Two movies being released today exist primarily as showcases for the music within them. The directors of both Songcatcher and Vengo freely admit the music came first, the stories on which to hang them, second. The result is two films with great beats -- and you could dance to them -- but cliched and melodramatic narratives.

The American film Songcatcher was born of director Maggie Greenwald's desire to bring the traditional folk ballads kept alive by Appalachian mountain people to a broader audience. The earthy music is lovely and the soundtrack, which includes Rosanne Cash, Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch, would be a worthy addition to any CD collection. There's even a major musical discovery: 13-year-old opera-trained New York actress Emmy Rossum, who co-stars as backwoods orphan Deladis. It is Deladis' thrilling voice that is the catalyst for the emotional and professional journey of the title character, musicologist Lily Penleric, a song "catcher" or collector.
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