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Alan Silvestri's Back To The Future scores - All 3 now available complete on CD, vinyl, and digital download


Jay

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I *think* that Saloon Piano Medley should go in-between What’s Up Doc / Marty Gallops / To The Future and Wake Up Juice.

Saloon Piano Medley actually goes in-between Goodbye Clara and What's Up Doc / Marty Gallops / To the Future.

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I for the life of me can't remember this website that sells the complete conductor's score. They had only released about 6 films or so and they where around $80. I think BTTF was their most recent release. The were all in a nice paperback bound coffee table size book. I just can't find the website again.

Does anyone have a clue what I'm talking about?

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I received these yesterday. Great scores and what a wonderful thing to hold all three complete scores after so many years of waiting!

What's with the weird fade-out at the end of Main Title (extended version) on BttF II, though? There's a fade out on the old leak as well, but it doesn't seem as abrupt. The ending of Main Title on the BttF OST probably sounds best.

I think I spotted another track that sort of cuts off at the end. Could have been somewhere on BttF III. Did anybody else hear this?

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Back to the Future is a very well-structured score that very energetically builds to a fantastic finale.

Part II is probably the weakest of the three. By design it repeats a lot of material from the first score (works great in the film, can get tedious when listening to the scores back to back) and it's main new theme (a low rumble for Biff) isn't that strong. Again, more functional in the film than on album, but I'm very happy to have an official release of the complete score. Even though the album is perfect as is.

Back to the Future part III is a fun western score that turns the material from the previous two scores on its head and just goes for all out fun. Its finale setpiece is pretty good again and I really like the love theme.

And another thing that's great about these scores: they're short. They're short and effective and don't overstay their welcome (Part II can get a bit tedous maybe, but even that score is a fun listen). Each of them runs for just over an hour, so listening to these isn't a mammoth undertaking like - say - a Lord of the Rings or even a Star Wars score.

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Each of them runs for just over an hour, so listening to these isn't a mammoth undertaking like - say - a Lord of the Rings or even a Star Wars score.

You don't have to worry about that if you just listen to the OST!

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The first score is just fantastic - there's nothing "missing" that I can detect. Great, versatile themes that are developed in both quieter and louder moments, with inventive orchestration and a satisfying overall structure that builds to an energetic finale setpiece.

Part II always comes across to me as a bunch of additional music that would have fit well enough in the first film, too. (Except for the darker music in a few cures from the middle, of course.) I'm grateful to have it, but it's definitely not perfection like the first score.

Then III just kinda does its own thing. I enjoy western scores and I enjoy BTTF scores, and since it's really just a fun blend of the two, I think it's a good listen.

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I have to agree with Stefancos. The themes are absolutely fantastic, but other than that the scores don't really mean much to me on their own. They work perfectly in the films, though, which is their main purpose. Part II sounds uneventful to me, but Part III is great, especially the fantastic source music and the romantic stuff. Warmed Up has to be my favourite performance of the main themes.

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Most Silvestri scores are missing a certain something.

A ridiculous statement, his musical voice was as profound as the other major players, and he has written some stunners back in the day. He's lost it somewhat now, but that holds true for the other big composers too.

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Of the 00's I would say that only The Mummy Returns and The Polar Express are among his best... but those are already over 10 years old.

Throughout the 80's and 90's he was wrote his best material.

But that's also true for Horner, JNH, and even Williams (70s included).

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I got so bored listening to these scores. I'm sure I'll never listen to them again. But wait. I forgot. Everyone loves BTTF and they're the greatest movies of all time and the scores are the greatest ever composed for a movie. 2015!

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Most Silvestri scores are missing a certain something.

A ridiculous statement, blah, blah, blah...

Yeah, whatever.

Of the 00's I would say that only The Mummy Returns and The Polar Express are among his best...

Well that could be part of the problem then.

Predator did very little for me, effective though it must have been in the film.

Only saw The Polar Expresss once. Dreadful film! Shallow and sentimental, but completely devoid of meaning. The score made little to no impression whatsoever.

Beyond those I really only know The Avengers, which has an okay, if average theme; and The Croods, which is lovely, though not in any way groundbreaking.

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Particularly with both releases (2 & 3) on Spotify, I've been struggling to justify buying these. Part 2 is mostly uneventful, with a lot of reprised material from the first score. Part 3 is more fun, but still has a lot of tension and slapstick music that does nothing for me. I can find at most 30 mins in each score. Although as has already been said, Pt. 3's source music is fun.

It would be easy to digitally buy a few standout tracks, but at the same time, a physical copy also feels 'required'. Hmm.

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  • 1 year later...

Question for anyone, I missed out on the 2-disc release for Part I, is it worth getting on the secondary market for the 2nd disc or is the single disc release from 2015 sufficient? 

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The single disc is fine; I never listen to the second disc.

 

It's entirely alternates that are either slightly different or seriously inferior to the film versions.

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Thanks Jay for the input, that's what I was thinking the answer would be. ;)  Just need to wait for a sale on the Intrada / Varese pages to purchase these.

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There is no chance of that.  Simply do it yourself as a playlist in the music player of your choice.

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Don't worry, I already looked for, and found, a version that includes all the songs. I was askingbecause I'd like to start supporting the specialty labels from now on, but my huge issue with the commercial BTTF albums is their exclusion of source music and in part 3's case, the unchronological representation of the dance festival (the 3 first songs really have to be in the main score).

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