Customer Rating: 
Summary: Great Music - Great Bargain
Comment: If you enjoy the music of Henry Mancini and appreciate a good bargain, then this album's for you. I spent several years (when I was in high school - before the practical existence of the Internet as we know it today) searching for the soundtrack to one of my favorite films, CHARADE. When I finally DID discover it, it was available in two formats - alone on its own album or as part of the "Mancini Soundtracks Collection" on an album along with the complete soundtrack to EXPERIMENT IN TERROR, which I've actually never seen. The latter was considerably less expensive, so I naturally purchased that one and was extremely pleased. I feared low quality or missing tracks due to its low price, but my fears were completely unfounded. It sounds wonderful and appears to feature the complete soundtracks to both films.I've long loved the soundtrack to CHARADE. Like the film, it's funny, romantic, and suspenseful. The title track is beautifully wistful, echoed by its instrumental versions throughout the score as well as other tracks, like "Bateau Mouche." These slightly somber tunes are balanced by livelier numbers like "Bistro," "Mambo Parisienne," and "Orange Tamoure," among others.
Having never seen EXPERIMENT IN TERROR, I didn't know quite what to expect from its soundtrack. I expected it to be pretty dark, but found that it definitely has its fair share of traditionally upbeat Mancini numbers like "Flutter's Ball," "Tooty Twist," and "Golden Gate Twist" and more comical numbers like "The Good Old Days" and "Down By The Wharf."
Overall, this is definitely a great buy for Henry Mancini lovers and likely anyone else who enjoys film music from the 1960s. Add to that it's appealing price sticker and you have an unbeatable combination.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great 1-2 punch!
Comment: This CD combines the complete soundtracks of 2 of Mancini's best scores from the early '60's. Both have been available singly on CD, but this is truly a bargain and a treat for the Mancini fan (especially the long-unavailable "Experiment in Terror" tracks, some of which popped up on the collection "Mancini plays Mancini"). Listen to each collection, and hear how marvelous he was at conveying a mood for 2 totally different pictures - "Charade" is romantic, while "Terror" is just what the title implies. Very good, and not dated in the least. Enjoy!
