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Couples Retreat Soundtrack Review

Couples Retreat Soundtrack
by Chris Neilan

The Couples Retreat soundtrack. A.R. Rahman has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, plus 200 million cassettes. Yes, cassettes. He's one of the world's all time top selling recording artists, and a very influential figure indeed. He was also the first Indian citizen to win an Academy Award for his Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack in 2008 ¨C and just to show off, he won two. For the Couples Retreat soundtrack, his first work with a Hollywood studio, the Indian John Williams has produced a humourless if not entirely charmless accompaniment to a Vaughn/Favreau comedy, which treads a thin line between orchestral ambience and inconsequence, and ends up sounding something like James Bond's massage music.

Melding mild intrigue with jaunty woodwind and bongo rhythms might make a fitting accompaniment to the film's tropical island imagery, but it sure doesn't make for a thrilling listen. Pleasant would be a good way to describe it, if I wasn't so tempted to call it dull. And if I wasn't so assaulted with images of middle class men in hemp trousers hanging dreamcatchers over their futons.

Rahman's Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack was a different kettle of fish altogether, but applying his undoubted compositional skill to a multiplex friendly relationship comedy seems to have had a detrimental effect on his brio ¨C the weaker tracks here have little more character than the title music to an RPG. Maybe some of the appeal of mixing traditional Indian musicality with the atypical symphony scoring of a Hollywood crowd-pleaser is lost in translation.

http://www.movie-moron.com/?p=9687

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Originally Posted by A.ANAND

Couples Retreat Soundtrack Review

Couples Retreat Soundtrack
by Chris Neilan

The Couples Retreat soundtrack. A.R. Rahman has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, plus 200 million cassettes. Yes, cassettes. He's one of the world's all time top selling recording artists, and a very influential figure indeed. He was also the first Indian citizen to win an Academy Award for his Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack in 2008 ¨C and just to show off, he won two. For the Couples Retreat soundtrack, his first work with a Hollywood studio, the Indian John Williams has produced a humourless if not entirely charmless accompaniment to a Vaughn/Favreau comedy, which treads a thin line between orchestral ambience and inconsequence, and ends up sounding something like James Bond's massage music.

Melding mild intrigue with jaunty woodwind and bongo rhythms might make a fitting accompaniment to the film's tropical island imagery, but it sure doesn't make for a thrilling listen. Pleasant would be a good way to describe it, if I wasn't so tempted to call it dull. And if I wasn't so assaulted with images of middle class men in hemp trousers hanging dreamcatchers over their futons.

Rahman's Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack was a different kettle of fish altogether, but applying his undoubted compositional skill to a multiplex friendly relationship comedy seems to have had a detrimental effect on his brio ¨C the weaker tracks here have little more character than the title music to an RPG. Maybe some of the appeal of mixing traditional Indian musicality with the atypical symphony scoring of a Hollywood crowd-pleaser is lost in translation.

http://www.movie-moron.com/?p=9687

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Its a nonsense review.....First of all, is this a review??? So much of hardwork is put in every album, be it any composer...The reviewer has not discussed anything technically not even song wise....

Zero marks for the review.. :angry2: :banghead:

First of all ARR has to take a decision whether he is going to an orchestral way or going to compose in his own style.

SDM got recognition not only because of music but also due to a neat movie, good screenplay and excellent acting. The music was composed in Rahman's style as a complete fusion between the styles of the West and Indian.

There had been many great electronic composers in the West like Vangelis(he has composing from 1970's and our ARR derived his modern sound from the Greek maestro), Hans Zimmer etc etc...and they are used to symphonic electronic scores...There are several Chinese and Japanese composers like Kitaro who are popular there.

So ARR has to tread a careful path there as orchestral scores are very common there and it may not garner much attention if ARR does the same. So he has to compose in his own style and give songs like Netrillatha Matram, Chandralekha kind of songs as they either sound Indian nor Western...

He should choose good movies with a strong story line....This is IMMHO...

I have seen this movie on tuesday and must say that the movie sucked big time ! But ARR was wonderful throughout the movie. The movie had a good plot and wonderful locations to show his musical geniuses and penetrate into the scenes.

Kuru Kuru wasnt fully utilized in the movie and was just 30 sec thing. The RR brought the theme of an island and was going along well with the movie.

It would have been another great attempt from ARR, if the movie had a good script and a breezing screenplay.

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Originally Posted by music man

First of all ARR has to take a decision whether he is going to an orchestral way or going to compose in his own style.

SDM got recognition not only because of music but also due to a neat movie, good screenplay and excellent acting. The music was composed in Rahman's style as a complete fusion between the styles of the West and Indian.

There had been many great electronic composers in the West like Vangelis(he has composing from 1970's and our ARR derived his modern sound from the Greek maestro), Hans Zimmer etc etc...and they are used to symphonic electronic scores...There are several Chinese and Japanese composers like Kitaro who are popular there.

So ARR has to tread a careful path there as orchestral scores are very common there and it may not garner much attention if ARR does the same. So he has to compose in his own style and give songs like Netrillatha Matram, Chandralekha kind of songs as they either sound Indian nor Western...

