la femme NIKITA MUSIC FROM THE TELEVISION SERIES Producer: Patricia Joseph

A review of the soundtrack released on June 16, 1998
By: Carlotta de Bois-Guilbert

Disappointment is an unpleasant feeling, especially when it comes at the culmination of a long-nurtured anticipation of something. When the track listing of the "La Femme Nikita" soundtrack was released by TVT Records in early June, I began to feel the sting. Missing were almost all of the songs that had served as the backbone of LFN's fabulous soundtrack, and in there place was a surplus of the super-obscure, dance-club tunes that often pop up on the show.

After listening to the album tonight, my disappointment has only increased.

While the techno-themed songs serve as killer highlights for the show's action sequences, they come across as noisy and annoying on the soundtrack, especially since they take up nearly two-thirds of the tracks.

The few recognizable pieces: the ever popular theme by Mark Snow, the classic "Beyond the Invisible" by Enigma (from the supreme 'Rescue' teaser), the bittersweet anthem "The Love Thieves" by Depeche Mode ('Mercy' & 'Hard Landing'), and "Hanging On a Curtain" by Morphine (the 'Missing' tag); are really the only songs on the album that evoke the essence of the show.

In fact, sadly, the most noteworthy thing about the soundtrack is what it lacks:

• "Jersey Girl" performed by Holly Cole (the dance scene in 'Charity')
• "Blood Red" by Rose Chronicles (the 'Nikita' tag)
• "Hey Man Nice Shot" by Filter ('Love')
• "Still Waiting" by Big Sugar (the Nikita/Michael dance scene in 'Love')
• "Standing Around Crying" also by Big Sugar (the infamous strip tease in 'Love')
• "Evidence" by Tara MacLean (Nikita working out while talking to Carla in 'Escape')
• "Cun Lacoudhir" by Rhea's Obsession (Michael/Nikita kissing in 'Escape')
• "No. 1 Crush" by Garbage (Michael and Nikita at the wedding in the 'Obsessed' teaser)
• "Do What You Have To Do" by Sarah McLachlan (the bar rendezvous in 'New Regime'), et cetera.

These were the songs that played during the pivotal moments of the series. A few of the peppy techno tracks would have been perfect, serving to highlight the adrenaline of the show, as usual, while presenting a wonderful contrast to the more soulful, involved tracks. But as is, they simply overwhelm and deaden the album.

Hopefully, though, as with the "Titanic" and "Romeo and Juliet" soundtracks, there will be a sequel sometime soon - one that will include all of the appallingly absent tracks, and maybe even a few clips of Sean Callery's excellent scoring for the series, like the touching, distorted, fan-dubbed 'M and N Theme.'

Should you buy it? If you're a fan, someone who loves the show, tapes every episode, knows everything there is to know about the series' history, stars and crew, worships the cast, are a member of most of the mailing lists, join in all of the chats, and are hungrily awaiting the convention in Toronto this fall, then definitely.

If you're more of a casual fan, who enjoys the show, but doesn't obsess over it, then you're probably not going to need the soundtrack, that is, unless what is on the album especially appeals to you.

And if you're totally into all of the techno, more power to you, and I hope that you do enjoy the soundtrack, but for many of us, "La Femme Nikita" is about the relationships between the characters, the survival of the human spirit, and the consideration of if 'the ends really do justify the means,' which the soundtrack, in this disappointed fan's most humble opinion, fails to portray.

Buy the Official Soundtrack Album from Amazon.com.