Music Review: Kiss of the Spider Woman Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Kiss of the Spider Woman Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Lakeshore Records and Center Stage Records).

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The soundtrack for Kiss of the Spider Woman, released just a week before the film in the States by Lakeshore Records, is a compelling and polished homage to the legacy of John Kander and Fred Ebb, the iconic duo behind musicals like Cabaret and Chicago. The recording balances the gritty realism and fantastical allure of the story with a score that feels both timeless and refreshed.

This album, tied to Bill Condon’s film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, features original compositions by composer and pianist Sam Davis, writing underscores for the movie’s dialogue and marking his film scoring debut after collaborating with Condon as the dance music arranger for Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast (2017).

It adds subtle orchestral depth, complementing Kander and Ebb’s signature style – marked by sharp, evocative lyrics and melodies that blend jazz, pop and theatrical flourish – while carving out its own place within their celebrated oeuvre.

Much like in Fosse’s movie version of Cabaret, where the book songs had been cut for realism, leaving only the numbers set on the stage of the cabaret, all the songs set in the prison seem to have been cut from this movie, sadly leaving out two of the best tracks in the score, ‘Dressing Them Up’, sung by Molina to Valentin, and ‘The Day After That’, performed by the cast of prisoners, later recorded by Liza Minnelli as an AIDS activist anthem.

This will no doubt make the movie more palatable for musical-averse audiences, but for consolation we get three songs cut before the show premiered in Toronto, London and Broadway. These songs were performed at the very first tryout version of the musical at New York’s SUNY Purchase in 1990 and have been reinserted because they are part of fantasy sequences: ‘Never You’, a solo for Aurora, emphasising longing and fantasy, revived with Ebb’s original lyrics and new orchestration; ‘An Everyday Man’, tied to Valentin and focusing on resilience, restored to enhance the film’s emotional depth; and ‘I Will Dance Alone’, a reflective piece for Aurora, highlighting isolation, brought back to underscore her inner world.

Jennifer Lopez, as Aurora and the Spider Woman, delivers a strong vocal performance that carries the album, capturing the character’s blend of vulnerability and strength in a way that fits comfortably alongside the legacy of Broadway icons like Chita Rivera, who originated the role with commanding intensity in 1992, and Vanessa Williams, who brought a refined elegance to the part. Lopez’s take feels modern yet respectful of the role’s history, offering a fresh interpretation that holds its own without overshadowing her predecessors.

Standout tracks include the title song, a haunting centerpiece that weaves seduction and danger, with Lopez’s rendition adding a polished sheen to Rivera’s original ferocity through its intense and cinematic delivery.

In the showstopping ‘Where You Are’ the orchestrations have been lushly enhanced, showing off the difference between a Broadway and a Hollywood orchestra of the Golden Age. In ‘I Do Miracles’ Lopez brings emotional clarity to the melody, creating a moment of genuine connection that echoes the intimate longing found in Kander and Ebb’s quieter numbers, like Cabaret’s ‘Maybe This Time’. The title song, on the other hand, showcases her vocal range in a spirited performance that captures the song’s defiant energy.

The cast adds depth to the ensemble, with Tonatiuh, as Luis Molina, bringing soulful sincerity to ‘She’s a Woman’, grounding the album’s more fantastical elements with a relatable edge, while Diego Luna’s Valentin complements Lopez in their shared numbers, his understated baritone lending weight to the story’s emotional core.

The returned cut songs blend seamlessly with the classic score, offering fresh perspectives while staying true to Ebb’s lyrical wit and Kander’s melodic craft, and the spectacular overture, heard for the very first time, and ensemble pieces, like ‘Gimme Love’, maintain the vibrant energy that fans of  the songwriters’ work will recognise from the brassy exuberance of Chicago or the sultry edge of Cabaret.

This soundtrack, expanding the Broadway sound, stands as a worthy take on Kander and Ebb, echoing the political and emotional resonance of their earlier works, although this one is distinctively marked with Latin flavour. This is all achieved while embracing the cinematic scope of the film as a cohesive and engaging listen that captures the story’s themes of resilience and imagination while paying tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals. It is a rewarding experience for both fans of the musical and newcomers. The album is testament to the enduring power of Kander and Ebb’s storytelling, with Lopez and her co-stars delivering performances that honour the original while adding their own distinct voices.

Patrick Honoré