Posted on: December 17, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

It is rare that a movie has to compare itself with one of the classics of the sixties, but 2005’s remake of Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” tries to do just that. There are a few things that this re-make has going for it out of the gates; first off, the music and lyrics are still all those produced and written by Mel Brooks. If anything, the set of songs from this remake are stronger than the original ones, as Brooks has had quite a few years to make minor changes to each track. The orchestral accompaniment of tracks like “Along Came Bialy”, coupled with Nathan Lane’s vocals are absolutely chilling; one will have the words bouncing around their heads for quite a few weeks after. The humor present in The Producers is transferred part and parcel into the soundtrack; in fact, many of the movie’s most funny moments come as a result of the songs present. The great thing about the “The Producers” soundtrack is the fact that there are no normal-speaking parts to break up the bombast and expansive sound of the musical tracks. In a song like “You Never Say Good Luck On Opening Night”, one is further amazed by the fact that Will Farrell actually has an impressive singing voice. Who would have thought? Couple that with the already-established vocals of Lane and Broderick and one has a complete set of actors that really have their vocal chops. Aside from the tracks all being able to stand on their own merit, there are a set of tracks after the musical has taken place that really meld well into each other. These tracks, which include “Springtime For Hitler, Pt.1” and “Heil Myself”, make up an almost-five minute exercise in power. There is not an album that individuals can listen to once and stick back on their shelves; chances are that this will find a favored spot in car consoles and CD changers across the nation. To pick up this album is to get a more complete understanding of the movie, as the extended versions of some of the tracks in the movie really give more context. This album is a perfect purchase for Brooks fans, as well as anyone who liked the original or remake movies. If individuals are in a hurry, all that listeners need to do to get a great idea of the movie is to listen to “Betrayed” and take notes.
Top Tracks: Springtime For Hitler, Pt 1, Heil Myself

Rating: 7.4/10

OST: The Producers / 2005 Sony Classical / 23 Tracks / http://www.theproducersmovie.com / http://www.sonybmgmasterworks.com / Reviewed 26 February 2006

[JMcQ]

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