Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (soundtrack)

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Film score by
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil
Released5 December 2006
StudioTeldex Studio, Berlin
GenreFilm score
Length69:56
Label
Producer
Tom Tykwer chronology
Paris, je t'aime
(2006) 		Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
(2006) 		The International
(2009)
Johnny Klimek chronology
Paris, je t'aime
(2006) 		Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
(2006) 		John from Cincinnati
(2007)
Reinhold Heil chronology
Paris, je t'aime
(2006) 		Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
(2006) 		John from Cincinnati
(2007)

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2006 film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer released through EMI Classics and Angel Records on 5 December 2006. The album featured the original score composed by the film's director Tom Tykwer and his collaborators Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil.

Background

As with all of Tykwer's films since 1997's Winter Sleepers, the musical score for Perfume was composed by Tykwer and two friends, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil. The score was performed by the Berlin Philharmonic and State choir Latvija, under the direction of conductor Simon Rattle.[1] Tykwer began composing the score with Klimek and Heil the same day he started working on the screenplay.[2] Tykwer said, "I feel like I understand very much about the structure and the motivations of the characters when I'm writing the script, but I really do understand the atmosphere and the emotional and the more abstract part of the film when I'm investigating the music, and when I'm planning the music for it. ... When I then come to the shooting, having worked for three years on the music and three years on the script, I really feel like I know exactly the two worlds and how to combine them."[2] By the time shooting the film began, a substantial portion of music had been composed. Tykwer hired a small orchestra and recorded them performing the score. Tykwer played the recorded music on set so people could explore the atmosphere and the acoustic world of the film while they were acting in it.[3] The music was also used instead of temp music during editing.[4]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Prologue – The Highest Point"1:51
2."Streets of Paris"3:11
3."The Girl with the Plums"5:27
4."Grenouille's Childhood"5:16
5."Distilling Roses"1:52
6."The 13th Essence"2:29
7."Lost Love"1:45
8."Moorish Scents"5:15
9."Meeting Laura"4:14
10."The Method Works!"3:32
11."Grasse in Panic"5:33
12."Richis's Escape"4:30
13."Laura's Murder"3:06
14."Awaiting Execution"3:06
15."The Perfume"5:32
16."The Crowd Embrace"3:04
17."Perfume – Distilled"7:12
18."Epilogue – Leaving Grasse"3:01
Total length:69:56

Reception

Blair Sanderson of AllMusic wrote "as a score that is meant to evoke the fleeting impressions of aromas and to paint the portrait of the perfumer Grenouille, the music is mysterious and haunting and has become quite popular with fans of the movie."[5] Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks wrote "In the end, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer might smell great if music had such capabilities, but beware an allergic reaction to its potency."[6]

Ophelia Appleby of Voices wrote "This challenging film offers an exciting narrative and complete sensory experience, it’s not a feel-good film, but it is a feel-many-things film that stands out as exceptional by means of its powerful and evocative soundtrack. You may not find it an ‘easy watch’ but it I guarantee it will captivate your senses. As usual, the Berlin Phill have delivered nothing but excellence."[7]

Matt Zoller Setiz of Slant Magazine wrote "the super-lush music—credited to Tykwer, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek—builds on a romantic/mystical melody that evokes John Williams’ Close Encounters [of the Third Kind] score (in particular, the cut titled “The Mountain”)."[8] Debi Moore of Dread Central called the music as "top-notch".[9]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
European Film Awards 1 December 2007 European Composer Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil Nominated [10]
[11]
German Film Awards 4 May 2007 Best Film Score Nominated [12]
[13]
International Film Music Critics Association 6 February 2007 Film Score of the Year Nominated [14]
[15]
Saturn Awards 10 May 2007 Best Score Nominated [16]
[17]
[18]

Personnel

References

  1. ^ "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Production Notes" (Press release). Pathé Distribution. Archived from the original (RTF) on 12 October 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  2. ^ a b Murray, Rebecca (November 2006). "Exclusive Interview with Filmmaker Tom Tykwer". About.org. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  3. ^ Cowie, Peter. "Sound Direction: Tom Tykwer". Dolby Laboratories. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  4. ^ Prokopy, Steve (2 January 2007). "Capone rubs Tom Tykwer down with animal fat and tries to extract his Perfume!!!". Ain't It Cool News. Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  5. ^ Sanderson, Blair. "Review: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  6. ^ Clemmensen, Christian (18 May 2023). "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Tom Tykwer/Johnny Klimek/Reinhold Heil)". Filmtracks. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  7. ^ Appleby, Ophelia (7 February 2021). "Reviewing the Soundtrack - 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer'". Voices. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  8. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (23 January 2007). "Killer Art: Tom Tykwer's Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  9. ^ Moore, Debi (14 January 2007). "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)". Dread Central. Archived from the original on 20 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  10. ^ "European Film Awards 2007: The Nominations". European Film Academy. 2007. Archived from the original on September 4, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  11. ^ "European Film Awards 2007: The Winners". European Film Academy. 2007. Archived from the original on September 13, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  12. ^ "Preisträger 2007" (in German). Deutsche Filmakademie. 2007. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  13. ^ "Nominierungen 2007" (in German). Deutsche Filmakademie. 2007. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  14. ^ IFMCA (2007). "2006 IFMCA Awards". IFMCA. Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  15. ^ Carlsson, Mikael (6 February 2007). "Zimmer nominated to six IFMCA awards". Film Music Weekly. Mark Northam. p. 4. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  16. ^ "The 33rd Annual Saturn Awards Nominations". Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  17. ^ "Superman Returns Leads the 33rd Annual Saturn Awards with 10 Nominations". Movieweb. 21 February 2007. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  18. ^ "'Superman' tops Saturns". Variety. 10 May 2007. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
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