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Superman Returns [Music from the Motion Picture]

Superman Returns [Music from the Motion Picture] John Ottman

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Release Date

June 27, 2006

Duration

55:00

Genre

Styles

Recording Location

Todd-AO scoring

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Discography Timeline

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The Usual Suspects [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Snow White: A Tale of Terror [Original Motion Picture S… (1996)
Incognito
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Apt Pupil
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Portrait of Terror
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Goodbye Lover
Goodbye Lover (1999)
Lake Placid
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Urban Legends: Final Cut
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Trapped [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Pumpkin [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Cellular [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Hide and Seek [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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House of Wax [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Fantastic 4 [Original Motion Picture Score]
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Kiss Kiss Bang Bang [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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X2: X-Men United [Original Motion Picture Score]
X2: X-Men United [Original Motion Picture Score] (2006)
Superman Returns [Music from the Motion Picture]
Superman Returns [Music from the Motion Picture] (2006)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer [Original Mot… (2007)
The Invasion [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
The Invasion [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2007)
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Orphan [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Orphan [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2009)
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Non-Stop [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2014)
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X-Men: Days of Future Past [Original Motion Picture Sou… (2014)
X-Men: Apocalypse [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Superman Returns [Music from the Motion Picture] Review by James Christopher Monger

Director Bryan Singer and composer John Ottman's take on the world's most recognizable superhero is one of deep reverence. Like Steven Spielberg and John Williams, the two have found their muse in each other, especially after their success with the second installment of the X-Men series, but what sets them apart from other iconic director/composer pairings is Ottman's co-role as an editor -- he showed his musicality in the editing room on X2 with an exhilarating opening ballet of violence set to Mozart's Requiem. Ottman and Singer are well aware that Williams' original score for Richard Donner's 1978 depiction of the man of steel is as etched into the character's mythology as the "S" on his chest, so they built the new score around it. The new themes are deep and resonant with a Copland-esque tinge of sepia-toned Americana that never descends into unnecessary melodrama -- think Michael Kamen's Band of Brothers theme -- and a brooding sense of wonder and weight that echoes Danny Elfman's choral work on the Spider Man films. This Superman feels a lot more like a conflicted defender of the world than a bespectacled reporter relying on pratfalls and phone booths for audience chuckles, and Ottman fills his Metropolis with a perfect balance of dread and wonder, while allowing Williams' majestic and iconic theme to soar when it should.

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All Credits
Matt Abels Product Manager
Joseph Bonn Assistant Music Editor
Tim Davis Choir/Chorus, Vocals
Greg Dennon Engineer
Mark Eshelman Scoring Crew
Marc Gebauer Scoring Crew
Dan Goldwasser Videography
Dominic Gonzales Scoring Crew
Amanda Goodpaster Music Editor
Tom Hardisty Engineer
Damon Intrabartolo Conductor
David James Jr Photography
Larry Mah Digital Recording
John Ottman Composer, Liner Notes, Primary Artist, Producer
Bobbi Page Contractor
Dave Parker Editorial, Videography
Ryan Robinson Scoring Crew
Jay Selvester Scoring Crew
Casey Stone Engineer, Mixing, Producer
Rich Wheeler Scoring Crew
John Williams Composer
Gina Zimmitti Contractor