Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good in parts., December 29, 2003
I am a Neil Diamond freak. I've bought his records and gone to his concerts ever since 1972.This CD compilation promised much. Great songs, Great conductor, Great singer. Regrettably the sum of the parts is less than it should be. The orchestra and arrangements are utterly sumptuous. Rich doesn't describe the sensual nature of the music that Bernstein coaxes from this ad-hoc orchestra. It took me some time to work out what was wrong (at least for me). What should be a tour-de-force simply failed to excite me. And the principal reason was the extremely ponderous, leaden and slow pace of Diamond's interpretations. His performance on this CD does not display the vocal skills and excitement that have kept him at the top for 35 years. The pace of the delivery is simply too slow. It gives time for all the flaws in Diamond's voice to come to the fore. I felt that I wanted to wind him up a bit. It is as though the batteries that power him have run flat. In fact the very best part of this album, for me, is the orchestral link between Unchained Melody and Can You Feel The Love Tonight. For some reason it brings me out in goosebumps! Ironically, the slow delivery gives the orchestra all the time in the world to display its skills. So, I was disappointed, but like any Diamond freak, I just had to add this CD set to my collection.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Diamond takes a great risk, November 7, 2000
Thirty four years ago Neil brings us "Solitarie man","Shilo" and an interminable list of great tunes.Now he takes a great risk recording an album with a collection of movie's favourites that perhaps makes some people shake their heads in disaproval.But he's still a powerfull singer and his voice preserves all its bright and tenderness,specially in themes like "Ebb tide","The windmills...","Moon river" and "Can't help fallin' in love".Diamond is a great showman and he takes his audience (specialy the femenine ones)to a very particular "nirvana".The Bernstein arranges are,in most of the cases,very pleasent ones.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Falling in Love Again......., October 31, 2002
As you can tell by my reviewer name, I am of the baby boomer generation. The Who, The Stones, The Beatles, and the Zep. I'll always have a place in my heart for them. And then there's Neil Diamond. His music was always familiar and comforting. His voice always happily recognizable, and his style unique.
On "The Movie Album", he gives us six decades of films most memorable songs. His still same comforting familiar voice combined with an 80 piece Orchestra, led by Elmer Bernstein, who knows a thing or two about movie music(Remeber "The Magnificent Seven")puts Diamond in a new class.In a switch from his regular upbeat soft rock, he dares to do new renditions of songs done magnifcently by The Beatles,Elton John,Doris Day,Elvis Presley, and even Sinatra.Just to mention a few,theres "As Time Goes By","My Heart Will Go On",and"The Way You Look Tonight".(For a Complete list of songs, see the buying info).He and the orchestra are wonderful together. He pays homage to all these greats. I am a big film fan(most of my reviews are DVDs), and these songs bring back some great memories.If you need something to put you, (or someone you know), "in the mood", or just want to hear Neil's great voice to some familiar tunes,to help get you through the humdrum of the day...This is it!
It is a two disc album, 20 songs in all, and comes with a booklet,with all the credits, pictures of the recording sessions,and a short letter from Neil Diamond.Sounds Great!
Years ago I had a crush on this legend, now that I'm older and wiser I KNOW it's Love!....Enjoy....Laurie
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
NEIL DIAMOND CD
CD arrived quickly in great condition. I would purchase from this vendor again. Rosemary
Published 11 months ago by R. Fellows
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Neil Diamond "As Time Goes By: The Movie Album
His voice is as gorgeous as always, but the tempo drags on nearly every song. Some things should just be left to Sinatra ...
Published 19 months ago by Beth Evans
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Worst Diamond album of all time.
It is close between "Up on the Roof" and this thing. "The Movie Album "just plain stinks. I sense Neil had this one forced on him by the record company.
Published 20 months ago by Davis H.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Rip-off
I'm not going to critique the music, that's totally subjective. I happen to like about 8 of the songs a lot and the others are so-so. Just my opinion, others will differ.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
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Neil Diamond's medley of past and present movie adagios in this great album are indeed very pleasant listening.
Published on February 22, 2006 by Wendy A. HARE
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5.0 out of 5 stars
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"I remember THAT song!" How often have I said that! Neil Diamond has always been a favorite of mine, and when my favorite singer performs my favorite songs...
Published on February 17, 2006 by B. A. Smith
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Great songs, great Diamond, but buyer beware anyway!
Apart from the abominations from "Titanic" and "The Lion King," these are great songs, and thank goodness Neil _doesn't_ sing them as if they were "Sweet Caroline" or "America.
Published on January 28, 2006 by Diogenes_in_VA
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1.0 out of 5 stars
real sleeper
I listened to portions of the songs ahead of time, thought I would like the CD. Don't listen to the CD while driving, it will put you to sleep.
Published on September 13, 2005 by Karen
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully sing-able
Perhaps I should not be commenting here, since I didn't get this album because I am a Neil Diamond fan.
Published on June 29, 2003 by Jack Yan
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1.0 out of 5 stars
I WANTED TO HANG MYSELF.......
.....for having bought this Neil Diamond As Time Goes By CD. If it had been an EXPENSIVE loss like a CAR.... I would have!
Published on March 24, 2003 by Mamzelle
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is Neil Diamond's 
