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Film Score Monthly (FSM) Releases Gremlins (2CD) by Jerry Goldsmith!!!


Jay

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Gremlins (1984)

Music by Jerry Goldsmith

Price: $24.95

Limited #: N/A

View CD Page at SAE Store

Line: Retrograde

CD Release: November 2011

Catalog #: FSM80130-2

# of Discs: 2

Chris Columbus was a fledgling writer when Steven Spielberg optioned his screenplay about little creatures terrorizing small-town America. By the time Amblin Productions filmed Gremlins in 1984, Spielberg and director Joe Dante had transformed the straightforward horror film into something far more comic, while retaining some memorable Grand Guignol moments. A combination of cuddliness, edgy comedy and shocking violence turned the film into a sensation, rendering it one of the biggest hits of the year.

A key element in the film’s success was the imaginative meld of traditional orchestral writing and cutting-edge electronics provided by frequent Joe Dante collaborator Jerry Goldsmith. The music for Gremlins is a fan favorite that has long been recognized as one of Goldsmith’s most original works. Most of it has never been available in a legitimate release—until now.

At the center of the score is a ragtime theme played on synthesizer—a raucous celebration of mayhem that harkens back to the early days of animation yet gives the music a funky, contemporary twist.

This is balanced by a heart-warming lyrical theme for the endearing mogwai character, Gizmo (which doubles as a love theme for the young couple portrayed by Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates). An off-kilter waltz theme for Polly Holliday’s modern-day equivalent of the Wicked Witch of the West may be Goldsmith’s most outrageous comic confection. Solo fiddle invokes the devil (as in Herrmann’s The Devil and Daniel Webster), eerie bells (both acoustic and electronic) invoke the mystery of the mogwai, and pulse-pounding action music aptly supports the wild physical antics of the destructive creatures.

Disc one of this 2CD set features the premiere release of the complete score for Gremlins, mastered from the original PCM live stereo mixes by Bruce Botnick, supervising engineer of the original recording sessions. Disc two features a recreation of the 1984 soundtrack album, billed as a “Specially Priced 7-Cut Mini Album” with three pop songs on side one and a 16:12 suite from Goldsmith’s score on side two.

FSM’s 28-page booklet includes a reminiscence from audio engineer Botnick as well as a detailed essay on film and score by Jeff Bond and Mike Matessino (incorporating comments from an interview with director Dante).

Fans of Goldsmith and Gremlins are urged to purchase these CDs immediately, but be warned: Do not get the discs wet and absolutely never play them after midnight!

Gremlins (1984)

Music Composed and Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith

DISC ONE

The Film Score

1. Fanfare in C (Max Steiner)/The Shop/The Little One 4:30

2. Late for Work 1:46

3. Mrs. Deagle/That Dog 2:22

4. The Gift 1:45

5. First Aid 2:17

6. Spilt Water 3:02

7. A New One 1:10

8. The Lab/Old Times 2:35

9. The Injection 2:56

10. Snack Time/The Wrong Time 1:49

11. The Box 1:24

12. First Aid 1:39

13. Disconnected/Hurry Home 1:03

14. Kitchen Fight 4:06

15. Dirty Linen 0:43

16. The Pool 1:07

17. The Plow/Special Delivery 1:16

18. High Flyer 2:22

19. Too Many Gremlins 2:06

20. No Santa Claus 3:27

21. After Theatre 1:39

22. Theatre Escape/Stripe Is Loose/Toy Dept./No Gizmo 4:36

23. The Fountain/Stripe's Death 5:42

24. Goodbye, Billy 2:56

25. End Title/The Gremlin Rag 4:10

Total Time: 62:26

Bonus Tracks

26. Blues 2:17

27. Mrs. Deagle (film version) 1:27

28. God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (traditional, arr. Alexander Courage) 1:12

29. After Theatre (With "Silent Night") 1:36

30. After Theatre (Without "Silent Night") 1:36

31 .Rabbit Rampage (Milt Franklyn) 0:47

32. The Gremlin Rag (full version) 3:35

33. Gizmo's New Song 0:35

34. Gizmo's Trumpet 0:30

Total Time: 13:35

Total Disc Time: 76:01

DISC TWO

1984 Soundtrack Album

1. Michael Sembello—Gremlins...Mega Madness (Produced by Michael Sembello and Mark Hudson) 3:52

2. Quarterflash—Make It Shine (Produced by John Boylan) 4:11

3. Peter Gabriel—Out Out (Co-Produced by Nile Rodgers and Peter Gabriel) 7:02

Total Time: 15:04

Jerry Goldsmith

4. The Gift 4:58

5. Gizmo 4:14

6. Mrs. Deagle 2:54

7. The Gremlin Rag 4:13

Produced by Bruce Botnick and Jerry Goldsmith

Total Time: 16:12

Total Disc Time: 31:25

482_900268.jpg

482_900268.jpg

Official site: http://filmscoremonthly.com/cds/detail.cfm/CDID/482

Order links:

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/16646

http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7376/.f

http://www.moviemusic.com/soundtrack/M08187/gremlins/

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Don't be surprised if they include the OST. They include the OST in a lot of their releases, you should know that by now.

I'm tempted to pick this up but I'm waiting to see what the Black Friday titles from LLL will be and also gotta watch the funds.

