American Beauty [Original Score] (CD - 2000)

AMERICAN BEAUTY won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

AMERICAN BEAUTY was nominated for the 1999 Academy Awards For Best Original Score.

Composer: Thomas Newman.

Personnel: Thomas Newman (saz, piano); George Doering (steel guitar, mandola); Rick Cox (banjolele, tin whistle); Bill Bernstein (mandolin); Bruce Dukov (violin); Steve Tavaglione (flute, EWI); Steve Kujala (flute); George Budd (bass flute); Michael Fisher (snare drum, tabla).

Shortly after the release of the American Beauty soundtrack -- which featured tantalizing excerpts from Thomas Newman's music bookending a collection of pop songs -- came the release of the full score. From the film's haunting main theme and "Any Other Name" to the witty, percussive "Dead Already," "Choking the Bishop," and "Mr. Smarty Man," Newman's score evokes as much feeling and humor as the film itself does. Even more so than the first volume of the soundtrack, the score from American Beauty is a necessity for the movie's fans. ~ Heather Phares minimize