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John Barry's HOWARD THE DUCK - NEW! 3CD Intrada Edition


Jay

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INTRADA Announces:

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HOWARD THE DUCK
Music Composed and Conducted by JOHN BARRY
Original Songs Produced by THOMAS DOLBY
Additional Music by SYLVESTER LEVAY
INTRADA ISC 426

Intrada announces one its most ambitious releases of 2019 – the soundtrack to the 1986 film Howard the Duck, perhaps the first big-screen adaption of a Marvel comic. With songs by Thomas Dolby and performed by Cherry Bomb (featuring Back to the Future's Lea Thompson), writer-director Willard Huyck had Dolby top of mind when first considering music. Dolby was originally slated to score the film, but ultimately producer George Lucas and Dolby decided a more traditional approach was warranted. Enter composer John Barry, who was familiar with sci-fi extravaganzas, including The Black Hole, Moonraker, and Starcrash. Barry composed over 102 minutes of score for the film, with a large (for its time) orchestra of 93 players. While the filmmakers embraced most of the score, the ultralight sequence didn't quite click with them, so they brought in Sylvester Levay to compose for that sequence. Levay is a composer known for a more contemporary sound and he was getting a lot of attention for his current scoring of the Universal TV series Airwolf. Levay's 72-piece orchestra featuring synths and a heavy backbeat brought the momentum for which the filmmakers were looking.

Released with the cooperation of Universal Music Group and Universal Pictures, this expanded edition features three CDs. CD 1 presents the John Barry score as Barry envisioned it. CD 2 contains more than 22 minutes of alternate or rewritten Barry score, followed by Levay's contribution to the score. CD 3 contains the original Thomas Dolby songs and then the original 1986 MCA album program, that featured the Dolby songs and a suite from the Barry score. Intrada tops off the release with notes by John Barry expert Jon Burlingame.

In the film, Howard the Duck is accidentally beamed from Duckland, a planet of sentient ducks, to earth – Cleveland specifically. He saves Cherry Bomber Beverly (Lea Thompson) from thugs and they form an endearing friendship. Dr. Jenning (Jeffrey Jones) attempts to return Howard to his world, but instead transfers an evil spirit, the Dark Overlord, into his own body – and the fate of the world rests in Howard The Duck's hands.

Listen to the podcast with Doug Fake about this release: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6mqt4s8b3ycsv ... t.mp3?dl=0

INTRADA ISC 426
Barcode: 720258542601
Retail Price: $34.99
SHIPPING EARLY OCT.
For track listing and sound samples, please http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.11784/.f

 

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John Barry - Original Songs Produced by Thomas Dolby - Additional Music by Sylvester Levay
Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 426
Film Date: 1986
Album Date: 2019
Time: 213:42
Tracks: 90
Price: $34.99 (Starts Shipping early October)

 

media.nl?id=28240&c=ACCT67745&h=244ee57f media.nl?id=28241&c=ACCT67745&h=66da3a97 media.nl?id=28242&c=ACCT67745&h=1fb28313

 

Hugely expanded 3-CD release of action-packed John Barry score to early Marvel Superhero film! When John Barry scored 1986’s Howard The Duck, he recorded vibrant music replete with action-packed battles and heroics, hauntingly beautiful love themes and a plethora of James Bond-ish orchestral dazzle dazzle. Barry even recorded strikingly different versions of several cues to accommodate numerous editorial changes in the film during post-production. Over 100 minutes of original music in all. A monumental scoring achievement! By the time the finished film made it to theaters in 1986, nearly 20 minutes of the scoring for later scenes had been deleted in favor of additional music scored by Sylvester Levay. 

Enhancing the overall musical approach to Universal’s fantasy vehicle still further were several songs arranged and produced by Thomas Dolby, essential to the antics as they were performed on screen by the all-female rock group Cherry Bomb, the lead singer of which is also the film’s star, Lea Thompson, hot off of her flashy turn in Back To The Future. When MCA Records released the soundtrack on vinyl and cassette, they chose just 40 minutes of music, divided roughly in half between songs and score. Intrada now happily presents all of the music John Barry, Sylvester Levay and Thomas Dolby recorded, spread across 3 CDs, most of it being released for the first time! In addition, that original 1986 MCA album also makes its CD premiere! 

