 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
May 23, 2015 - 4:09 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
DeputyRiley
(Member)
|
This is another entry in my Complete Score Breakdown Series, focusing on the complete scores to films that have had abbreviated previous releases or have gone unreleased.
Today we are looking at Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) by Jerry Goldsmith.
To be honest, I do prefer the first Gremlins score to Jerry Goldsmith’s follow-up Gremlins 2: The New Batch. I’ve always felt like the first score had a more restrained, mysterious, and mythical angle to it that really elevated the work and gave it another dimension. The sequel score, for me, has always been a little too zany, too tongue-in-cheek, too many sound effects, too overblown; although I totally get that that’s the point and it works great in the film. There are definitely some great tracks on the Gremlins 2 CD, no doubt about it, but it came in second to me where the two scores were concerned.
Now that I’ve heard the complete score to the original Gremlins (thanks to FSM/Retrograde) I stand behind it’s superior quality in content, but without having heard the complete score to Gremlins 2, I couldn’t ever completely compare the two. Of course they don’t need to be compared and can co-exist and certainly have their own Gremlins identity to match each film’s different tone, but I was curious about the unreleased score for Gremlins 2 so watched the film to find out about what wasn’t on the existing Varese Sarabande 39 and ½ minute CD.
Quite simply, there is unreleased score from this film that I absolutely have to have, get on it Varese!!!  It turns out that there are over 23 minutes of unreleased score in the film, and with one alternate film version cue, the total known complete score comes to 62min 40sec.
Plenty more variations on original material from the first and second films, obviously, but of course it’s Goldsmith so the unreleased tunes are always interesting, always worth a listen, and most often something terrific is just waiting to be discovered. Of course, it helps if you already dig the Gremlins sound. One particular reason why I want all of this unreleased music released is that it was often difficult to hear buried under the frenzied cries and shrieks and laughter of the Gremlins (if you’ve seen the films you know what I mean). I can only imagine how great all of this Goldsmith sounds in pristine condition without all the sound effects, dialogue, and annoying film noise.
Highlights from the unreleased material are numerous of course, my favorite parts tending towards the bits with the more prominent synths, as I’ve always been a big fan of Goldsmith’s use of electronics, no matter what period. In particular, the scene where Clamp first discovers a gremlin and runs him through the paper shredder has some terrific synths reminiscent of early 90’s Goldsmith, really fun stuff. My favorite unreleased cue in the whole score is what I call “Citizens Attacked / Gargoyle Gremlin” when Murray Futterman is attacked by the Batgremlin and he manages to bury it in cement before it flies up onto the cathedral to turn to stone. It’s a very satisfying cue that begins with the citizens of Clamp Tower being attacked, leading into soft music as Murray and Sheila gaze up at the cathedral, then full-on slam-bang action as Murray fights the Batgremlin. Strings climb high as the Batgremlin flies to the top of the cathedral and church bells toll as he settles on his perch and freezes into stone. What a great cue! There are also a few warmer, more attractive moments that I wish would’ve been on the Varese CD (like the disc's track “Visitors”) which would’ve balanced out the numerous manic tracks. The unreleased cue “Grandpa Fred Reminisces”, although brief, is a nice elegant piece for strings while Fred reminisces about his old days. There’s also a lot of great martial snare-led rhythmic stuff towards the end as Gizmo takes control, including a direct quote of the iconic “wet deep synth pulse” sound from the second and third Rambo films.
Side note: the CD track “Teenage Mutant Gremlins” features an alternate film version in the movie, with a different section of score between 0:35-2:23. The film version does not contain the “sexy” Gremlin saxophone motif but more traditional Gremlin music and other substitutions.
