Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack)

Like many of my age, when Conan first hit the screen in 1982 I watched it for the visual experience of the action, revelling in the violence and fantasy element of the film. It was firmly implanted in my memory and always stood out as the template never to be bettered (helped in many ways by inept screenwriters, directors and low budgets throughout the 80s in this genre).Twenty seven years later and hopefully a little wiser, knowledgeable and experienced in the entertainment medium that we call cinema, I bought the DVD and watched it again. The film was just as good as I remembered but I could see it for its technical and artistic brilliance as well as the cinematography and storyline rather than the brutal savagery and naked boobs. But what caught my attention in particular was the soundtrack.Its not something I normally take much notice of, mainly due to the general blandness and irrelevancy of film music. There are always exceptions of course, and Basil Poledoris' set of tracks for this film transcends anything I've heard. Sure, there have been opening themes in films that I've loved (Ron Goodwin was good at doing this, for example) but never has the music consistently been brilliant to my mind, nor has it actually fitted the scenes in the film that it accompanies so well.The opening theme (oh, how memorable was that??) is Wagnerian, fantasy-orientated, and grabs you by the....well you know. Its like 'I'm in your face and not going to go away'. The last theme track to a movie that did that to me was the Bond movie Casino Royale by Chris Cornell. Every track thereafter fits the piece of the film it represents. The composition is superb, and just so well done it gets my head shaking with disbelief that no other film in this genre even came near the quality of Poledoris' scores.The counter-melodies in a number of these sends shivers down my spine, and the haunting, emotive mood of Valeria's funeral pyre nearly had me in tears. My favourite is the Battle of the Mounds; the way it builds to the action climax is unrivalled. I love the film at this point too, as Conan prays to Crom for revenge while the camera plays on the riders as they gallop towards him. Absolutely top notch.This will never be bettered in my view, and the world is a worse place without the fantastic music writing of Mr Poledoris.

Powerful, moving & heavy - 3 adjectives that don't even begin to do this justice!One of the finest OST's ever composed (certainly my favourite) and the only ones even close are perhaps the Lord Of The Rings, Gladiator & The Revenge Of The Sith CDs.It's damned good Classical/Symphonic/Orchestral music whatever the purists and snobs will say.The film is a dark, violent, adult fantasy film & the score reflects this. The likes of The Anvil Of Crom & Riddle Of Steel/Riders Of Doom are stirring, warlike pieces right up there with Holst's epic Mars, while The Search & The Orgy will take the mind back to a mythical age of long forgotten lands! The Orgy is really a more bombastic take on Bolero, onlymore ominous & ancient in feel. Atlantean Sword mesmerises with an almost ambient feel. Every piece is amazing, and the sum of the parts is a perfect score literally!It's really heavy in places, percussion, MASSIVE choirs, huge brass & strings, easily as heavy as Wagner!It's a fitting tribute to it's composer, the late Basil Poledouris, and must have influenced the likes of Howard Shore, Michael Kamen & Hans Zimmer. If you like Lord Of The Rings, particularly the 'Mordor' themes, this will blow you away! I'd also recommend the fully orchestral, Scorched Earth Orchestra Plays Metallica's Master Of Puppets CD. Not in Conan's league but some similiar musical themes. Indeed, Conan The Barbarian OST should have crossover appeal to Metal/Rock fans, especially if they dig the Metallica S&M project.One slight negative, this isn't 100% complete - for example, there's some really good music at the climactic battle (when Conan slays Rexor) that is absent - You can get a fuller OST BUT only if you are willing to pay silly money (like £70!!) for it, and it will probably be second hand. Be assured though, all the main themes are here in their entirety and I forecast little in the way of any dissapointment.Must go, I need to hunt down the Excalibur OST....

Where to begin? I have a real issue with new vinyl. They never seem to be as good as old copies (there may be new vinyl, but there are no new pressing machines!) None the less I am tempted when old copies are unavailable as was the case here. Firstly, unlike nearly every eBay seller, amazon have not figured out (or don’t care) they need to remove the vinyl from the sleeve & inner, otherwise the record moves & rips the inner (& sometimes outer) sleeve. My copy was ripped in 2 places. Secondly, it played great the first time, but as it’s new I could not play side 2 at first due to the static from the new vinyl, meaning side 2 was covered in dust. I cleaned using the correct cloth & anti-static spray (as I have countless times), but ever since it crackles so badly that it’s near unlistenable. I will persist in the hopes this improves & may post an update. On a positive note, this seems a nice pressing, the sleeve is a nice design, & the music is magnificent (when you can hear it over the crackle!)

Could not obtain anywhere else

One of my all-time favorite soundtracks. My only gripe is that it doesn't have all the film music ("Mountain of Power"; the eerie primitive music in the Tower of Set sequence), but what is here ("The Orgy") is utterly grand. Basil Poledouris was a great composer as is missed.

If you are reading this its because you already k ow that Conan's soundtrack is the best!Its impossible not to appreciate the sublime sound created for the fantastic motion picture. When Basil wrote the music for this film he had no script and made the piece as if it were an opera and that works so well in having the music tell the tale at times.I was so blown away by the love theme song that I had my wife walk down the aisle to it.Truly timeless.