I didn't and, truthfully still don't, appreciate the music which seems to date the movie to its era
To each his own, Vlad
, but I have to agree with Nicky. In fact, whenever I play the movies soundtrack CD, I always end up playing the NoDS tracks (and the ones from HoDS that are also included in NoDS) more than I do the cuts that are strictly used in HoDS. I love all the different versions of the Main Title and how they can evoke a feeling of romance or melancholy depending on the instruments used, but I absolutely love Nightmare In The Past, Gerard's Attack, Carlotta's Revelation, Angelique's Assault, and Searching For Carlotta. I think the string arrangements in all the pieces that employ them really ratchet up the tension, but I particularly like what Cobert did with the string arrangements in the pieces I've cited and how he often juxtaposed the strings with a xylophone arrangement, sometimes also using echo and reverb. I honestly feel that the NoDS music greatly enhances the film and I can't even begin to imagine any other music playing over any of the scenes. IMOA
I thought James Storm was very good.
If the script is any indication, what's unfortunate is that Storm's best scenes all seem to have ended up on the cutting room floor after the marathon hachet job MGM imposed on Curtis.
But hopefully one day...