Patch Adams

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Marc Shaiman can write some sensational music if he wants to, but usually he sticks with romantic comedies and dramas. With Patch Adams he combines drama, beauty and orchestral power into one dazzling score of just 20 minutes long. This score was released along with many songs, but on the DVD there was an extra, you could listen to the music of Marc Shaiman and it seems that both scores are the same, on the CD and on the DVD, so a bit of recording and you have your own Patch Adams score and that without the songs. So you can enjoy Marc Shaiman's beautiful score all on it's own, like it should be. What is there to say about the score that hasn't been said, or basically about the movie? While being butchered simply for being too feel good or because it was made by Tom 'Ace Ventura' Shadyac, any person would have loved the outcome if it was directed by Steven Spielberg, and basically in the same wrapping paper. I loved the film because it contained human characters and above all a heart that made the movie so touching. That heart is also found in Marc Shaiman's score. Its a winning 20 minutes that takes all the cliché's but if he makes them so good, then the hell with cliché's and the best with all the emotion that makes it wonderful. The piano and the strings are all over the place but it sounds great on CD, and amazingly effective in the film. Together, a Golden Globe nomination for that.

We have the piano driven main theme in 'Main Title' and while soft, its gorgeous to see it transcend into more orchestral color later on. 'Children's Ward' and the second part of 'Speech / Children's Reprise' are beautiful light bouncy tunes which carry the heart of a child and the emotion of a person that cares for them, the wacky silly and playful nature that Robin Williams exhibits during these scenes are only more believable because of the music that underscores it. 'Hello' is slightly different but still makes the emotion and the fluffy kind match in a short but beautiful piece. And basically from the second part on, the music becomes one giant emotional cracker. 'Front Porch' introduces the secondary theme that would later swell in further scenes and also proves that Shaiman can write from the heart and for the heart. And like it or not, the last two tracks are sensational stuff, worthy of complete attention alone for the musical score of Patch Adams. 'Butterfly / Noodle Pool' brings the main theme and secondary theme together in an explosive orchestral feel good attitude and 'The Ruling / Graduation' brings fanfares, the secondary theme and a true massive explosion at 2.24 that is sure to become Shaiman's best piece of music for a long time. It doesn't matter that Patch Adams is feel good drama music, it matters that it feels good overall to listen to it. Marc Shaiman is no rookie and if can't do it better, then who does. True, for 20 minutes the music lacks a bit of diversity but it isn't a problem because its only 20 minutes of music anyway. With the songs of the movie, it can make a worthy soundtrack album, on the DVD during the extra it can make a nice warm surprise. For a person liking what he hears during the movie, its a beauty of emotion and heart. Or basically the standards of how Patch lives in general.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (2.14)

2. Look Beyond The Fingers (1.45)

3. Children's Ward (2.33) Excellent Track

4. Ranch Reveal (1.27)

5. Hello (1.30) Excellent Track

6. Speech / Children's Reprise (2.38) Excellent Track

7. Front Porch (2.34) Excellent Track

8. Butterfly / Noodle Pool (2.56) Excellent Track

9. The Ruling / Graduation (3.25) Excellent Track

Total Length: 21.19

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Marc Shaiman ===