FSM CD MB (MAILBAG)

We spend a lot of time covering all the other film music labels -- Varese Sarabande, Intrada, Screen Archives, Silva, GDI, Prometheus, Marco Polo, Percepto, Citadel, Aleph, Monstrous Movie Music --

But what about us? What about our needs? As a character in a bad movie would say, When is it my turn?

We feel that it's high time we salute ourselves, and that's where you come in. By printing your letters praising our recent CDs (a little hint -- writing us a letter telling us how great we are is a surefire way to get published), we allow your voices to be heard in a public forum, and allow our columnists (namely me) to slack off in a hopelessly unproductive and extremely satisfying manner. Enjoy!

From: "Mark Dillon"< dq405@freenet.carleton.ca>

Having learned that FSM now offers Goldsmith's LOGANS RUN, all I can say is --

Thank you!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

-- with all the power of my lungs and gratitude.

Thank you!

Hi Lukas, Just wanted to drop a line and express deep heartfelt appreciation to FSM for taking the time for releasing a Jerry Goldsmith classic the way god had intended! Complete and in sequence as it was heard in the film! Logan's Run is no exception!

As a 13 year old kid I had the privilege to view LOGAN'S RUN in 70MM stereo and on a big screen before the local theatre got shoeboxed! To this day the experience is fresh in my mind with the state-of-the-art visual flyby of the dome and the opening theme surrounding me in full strength in 6 track theatre stereo! My surround sound system does the CD justice as I cranked the volume and immersed myself in the center of the room!

Although I took a liking to soundtrack music when I was younger to the music of Barry Gray and the Gerry Anderson shows, LOGAN'S RUN was my very first score that got me hooked on soundtracks to the point where I managed to sneak a bulky cassette recorder into the theatre as a kid and tape excerpts of the soundtrack. This held me over until my mother gave me the LP for my birthday and the tape finally wore out from excessive tape wrapups and warping. What better way to begin taking an interest in soundtracks; LOGAN'S RUN by Jerry Goldsmith! The rest is history, and I have the Maestro Mr. Goldsmith to thank for my soundtrack enthusiasm, strong to this day!

I appreciated all the insight FSM provided with the CD liner notes; quite an interesting background provided behind the production of this memorable film score! I am most grateful to all of you at Film Score Monthly for making LOGAN'S RUN a reality with a definitive, completed edition!

And on that note, a friend and I had been praying for an Omega Man release, and FSM answered that prayer!! Another oustanding achievement and truly a classic by the late great Ron Grainer!

Every good wish and keep up the good work!!!

Just to say a big thankyou for the Logan's Run CD which arrived here in England this morning, only a week after shipping was announced. By coincidence I watched this on video a couple of days before the re-issue was advertised and I remember thinking there was enough music worthy of an expanded album. Although I've always enjoyed seeing this film (especially in 1976 when I had a huge adolescent crush on Ms. Agutter - even though she seems to slip in and out of an American accent throughout) - I always felt there was a better film trying to come out. The deleted scenes (Francis' first termination of a runner, the ice-sculpture of Logan and Jessica etc.) are tantalizing - I wonder if they exist and will ever see the light of day? The sound and packaging of the disc are amazing - thanks again for a great release of vintage Goldsmith that only took 26 years of waiting!

From: Alex_Von_Hauffe@dot.ca.gov

Bravo on the Logan's Run item. Made me buy it right away!

Here's a note to say how much I enjoyed your Logan's Run CD. Back in the 1970s, Logan's Run was the first soundtrack album I ever bought. In those days I didn't know the composer's name, but I remember watching the Oscars and being very upset that the genius who scored Logan's Run was being ignored while everyone was making such a fuss over the idiot who scored The Omen (I wonder whatever happened to that no-talent hack). Of course, I hadn't even seen The Omen because it was R rated. It's a good thing that your readers aren't so vocal with ignorant opinions like that nowadays. (Regarding that Oscar broadcast: when they performed "Ave Satani" as one of the best song nominees, that had a group of people singing and dancing in praise of Satan. I wonder if a national broadcast could get away with that today without a ton of controversy?) Anyway, I always put off repurchasing Logan's Run on CD in the hope that there would someday be an expanded edition released. I bet I was the first person to order yours because I just happened to be surfin' the net during the wee a.m. hours just after you posted the new day's page.

