes are here; put in the CD, and you will finish it with a smile on your face and your fingers still tapping the rhythm out on the steering wheel. This is _great_ driving music, or exercise music -- it's not the type of music you can put in to play during a quiet evening while eating dinner with company. This music is adventurous, exciting, heart-pounding, even inspiring -- everything that makes a pirate story _good_. It's the perfect compliment to the movie, and stands alone as fabulous instrumental, orchestrated pieces, certain to sweep you up in the music and story itself.

  And, seeing as we'll be suffering a dry spell between the time when the movie leaves theaters and when it comes out to own, I can think of no better remedy than the PotC soundtrack. Heck, get it now while the movie is still playing. You won't be disappointed.

  Just watch that speed out on the open road.
  
  

• Gladiator of the Caribbean
  By A170PKIZYOJSLL on 2003-07-25
  I was not at all impressed with this soundtrack. I don't know if Klaus and Hans sit around and listen to the Gladiator soundtrack all day long, and then try to pull off something like this and call it innovative. There are far too many rhythmic and melodic references to the Gladiator soundtrack to even set this one apart from it. I kept hearing themes with only slight changes in them from the Gladiator soundtrack. There is even a short reference in there to "Mars" from "The Planets". And the little motive that is beaten to death in "One Last Shot" is obviously from "Jupiter" in "The Planets". And what does "overproduced" mean exactly? Did Klaus write something and Hans said, "Nope, that doesn't sound enough like my music from the Gladiator, try this."? I am no great musician or composer by any means, but I do know when film composers try to pull something like this and try to pass it off like some great accomplishment. I got duped by the name of a new film composer in relation to a well known film composer and bought the cd. It has some new elements that kept me listening to the entire cd such as the Moonlight Serenade track, but nothing that stands out as something all that substancial. If anyone thinks I am being harsh, take a good listen to the Gladiator soundtrack and Gustav Holst's "The Planets" and you will hear what I am talking about. It is an energentic and action based soundtrack, but I have difficulty appreciating something that is such an obvious [imitation] of another person's work.
  
  
• Great Fun, Worth the Purchase
  By ACZZTXI1NHQU3 on 2003-10-13
  Klaus Badelt's rousing, rollicking score to the equally rousing, rollicking Disney film "Pirates of the Caribbean" is unabashed fun. Music critics are nit-picking it as unoriginal or uninspired -- Frankly, I'm having too much fun listening to it to care.

  The prominent and much-repeated main theme belongs to Captain Jack Sparrow and just about any time he's on screen doing anything even remotely active. An active triplet-rhythm brassy theme accompanies his arrival on a sinking rowboat, as well as his swordfight with Will Turner, the sailboat chase, and the final duel in the cave through shafts of moonlight.

  A second theme accompanies the ghostly crew, first appearing in track 5, as Elizabeth Swann stumbles onto the deck of the Black Pearl to see skeletons swabbing the deck and adjusting the sails.

  A third theme is a bouncy little cello/harpsichord duet, usually used when characters are engaged in something crafty such as walking along the bottom of the bay using an upside-down rowboat as an aqualung.

  I will concede with the critics that its overall effect does not come across as a multi-themed evening at the symphony, but the themes it does display are just so gripping I can't complain.

  My one issue is with the track listings. The first few track titles on the CD do not match with the scenes in the movie in which the tracks come from. As the music is, nonetheless, still exciting, and still comes from the movie, it's a small point.

  Music critics, shop somewhere else. Fun-loving casual listeners ready to be lifted right out of your sofas, buy it now!
  
  

• A new theme for Pirates
  By A29YS9QSGOKS4O on 2006-03-20
  Number of Discs: 1
  Tracks: 15
  Music Composed by: Klaus Badelt
  Score Overproduced by: Hans Zimmer
  Executive Soundtrack Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer and Bob Badami
  Featuring: Hollywood Studio Symphony
  Album Design: Steve Sterling
  Extras: The booklet has a few various scenes from the movie including a whole page of Johnny Depp in his Jack Sparrow costume on top of a mast.
  
