Tarô Iwashiro’s rousing soundtrack to John Woo's epic Chinese adventure Red Cliff was the 'Winner of Best Original Film Score' at the 2009 Hong Kong Film Awards. The score is performed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and the film’s main themes feature the performance of Chinese J-Pop star alan. Iwashiro is an accomplished film composer and his previous scores include Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, Azumi and Memories Of Murder...

The soundtrack to Red Cliff will appeal to fans of classically composed scores. Composer Tarô Iwashiro weaves an impressive array of themes throughout this soundtrack.

Personal favourites for me include the tracks 'Decision for Justice', 'In Loneliness' and 'Beyond the River' (which also holds this soundtrack's most impressive theme).

'Red Cliff (End Roll Version) / Theme Song of Part I (Asia version)' and 'Red Cliff - River of No Return - (End Roll Version) / Theme Song)' are also interesting and certainly a lot more impressive than the majority of closing theme songs to most Hollywood movies.

This is certainly a score worth checking out.

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Darren Rea