He should choose good movies with a strong story line....This is IMMHO...

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Exactly my thought... even if ARR comes out with brilliant orchestral scores, it wouldn't catch much attention because they are used to such stuff. Even in WOHE only scores such as Dacoit duel got some attention.. the traditional ones got overlooked. Not only the orchestral score, songs like Dreams on fire, Sajna would sound cheesy to western ear coz they are all too familiar.

Box office
Despite the negative critical reception, Couple's retreat was a box office success, ranking first for its opening weekend grossing $34.29 million and becoming Vince Vaughn's highest box office success since 2006's The Break-Up. Thru November 8, 2009 the film has grossed $95.98 million in US and Canada coin for a worldwide total of $127.78 million.. :D

Couple's Retreat -music review by james southall

I never trust a film whose title is missing an apostrophe; and it looks like many people share my view, if Couples Retreat’s box office performance is any indication. It’s the rather surprising choice to be A.R. Rahman’s first-ever Hollywood film, coming on the heels of his well-deserved Oscar win.Rahman’s music is – much like Slumdog Millionaire – a bit of a hodgepodge of everything but the kitchen sink. The album opens with a couple of songs – romantic Bollywood stylings in “Sajna” and then a hint of hip-hop in “Kurukuru Kan”. Then comes the first piece of score – an unabashedly, gloriously over-the-top love theme which starts on guitars before the full orchestra swells. I doubt any Hollywood-based composer would even try that sort of thing any more – and Rahman pulls it off very well.

Rahman’s score certainly wears its heart on its sleeve. An Indian influence does creep in occasionally (though is more keenly felt in the songs); but the music is mainly orchestral, veering between the sweeping romance already mentioned, some tuneful suspense music and even some dramatic action material, with choppy strings and brass. There’s nothing overtly comedic (well, maybe the Hawaiian hula music!), but he wouldn’t have got away with music like this in any other genre. The album is hugely enjoyable – memorable tunes, great songs – I hope it’s the first of many ventures from Bollywood’s king into Hollywood. *** 1/2


http://www.movie-wave.net/capsules/?p=232

Hollywood film 'Couples Retreat' in race controversy

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London, Nov 16 (PTI) 'Couples Retreat', Oscar-winning- music director A R Rahman's first Hollywood venture after 'Slumdog Millionaire', is at the centre of a race controversy after two black actors were removed from a poster used to promote it in Britain.

The US poster for the movie, a comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Kristin Davis, show all eight principal actors -- six of whom are white and two black, Daily Mail online reported.

However, the poster in Britain, where the film is on general release, omits actors Faizon Love and Kali Hawk.

The film, about four couples who go on holiday together and receive therapy to improve their relationships opened in theatres last month.

A spokesman for makers Universal Pictures confirmed that the change had been made "to simplify the poster to actors who are most recognisable in international markets".


http://www.ptinews.com/news/378628_H...ce-controversy

Couples Retreat crosses $100m mark

Couples Retreat, Oscar winner musician A.R. Rahman’s first venture into mainstream Hollywood, has reportedly crossed the 100 million dollar mark at North American box office.

This 113 minutes comedy was released worldwide on October 8 in Australia and New Zealand and October 9 in USA. It has reportedly grossed over 102 million dollars domestically besides over 20 million dollars overseas.

Shot in Tahiti (French Polynesia) and USA, it revolves around four couples who go to a tropical-island resort for vacationing. It is yet to be released in many countries.

Acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it proved that Hollywood-Bollywood marriage could bring desired results at box office also.

Zed, who is chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, hoped that more creative-technical-financial alliances would be formed between Hollywood and Bollywood in the coming future.

Rahman provided original music for Couples Retreat, besides writing and performing two songs: Na Na and Sajna. Rahman’s son A. R. Ameen also sang in Na Na.

Directed by Emmy nominated Peter Billingsley (Dinner for Five), it stars MTV winner Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers), Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Golden Globe nominated Kristin Davis (Sex and the City), etc. Producers were Vince Vaughn and Scott Stuber (Role Models).





http://www.hindustantimes.com/Couple...e1-478048.aspx

Saregama to release AR Rahman's Couples Retreat soundtrack
Story By: Businessofcinema.com Team updated on: Nov 23, 2009










MUMBAI: A.R. Rahman makes his first foray into composing music for an American comedy feature film with Universal Pictures' forthcoming romantic comedy, Couples Retreat. The soundtrack will be released via Saregama India digitally and in all retail outlets nationwide on 30 November.


For Couples Retreat, Rahman has conjured up the sounds of a tropical island oasis fusing the laid-back rhythms of island music. Rahman created a score that complements the film’s light-hearted tone with a hint of his signature Indian sound.



"There are so many musical avenues to be explored. I've wanted to try new things and for a long time and had hoped to have the opportunity to venture into American comedy. This film presented a lot of creative challenges and was deeply rewarding to be a part of ," says Rahman.



Couples Retreat is directed by Peter Billingsley and stars Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Faizon Love.

http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=14960