American Beauty: Original Motion Picture Score

We knew Thomas Newman was versatile (he's created gripping soundtracks for everything from The Shawshank Redemption to Desperately Seeking Susan), but his score for American Beauty is simply gorgeous and one of his best. Filled with inventive instrumentation--tablas, bird calls, dulcimer, banjo, ukulele, detuned mandolin, and more--the score varies between highly rhythmic, world-music influenced passages ("Dead Already," "Lunch with the King") and the more subdued ("Mr. Smarty-Man," "American Beauty"). Throughout, Newman's score is inventive and a great complement to the dark comedy's numerous mood swings. The movie's other soundtrack--a collection of memorable alt-rock tracks--gave us just a sampling of this score. Here's the rest. It's short (37 minutes) but sweet. --Jason Verlinde Amazon.com

one of the best

To me this music MADE American Beauty the great movie it was. Along with RUSHMORE this is my favorite sound track of the last ten years. Thomas Newman did a SUPERLATIVE job combining audio power with visual mystique and this made the movie's great plot even GREATER. I miss the fact they don't seem to make movies like this any more and it was LESS than ten years ago. Nor have I heard any soundtracks this powerful either. September 2, 2008

Musical Beauty

I've had this score for years and have always loved it. I use to write to it a lot, great music for it, two particular faves being "American Beauty" and "Structure and Discipline". I actually heard the latter at a "trendy" restaurant recently and was reminded of how good it was, which prompted me to give the score another complete spin. I hadn't listened to it in a fairly long time and it just shined all the more becuase of it.

This music is wonderful. Anyone who would give this 1 or 2 stars simply is a tone deaf idiot, or they're trying to be cute (and we're all very impressed). Newman does an incredible job of creating mysterious, charming, and haunting pieces on this score. All of those adjectives also apply to the movie obviously, and Newman does a great job of conveying the movie's emotions through sound.

Anyway, after 130 reviews, I'm sure this one doesn't even matter. But maybe it will help raise the overall review to the 5 stars it rightfully deserves.

Take a hit, take a sip, and lay back and get lost. If you do lay back though, beware of "Root Beer" and "Spartanette" if you have earphones in at full blast. January 18, 2008

Am Beauty - Thomas Newman - Cool Stuff!

Thomas Newman has a style all his own. I liked the soundtrack for the Series of Unfortunate Events and American Beauty is right up there! It is light, refreshing, and mellow. I only wish the soundtrack had more tracks and had a longer run time. September 6, 2007

It was just what my husband wanted

I purchased ths item for my husband because he loves the score of this movie. The CD arrived in adequate packaging, and the product was un-damaged and played perfectly. The haunting sounds of this CD are ideal for sleeping with. Sounds crazy and some of the tracks are sporadic and not good for restful sleep, but with modern technology you can pick the tracks you want to listen to over and over. June 2, 2007

Film scores rarely stand on their own; Thomas Newman has written one that can.

I enjoyed reading D. Mok's review, but I am compelled to disagree about the invisibility of the score due to intricacy with the action, mood, and so on of the film. The first time I watched American Beauty I noticed the score. It's so gentle, patient, and gorgeous - I don't know how anyone can miss it.

When I go to watch this movie again - and I have more than once - I am always waiting for the music to move me into the world of the characters. I cannot imagine the film beginning with a better tune than "Dead Already." I cannot imagine the plastic bag dancing without its music. I cannot imagine Lester ogling Angela without his music (and her dancing). And that is one of the secrets of great art - if one's work is so complete that the audience is incapable of imagining a better brush stroke or better placement of music, the artist is viewed as great and an authority.

To pretend that I don't notice the greatness of Thomas Newman's score every time I watch the movie is not only dishonest, but an insult to Newman. I don't think D. Mok intended dishonesty or insult. I believe that the score stands on its own, although in a different way than it stands with the movie. With the movie, it flows easily and naturally. Without the movie, pieces of the film and strong emotions filter into your mind; it's a different experience, indeed, and it's one I recommend to everyone. April 14, 2007

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