So...anybody go see Kubrick's last film yet? I did, and I loved it.  Still
disturbed the next day, I am (even Cruise was good--no, really!!!).  But
I'll restrict my comments to the music.

There is not very much music, but it is used carefully and elegantly, as
you'd expect.  I could not identify the piece in the first scene, perhaps
someone could help.  There is a later scene, in a coffee shop, where I
believe Mozart's Requiem was playing, rather odd for a Christmas scene I
thought.  [I understand a Shostakovich waltz is used, but I haven't been
able to find out which one, or even if this is true.  -Dave]

I'm most interested in the original music, though.  By the end of the 2.5
hours plus I had to go to the bathroom so badly I couldn't wait to see the
credits, so to my shame (which grew from relief) I can't even say who
composed it.  There were really 2 striking musical ideas.

The first is the strange ritual music of electronic organ (or something!)
that acts as a theme, and adds chanted voices during the long middle scene.
Eerie, strange, dark, confusing.  Supposed to be, though.  Adds well to the
atmosphere.

The second, and most interesting development, is the 2-note theme that
permeates the movie.  It's just a little 2-note piano theme, it gets a
little more complicated a few times, but mostly lays there, bare, echoing.
During the most intense parts it pares itself down to one note, repeated,
louder, louder, stringent, ever so slightly faster, until the one note is
banged on the piano to where you can almost hear the other strings
resonating.  Very very very effective.  And elegant, as you'd expect from
Mr. Kubrick.

I will be interested to hear others' impressions of the music.  Go see this
film--it is not for the squeamish or prude, though.

Bob K.