Jerry Goldsmith's AIR FORCE ONE - 2019 2CD Varese Deluxe Edition

[Erik Woods 555]

4 minutes ago, Jay said:

So apart from its volume, what do you think about the new edition, Erik?  Share your thoughts!

 

I'm at a point in my life where I don't have the time to dedicate to listen to full expanded albums and whatnot.  I do try but unless it's already a favourite I tend to be far more attracted to shorter releases.  HOWEVER, Air Force One flows brilliantly.  There are a few odd short cues here and there that disrupt the flow a bit but this is high octane Goldsmith and McNeely and it'a an absolutely treat.  Interesting to hear some repeated ideas in some of the cues (ideas from Target Air Force One are reprised in The Dogfight). I also like hearing the electronic presence is some of the more atmospheric cues.  But overall, this is everything you could ever want from this score. It's amazing that this much quality was put together and recorded in just 3 weeks.

 

-Erik-

[Jay 37,339]

Sounds great, thanks for sharing!

[Jurassic Shark 12,052]

Who did the discarded score?

[Ollie 1,059]

Randy Newman.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I like the Randy Newman score a lot as standalone music, but yeah it doesn't really fit the tone of the film, they were right to replace it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

44 minutes ago, Erik Woods said:

 

Ok, but NO ONE is thinking about shuffling playlists when remixing these albums.

 

-Erik-

 

This!

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

17 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

I like the Randy Newman score a lot as standalone music, but yeah it doesn't really fit the tone of the film, they were right to replace it.

 

I've never heard his score, but I'm in perpetual amazement that anybody would think of Randy Newman to score this film.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

6 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I've never heard his score, but I'm in perpetual amazement that anybody would think of Randy Newman to score this film.

it sounds like militaristic Pixar music

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

It's a surprise it doesn't have a sarcastic credits song from the perspective of the president.

[Jay 37,339]

Varese just added the rear cover to their website entry for this

 

[Richard Penna 3,680]

I noticed Radek's Release (With Chorus) and got briefly perked up when I thought that meant they'd included one without chorus, but it appears not...

[Jay 37,339]

Yea, why label a main program cue as "With Chorus" (the only parenthetical in the entire main program) if there is no correlating "without Chorus" version in the bonus tracks?

[Kühni 485]

.

[Trent B 337]

40 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

I noticed Radek's Release (With Chorus) and got briefly perked up when I thought that meant they'd included one without chorus, but it appears not...

 

35 minutes ago, Jay said:

Yea, why label a main program cue as "With Chorus" (the only parenthetical in the entire main program) if there is no correlating "without Chorus" version in the bonus tracks?

 

I noticed that too and thought, "Is there one with no choir?" and nope there isn't. 

Maybe people thought it would not have choir.  It's also a little odd that they didn't put an image behind the text of their back cover, they generally do.

I wish they had samples of a couple of film version tracks and not just ones that were all ready released on the album.

 

[Erik Woods 555]

The broadcast premiere of AIR FORCE ONE (DELUXE EDITION) on CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO.

 

WEB: http://bit.ly/2nnO8Nv
APPLE PODCASTS: http://apple.co/29zAyyL
SPOTIFY: http://spoti.fi/2PfYHPb

 

Enjoy!

 

-Erik-

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

1 hour ago, Kühni said:

Also: Disc made in Mexico.

 

We need to stop these cheap Mexican goods at the border!

[Trent B 337]

By the way I thought "Target Air Force One" was strictly McNeely's piece? A promo boot of McNeely's cues that was included.  I am really happy they included both versions of "Get Off, My Plane!"  I of course will be using the film versions in place of the original ones in the main score for my iPod.

 

[Laserschwert 475]

At last this gets a proper release! Just put up a huge order of AF1, M:I, Howard the Duck, the new Ghostbusters release and the score to the animated Valhalla. Who needs money anyway?

