Million Dollar Baby (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||||
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Film score by | ||||
Released | March 1, 2005 | |||
Recorded | 2004 | |||
Studio | Eastwood Scoring Stage, Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, California | |||
Genre | Film score | |||
Length | 62:22 | |||
Label | Varèse Sarabande | |||
Producer | Clint Eastwood | |||
Clint Eastwood chronology | ||||
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Million Dollar Baby (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also starred in the lead role alongside Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Besides acting, directing and producing, Eastwood also composed the film score. It was performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony and conducted by Lennie Niehaus. Varèse Sarabande released the score album on March 1, 2005.
Clint Eastwood composed the film score, in his sophomore film composition stint after Mystic River (2003). [1] The score was conducted by Lennie Niehaus, who had composed for most of Eastwood's films and is performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony. [2] The album was not issued during the film's release, until Varèse Sarabande distributed the soundtrack CDs on March 1, 2005, two days after the 77th Academy Awards, where the film received four awards including Best Picture. [3] According to Cate Doty, the album "could not benefit from an immediate sales increase driven by the film's nomination for best picture." [3]
Calling the score "quietly affecting as the film", AllMusic noted it to be "gentle and unobtrusive, but deeply cut with melancholy and despair" and noted on how Eastwood's work resembled John Carpenter, on not letting the visuals overwhelmed by the music. [4] Rafael Ruiz of Soundtrack.net , responded negatively as it noted the gradual decline of quality in Eastwood's music, noting the lack of development in the themes he composed. [5] Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote "Eastwood himself has provided a score notable for spare simplicity." [6] Paul Clinton of CNN wrote "The score—simple and unadorned—mirrors both the script and the direction." [7] Christopher Orr of The Atlantic called it a "haunting, minimalist piano score". [8]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Blue Morgan" (Opening Titles) | 0:40 |
2. | "It's Nice Viewing" | 0:57 |
3. | "Boxing Baby" | 2:25 |
4. | "Boxing Montage" | 2:44 |
5. | "Pick Up Money" | 0:57 |
6. | "Nice Working with You" | 1:37 |
7. | "The Letters" | 1:20 |
8. | "Blue Diner" | 3:35 |
9. | "Deep in Thought" | 1:53 |
10. | "Driving" | 1:38 |
11. | "Blue Bear" | 0:43 |
12. | "Frankie Horrified" | 1:07 |
13. | "They're Amateurs" | 1:16 |
14. | "May Have to Lose It" | 1:08 |
15. | "Maggie's Plea" | 2:56 |
16. | "Frankie's Dillema" | 1:09 |
17. | "Frankie's Decision" | 1:09 |
18. | "Lethal Dose" | 1:57 |
19. | "Frankie's Office" | 1:05 |
20. | "Blue Morgan" (End Credits) | 4:29 |
Total length: | 34:45 |
Credits adapted from liner notes: [9]
Awards | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
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Golden Globe Awards | January 16, 2005 | Best Original Score | Clint Eastwood | Nominated | [10] [11] [12] |
Grammy Awards | February 8, 2006 | Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media | Nominated | [13] [14] | |
San Diego Film Critics Society | December 21, 2004 | Best Score | Won | [15] |