 

Howard The Duck was created for Marvel Comics by Steve Gerber in 1973. Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas produced with his friends Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz. Heck also scripted and directed. Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins star alongside Howard, who later rose to contemporary CGI fame courtesy Marvel/Disney’s Guardians Of The Galaxy films. To present this gargantuan score, all of it in stereo, including all of the alternates and rewrites, Intrada was provided access to the complete session masters for all three musical artists, including 2” 24-track, 1/2” 3-channel and 1/4” 2-track stereo elements preserved in the Universal vaults in beautiful condition. Liner notes are authored by John Barry authority, Jon Burlingame. Kay Marshall fashions the colorful packaging, including two original film artwork campaigns. John Barry conducts his score in June 1986, Dan Wallin records at The Record Plant, Sylvester Levay conducts his score in July 1986, records at 20th Century Fox, Thomas Dolby co-composes, produces and arranges his songs with Allee Willis, George Clinton. 

 

Intrada Special Collection 3-CD set available while quantities and interest remain!

 

CD 1 Original Score by JOHN BARRY
01. Lullaby Of Duckland (2:32)
02. Disco Duckland (Original) (0:37)
03. Main Title (2:41)
04. Howard To The Rescue (2:28)
05. Flashback (0:23)
06. Beak Jobs And Tail Tucks (1:15)
07. Special Destiny (0:32)
08. You’re The Duckiest (2:09)
09. Taxi Ride (Alternate) (1:00)
10. Taxi Ride (0:54)
11. Man’s Oldest Fantasy (0:43)
12. Super Powers (0:43)
13. Ascent Of Duck (1:20)
14. So Long Ducky (0:57)
15. Lonely Duck (1:04)
16. Duck Bond I Presume (1:28)
17. Beddy-Bye For Howard (3:21)
18. Experiment Video (1:09)
19. Experiment Video (Alternate) (1:10)
20. Hard Boiled Egg (1:44)
21. My Eyes, My Eyes (1:00)
22. Take His Clothes Off (0:31)
23. So Long, Copper (0:32)
24. Shoot To Kill (4:14)
25. Shoot To Kill (Alternate) (3:03)
26. Dark Overlord – Introduction (Alternate) (1:42)
27. He’s Got A Whole Gang (1:48)
28. Howard’s Bar Brawl (1:37)
29. Give Me The Code Key, Howard (1:20)
30. It’s Closing Time (1:08)
31. Filthy Scum Bucket (2:16)
32. Ultralight Discovery (0:29)
33. Nuclear Drive (0:36)
34. Ultralight #1 (Alternate) (1:33)
35. Ultralight #1 (1:37)
36. Power! (1:09)
37. Ultralight #2 (2:22)
38. Smog Inspection (0:48)
39. Ultralight #3 (3:38)
40. Jenning As Dark Overlord (7:18)
41. Jenning As Dark Overlord – Part II (0:47)
42. Dr. Jenning (0:17)
43. Dark Overlord (5:25)
44. Fallout (1:27)
45. End Credits – Suite (Version #1) (2:13)
CD 1 Total Time: 78:16

 

CD 2 Alternate Score Cues by JOHN BARRY
01. Main Title (Alternate) (2:42)
02. You’re The Duckiest (Alternate) (2:07)
03. Man’s Oldest Fantasy (Alternate) (0:44)
04. My Eyes, My Eyes (Alternate) (1:01)
05. Ultralight #2 (Alternate) (2:13)
06. Ultralight #3 (Alternate) (3:34)
07. Jenning As Dark Overlord – Part II (Alternate) (0:46)
08. Dark Overlord (Alternate) (5:24)
09. End Credits – Suite (Version #2) (3:25)
Total JOHN BARRY Alternates Time: 22:07

 

Original Rescore by SYLVESTER LEVAY
10. Howard’s Bar Brawl (Rescore) (1:31)
11. Shoot To Kill (Rescore) (4:13)
12. I Need Your Body (Rescore) (2:22)
13. Nuclear Drive (Rescore) (0:38)
14. Ultralight #1 (Rescore) (1:45)
15. Power! (Rescore) (1:09)
16. Ultralight #2 (Rescore) (2:34)
17. Ultralight #3 (Rescore) (4:18)
Total Rescore Time: 18:43

 

Alternate Rescore Cues by SYLVESTER LEVAY
18. Shoot To Kill (Rescore) (4:12)
19. I Need Your Body (Rescore) (2:22)
20. Nuclear Drive (Rescore) (0:38)
21. Ultralight #1 (Rescore) (1:45)
22. Power! (Rescore) (1:09)
23. Power! (Alternate End) (Rescore) (1:09)
24. Ultralight #2 (Rescore) (2:36)
25. Smog Inspection (Rescore) (0:50)
26. Ultralight #3 (Rescore) (3:30)
Total SYLVESTER LEVAY Alternates Time: 18:30

 

CD 2 Total Time: 59:37

 

