I'm looking for some very good to excellent soundtracks from Chinese films. I already have the following ones:
Klaus Badelt - The Promise Qigang Chen - Coming Home Qigang Chen - The Flowers of War Alexandre Desplat - Lust, Caution Tan Dun - The Banquet Tan Dun - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Tan Dun - Hero James Horner - Wolf Totem (Le dernier loup) Javier Navarrete - Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal Basil Poledouris - The Touch Conrad Pope - Pavilion of Women Rachel Portman - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Shigeru Umebayashi - Curse of the Golden Flower Shigeru Umebayashi - House of the Flying Daggers Christopher Young - The Monkey King Christopher Young - The Monkey King 2
Zhao Jiping has scored most of Director Zhang Yimou's films:
I am a big fan of his score to:
LIFETIMES (AKA To Live)
I also really enjoy composer Raymond Wong's scores to:
Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle
Chan Kwong Wing also score the Infernal Affairs Trilogy - my favorite of the 3 films is Infernal Affairs 2.
Composer Roc Chen has also scored some really great stuff. I absolutely love his work on the Red Sorghum TV series - and his work on the Bite of China series. A lot of his albums are available on Spotify. Most of his physical albums are a bit tough to come by.
I second Zhao Jiping! You should seek out Chinese films by actual Chinese composers rather than Chinese films scored by "foreigners", like most of the titles in the first post. Even though China often employs Japanese composers, or - on occasion - American ones. Beyond Tan Dun, that is (probably the Chinese composer with the most crossover appeal and fame in the West right now).
Some other good ones are POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS (Wang Xiaofeng), AERIAL CHINA (Bei Wang) or scores in Wong Kar Wai movies - at least the early ones before he used more composers from abroad.
Also, do you count Hong Kong? It's its own film industry, really, separate from the Chinese, but it also has some good ones. Like most of Joseph Koo's stuff.
Zhao Jiping has scored most of Director Zhang Yimou's films:
I am a big fan of his score to:
LIFETIMES (AKA To Live)
I also really enjoy composer Raymond Wong's scores to:
Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle
Chan Kwong Wing also score the Infernal Affairs Trilogy - my favorite of the 3 films is Infernal Affairs 2.
Composer Roc Chen has also scored some really great stuff. I absolutely love his work on the Red Sorghum TV series - and his work on the Bite of China series. A lot of his albums are available on Spotify. Most of his physical albums are a bit tough to come by.
Thanks a lot. I have totally forgotten to mention Zhao Jiping and Raymond Wong.
I'm especially interested in soundtracks officially released on CD.
I second Zhao Jiping! You should seek out Chinese films by actual Chinese composers rather than Chinese films scored by "foreigners", like most of the titles in the first post. Even though China often employs Japanese composers, or - on occasion - American ones. Beyond Tan Dun, that is (probably the Chinese composer with the most crossover appeal and fame in the West right now).
Some other good ones are POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS (Wang Xiaofeng), AERIAL CHINA (Bei Wang) or scores in Wong Kar Wai movies - at least the early ones before he used more composers from abroad.
Also, do you count Hong Kong? It's its own film industry, really, separate from the Chinese, but it also has some good ones. Like most of Joseph Koo's stuff.
Thank you very much for your recommendation.
I'm looking for soundtracks from mainland chinese films only (Hong Kong is really it's own distinctive world) and the ones officially released on CD.
almost everything by Henry Lai - his music for period movies resembles a cross of Zimmer's with that of Horner's. Three Kingdoms, Dragon Blade, Tale of three cities, 14 Blades, The Lost Bladesman, The Four.
