Whither Runaway?

Mail Bag Response by Lukas Kendall

Here's a letter I just got... I mean literally a minute ago. After it is my response:

From: Christopher Moore <brainchild_cam@hotmail.com>

I write to you as this is just one of many attempts to try to rationalize a frustration. You've recieved a significant amount of letters of disgust concerning why some scores aren't available to the public, and you've thankfully provided many reasons why.

I write to you in the hopes that you can once again help to explain one of the great mysteries of soundtrack collection. Bear in mind, I do understand this question may have been posed somewhere else, and you may have answered this question (these questions) before.

Yes, it's about that infernal and extremely hard to find soundtrack for Runaway by Goldsmith. I have written repeatedly to Varese Sarabande requesting, borderline demanding a re-issue. They appear to not have any plans to re-issue that soundtrack. My question is why? Why can't or won't they re-release it? They've done so with Videodrome, another seemingly insignificant Technothriller score? It seems hypocritical that one similar score would be re-issued and not another.

Taking into account there are dozens or more signicant amounts of variables that press upon the release of soundtrack, I recognize that Sarabande may not have the ability to release Runaway again- well, if they aren't, then let's find out who holds the release rights. Let's see if some other company- Intrada, perhaps- would reissue this soundtrack. Why is nothing being done about this? I feel as though I'm committed to an exercise in futility.

I think it's a ridiculous situation that, in order to get this soundtrack, one literally must pay $100 or more to get it used! And in auction, where your chances are slim at best! If many people want this score as badly as I do, there should be no reason why we cannot obtain it. I realize this letter simply borders if not plummets into fanatical; I don't plan to go postal about it- but I do strongly believe something needs to be done. I'd like to see a change affected in this matter. To that end, I simply voice my concern.

Point of order: what are the dynamics of keeping Runaway from reissue? That's all I'd like to know. Maybe therein, I can find a solution to my problems.

I appreciate your attention to this letter, and apologize for it's length. I am adamant about this issue, as I'm sure you've come to expect of many fans.

Here's the short answer: I don't know. It's possible that Varese licensed the soundtrack from Tri-Star Pictures for a specific period of time, and not perpetuity. If this is the case, then Tri-Star (i.e. Sony) has the rights and it would be up to any label to work out a deal for a reissue. Sometimes reissues like that happen, sometimes not -- it's too bad that a handful of collectors are having a hard time finding Runaway, but even for our Silver Age Classics releases we need to move several hundred to pay for manufacturing costs alone. Runaway is not the best Goldsmith title (although I like it a lot -- very cool, abrasive sounding all-electronic score) and it has been out, so the market for it is slim.

Because it's midnight right now I can't ask Varese, but I would suspect that their license did in fact expire. I know that something like the rights to the Ewoks TV movie scores (which Varese issued on vinyl) have reverted to Lucasfilm, which is why Varese has not done a CD of that to cash in on Star Wars mania. But, Varese has other things in perpetuity. It all depends on the deal worked out at the time of the album's original release, and the length of the term will depend on the climate of the time, the people making the deal, and all sorts of other factors.

Thanks for your letter and I hope you find the CD without too much extra effort. My two favorite tracks are the bullet chase through the alleyway and the chase on the highway with those tiny seeker cars. Goldsmith's son Joel (now an accomplished composer on his own) did the synth programming for the recording.

MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com