Can someone explain why we still have in our hands the original score like heard in the movie of a legendary picture... a legendary music... a legendary composer ? Where is PSYCHO ?
I won't say what I think about the vinyl issue of NBN, but considering that the source material is more than problematic, make your own opinion.
Anyway: the problem with "Psycho" is that the first-generation masters are missing. The only source of the original recording that is available is an up-and-down track meant to be mixed with the dialog track. This has been the source for several unauthorized releases. Maybe the original "Psycho" tracks are part of the extravagant re-issue programme by the Herrmann estate. Right now, however, there is nothing new on the horizon. It's October and there still isn't any update on "Marnie" - which should have been the next title in the series...
I honestly don't know if it's legit—and frankly I suspect not, EXCEPT that it might be legit under this so-called 50-year rule—but anyway it's openly on sale on Amazon and our high street record stores. It's clearly not first generation masters, but probably the same source as other 'releases'.
I have the Unicorn, the McNeely, and the Elfman, as well as several suites. At this point, I wouldn't waste the shelf space on the original tracks. I can hear them in the film if I want to.
I've skipped every re-recording and still hold out for the original. It's utterly silly to appreciate the music inside the film or on a LaserDisc isolated score with outdated sound mastering. Even with the stems, amazing things can be done today.
It's so crazy the original recording of such an iconic score has never been released.
Still no original tracks CD album for a classic of this stature?
Ferocious isn't an adequate description of some of the original soundtrack cues, of course.
It would also be great to hear the full score of the 1998 version with the terrific End Titles unique to that project.
Looking at the 1998 cover art, amazing that Herrmann's name is in smaller type than Elfman & Bartek. No biggy I guess..... Herrmann only WROTE the score!
I've been begging for the compete score album for the 1998 remake since that disc was released. It is nice to have those tracks but a complete recording would be great. I'm hoping one of the film score labels can make a deluxe edition happen.
A complete 1998 Psycho would be very welcome. I'm not sure how well it would sell though as many would still want Herrmann's original. I wouldn't mind more music from Bernstein's adaptation of Cape Fear either.