[Incanus 5,714]

13 hours ago, Jay said:

Yea, why label a main program cue as "With Chorus" (the only parenthetical in the entire main program) if there is no correlating "without Chorus" version in the bonus tracks?

Yeah very curious but perhaps it was put there to avoid us second guessing whether they had the cue with chorus on this release or not. Now we certainly know.  

[crocodile 8,000]

You underestimate film music fan's ability to second guess just about everything. 😆

 

Karol

[Luke Skywalker 1,794]

 

Nice news

[Thor 7,490]

17 hours ago, Erik Woods said:

 

I'm at a point in my life where I don't have the time to dedicate to listen to full expanded albums and whatnot.  I do try but unless it's already a favourite I tend to be far more attracted to shorter releases. 

 

For all our constant disagreements on stuff, I'm very happy to find this small grain of common ground between us, Erik.

 

As for this particular release, somehow I thought an expanded AFO was released years and years ago. So although this is not a type of thread I usually click on, I had to take a peek to discover that this was, indeed, a new release.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Quartet already released a better edition of this score, but it was under the title “Total Recall”.

[Ollie 1,059]

3 hours ago, Incanus said:

Yeah very curious but perhaps it was put there to avoid us second guessing whether they had the cue with chorus on this release or not. Now we certainly know.  

 

 

Or that’s how the cue sheet was titled or they may have been contractually obligated to include that.

 

if I wanted a chuckle I would say they did it as s snarky response to film score fans who complain about the choir missing from certain releases. 😉

 

 

1 hour ago, Kasey Kockroach said:

Quartet already released a better edition of this score, but it was under the title “Total Recall”.

 

 

Total Recall may be one of the greatest action scores of a time but it’s no Air Force One. 😉

[Trent B 337]

6 hours ago, Kasey Kockroach said:

Quartet already released a better edition of this score, but it was under the title “Total Recall”.

To quote Dr. McCoy that's not very damn funny.

 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

But it is!  

[Datameister 2,041]

I've never owned this score in any form, but I'm familiar with the main theme, I remember enjoying the rest of the music in the context of the film, the samples sound great, and I was just talking about how I need more Goldsmith in my life the other day. Ordered!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

On 9/27/2019 at 6:03 PM, Thekthithm said:

 

We need to stop these cheap Mexican goods at the border!

 

Wh-where's Mexico?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He hates Mexico!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Damn it, why don't you grow up! Think how other people feel for a change!

[Incanus 5,714]

2 hours ago, Datameister said:

I've never owned this score in any form, but I'm familiar with the main theme, I remember enjoying the rest of the music in the context of the film, the samples sound great, and I was just talking about how I need more Goldsmith in my life the other day. Ordered!

I think you'll like it. The Hijacking is one of my favourite Goldsmith action setpieces ever and there are some nice busy Goldsmith suspense pieces in this one (like Empty Rooms) as well as quite a few other rousing action sequences, where Jerry pits the patriotic main theme against his heavy Russian bag guy theme in a battle for supremacy in classic pulse pounding Goldsmith fashion.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Hijacking is one of those tracks I can listen to and feel badass while doing anything. Shaving, grocery shopping, taking a dump. Classic 90s masculine testosterone-fueled Goldsmith.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Before macho music became simple low rumbles and textures.

[Richard Penna 3,680]

On 9/27/2019 at 9:16 PM, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I've never heard his score, but I'm in perpetual amazement that anybody would think of Randy Newman to score this film.

 

Quality's bad, but this gives you an idea. It's a perfectly good piece of music, but in context of a serious action film it's lacking tension - something just feels off about it. I haven't heard the rest of the score (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLohYzz4btpaQY-aEpctqOSzx0-f_yMK0v ) but like you, the idea of Randy Newman scoring an action film feels odd.

 

 

[Edmilson 7,426]

Indeed... However, the climax of Toy Story 3 makes me wonder how a Randy Newman score for a serious, dramatic action film would sound like

 

 

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

I'd buy that.

