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Editorial Reviews

The first James Bond soundtrack composed from beginning to end by John Barry, From Russia With Love set the pattern for the score of every movie that followed in the series -- except for the title song (sung by Matt Munro) which, in this particular instance, was the least impressive element of the soundtrack. In later releases, the producers would see the value of getting singers perceived as a little more on the cutting edge of popular music in one way or another, and they would gain some major hits as a result. However, in this case it was the instrumental music that was among the most startling and unusual ever heard in a film score up to that time, beginning with "007," a horn-driven piece with a driving beat. (New versions of "007" would end up in two of the next three Bond movies as well as several more that followed.) The other highlight of this flavorful soundtrack was "Girl Trouble," a suspense theme that played off the dynamics of a solo cello, strings, and horns in a relentless beat; this piece was so inspiring as action music that a big chunk of it was used as the opening and closing theme of a local news show in New York for decades. Everything on this album sounded special in one way or another -- whether the actual music or the dynamics and timbres involved -- and although it never yielded a hit single, From Russia With Love deservedly remained in print for decades on vinyl. [Note: As with most of the classic James Bond soundtracks, From Russia With Love is reportedly due for a major upgrade in sound and a repackaging sometime in 2001.] Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

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