I have been listening to this on my drive to and from work yesterday and this morning and am enjoying it very much since it's the first chance I've had since I got it two weeks ago. It's everyone's loss that BB is not doing theatrical movies these days. He's one of the best still around.
I've enjoyed listening to this score. Interestingly for me, my copy arrived with Kaczmarek's War and Peace, which allowed me to compare two new releases one after the other, that both focus on major military conflicts from the 1800s, albeit on opposite sides of the world.
Anyone who is impressed by The Blue and the Gray should be prepared to be bowled over by War and Peace. What a superb score it is. While Broughton's effort lives up to his own high standards, I think Kaczmarek's score often exceeds the standards I've come to expect from virtually any current film composer I could name.
Best of all is the terrific dramatic music for the battles – one piece, although sounding nothing like Spartacus, conjures up images similar to the build up of Crassus' legions before the climactic battle. I haven't seen this version of War and Peace, but the music definitely gives the imagination some impressive stuff to work with. Highest recommendation!
I agree. Sorry to derail the thread, but I haven't heard tB&tG yet, but Kaczmarek's War and Peace is indeed incredible, probably his finest score so far. Absolutely amazing dramatic score.
I haven't received this yet, and Intrada hasn't shipped it out yet either, but that's because I put Poledouris' Legend of Butch & Sundance in the same order, so no worries there.
Considering the fact that this is a 2000-copy pressing, and over half got sold within a week (though I'm presuming most of these went to other labels), this HAS to be good music.
I purchased a couple of copies of this score when it was on sale through Intrada... and resold them on Amazon (it's a good way to get some extra cash to fund the purchase of more score CDs).
Although I sold my last copy awhile go, the item still is in my Amazon inventory - as a "Inactive/Out of Stock" item.
Today (because the item is in my inventory) Amazon notified me of the following...
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Hello from Amazon. We are writing to let you know that the following detail pages have been removed from our catalog:
ASIN: B0015J9TU2, SKU: MN-5P28-QCML, Title: "the blue and the gray [soundtrack] [audio cd] bruce broughton".
This item has been identified as confederate flag merchandise. Amazon policy prohibits the listing or sale of confederate flag merchandise.
For more information on our policies, search on "Restricted Products" and "Listing Restrictions" in Seller Help.
**Action Required: Within 48 hours of this notice, please review your remaining listings and make any changes necessary to ensure compliance with our policies.
Failure to comply with this request may result in the removal of your selling privileges.
We appreciate your cooperation and thank you for selling on Amazon.com.
Amazon Services.
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The DVD of the actual mini-series (not the film score) *is* still available on Amazon. I do not, however, see a Confederate flag included in the cover image (including in the background)... which must be why you can still buy it.
That is pretty amazing. I wonder how it was (you'll pardon the pun) flagged. Did a computer algorithm find the flag (which is actually fairly obscured in the Intrada cover) and automatically cite it? Or did some Amazon customer report it (and if so, was he clueless, or overly sensitive, or actually trying to make Amazon look foolish to prove some other point?)?
Fans of The Dukes Of Hazzard sympathise. Also, you'd think that a cover where the Stars and Stripes is shown as being above the Confederate flag, and therefore implied to be its superior, wouldn't be a problem.