  All the music featured on this disc is lovely! That's why I first purchased this wonderful Official (or Original) Soundtrack. Below is a list of the Tracks with Names, ratings I have given them by my own opinions and a small blerb.
  
  Track 1. Fog Bound (4 of 5)
  Heard during the first scene when the British ship is found destroyed by Pirates. A powerful and romantic piece, a beautiful colliation of music. The reason I gave it 4 was because it's a little slow to start but is rather beautiful anyway.
  
  Track 2. The Medallion Calls (5 of 5)
  Heard when Jack is standing on the mast of his sinking dingy. It sounds rather courageous and suits the introduction to the famous Jack Sparrow. A rather pretty piece with strong and pepy music.
  
  Track 3. The Black Pearl (5 of 5)
  Heard when the Black Pearl is shown. Features parts of Jack's theme, obvious because it is his ship. A rather random array of instruments makes this piece fit perfectly together. It is dark themed which suits the Pearl well.
  
  Track 4. Will and Elizabeth (3 of 5)
  Heard when Will and Elizabeth meet. A mildly strong piece. Rather like other pieces in Pirates of the Caribbean just changed in areas, so I wasn't too high on this one.
  
  Track 5. Swords Crossed (5 of 5)
  Heard when the crew of the Black Pearl turn into the undead. This music is quick, loud and strong to overpower you which is wonderful. It's a gorgeous combination of all the instruments and makes you feel overpowered.
  
  Track 6. Walk the Plank (4 of 5)
  Heard when Elizabeth is onboard the Black Pearl. A very strong piece mixed with jittery sounds to make you feel uncomfortable. Quiet lovely.
  
  Track 7. Barbossa is Hungry [Barbossa's Theme] (5 of 5)
  Heard when Barbossa transforms into the undead. A gorgeous random feel to Pirates of the Caribbean, it is forceful, loud and quiet a happy powerful piece. It is Barbossa's theme throughout the movie and is quiet suiting to him.
  
  Track 8. Blood Ritual (5 of 5)
  Heard in the Pirate Cave. A rather slow and moving piece that suddenly gets quicker paced.
  
  Track 9. Moonlight Serenade (4 of 5)
  Heard in the moonlight. Another slow piece that seems more like a dance theme until the darker music kicks in and draws you back into the world of Pirates of the Caribbean. Again we hear the reuse of Jack's Theme.
  
  Track 10. To the Pirates' Cave! (5 of 5)
  When the crew are in the Pirates Cave. Seems more like remix of Track 5 and Jack's Theme. A lot louder, stronger and features what seems like more impact then the first mix.
  
  Track 11. Skull and Crossbow (4 of 5)
  Heard when Jack is escaping the British guards. A remix of Jack's Theme. Very strong and overpowering.
  
  Track 12. Bootstrap's Bootstraps (5 of 5)
  Heard when the Pirates and British are fighting. Has a number of trumpets and sounds like a very British themed piece. Becomes jittery and remixes a lot of the other pieces in this CD including its own version of music.
  
  Track 13. Underwater March (5 of 5)
  Heard during the Undead's underwater march. Very spooky music, slow to begin with and becomes very strong as the tension mounts. Different compared to other pieces in the CD. There is a breathing in the background too which adds to the strength.
  
  Track 14. One Last Shot (5 of 5)
  Heard when Jack and Barbossa are fighting. Very soft at the beginning and remixes a few earlier pieces. Suddenly becomes darker themed. A victorious piece that is very beautiful toward the end.
  
  Track 15. He's a Pirate [Jack's Theme] (5 of 5)
  Heard during the times when Jack Sparrow appears. A gorgeous colliation of music that fits the theme of the famous Jack Sparrow. Very catchy and suiting the Pirate Captain.
  
