So as not to inflate the lala thread to over 500 posts let's chat about this impending release here! I have so many memories linked to this film/score... recorded the "Prelude" via tape recorder 30 something years ago, almost fainted when I found the 1941 lp and subsequent cd in the late 80s at Footlight records(RIP) in NYC, watched the film countless times JUST for the score... People love to hate on this film but I love it for all it's messy action, Belushi scene steals and perfect Williams' moments. Even Spielberg has been reported to have jumped into the orchestra with a trumpet for the march. Dream come true! Bring on the end title without the explosions!
"At the beginning of the year we were racing toward Comic Con with 6 titles, hoping that at least 3 or 4 would make it in time. As the days grew closer and the problems/delays started to mount up on some of those titles, we started to rethink our approach. Once mid June hit and we realized that only 1 of those titles was actually going to be done, we decided "WHAT THE HELL", unleash the Chosen One early to the world. Four of those titles will not be done in time for the Con.
These four titles were going to be:
Batman Forever Expanded Archival Collection Forever Young Expanded Archival Collection Space Above and Beyond (3 cd set) 1941 (2 cd set)
Those titles are still coming -- When? Who knows....but they are in the chute. "
TO JOHN F-When you stated[RIP] about Footlights records, did you mean the store that closed years ago or has their mail order service gone out of business as well?
I was at the July 4 concert (on July 3) at the Hollywood Bowl the other night and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performed the march, way too slowly and without the gusto the piece needs. But it inspired me to play the album yesterday. What a fantastic score! It manages to be funny (a military march that keeps threatening to fly off the rails) and rousing at the same time. I have no idea what music is not on the existing album, but I'll be interested to find out.
Whenever the idea of a reissue of this score comes up, some inevitably express a hope that the canons be left out of the mix. Let me say in advance that I completely disagree! The canons are part of the music! Sure, they're not a conventional instrument, but as in the "1812 Overture," they are used musically. You wouldn't take the Blaster Beam out of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," you shouldn't take the canons out of "1941."
Whenever the idea of a reissue of this score comes up, some inevitably express a hope that the canons be left out of the mix. Let me say in advance that I completely disagree! The canons are part of the music! Sure, they're not a conventional instrument, but as in the "1812 Overture," they are used musically. You wouldn't take the Blaster Beam out of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," you shouldn't take the canons out of "1941."
This. The cannons give the music an extra touch of bombast and rambunctiousness.
Space: Above and Beyond -- this one could be 13 or 14 discs. I'll take three, though.
Loved Shirley Walker's approach to this fantastic sci-fi series. One of the finest-scored series in TV history, IMO.
Agreed. I'm very excited about this one. I'll admit, I didn't get the score in the pilot at all (the show was still finding itself then, anyway). But as the series went on, I grew to really love what Walker was doing. Then I retroactively loved the pilot score, too.
1941, both film and score, is way too noisy for me. I do own the DVD only because I'm such a big Spielberg fan, but it's a chore to get through with people screaming and things crashing or exploding every two seconds. Not good for my tinnitus! And most certainly not funny in the slighest. Williams' score adds fuel to fire, and I also have a hard time getting through the Varese disc, once I decide to play it. So you can imagine that an expansion like that is not for me. The march is typical trademark Williams, though. He knows that stuff.
But if this is a sign of more Universal/Williams releases (preferably of completely unreleased scores), I'm excited! Maybe someone could even convince the man himself of letting SUGARLAND go?