[Jurassic Shark 12,052]

Here it is!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Toy-Story-3-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B0075FIGTA

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

6 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Here it is!

 

AFO I mean. The site hadn't refreshed when I posted my reply...

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

 

[Brundlefly 2,385]

It's kinda funny that the first batch that Robert Townson isn't involved in contains Air Force One. Like he was the evil curse that tried to prevent its expansion.

 

You know what Varese Sarabande should have done? - put the unreleased alternates from Executive Decision and Small Soldiers that hadn't enough space on their 1CD expansions on this 2CD set as a bonus.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I assume they would have to pay licensing fees for those cues.

[Brundlefly 2,385]

Well, they would have done that anyways if the CDs had offered enough space.

[Trent B 337]

6 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

 

Quality's bad, but this gives you an idea. It's a perfectly good piece of music, but in context of a serious action film it's lacking tension - something just feels off about it. I haven't heard the rest of the score (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLohYzz4btpaQY-aEpctqOSzx0-f_yMK0v ) but like you, the idea of Randy Newman scoring an action film feels odd.

 

 

 

Ya I have never cared for Randy Newman's score for Air Force One.  Like you said Rich something feels off about it.  It just did NOT fit right for the film.  So I can understand why producers rejected it and brought in Goldsmith.  Wasn't it Goldsmith who brought in McNeely since there was so little time to record a whole new score?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Sounds like a Pixar score. Rightfully rejected.

[Trent B 337]

By the way looking at the track list who is "K.V."?  In the film it was Egor Korshunov with the scanned ID but the first name was obviously a fake.  In the credits for the film it's Ivan Korshunov.  Could KV be "Kill Villain"? 

 

It is weird too that they just used a plain black background and not have an actual picture from the film in the back drop.  Maybe this was just easier for reading the text.

[Richard Penna 3,680]

I wondered the same thing. *shrugs*

[Brundlefly 2,385]

4 hours ago, Gruesome Son of a Bitch said:

Sounds like a Pixar score. Rightfully rejected.

Yep.

[Incanus 5,714]

11 hours ago, Trent B said:

 

Ya I have never cared for Randy Newman's score for Air Force One.  Like you said Rich something feels off about it.  It just did NOT fit right for the film.  So I can understand why producers rejected it and brought in Goldsmith.  Wasn't it Goldsmith who brought in McNeely since there was so little time to record a whole new score?

Newman's score is just too aware of how silly the whole premise of the film is and he honed in on that too much. His patriotic music feels like a lighthearted parody indeed better suited for a Pixar film and while his action music is OK even if it feels somewhat on the light side. It really doesn't have the punchy urgency of Goldsmith's action music or the grand hymn-styled Americana main theme (which in itself is quite over-the-top in its grandeur) but Jerry's score takes the whole thing very seriously.

[Brundlefly 2,385]

3 hours ago, Incanus said:

Jerry's score takes the whole thing very seriously.

The good thing is that Goldsmith can bear a ridiculous film with serious music, unlike many other composers who would unsuccessfully try to make the music sound dramatic, but instead end up sounding childish with cute flute runs.

[Jay 37,339]

Jeff Bond has an interesting insight into this score in the FSM thread

 

AFO to me has always been one of the most unintentionally funny movies I've ever seen. I've always suspected that's one of the reasons Newman's score was rejected--I think Goldsmith correctly deduced that the music needed to get an absolute stranglehold on the audience in order to prevent as many of them as possible from laughing. You had to swamp them in patriotism and tension in order to avoid chuckles as Ford and a terrorist battle in front of dozens of milk cartons or as Glenn Close's VP in the situation room stares intensely with the rest of the White House staff at a phone speaker while Ford's choking noises come out of it.

I was underwhelmed too when I heard the score on CD without having seen the movie (which is how I reviewed it--and the way we reviewed a lot of scores at FSM because of our schedules), but once I saw the movie I was amazed at how effective it was, and I think it's one of Goldsmith's great accomplishments in salvaging something that was potentially a disaster.