There are a couple of additions that I'd like to suggest for your liner notes. I may be wrong, but I believe there is also an Outside World theme. "The Sun" consists of a big, majestic statement of it; then a quiet statement of it; then another big statement of it with an almost religious quality; another quiet statement of it; then the Love theme; then the City theme. In "The Monument" there is a playful version of it as Logan and Jessica find water and start swimming. I think Goldsmith also took a phrase out of the middle of the Love theme and developed it into what I like to call the Freedom theme. Linking the Love theme and the Freedom theme in this way suggests that it is the power of love that redeems the world. It first appears in "The Dome" - a beautifully compact overture the portrays both the repressive nature of the City and the liberation from it. The other appearances are during "The Monument" as we appraoch the Lincoln Memorial (Lincoln=Freedom, get it?) and at both the beginning and finale of "End of the City."

Getting a little off topic, am I the only one who thinks that the final scene of Walt Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame is an almost shot-for-shot remake of the final scene of Logan's Run? (SPOILERS AHEAD) The cathedral is in flames. Quasimodo is standing on the steps. The people surround him. A little girl cautiously approaches him. She touches his face. He winces and smiles. She smiles back. The people swarm in close to him as Esmeralda and the soldier look on like proud parents.

Thanks again for your CD releases, the website, and the magazine.

i just wanted to write and say how happy i am with the "logan's run: limited edition" CD. the liner notes and pictures are great. and, of course, the music is some of my very favorite.

growing up, jerry goldsmith was one of my favorite composers. i was blown away by logan's run, alien, outland, planet of the apes, and star trek: the motion picture. each score was distinctively tailored for the universe it accompanied. logan's run had synthesized elements that seemed appropriate for a disutopian playground, alien was dark and primal, outland was mechanical like a factory, planet of the apes was percussive and mysterious, and star trek was bold and exploratory.

of course, i'm a big john williams fan. but jerry goldsmith has scored a more diverse range of scifi movies so he's really more of an influence for me.

Hello Lukas and Scott, check a review in portuguese about the explendid FSM´s Logan´s Run at www.scoretrack.net/score.html (look at "CDs Comentados").

From: " Greg Zoltowski" <Minisephas@aol.com>

Thank you for your recent release, "Lust for Life." Each listening reveals how well this music was originally played and recorded. It is truly a revelation to say the least when one considers the alternative incarnations of this score, and other works like it. I cannot express what gratitude I feel for having this music released and with such love for the details in its production.

I have been listening to film music since 1957, when my father played his "Alfred Newman conducts Music from the Movies" on our mono phonograph-over and over again. I loved that old Mercury recording and particularly the back cover gallery of "funny faces" Newman made while conducting. When I started listening and collection my own albums I got back at him by playing "Exodus" so often that I wore it out. There were times during those years when we would be grateful to have just the scraps of music that fell from the studios every so often. And now...

A release like "Lust for Life" (or any other that you and your team have brought us) is cause for celebration. Thanks for all you do.

It's been some time since I've written, but since receiving "Lust For Life," I wanted to take another couple of moments to warmly thank you all, and reinforce my support for your publication, web site and amazing recordings.

As I settled in to savor every beautiful, moving note of "Lust For Life," I couldn't help but think about how far you've "grown your vision" since your newsletter days back East.

It's inspiring to reflect that your interest in film music has grown into something that's actually become one of the most vital aspects of the art form. FSM has grown from a hobby to an absolutely essential part of film music collecting and appreciation. So many of us fan-types sit around talking about what we'd do if we were involved in the business of movies/music. You can hear us in the lobbies of the megaplexes filing out the doors, bitching about how "everything was great but why didn't they bother to write a script while they were at it?' Blah, blah, blah - but so few of us really get to make a contribution to the whole thing. So I'm listening to "Lust For Life" thinking, what would you have thought, when you were enjoying "Raiders" as a kid, if you'd known that you'd eventually contribute the liner notes to a definitive presentation of that very music - to the world? And that was just for starters. Since then, think of how many letters you've received, scattered among all the typo-infested crap, from people who repeatedly declare your latest releases have fulfilled some longing they've had "all their lives." That same sense of appreciation has overwhelmed me time and again, from "Taking of Pelham" to "Towering Inferno" to "Illustrated Man" and "Lust For Life." (If only I could buy every single one of them as fast as they are released! In time, I'll get there.) These releases represent more than just music we enjoy, of course. They inspire such pleasure and gratitude because most of us who have enjoyed film music for many years have never expected to obtain this stuff, and so there is the whole wish fulfillment aspect that adds to the fun. I worship each new Radiohead recording, but that sense of longing isn't there.

As to this latest, my love affair with Rozsa's music just gets sweeter and more pure. I feel warmth for him as a person when I hear his music. As I typed that it just occurs to me that maybe that's part of what so many people find lacking about much recent music for the cinema. The personality, intelligence, dramatic contribution and artistic style of Williams, Rozsa, Goldsmith... I actually hear it and feel it in the music. For myself, the film music for which I have the greatest affection also conveys the presence, intelligence and humanity of its author, and so the music takes on a life outside the film as a work of art. The sort of composer whom I most enjoy is actually a contributing "author" of the finished work (as is the case in musical theater) and not just a hired gun.

