Entry 1007 - Hero

Style: Orchestral soundtrack

Primary Emotions/Themes: An epic tale that is destined for tragedy

Thoughts: I've tried to write the introduction to this summary at least a dozen times at this point. It's hard for me to truly put into words just how beautiful and striking this soundtrack is. Not only does it speak to me on a deep emotional level through its music, but having seen the movie the visual aspect is just as important in my recollection of this amazing piece of art as the music is.

Jet Li is an actor that I never truly took seriously. He would be a side kick or even the main actor in a movie. He would play the token Asian dude... or at least that was my perception of him... that was, before this... before Hero.

Hero is a different kind of movie. It is as much art as it is action, it is as much beauty as it is tragedy. Sacrifice, loyalty, and death are the main themes that the movie tackles. The music reflects this intimately. Every note played by the cello weeps across the strings. Every utterance of the choir steels the heart of the men and women of this movie as they prepare to give their life for a cause greater than themselves. The individual is not nearly as important as the greater goal, or the greater good.

Most of the soundtrack revolves around a singular melody. It's modulated through many instruments over the course of these two LP's, the primary of which is the cello. One of the most striking uses of the melody is when it is taken on by a female voice in Gone with Leaves. The gentle yet nearly distraught voice of a single female gently wails the notes of the melody as tanggu (Chinese drums) create the backing. Eventually a violin joins to act as a counter melody to the voice creating a nearly otherworldly experience by the end of the track. 

I can't recount how many times I've listened to this soundtrack between the record and the CD. This movie is one of the greatest that I have ever watched and I long to revisit it time and time again. Listening to it again now I long to revisit ancient China and hear the recounting of Nameless as he takes down the most powerful warriors in all of the land, only for a chance to get close to the Emperor.