Track Listing

1. Main Titles
2. Memories
3. Rough Flight
4. Little Secrets/Power Of The Sun
5. Bank Job
6. How Could You Leave Us
7. Tell Me Everything
8. You're Not One Of Them
9. Not Like The Train Set
10. So Long Superman
11. People You Care For
12. I Wanted You To Know
13. Saving The World
14. In The Hands Of Mortals
15. Reprise/Fly Away
16. Trailer #1
17. Trailer #2
18. Behind The Scenes
19. Look Up In The Sky (Amazing Story Of Superman)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22430 in Music
• Released on: 2006-07-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English, French, German
• Dimensions: .21 pounds
• Running time: 55 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
John Williams's theme for 1978's Superman remains one of the most famous of the '70s, so it's both obvious and a little weird that it would feature so prominently in the score for Superman Returns: Why would director Bryan Singer and composer John Ottman so willfully compare themselves to the earlier movie? Not only does a turbocharged version of Williams's theme ("Main Titles") open the album, but the "Behind the Scenes: Superman Returns Score" featurette that's part of the CD's bonus enhanced section is all about the orchestra performing the 1978 theme. Ottman's own work thus has to unfold in the shadow projected by Williams, which is a bit unfair since, while the new score isn't revolutionary, it delivers all the pomp, triumph, and vaguely atmospheric choirs that are now de rigueur in Hollywood action films. Ottman, of course, is used to dealing with superheroes (he wrote the scores for X2: X-Men United and Fantastic Four), but this time around he's had to reflect the essentially noble nature of his main character, and so he's come up with themes that reveal even more pomp, pathos, and atmospheric choirs than before. It's not what you'd call subtle, but it does the job. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Terrific soundtrack to an equally impressive film.
When I saw "Superman Returns" at the cinema I thought that it was a terrific return for everybody's favourite superhero. I also thought that the soundtrack throughout the film was amazing and brilliant. I decided to order the soundtrack on the internet a day after I saw the film. I'm so glad that I did.

It opens up with 'Main Titles' which is the Superman theme composed by John Williams which has stood the test of time over the last 20 years. It still sounds great today. There are some wonderful tracks on this album that never disappoints in my opinion. All the tracks, apart from the opening theme were composed by John Ottman who is no stranger to scoring films and he has produced something magical on this album.

I would probably think that my favourite tracks are 'Main Titles', 'Rough Flight' for its marvellous use of choir and orchestra, 'How Could You Leave Us?' which gives us a glimpse of the spark between Lois and Superman and also 'You're Not One Of Them'. The last one being Lex Luther's first theme.

I think it is a little bit disappointing that the End Title Suite should be omitted from this excellent CD but that doesn't take away the album's real value. This CD is one of my favourite soundtracks and it's hardly left my stereo hi-fi. Listening to the tracks coming through the speakers, you get the feeling of action packed music, 'Rough Flight', to emotion led music, 'In The Hands Of Mortals' and 'How Could You Leave Us?'.

I have had numerous amounts of listening pleasure with this album and I think that it fits the film perfectly showing us the range of emotions between Superman and Lois Lane and also between her son, Jason and her fiance, Richard and Superman's emotions as he tries to make the world believe in him again.

An absolutely fantastic film score which gets 10 out of 10 from this reviewer. I want to finish by saying that I think that the combination of full choir and orchestra works wonders throughout the entire CD. A CD of pure magic.

A flawed gem
The sound quality and actual music are wonderful, but it is simply incomplete. There are differences in the cues presented on the CD to what's heard in the film, and while that's sometimes normal for film soundtracks, what is unforgivable, is the omission of the end credits suite.

It's fantastic to hear new takes on the classic Superman themes, especially the often ignored "Kent Farm" theme, which is used to stunning effect in track 2, "Memories".

If you like the music from Superman, I can unreservedly recommend this CD, but I imagine, like me, you'll be left wanting the hopefully inevitable 2 disc release further down the line.

Superb!!
To follow in the footsteps Superman:The Movie is no easy task. John Ottman`s take on Superman Returns borrows such familar themes from the Original Superman and raises them to new heights. Some of the tracks on this album did actually strike an emotional chord with me. In especially "You are not one of them". It really does make you feel for the character of Superman. For someone who is a Superman fan, maybe i am bias, but it really is a superb peice of work. John Ottman, Bryan Singer, I applaud you!