CURRENT CD RELEASE RUNTIME: 39min 20sec
COMPLETE SCORE RUNTIME (AS HEARD IN FILM): 59min 05sec
ALL KNOWN ORIGINAL MUSIC WRITTEN FOR THE FILM (INCLUDING UNEDITED CD TRACKS, UNUSED TRACKS, AND/OR ALTERNATE FILM VERSIONS, WITH NO IDENTICAL DUPLICATION REGARDING FILM TRACKS & CD TRACKS): 62min 40sec
UNRELEASED SCORE RUNTIME: 23min 20sec
Complete Score Cue Titles and Cue Times (unreleased cues named by me for the sake of identification):
+ – previously unreleased (or includes previously unreleased material)
1. Just You Wait (2:12)
2. Brief Mourning Period (1:11) +
3. Grandpa Fred Reminisces (1:02) +
4. Cute… (2:02)
5. We’ll Have to Cut (0:14) +
6. Gizmo Escapes (3:51)
7. Remember the Rules (1:48) +
8. Leaky Faucet (3:47)
9. Mistaken Identity (1:03) +
10. The Visitors (3:28)
11. No Rats (2:23)
12. The Cocoons (1:25) +
13. Electrical Torture (0:14) +
14. Control Panel Surprise (0:47) +
15. Pot Luck (3:00)
16. Elevator Malfunction (0:38) +
17. Clamp vs. Gremlin (2:22) +
18. Elevator Mayhem (0:59) +
19. Utter Chaos (1:37) +
20. Batgremlin (1:55) + – (contains music tracked from the cue “My Skull / The Gurney” from Goldsmith’s score to The ‘Burbs)
21. Citizens Attacked / Gargoyle Gremlin (2:55) +
22. The Horror… (0:30) +
23. Teenage Mutant Gremlins (2:55) + – (alternate film version)
24. Gizmo Trains Pt. 1 (0:15) + – (contains Rambo synth sound)
25. Gizmo Trains Pt. 2 (0:26) +
26. Prepare for Battle (1:26) +
27. Dental Appointment (0:35) +
28. Keep It Quiet (3:10)
29. Gremlin Pudding (2:14)
30. New Trends (3:46)
31. Gremlin Credits (4:55)
Current CD Release Track Titles and Track Times:
1. Just You Wait (2:18)
2. Gizmo Escapes (3:54)
3. Leaky Faucet (3:50)
4. Cute… (2:06)
5. Pot Luck (3:10)
6. The Visitors (3:36)
7. Teenage Mutant Gremlins (3:34) – (CD version)
8. Keep It Quiet (3:19)
9. No Rats (2:29)
10. Gremlin Pudding (2:23)
11. New Trends (3:53)
12. Gremlin Credits (4:55)
Thanks for reading, see you next time!
Deputy Riley
(unfortunately really no acceptable youtube samples of the Gremlins 2 score…)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
May 23, 2015 - 4:40 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
The Cat
(Member)
|
Couple of notes on this, forgive me if my memory is hazy, but I don't have the film with me right now.
I think you should add the opening music from the cartoon intro. If I remember correctly it was written by Alexander Courage (just like the faux film-within-film music in Explorers), but it should definitely appear on a complete Gremlins 2 release, regardless of who wrote it.
You have a mistake with one of the cues. Only the opening half mnutesof "Teenage Mutant Ninja Gremlins" is used in the film when Granpa Fred realizes the potential of his situation, the rest is substituted by a song as they are wreaking havoc in the laboratory. (I think it's "Angel of Death" by Slayer), I have the scene with Goldsmith's music and it fits perfectly with every gag (including the dramatic violin for Phantom of the Opera Gremlin and the the "saxy Gremlin music" for the future bride). What you listed as "Teenage Mutant Ninja Gremlins" is a completely different sequence and includes unreleased music. You should adjust your timings accordingly.
Another problematic scene is the Batgremlin, which I believe was tracked with music from "The 'Burbs". As far as I know Goldsmith wrote original material here, but the temp tracked worked better so it was retained - this one should not affect your timing though, it runs the same length.
One a more personal note, I prefer Gremlins 2 to the original Gremlins (both the film and the music). In terms of the score, it has everything I like about the first score without the cat torture sound effects that I find a bit grating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
May 23, 2015 - 4:56 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
DeputyRiley
(Member)
|
You have a mistake with one of the cues. Only the opening of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Gremlins" is used, the rest is substituted by a song as they are wreaking havoc in the laboratory. (I think it's "Angel of Death" by Slayer), I have the scene with Goldsmith's music and it fits perfectly with every gag (including the dramatic violin for Phantom of the Opera Gremlin and the the "saxy Gremlin music" for the future bride). What you listed as "Teenage Mutant Ninja Gremlins" is a completely different sequence and includes unreleased music. You should adjust your timings accordingly.
Another problematic scene is the Batgremlin, which I believe was tracked with music from "The 'Burbs". As far as I know Goldsmith wrote original material here, but the temp tracked worked better so it was retained - this one should not affect your timing though, it runs the same length.
The Cat, with all due respect, and I read your notes very carefully, I was very thorough with my detailed examination of score as heard in the film and I believe I documented it correctly.
Regarding the "Teenage Mutant Gremlins" cue, there is a full version that plays out in the film; part of it is the same as the CD version, but part of it is different (film version), but it is all Goldsmith. Indeed, there is a song, which probably is Slayer, but that is at a different moment that does not interrupt the full "Teenage Mutant Gremlins" cue.
I did not hear anything from The 'burbs in Gremlins 2.
Thanks for your input!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
May 23, 2015 - 8:26 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
SBD
(Member)
|
Couple of notes on this, forgive me if my memory is hazy, but I don't have the film with me right now.
I think you should add the opening music from the cartoon intro. If I remember correctly it was written by Alexander Courage (just like the faux film-within-film music in Explorers), but it should definitely appear on a complete Gremlins 2 release, regardless of who wrote it.
IIRC, Fred Steiner wrote the music for the animated bits.
Also, nothing to do with the music, but that gag with the acid always cracks me up; the Gremlin gets it in the face, then holds up a Phantom of the Opera mask, like he knew it was gonna happen.
I'm fine with the existing album, but still, good breakdown.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes and thanks!
Yavar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Even though this one (and others) are way off versus what was actually recorded?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
