The First Wives Club

An unique collaboration between Marc Shaiman and an awful director as Hugh Wilson, perhaps propitiated by Scott Rudin's presence as producer. This stupid movie, which assembles three big actresses (Bette Midler, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn) and counts with the support of interesting actors (Maggie Smith, Dan Hedaya, Marcia Gay Harden ...), got A tremendous success at the box office. This fact, the existence of a category in the Oscars for to the Best Soundtrack (Musical or Comedy), and the correct work from the composer caused a third nomination. Be careful, cause there is another cd full of songs (Dionne Warwick, The Rascals, Aretha Franklin, etc.), and only contains an important theme " You dont own Me", arranged by Shaiman.

The sound track composed by Marc Shaiman can be summarized of the following form:

-Cynthia's Theme. The first track on the cd and the first original music in the movie. Its a sad music for the dramatic end of this character, whose destiny gives rise to the encounter of the three wives. Its use is limited and opens a passage to comical music. -Annie's Theme. A first Main Theme and perhaps most used, into too many different versions. Its cheerful and burlesque. It turns out really surprising to verify how it changes under another arrangement, with the presence of the characteristic piano and clarinet, remembering in this way, and certain moments, to the typical sound from famous Kenny G. A Main theme that, in these two so different uses does not seem to be the same one. Amazin!. -Elise's theme. Its another main theme in a comical way and a frequent use.
-Brenda's theme. Of a limited use, in a more intimist and dramatic sound.
-A sentimental theme: It appears in the track "Bad News", and knows several appearances. It is a fourth main theme topic. Beautiful and typical in the style from Shaiman, though it is not one of his best.
-A "War" Theme. Completely new music appears from "The First Wives Club" track and next tracks. Of a very typical tone in the author, with use of rolls, whistle and other comical use of sounds, there are included moments of pure adrenaline and action, here with a comical use, caused by the exaggeration of the military sound in a comedy like this. You can guess few notes that reminds the main theme from North (this trivia is only for too "Shaimaniacs"). It is important to emphasize that this music works great on cd and is very enjoyable, but on screen it turns out to be fragmented in moments and sometimes poorly heard and even not used.
-The greatest track. Its "The Big Break In" the masterpiece of this soundtrack. The most important track of this score, the longer one, comical and prodigious, lamentably drowned under dialogue and shouts, who presents an excellent succession of good moments, in part under a style "inspired" by classical music. It is, undoubtedly, the jewel of this cd release.
-Secondary Themes: Among them a new dramatic theme heard in the track "Letter to Three Wives", for piano and strings, as well as punctual incidental moments of suspense, some passages under a touch of class (motivated by Gunilla-Maggie Smith), excessive sophistication (motivated by Duarto-Bronson Pinchot), or ethnic (motivated by the mafia), or numerous incidental tunes of comedy that play with fragments of the main themes, doing of this one a complete work though hardly heard under the excess of the dialogue, and therefore, much more valuable in compact. Interesting is that moment of the score in which there are included brief notes of Swan Lake.
-Source music: For the funeral, the piano bar, restaurants.
-Songs: For the opening credits, and other moments in the movie to be forgotten.
-A musical performance: "You dont Own Me" is a theme arranged by Shaiman and not included in Varese Sarabande release, but included in the songs release.

Definitively. It is not one of his best works, in spite of the nomination, but it is a score for comedy into the most solvent thing and bandly used in many moments of the movie. The track "The Big Break In" justifies to buy the CD and the short running time (little more than 30 minutes) offers an excellent sample of what is a good work in his career.


6.75