Various Artists: Late Night Tales; At the Movies (101/Southbound)

On paper the idea of a collection of movie themes segueing seamlessly into each other is undeniably appealing: you can imagine what a film noir compilation might sound like, same with westerns, horror, thriller and so on.

But this catch-all -- a whopping 39 snippets, which averages about two minutes a slice -- moves from the sublime to the cor-blimey!

It's an odd collection that shifts from the chipper March of the Siamese Children (from the King and I) into Barber's Adagio for Strings (from Platoon with Charlie Sheen's voice-over). The next segue to the theme from The Deerhunter makes thematic sense but then you are into those strange signals from Close Encounters and on to Ennio Morricone's lovely Deborah's Theme from Once Upon a Time in America before John Barry's dramatic On Her Majesty's Secret Service -- and then it is Martin Sheen with "Saigon, I'm still only in Saigon . . ." over the top of Philip Glass' Powaqqatsi before Chance the gardener steps out onto the mean streets to the sound of Deodata . . .

This isn't without interest - but probably makes a better parlour game or pub quiz.