Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
Granddaddy of the Hollywood studios, Paramount Pictures is rightfully proud of its century of contributions to both American cinema and the art of film scoring. But the first disc of this 43-track double-CD anthology merely hints at the studio's musical peaks, blithely skipping through its first seven decades in just 17 tracks. Indeed, the package as a whole seems more interested in marketing its post-'70s catalog of hits and blockbusters than it does in paying real homage to history and roots. Even rarities likeDouble IndemnityandThe Lost Weekendare served up via modern budget-line rerecordings, as isEnnio Morricone's epochalOnce upon a Time in the West). Contemporary recordings of Aaron Copland's rare score toThe Heiressand Franz Waxman's greatSunset Blvd.fare better, but soundtrack fans may miss the originals. The studio's rich pop-crossover successes in the '60s are documented viaBreakfast at Tiffany's "Moon River" and excerpts fromRomeo and JulietandLove Story, while successful franchises likeStar TrekandRaidersalso get their due. Too often the '90s-focused second disc only underscores some uncomfortable trends in contemporary scoring--orchestral nervous tics punctuated by booming crescendos, treacly piano Muzak--and makes one wonder if the music ofThe Rugrats MovieandLara Croft: Tomb Raiderarereallyfilm music milestones.--Jerry McCulley