CD 3 Original Songs and Music Produced by THOMAS DOLBY
01. Hunger City – With Extended Intro (Allee Willis/Thomas Dolby) (4:38)
02. Don’t Turn Away (Allee Willis/Thomas Dolby) (5:18)
03. I’m On My Way (Trad., Adapted & Arranged by Thomas Dolby) (2:55)
04. It Don’t Come Cheap (Allee Willis/Thomas Dolby) (4:47)
05. Beverly’s Loft (Howard The Duck – Instrumental) (0:35)
06. Don’t Turn Away – Version 2 (Allee Willis/Thomas Dolby) (6:22)
07. Howard The Duck – Extended (Allee Willis/Thomas Dolby/George Clinton) (5:10)
08. Howard The Duck (Alternate) (Allee Willis/Thomas Dolby/George Clinton) (4:53)
Total THOMAS DOLBY Time: 34:59

 

Original 1986 Soundtrack Album
09. Hunger City (4:14)
10. Howard The Duck (3:57)
11. Don’t Turn Away (5:02)
12. It Don’t Come Cheap (4:47)
13. I’m On My Way (2:55)
14. Lullaby Of Duckland (2:27)
15. Journey To Earth (2:40)
16. You’re The Duckiest (2:06)
17. Ultralight Flight (2:58)
18. Beddy-Bye For Howard (2:45)
19. Dark Overlord (5:27)
Total Original Album Time: 39:47
CD 3 Total Time: 74:55

 

http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.11784/.f

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The only thing I don't get is, why are 4 of the alternates thrown on disc 1 immediately before or after the film version, instead of those 4 alternates being on disc 2 with all the rest of the alternates?

 

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

09. Taxi Ride (Alternate) (1:00)
10. Taxi Ride (0:54)
18. Experiment Video (1:09)
19. Experiment Video (Alternate) (1:10)
24. Shoot To Kill (4:14)
25. Shoot To Kill (Alternate) (3:03)
34. Ultralight #1 (Alternate) (1:33)
35. Ultralight #1 (1:37)

 

They only add up to about 7 minutes, and disc 2 is only currently 59 minutes long.  I'd think putting them in the main program like this, directly next to their revised versions, will make the main program feel repetitive in these spots?

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9 minutes ago, Jay said:

The only thing I don't get is, why are 4 of the alternates thrown on disc 1 immediately before or after the film version, instead of those 4 alternates being on disc 2 with all the rest of the alternates?

I didn't realise this. Well, that's it, then. I mean...my whole fucking day is now ruined. Geez, Jay, what d'ya do that for? I'm not buying it now. 

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Woah.  I FINALLY listened to the samples this morning, and I am quite impressed!  The more Barry music I hear, the more I realize this dude is really good and I should have been listening to his music my whole life.  I got a lot of catching up to do!


It's amazing such a cheeseball looking movie inspired such lush music from him.  I will buy this CD!

 

I was not impressed at all with the Levay or Dolby samples.  Not my cup of tea.

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I'd buy the Dolby tracks if they were available for download. Although I have his tracks from the OST plus a few bonus tracks in FLAC already.

 

It's not his best work, though... anyone interested should check out The Golden Age of Wireless.

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Interesting that there is no mention of Lucasfilm anywhere in the press copy or on the back cover, confirming what I suspected, namely that despite Lucas's producing credit on the film, it remains a Universal property. Thus the assumption that Intrada has an automatic "in" at LF due to the Disney connection is still to be confirmed. Perhaps that is why Roger mentioned that Willow was "tricky" to do.

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On 9/27/2019 at 10:41 AM, Jay said:

Woah.  I FINALLY listened to the samples this morning, and I am quite impressed!  The more Barry music I hear, the more I realize this dude is really good and I should have been listening to his music my whole life.  I got a lot of catching up to do!


It's amazing such a cheeseball looking movie inspired such lush music from him.  I will buy this CD!

 

I was not impressed at all with the Levay or Dolby samples.  Not my cup of tea.

 

Barry really had a knack for lush and romantic music as well as great action cues. I did a re-edit of Never Say Never Again using cues from both Howard the Duck and Barry's score to Raise the Titantic and it fit Bond like a glove.  He truly encapsulated the character and the sound of the genre in such a magnificent way, and I think many fail to appreciate his scores away from Bond.  Before I even really appreciated film music I used to love watching Somewhere in Time, and coming back to it as an adult I realize it was largely due to Barry's wonderful music.

 

I'm interested to hear the music as I certainly have no interest in watching this film again.  I made the mistake about a decade ago,,,,never again.

 

 

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