  
• A rebuttal by a fellow score collector
  By on 2003-08-09
  While I must agree that it would have been interesting to see what the fabulous Alan Silvestri would have done with this score, Klaus Badelt did a fabulous job of his own, IMHO. Pirates carries remnants of other tunes Badelt has helped with behind the scenes at composer Hans Zimmer's production studio. (Badelt has been listed as "working on" many of Zimmer's scores, without actual credit for composing them. One assumes this is Zimmer's method of training up the many good composers who have come from his production house.)

  If you listen closely, you can hear rythmic patterns that were in the all time great scores of Gladiator, the Rock, and the less reknowned but very good score to Drop Zone. Yet Pirates is not a copy of these, but a rousing thematic score in its own right. The battle music and theme to the cursed pirates contain the best score work, but there isn't a bit of it I don't like. In my collection of over three hundred movie scores, this one will go beside such works as Gladiator, Braveheart, and Predator. The theme does not grow old to me after repetitive listening, although it is always wise to mix new scores in with older ones when you first get and listen to them. Anything heard a hundred times over gets old eventually. (A lesson learned after acquiring Braveheart, once upon a time.)

  And speaking of Predator, I personally am very, very glad that Alan Silvestri backed out of scoring Pirates. He is one of the very best composers of today, but he almost NEVER produces a score to a movie, or if he does, it's a half and half disc with 20+ minutes of score and the other half "soundtrack" or songs "inspired by" the movie. I had to order Predator off of ebay to finally get it, after years of hearing empty promises that it would eventually be released to American audiences. (It never has.) Hans Zimmer's stable almost ALWAYS produces scores, by comparison, and they are usually very good pieces, with a few notable exceptions.

  I look forward to hearing what the talented Mr. Badelt comes up with next.
  
  

• GREAT PLAGIAT OF SCORES, DONE IN BY MILD DISORGANIZATION
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2003-08-18
  POTC was a rare offering from the swashbuckling genre in recent times, and the soundtrack lives up to the movie. Reviewers are quick to point out how this is "typical Media Ventures". Which is a little unfair because quite likely Disney in fact *wanted* that kind of a sound, and the studio delivered. I think the music is great, expect to run into tunes from Gladiator, The Rock etc.

  My only gripe with the compilation though is how terribly organized it is. If you have seen the movie, you'll know what I mean. None of the titles on this CD corresponds with the music on it. Track #14 One Last Shot has the final four mintues of music in the film including the scene where Elizabeth says "He's not a blacksmith, hes a pirate". Yet track 15 which is "He's a Pirate" is the first few mintues of music in the credits. This is just one of about 15 different examples.

  To make matters worse, they left over 30 mintues of CD blank when they left out two major battle scenes, the one where Jack and Will fight in the shop, and when Barbossa takes over the ship that Will, Elizabeth and Jack's crew are trying to escape on. The entire album is a mere 43 minutes.

  Smacks of a little greed from Disney but imho the music is good enough to get you to look past all of these minor grouses. Definitely worth a shot.
  
  

• As enjoyable as the movie
  By on 2003-09-02
  The music for "Pirates of the Caribbean" is strikingly bold and energetic, and leaped from the speakers in the theater. This soundtrack CD presents a brief and brash synopsis of the overall score. The music is perfectly matched to the film -- alternately fun, rollicking, corny, sweeping, creepy, and heroic. It has been in my car's 6-CD changer since the day I got it, is played often, and probably won't be rotated out for a while.
  
  
• Soundtrack with a glitch
  By A1U8W89SGBRXBL on 2003-09-06
  My criticism is not with the musical composition but with the quality of the CD. I bought two copies of this soundtrack and found them both to be defective. I tried contacting Disney Records to inform them of the defect but they have not responded. I tried both CDs on 4 different playback devices and the problem was consistent on all four. It isn't more evident than on track number 5. Swords Crossed. Towards the middle of the track, the distortion is unmistakable. If you are thinking of purchasing this soundtrack, check track number five first.
  
