Maximus, I missed you

[annathepiper]

Why in the world don't I have a Maximus icon in my userpics? I really ought to do something about that.

I ask this question this, of course, because the recent iTunes/iPod update did something long overdue--it removed the little "skip" between tracks, so that finally, if you're playing an album where the tracks blend together, it'll sound right again. Like, for example, the Gladiator soundtrack. Which I hadn't listened to in a very, very long time, since it just didn't sound right with the tracks doing that little skipping thing!

And oh my gods, I'd forgotten how much I loved that music. So much goodness in "The Battle", track 3--the Maximus Kicks Ass theme that shows up again later in "Barbarian Horde" was far and away my favorite musical bit of the entire soundtrack, but "The Battle" also has that glorious tympani roll like passing thunder as the battle theme winds down and segues into the more plaintive vocals at the battle's end. And oh, the trumpet playing in "Earth", track 4. Beautiful, liquid notes that flow like water, and I don't normally expect that coming out of a trumpet.

In related news, in this column about movies forthcoming this fall, the paper which employs me says of the forthcoming Crowe flick: "A Good Year" (Nov. 10), Ridley Scott's film version of Peter Mayles' Englishman-abroad novel, should answer the burning question: Who is more photogenic: Russell Crowe, or the landscapes of Provence? Hee.

(Hrmm. I need me a Good Year icon, too. I feel a rearrangement of my icons coming on!)

Anyway, now that the iPod does this right finally, I can resurrect my Gladiator treadmill playlist for the next time I get on the treadmill. Yay!

Sunday miles: 2.4
Monday miles: 3.2
Miles out of Hobbiton: 1372
Miles out of Rauros Falls: 63
Miles to Isengard: 421

Comments

[boxer-ferret.livejournal.com]

Have you heard the 2nd sountrack CD for Gladiator -- "More Music From the Motion Picture"? I only just recenly got it and the only thing that surprises me about it is that I waited so long before getting it. A lot of it does re-hash, but there's a few original gems, especially the first track, and the added dialog on some of the tracks either works well or doesn't.

[annathepiper]

I have not only heard the second soundtrack, I own it. And I listened to it right after I finished listening to the first one today. ^_^

Indeed, "Duduk of the North" is a wonderful little piece. There are some other little incidental bits of goodness scattered through the rest of it, too, though I can mostly do without the incidental dialogue.

[boxer-ferret.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do quite like track 6, The Slave Who Became a Gladiator, for the dialog, but most of the rest doesn't really work. But I've noticed that there's some of the music from the movie that was missing from the first CD, so it's nice to get that.

And how about the jumping little Maximus Mix of Now We Are Free? I like that version and I also have some other hardcore techno versions of that song that I've downloaded. The melody is pretty and it gets layered over a thumping techno beat.

[annathepiper]

Ah yes, the "Hi, I'm Maximus, And I'll Be Your Ass-Kicker Today" speech. <3 I mean, what hardcore Russell fangirl can't listen to that and still swoon?

And indeed, I like the mixes! Though Lisa Gerrard's vocals seem muddier to me than on the original soundtrack for some reason, I'm not sure why that's so.

[boxer-ferret.livejournal.com]

Here's the insane techno version of "Now We Are Free", plus as added bonus, "Conquest of Paradise", from another great epic soundtrack of a Ridley Scott film. And I had no idea there was an insane crazy techno version of that until just recently. Of course, you should have the original of that soundtrack by Vangelis if you don't already. I rank that one a notch or two above the Gladiator soundtrack.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mdsbq5

[annathepiper]

Whoops, got to this one too late. This is what I get for being slow answering my LJ comments. ;) Oh well! Thanks for the link anyway!