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The point is that for Gremlins, the OST consists of 14 minutes of pop songs and 16 minutes of Goldsmith score

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yes, that was my point the Gremlins OST is as useless as the Innerspace OST

it must be a bunch of alternates

i have to buy this. This is one Goldsmith title I always said I'd buy.It's gonna sell out fast if it's a limited release

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The point is that for Gremlins, the OST consists of 14 minutes of pop songs and 16 minutes of Goldsmith score

Maybe they were contractually obliged to put the songs as well. LK said this was a tricky project because of all the parties involved (Geffen, Warner Bros., etc) and the various copyright-holding issues.

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I suspect this might be like Star Trek III, where the OST cues and the Film cues are different takes etc.

Hence why I suggested there's probably a slew of alternate cues we don't know about.

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It's up: http://www.screenarc.../GREMLINS-2-CD/

Unlimited release!

The clips sound great, but I'm a bit conflicted with this release as the movie really, really creeped me out as a kid. Some of that was the music, pretty effective in the middle portion of the movie. Really, up until the bar scene, where it then became comedic.

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I love the artwork overall, but man, they made a mistake pushing the final 2 tracks as well as the timing information of the first disc over to the third column. Should have adjusted other things to avoid that.

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I agree, Jason, it would have been a simple artwork adjustment on their part, but oh well.

This release is just nothing short of spectacular though! It even has the songs lol. However, I notice it does not have any of the orchestra-only concert suite/theme that Jerry has done in the past. Anyone know which CD one can find that one? I wanna get it soon to have it go with this wonderful complete film release! :)

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Expected, but excellent news nonetheless.

I'm glad they also include the original album program (with the songs).

I wonder how the score proper holds up as a listening experience with all those short, fragmented cues.

I seriously have to consider this, as I've long since said I was going to buy an expansion of this when it came out.

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Just because they are short does not mean they are fragmented

I assume it's the same order of cues as on the ol' boot, which I had for ages. It is indeed a bit fragmented there. Some of the tracks could have been combined into longer suites, IMO (while a few others could have been omitted altogether). But we have what we have. At least we finally have an expansion of the GREMLINS score, which was warranted! Yes, you heard that right, here was a case where I actually CONDONE an expansion.

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Btw, this was the suite I was talking about that is the only thing I wish was included. :)

Fast forward to 4:30 to hear a fully orchestral version of the Gremlin Rag. ;) I'm not complaining, honestly, I just wish it was thrown in there. ;) What CD is this available on, too?

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It's been ages since I've seen the film. Can someone elaborate on what the difference between these 3 tracks are?

21. After Theatre 1:39

29. After Theatre (With "Silent Night") 1:36

30. After Theatre (Without "Silent Night") 1:36

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Just because they are short does not mean they are fragmented

I assume it's the same order of cues as on the ol' boot, which I had for ages. It is indeed a bit fragmented there. Some of the tracks could have been combined into longer suites, IMO (while a few others could have been omitted altogether). But we have what we have. At least we finally have an expansion of the GREMLINS score, which was warranted! Yes, you heard that right, here was a case where I actually CONDONE an expansion.

Not to mention that it also includes the OST, so you can simply put in CD 2 for the more managed presentation. :) Best of both worlds here.

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Btw, this was the suite I was talking about that is the only thing I wish was included. :)

[EDIT]

Fast forward to 4:30 to hear a fully orchestral version of the Gremlin Rag. ;) I'm not complaining, honestly, I just wish it was thrown in there. ;) What CD is this available on, too?

It's available on the Goldsmith Conducts Goldsmith CD released by Silva Screen. A new recording of the suite by the Tenerife Film Orchestra conducted by Mark Snow is available on the Jerry Goldsmith 80th Birthday Tribute Concert DVD and CD released by Varèse Sarabande.

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Btw, this was the suite I was talking about that is the only thing I wish was included. :)

[EDIT]

Fast forward to 4:30 to hear a fully orchestral version of the Gremlin Rag. ;) I'm not complaining, honestly, I just wish it was thrown in there. ;) What CD is this available on, too?

It's available on the Goldsmith Conducts Goldsmith CD released by Silva Screen. A new recording of the suite by the Tenerife Film Orchestra conducted by Mark Snow is available on the Jerry Goldsmith 80th Birthday Tribute Concert DVD and CD released by Varèse Sarabande.

Ah, thank you! Will definitely get the Goldsmith Conducts Goldsmith CD sometime then, most likely a used copy since it is really just for that track. ;) But it'll be nice to hear the other stuff on there too.

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Gremlins!!!!!!!!!!! Ordered! I've loved this score since I saw the film back in '84. Wonderful Goldsmith-ness. Will be nice to get rid of that horrible-sounding foot-warmer. Another grail to check off on the list!

Bring on Gremlins 2 (expanded)! :)

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I want The Motion Picture, First Contact, and Air Force One. Just about everything else important has been expanded beautifully

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Complete versions of Under Fire, which is not going to happen, and Air Force One. And a Chinatown reissue or so. Then they can quit with Goldsmith releases as far as I'm concerned ;)

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Not too much, but some interesting film versions if I remember correctly from watching the film once. It's just because it's his best one of all his scores - the OST is already great in its own right.

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