Record Label: Elektra
Genre: Score
Band Link:
Buy on Amazon.com

This is Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer’s 100th film score. I knew he did a bunch but not 100! And what a film score it is to be his 100th. I think this is Zimmer’s best release since Gladiator. The story of Last Samurai is set in Japan so there are a lot of Japanese-influenced motifs throughout the CD.

Zimmer used a Japanese Taiko drum in the score and it’s a very powerful sound. I can see why Zimmer used it. I think the Taiko drum is heard best in “Ronin.” I also like the use of the flutes and guitar work throughout the score, especially in the tracks “To Know My Enemy” and “Safe Passage.” For the track “Red Warrior,” all of a sudden there’s warrior chanting in it and scares the hell out of you haha. Just picture me listening to this, thinking the music is all quiet and hearing that – and then jumping in the air haha. That’s what happened, I swear. But the chanting in “Red Warrior” sounds really awesome and gives me goose bumps. I think it will really work effectively in the movie.

Last Samurai has elements of Zimmer’s previous scores like The Thin Red Line, Gladiator and Beyond Rangoon. But the score sounds different than those, it sounds less synthesized. I don’t have a problem with Hans Zimmer’s sound and like most of his scores but some film music purist hate it for some reason. I guess they want everything to sound the same and come from this 100 piece orchestra every film. But anyway, I think Last Samurai is an excellent soundtrack, and it’s one of Zimmer’s best.

Bottom Line: Sounds Like? The Thin Red Line, Gladiator and Beyond Rangoon.
Notable Tracks: Spectres In The Fog, To Know My Enemy, Red Warrior
Overall Rating: