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Posted: |
Oct 23, 2005 - 5:17 PM
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By: |
Recordman
(Member)
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In 1950, George Pal’s “Destination Moon” was the “2001...” and “Star Wars” of its day. It had special effects which at the time were state of the art and featured the unusual, for the time, music of composer, Leith Stevens. The story, in essence, concerned a small group of scientists determined to reach the moon and claim it for all mankind. Stevens consulted many pictures and sources prior to composing his score, including ex-German scientist, Dr. Werner Von Braun (whose later 1960 film biography was “I Aim at the Stars”, and which Mort Sahl said should have been titled “I Aim for the Stars...But Sometimes I Hit London”). When word got out that the film was in production, another excellent science-fiction film was rushed into the theaters- “Rocketship X-M”
The short score was released initially in 1950 on a Columbia 10" LP (CL-6151, mono)(see below). It is often credited as a soundtrack, but is likely a studiotrack. No credit for the orchestra was given in either the film or on the Columbia Lp other than to note it was Stevens’ score. In the late 1950s, a studiotrack score was released on LP on the “Omega” label (OL-3, mono; OSL-3, stereo), as allegedly performed by Heinz Sandauer conducting the “Omega” Orchestra. Two actual covers were released for this LP, the first being a black cover with an abstract design and the second being a photo of a rocket taking off (see below). In the 1970's a black and white cover boot of the Destination Moon was released on the Cinema label, combined with other scores.. Finally, in 1980 Varese Sarabande released the studiotrack LP (STV-81130. Stereo)-{also later in CD I believe}, this time crediting it to the “Vienna Studio Orchestra” conducted by Heinz Sandauer, with a stunning cover featuring artwork from the original film pressbook.”
Stevens later scored many film, including Pal’s other 50's science-fiction classics , “War of the Worlds” and “When Worlds Collide.” For those of you who saw 2004's “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” the spaceship design was a clear reference to the Pal films.
Mike
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Mike,
Thanks for the look. I have the Varese LP and will dig it out and give it an airing...
Those other covers are, like, ANTIQUES!
- JMM
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I have the DVD of this movie, which I wanted both as a Heinlein fan (he wrote the script) and as a general space buff. It's quite entertaining.
Thanks for the great images. I have a lot of LP pictures and never tire of them.
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Gee, Recordman, you got all the facts right on this one! I'm impressed. I have all of those DM soundtrack issues, except for the abstract cover. I like the DM score, but have always felt it was a little on the brooding side. To me, Ferde Grofe's ROCKETSHIP X-M is a much more exciting score. But, it was written for a space opera; DM is a docu-drama. I like Leith Steven's music, but don't find it tremendously memorable. Ferde put real honest to goodness humable/whistleable melodies in everything he wrote, including his rare contributions to film soundtracks. You made an interesting post; I am always interested in the sci-fi scores of the 50s.
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Yes, Starlog Records' first LP release was the ROCKETSHIP X-M score. You can find it often on ebay. Just do a search on Grofe.
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My friends when I started this post I had no idea what I had begun..
I thank you all for wonderful, and very many, nostalgic recolections.
Destination Moon was my initial science fiction score.
I still have vinyl and cd copies.
This was the music I would play after listening on the radio, my age has already been disclosed, to 'Journey into Space'.
Now how about proper , and extended releases, of 'War of the Worlds', original version, and 'When Worlds Collide'.
Again.
Many thanks
Nathan.
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My friends when I started this post I had no idea what I had begun..
I thank you all for wonderful, and very many, nostalgic recolections.
Destination Moon was my initial science fiction score.
I still have vinyl and cd copies.
This was the music I would play after listening on the radio, my age has already been disclosed, to 'Journey into Space'.
Now how about proper , and extended releases, of 'War of the Worlds', original version, and 'When Worlds Collide'.
Again.
Many thanks
Nathan.
Sure. SOMEONE will wave the the wand and get Paramount to allow these releases.
You don't know much about these things, do you?
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Doc, my copy of the Omega album has a gold foil outer edge, but I am unaware of a boxed version of this.
I have always wanted to connect with someone who has the original 10 inch ep in really good shape as it has the more definitive performance under composer Srtevens' baton, albeit incomplete.
All the copies I've encountered through good friends were pretty beat. I vaguely recall that
PEG was going to release a "CD single" of the Columbia EP, but went bellyup before it could be released.
Anybody out there sitting on a clean sounding copy of the EP?
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I am rightly corrected.
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Posted: |
Oct 17, 2016 - 2:37 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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[DESTINATION MOON] is often credited as a soundtrack, but is likely a studiotrack. No credit for the orchestra was given in either the film or on the Columbia Lp other than to note it was Stevens’ score.
The following is a short review of the album from The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday, December 3, 1950, page 120:
""Destination Moon" has been waxed by Columbia (CL-6151) in three sections: Earth, In Outer Space and On the Surface of the Moon. The composer is Leith Stevens, who was responsible not long ago for a 12-minute movie concerto for piano, written for a film starring Arthur Rubinstein. Mr. Rubinstein was satisfied with the concerto for silver screen purposes, as one is satisfied here with the theatrical quality of the “Destination Moon" music, taken from the sound track. The quality is much better than average, but not particularly striking in thematic originality."
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