Les 1001 nuits

In 1990, Philippe de Broca (That Man From Rio, King of Hearts) directed the French-Italian fantasy film Les 1001 Nuits (1001 Nights). He adapted certain tales of The Thousand and One Nights and added new elements in keeping with his time.

It tells the story of the Sultan's wife Sheherazade (Catherine Zeta-Jones ) which is required to recount one tale each day so as to preserve her own life. Through her journey she meets all the great heroes like Sinbad (Vittorio Gassman), King Shahriar (Thierry Lhermitte), Aladdin (Stéphane Freiss) and Jimmy Genious (Gérard Jugnot), a genie who moves back and forth through time, by means of a television screen and the renowned magic lamp.

Gabriel Yared composed a beautiful symphonic score - ample, generous and voluminous - filled with exhilarating themes and mysterious romance. He also integrated traditional Arabian instruments into the orchestra giving the score an exotic vibe and synthetic sounds for the farcical turn of the film.

Music Box Records is very proud to present this new expanded and remastered edition of the lush, sweeping and majestic score composed by Gabriel Yared. It contains the complete CD program of the very rare 1990 soundtrack album with more than 30 minutes of unreleased music, including some cues which were never used in the final cut. It also features a song especially co-composed with Gabriel Yared and Catherine Zeta-Jones for the original album and performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The CD comes with an 8-page booklet featuring liner notes by Nicolas Magenham who discusses the film and the score. The release is limited to 500 units.

Track listing

1. Les 1001 Nuits (générique) (2:05)
2. Ballade pour Jimmy (2:42)
3. Les jardins du Roi (0:52)
4. Déclaration de Sinbad (1:01)
5. Le harem (2:09)
6. La rencontre du Roi (2:21)
7. Le jeune marin (1:54)
8. Flots bleus (1:47)
9. Poursuite dans Bagdad** (1:21)
10. La capture d'Aladin*† (1:51)
11. La chambre royale (3:07)
12. À la rescousse*† (1:28)
13. Le désert*† (3:14)
14. La tempête*† (1:41)
15. La cage dorée* (2:00)
16. L'avion* (2:14)
17. La taverne** (2:15)
18. Shéhérazade et Sinbad prennent le large* (1:24)
19. Aladin amoureux (1:48)
20. Le navire* (1:21)
21. La sirène** (2:12)
22. L'histoire continue ainsi (1:57)
23. L'arrestation** (1:17)
24. Le retour du Roi / Les 1001 Nuits† (2:26)
25. Shéhérazade (4:04)

performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones
26. Le Roi acrobate (2:09)
27. Le tango du cheval (2:18)
28. Le manège (1:26)
29. Les 1001 Nuits - Répétition d'orchestre* (9:22)