Sister Act

An Emile Ardolino's comedy, produced by Scott Rudin (The Addams Family), who calls Marc Shaiman in order to do something in what he is a master (and with what he assures to enjoy tremendously): to adapt other´s songs. In the credits, the artist appears as composer of the score and responsible for the arrangements. Those are superb arrangements, but what really matters is his original score, a vibrant and tremendously entertaining one, wide commercial and a very audible score. The disc (probably, the best sold among all the Marc Shaiman's soundtrack cds), presents an endless number of themes of great protagonism in the movie, some of those are performed by the choir of the convent. Is also included the opening medley of classics in the start of the movie and and songs included as musical clips. As for Shaiman's original score, it is necessary to emphasize that practically all the music appears compiled in four tracks contained in the disc. They are showy, commercial and entertaining themes, so funny for all kinds of listeners, so those score tracks are prefect to work properly along with the songs, together in the same compilation. Close to quiet moments and as marked tenderness, inside the basic style of the author, there offers a dynamical sound of the 70s (including electrical guitars, Hammond organ, choirs ...), and there is a precedent in this kind of sound: the track that he composed for Big Business (1988). A sound where Shaiman will return in certain degree, in scores as One Night at MacCool's, that remains, unfortunately, unpublished..

Marc Shaiman's original tracks:

1. The Murder: This track contains two types of sound. First, a tense theme, a suspense one, with electrical guitar. The other one: a first and dynamica “chase” tune, absolutely entertaining and showy, that marks the predominant sound in this work, brief but brilliant.
2. Getting into the Habit: This track compiles two aspects. A good and incidental tune for pizzicatos, in a mickey mousing way, a comical theme. The other one: a soft and sad theme. As curiosity: certain passages of this nice theme can be considered to be a precedent of "When You Love Someone", a theme included on the Forget Paris soundtrack.
3. Deloris is Kidnapped: Another “chase” theme under the predominant kind of sound of this score.
4. Nuns to the Rescue: The most complete cut of all. Stands out the fanfare from the start and its reprise, as well as comical tension passages, (in a delirious sound, similar to the famous music for The Benny Hill Show). Also includes new “chase” music, the predominant style of the score. As curiosity: the incorporation of entertaining excerpts of dialogue, perfectly integrated into the music.

Only few minutes of Shaiman's original score remains unpublished in soundtrack release. A really commercial score, very enjoyable and probably forgotten by the soundtrack fans, since the movie is specially weak and its remembered because of the choir´s songs. This comedy would get a sequel in which the composer would approach the labours of associate producer, musical supervisor and adapter of others material, remaining the score under the talent of Miles Goodman and Mervyn Warren as additional composer. Orchestrations by Hummie Mann, Mark McKenzie and Marc Shaiman.


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