  
• Great music but the CD is too short
  By A2T48NS3AYK1WO on 2003-09-06
  Let me say this up front: I have no complaint about the music itself. I fell in love with the music immediately and rushed out of the theater to find a copy of the soundtrack. I should have just seen the movie a second time.

  My chief complaint is with the length of this CD. It has 43 1/2 minutes of the music from a movie that is nearly 2 1/2 hours long. I can understand keeping the soundtrack to one CD since $30 for a two disc set is more than most people would want to pay. What I can't understand is why Disney did not at least fill up remaining 36 minutes of space with more music?

  I was also disappointed with the "booklet" for the CD. It only contains a few pictures, a listing of the tracks, and a very juvenile listing of credits. What do I mean by juvenile? The name of every person involved with the CD has some pirate sounding name like "Bowspirit," "Long John," or "Barnacle" inserted as a middle name. I guess that some of the few pre-teenagers who chose this over a the newest pop star's CD would find that cute but I dont.

  I would have given this CD four or five stars if Disney had decided to make a quality product rather than just throw something out on the shelf and not worry about customer satisfaction.
  
  

• Outstanding Soundtrack for an Outstanding Movie
  By A2N74AI7177G9Q on 2003-09-05
  What can I say that hasn't already been said? This CD has been playing continuously since I purchased it. I have seen the movie 6 times now and 3 of those times were simply to listen for the music while watching the movie. I have become addicted to this soundtrack. For others in a similar situation (I know you're out there!) below are the track listings and where each piece of music occurs in the movie.

  Enjoy!

  1. Fog Bound
  0.00 - 0:30: Jack attempts to break the shackles before Will arrives in the Smithy.
  0:31 - 1:42: Start of movie through end of dream sequence.
  1:43 - end: Will and Elizabeth's conversation at the Governor's mansion after delivery of the sword.

  2. The Medallion Calls
  0:00 - 0:15: Continued from previous track.
  0:16 - end: Captain Jack Sparrow's 'Grand' entrance. (:59 Jack spots where pirates have been hung as a warning and then pays homage to them @ 1:06, steps off mast to the dock @ 1:39)

  3. The Black Pearl
  0:00 - 1:35: Jack holds Elizabeth 'hostage' and then escapes with hands shackled.

  4. Will and Elizabeth
  Jack and Will's sword fight in the smithy. The end of the song is right where Jack is pointing the gun at Will.

  5. Swords Crossed
  Starts with Barbossa's 'Aztec gold' speech and ends with Elizabeth's encounter with the 'real' crew. (2:33: Jack the monkey scares Elizabeth hiding under the stairs)

  6. Walk The Plank
  0:00 - 0:25: 'You best start believing in Ghost stories, Miss Turner, you're in one!' (Barbossa drinks rum and it pours over his ribs, laughs and the crew laughs with him as Elizabeth runs away)
  0:26 - 0:59: Jack and Will talk about 'commandeering' the Dauntless. (Also, when the Murtogg & Mullroy argue about the Black Pearl while Jack sneaks on board the Interceptor sounds like this section)
  1:00 - 1:59: Jack and Will under the boat heading out to 'commandeer' the Dauntless (the end of the song is where Will says 'Aye, Avast!').

  7. Barbossa is Hungry
  This series of songs is when the Black Pearl is chasing the Interceptor. The song ends right before the battle begins.

  8. Blood Ritual
  0:00 - 1:11: Pintel and Ragetti tell Will the story of Bootstrap Bill.
  1:12 - to end: When Jack uses the 'bait and switch' with Commodore Norrington in order to steal the Interceptor. (1:59: Jack and Will swing on-board the Interceptor, 2:22: "Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way. We'd have a hard time of it by ourselves.") The song ends on board the Interceptor and the beginning of Jack and Will's discussion of Will's father (Will: 'When I was a lad living in England ...')

