Charlie’s Angels is top movie soundtrack - SOUNDS FAMILIAR by Baby Gil

Tavares once more sings the ’70s biggie Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel but in this case, what is missing are three. Luscious angels Natalie, Alex and Dylan can at present be found soaring around in the box-office charts in the millennium reincarnations of the ’70s TV series Charlie’s Angels. Played by Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore, these angels bring back to life the characters once popularized by Kate Jackson, Jacqueline Smith and Farah Fawcett in the show which dominated TV viewing from 1976 to 1981.

Many things have remained the same. There are three angels who are all models of feminine pulchritude but can out-smart any man or several of them in an instant, either with a well-uttered barb or a deadly fist. Bosley, played here by Bill Murray is still arround to give them their assignments. Charlie, the real, if albeit disembodied boss talks out of the same box with a cherry "Good morning angels." The plot has the angels going after the kidnappers of a millionaire and could have been lifted out of an old episode.

But a lot of other things in the movie are new. These angels are more martial arts oriented with more kicks in their arsenals than their predecessors ever had. They are also fitter and stronger. Kate, Jackie, Farrah and later Cheryl seem like wilting magnolias compared to them. These girls too are more adept at role-playing and have the trendiest outfits ever. Lucy’s dark locks come close to Farrah’s, but it is very clear that these new angels can shave their heads and still bring on the audience.

But whether old or new, everything about the picture works. Not only has it dominated the box-office charts but the hit lists as well. Take note that aside from the easily recognizable theme, music was not really a strong point for Charlie’s Angels. Not anymore. the soundrack has produced a big selling single with Independent Women Part 1 which has been number one in Billboard’s Hot 100 for three weeks now by the top female trio Destiny’s Child.

like the movie, the perky and well-produced soundtrack is an enchanting blend of the old, hits from the 70’s and new tracks, hip hop with disco, new wave with power rock. Aside from Independent Women and the new version of the famous Charlie’s Angels Theme, by Apollo Four Forty, it also includes several others.

In the old category are: Haven Must Be Missing an Angel by Tavares; You Make Me Feel Like Dancing by Leo Sayer; True by Spandau Ballet; Angel’s Eye by Aerosmith; Barracuda by Heart; Turning Japanese by The Vapors; Got to Give It Up (Part 1) by Marvin Gaye; and Groove is in the Heart by Dee-Lite.

The new ones are Dot, another tune by Destiny’s Child; Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot; Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass; Ya Mama by Fatboy Slim; and Tangerine Speedo by Caviar.

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Since we are in a soundtrack mode, might as well also take the time to check out the second volume of the Dawson’s Creek soundtrack. The teen melodrama makes use of tunes like tearjerkers wear out boxes of tissue paper and found a ready market for a soundtrack last year. Here now is another one and it is made up of songs that were heard in the series or might hopefully be included in future episodes.

Falling in the latter category are those from Pinoy artists which the local Sony distributor chose to include in the collection. These are the top ballads Peak by the group Mojofly, Dangerous by a Madonna sounding Viktoria and I Will Win Your Love This Season by local dance diva G. Toengi.

The others are I Think I’m in Love With You by Jessica Simpson; Crazy for this Girl by Evan and Jaron; Respect by Train; I’m Gonna Make You Love Me by The Jayhawks; Givin’ Up on You by Lara Fabian; Superman by Five for Fighting; If I Am by Nine Days; Never Saw Blue Like That by Shawn Colvin; I Think God Can Explain by Splender; Teenage Dirtbag by Weatus; Broken Boy by Michal; Just Another by Pete Yorn; Show Me Heaven by Jessica Andrews; and a dreamy new version of the Monkees’ classic Daydream Believer by Mary Beth Maziarz.