The Producers

Track Listing

01 - Overture (0:46)

02 - Opening Night (1:46)

03 - We Can Do It (3:58)

04 - I Wanna Be A Producer (6:15)

05 - Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop (1:58)

06 - Keep It Gay (5:51)

07 - When You Got It, Flaunt It (3:10)

08 - Along Came Bialy (3:52)

09 - That Face (4:16)

10 - Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band? (1:20)

11 - You Never Say Good Luck on Opening Night (1:34)

12 - Springtime for Hitler - Part I (3:41)

13 - Heil Myself (0:53)

14 - Springtime for Hitler - Part II (3:00)

15 - You'll Find Your Happiness In Rio (1:11)

16 - Betrayed (4:27)

17 - Til Him (3:10)

18 - Prisoners of Love (Broadway) (2:17)

19 - Prisoners of Love (Leo and Max) (1:27)

20 - There's Nothing Like a Show On Broadway (3:42)

21 - The Hop-Clop Goes On (3:35)

22 - Goodbye! (0:36)

23 - The King of Broadway (Bonus Track) (4:39)

Dance and Incidental Music Arranged by Glen Kelly

Orchestrated by Doug Besterman and Larry Blank

Produced by Mel Brooks and Doug Besterman

Released by Sony Classical Records on November 22, 2005

Total Running Time: 67:28

I'll readily admit that I'm a sucker for a good musical. But what I term "good" can be so nebulous that I probably need to take a moment and explain how I go about deciding what a "good" musical is. For me, a good musical is one that combines songs that you immediately wished you knew, and combines wonderful underscore that uses the melodies from the songs as thematic material. This tends to make the score itself cohesive and memorable, and I always love to hear melodies twisted around thematically (though to be fair, it is unusual for a musical album to have actual underscore presented on it). This may restrict my appreciation to the siller, rompier side of the theatre, but that doesn't bother me in the slightest. Thus, without further ado, I present to you the filmed version of the hit Broadway show, The Producers.

I have again found my latest addiction. In addition to having quite a bit of humor conveyed through the songs, it has this over-the-top, big band style to the music that I just can't seem to get enough of. But the real kicker is that it actually got me excited to see the film. Any soundtrack album that can get me ready for what I am about to see onscreen is the mark of a true success, and that was the case here. Surprisingly, Mel Brooks himself composed the music for the score. Yet "composed" doesn't really encompass the idea of how Brooks, who is not musically trained, actually pulled it off. He hummed his ideas for the music into a tape recorder and then had Glen Kelly do the actual orchestral composition. So while Brooks isn't a "composer" in the traditional sense, credit still must be given to this talented man for not only having been the director who gave us such classics as Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and The History of the World Part 1, but who also successfully updated a rather benign film offering from his early days and imbued it with a catchy musical score.

Every now and again, I will receive a CD that I will spin to death, and at this moment that CD would be The Producers. It's such a fun romp and turning it up loud as I drive through traffic has the effect of calming down my inner road-rage demons. And with repeated listens, I pick up on even more nuances that make me appreciate it even more. From the opening refrains of "Opening Night" to the closing bonus cue of "The King of Broadway" (a moment sadly missing from the theatrical cut of the film), the album never fails to entertain me, or to at least elicit a knowing smile. Still, I would be remiss to note that not all is of an excellent nature. I tend to skip over such lighter cues as "When You Got It, Flaunt It" and "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?" (even "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" is less annoying than the latter). The comedy being attempted in these cues is not as sophisticated as what can be found elsewhere, and it just strikes me as trying too hard sometimes. And that is to say nothing of what you think about Will Ferrell singing with an atrocious German accent (though to be fair, the accent was supposed to be horrible).

The film soundtrack is not the only version available however. The Broadway cast album is still on store shelves as well. There are some interesting differences in the performances and the show as a whole seems more drawn out than the film. I like the tighter feel of the film version, but the Broadway show does have its moments. The orchestra is noticeably smaller, but the energy is still enough to help it compete with the newer version, even if the performances are slower. This is probably where I’d recommend the film version over the stage as everything is running at a more frantic pace with the newer album, and I enjoy it more. At the same time, lyrics are more easily understood on the Broadway album, in part given to its slower pacing, and also due to the fact that the actors, having to play to an entire house instead of just a movie screen, noticeably enunciate the lyrics.

For those who love good musical scores as I do, The Producers is highly recommended in whichever version you decide to go with. Either way, I’m sure you’ll find yourself amused throughout.

Reviewed on February 7, 2006