I just finally read Rozsa's autobiography "Double Life" and it floored me that the person I came to know as I read the book conveys exactly what I hear in so much of his music. His book sounded like his music to me, does that make any sense? He comes to life as a fiercely intelligent man, but full of love for people and landscapes, and conveyed true sentiment without ever being artificial or cloying. He had a love of learning and meticulously researched the subjects of films he even detested scoring. He loved his homeland of Hungary but embraced life and culture in many different lands. He had friendships and associations with 100's of prominent figures from the last century, and literally crossed paths with historical figures from Hitler to the Pope! And my point is, the essence of personality and life experience that is evident in his memoirs comes ringing through the music. In the case of "Lust For Life" all that "Rozsa-ness" is in there, but so are amazingly pictorial portraits of an anguished, hyperemotional artist, a loving, supportive brother, a postman, a prostitute. Also captured are the stunning landscapes of Southern France, and in arpeggios that give me a shiver just to think of, a bowl of sunflowers and a sky of stars captured for all time in swirls of paint. WOW. And somehow in total, Rozsa's own personality and point of view are present as well. What an accomplishment! I first saw the movie on tv as a kid in the late-70's, and even with "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters" spinning through my mind, something like "Lust For Life" fired my imagination as well, and assured that I was in it (film music appreciation) for the long haul. The fascination that comes with seeing images and music assembled grabs many of us. Now we're enjoying an era of so many wonderful releases of past works. Thousands of fans can see their wishes fulfilled as well as discover amazing new treasure that is waiting to be enjoyed!

Thanks again for all the fun, and if there's something I can do besides stand in the lobby and bitch, please let me know. I'd love to help make even more of these recordings and publications possible.

Subject: Traveling Executioner

Bless you all! I have been to the Fields of Ambrosia. This soundtrack smokes. I had a bootleg tape for many years, but I don't remember the score being this good. I would love to see this quirky flick. Great job on the sound and production, as usual. I look forward to owning all your releases.

Just wanted to drop a quick note re TRAV. EXC. What a lovely and fun score. Goldsmith was sooo entertaining/interesting in the late 60's and the 70's. Sure, some of the music doesn't do much for me (I am disappointed in ACE and HARD RIDE -- hey, relax, I bought the discs), but like TORA this score has really grabbed me.

Thanks for putting it out there; looking forward to the coming releases.

From: "The Brydens" <thebrydens@sympatico.ca>

I just have to tell you - I was prepared to find John Williams' score to 'Man Who Loved Cat Dancing' a rustic delight (which it is - even better than 'Missouri Breaks' but not quite rivaling 'Reivers') - but the rejected Legrand score is an absolute revelation!!! We lament Michel's departure from the cutting edge - but here's more proof courtesy of FSM of just how surely he rode it! I am hard-pressed to understand how this score was rejected - although Williams's obviously provides more commercial flavour. Thank-you so much FSM for rescuing a 'score never heard' from true oblivion.

From: "Mike Merritt"<Micmerritt@aol.com>

You guys never fail to amaze me. I wrote you about a year ago complaining that Demetrius and the Gladiators should be made available (this was when Gladiator had just won best picture) and now I just received your release of this long-awaited score. A BIG THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for putting this one out.

I was also really surprised learning about the making of this film as well. A few years back I watched this movie on AMC and their host at that time, Bob Dorian, introduced it with a story about the making of Demetrius that was totally different from the liner notes on the FSM release. He made it sound like the film was rushed into production right after The Robe's successful premiere, whereas your story says the films were made concurrently. I tend to believe you guys, because in The Robe, right after the credits, the opening montage under Richard Burton's narration starts with curtains opening up the CinemaScope screen to a scene of gladiators in the arena. There are no such arena scenes in The Robe itself-the scene was obviously shot for "Demetrius."

You guys are really on the money with that kind of stuff. I've been collecting soundtracks since the mid-70's but since I started subscribing to your magazine I'm finally getting a lot of the scores that I've wanted for YEARS!

And now you have access to the Turner library? Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't their library include pre-1987 MGM titles, films from United Artists and the pre 1948 Warner Bros. library? Does that mean we can look forward to some non-Fox Goldsmith scores like The Prize, The Satan Bug, To Trap A Spy and The Great Train Robbery? Maybe some Max Steiner releases like Sergeant York and more 60's Elmer Bernstein? Bring it on, and please, more Hugo Friedhofer!

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