  9. Moonlight Serenade
  0:00 - 1:14: During the beach scene; Elizabeth and Jack talk after singing the pirates' song around the fire. (Right before the rum burning and 'But why's the rum gone?!')
  1:15 - end: This is in the pirate's cave right after Jack delivers the classic line: 'Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest... Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly ... stupid'.

  10. To The Pirates' Cave!
  0:00 - 1:40: Elizabeth climbs on board the Black Pearl after leaving the Dauntless (in sailor's uniform) and then the chase scene down below deck with Barbossa's crew in and out of moonlight. Continues into scene with Governor Swann and the skeleton arm.
  2:01 - 3:30: Will and Elizabeth in the cabin of the Interceptor where will tells her: 'It wasn't your blood they needed ... it was my father's blood ... my blood ... the blood of a pirate.'

  11. Skulls and Crossbones
  0:00 - 2:07: During the final cave sword fight with Barbossa and Jack as well as some of the fighting on board the two ships.
  2:08 - 2:36: Slow build up to when the Interceptor explodes.
  3:00 to end: Will appears on the Black Pearl after the Interceptor explodes and negotiates for Elizabeth's release.

  12. Bootstraps' Bootstraps
  This song begins during the scene where Ragetti (with Pintel and both still in dresses /skeleton form) says 'They're stealing our ship! Bloody pirates!' and ends with Jack tossing the medallion to Will in the cave.

  13. Underwater March
  0:00 - 1:49: Barbossa dies and we see that the curse is lifted and the crew surrenders.
  1:50 - 2:08: Governor Swann comes out after the surrender and pumps his hands above his head in victory.
  2:09 - 3:08: Elizabeth and Will at the gold chest after the curse is lifted. Elizabeth: We should return to the Dauntless., Will: Your fiance will be wanting to know you're safe., Jack: If you were waiting for the opportune moment ... that was it.
  3:09 - end: The crew takes a 'walk'.

  14. One Last Shot - The final scenes of the movie:
  0:00 - 0:29: Elizabeth joins Will to stand between Jack and Norrington.
  0:30 - 1:27: Jack sees the parrot, 'This is the day ... ', falls into water.
  The rest continues through to the end of the movie. 3:16: 'The Kiss', 3:43: Jack's pulled on board the Black Pearl.

  15. He's a Pirate: End credits.
  
  

• Hans Zimmer, "Uberproducer"? (and really bad eggs)
  By on 2003-09-18
  It's definitely worth the money.

  But the soundtrack, LIKE THE MOVIE, is too short. They could've included the material from the (lengthy) end credits and not hurt the CD at all, though it would've been repetitive, because . . .

  Maybe I'm wrong, but to my ear, there is only one melody on this entire soundtrack. Amazing!

  It's slowed down and speeded up; the instrumentation varies; the meter changes from a dance (A fantastic proportion of the music is in WALTZ rhythm! for an action-adventure movie! go figure.) to a march; it might be "inverted" sometimes - plus there are a couple of bridges, a cello riff thrown in here and there - but it all comes back to the same tune.

  In the business world, we would say the composer/arranger "re-purposed his content" - that is, used a limited amount of material in multiple ways. It does give a cohesiveness to the score.

  But I wish they had included the words to the pirate song.

  Another review says the music begins with a Celtic flavor - I would say that it ALL sounds somewhat Irish. It reminds me partly of heroic soundtracks by John Williams, but also partly of Christopher Franke's soundtrack for Babylon 5.

  Did anybody else notice that some of the tracks' titles do not correspond to the parts of the movie where the music plays? The music for the wonderful scene when Capt. Jack sails into Port Royal at the start of the movie is inexplicably titled, "The Medallion Calls."

  If you play this in the car, use your cruise control! Otherwise, you'll surely get pulled over for speeding.

  As for a movie review, I can't do better than the one here on Amazon from Sept. 2 titled, "Johnny Depp for Emperor." Page down for the pleasure of reading it - if this man isn't a writer by trade, he should be.

  And enjoy the CD!
  
  

• Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
• Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack