Hey everyone - check out my exclusive interview with MV Gerhard and MIke Matessino about the new 1941 - Expanded set right here on JWFan!
http://www.jwfan.com/?p=929
JWFan Exclusive - Interview with producer Mike Matessino about 1941!!
Started by Jason LeBlanc, Sep 26 2011 02:20 AM
Mike Matessino JWFan Interviews Main Page Articles
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#1
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:20 AM
-Jay
#2
king mark
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:21 AM
you do interviews now?
Please don't turn to the dark side
Please don't turn to the dark side
#3
Faleel
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:28 AM
"There’s one I worked on that I expect will be announced before the ink completely dries on this interview."
I am excited now!
I am excited now!
Among all the things I have done in my short and pitiful life, becoming an inside joke on JWFAN is the one I'm the least proud of.
#4
indy4
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:37 AM
Nice interview, Jason! The question is, would Hook be announced so soon? It seems like it would be a holiday title. Although they could just be announcing it several months in advance, like they did for some titles (like 1941).
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1. Nightwatch/Killer By Night - Johnny Williams and Quincy Jones 2. Diamond Head/Gone with the Wave - Johnny Williams/Lalo Schifrin 3. Mass - Leonard Bernstein 4. Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic - Leonard Bernstein
#5
Koray Savas
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:40 AM
Hey Jay, do you actually have a copy of the score? You say you read the liner notes and that the sound is fantastic. How'd you wiggle your way into the business? 
In 50 years Herrmann will be forgotten.
#6
Demondm810
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:44 AM
Great interview Jay!
#7
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 02:48 AM
Thanks Indy4 and Demondm810!
Koray yep - looking at it right here in front of me! I will be posting a full review tomorrow, but it's essentially an absolutely PERFECT release of the score. The sound quality, artwork, liner notes, and packaging are all completely top notch. Matessino really knocked it out of the park (which is no surprise).
Between the liner notes and the interview, there should be no questions left about the score at all - every detail is covered!
Oh, and of course the score itself! I have a new found appreciation for it with this release. It's a terrific film score that has been poorly presented on the OST, the film itself, and the laserdisc/DVD isolated score track that is finally getting the treatment it deserves. Every Williams score deserves this treatment.
Koray yep - looking at it right here in front of me! I will be posting a full review tomorrow, but it's essentially an absolutely PERFECT release of the score. The sound quality, artwork, liner notes, and packaging are all completely top notch. Matessino really knocked it out of the park (which is no surprise).
Between the liner notes and the interview, there should be no questions left about the score at all - every detail is covered!
Oh, and of course the score itself! I have a new found appreciation for it with this release. It's a terrific film score that has been poorly presented on the OST, the film itself, and the laserdisc/DVD isolated score track that is finally getting the treatment it deserves. Every Williams score deserves this treatment.
-Jay
#8
Trent Bennett
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 03:32 AM
Awesome interview Jay. It was cool to read that Universal takes pride in keeping their master session tapes for scores in pristine condition, or at least tries to. Lucasfilm should take a page from their book on this matter.
"Let's make sure history never forgets the name......Enterprise." - Captain Picard
#9
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 03:33 AM
Thanks Trent!
It was immediately apparent upon listening how well Universal kept the master tapes. The sound quality is stunning, especially for a score 32 years old! It almost makes no sense why the laserdisc/DVD isolated score had such poor sound quality in comparison.
It was immediately apparent upon listening how well Universal kept the master tapes. The sound quality is stunning, especially for a score 32 years old! It almost makes no sense why the laserdisc/DVD isolated score had such poor sound quality in comparison.
-Jay
#10
Trent Bennett
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 03:42 AM
Maybe the mastering technique and technology wasn't as good back then as they are today.
Here's a good example... Predator. We all know how not so great sound Varèse D.E. release was but Intrada's was pristine because the remastering technique and tools of today compared to back then are a lot more sophisticated and better.
Here's a good example... Predator. We all know how not so great sound Varèse D.E. release was but Intrada's was pristine because the remastering technique and tools of today compared to back then are a lot more sophisticated and better.
"Let's make sure history never forgets the name......Enterprise." - Captain Picard
#11
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 03:47 AM
I'm salivating for this release. I've been listening to the Varese for days so I can fully appreciate the upgrade. Watching the film again tomorrow, as it's been a few years.
#12
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 04:19 AM
Thanks for the great interview!
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#13
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 04:45 AM
I've been listening to the Varese for days so I can fully appreciate the upgrade.
I'm definitely not doing that
#14
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 05:30 AM
Exactly, that doesn't make sense to me. I deleted all my Pink Floyd in anticipation of the remasters that come out on Tuesday.
In 50 years Herrmann will be forgotten.
#15
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 05:36 AM
Yeah, last time I listened to 1941 was July 2011, which was around the time when it was announced by LLL.
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1. Nightwatch/Killer By Night - Johnny Williams and Quincy Jones 2. Diamond Head/Gone with the Wave - Johnny Williams/Lalo Schifrin 3. Mass - Leonard Bernstein 4. Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic - Leonard Bernstein
#16
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 05:46 AM
Great interview Jason! Excellent questions. Could not have made better ones myself. 
Ars superior est vita hominum.
"We pop out and come into the world and music is there. We didn't invent it - it's all organised in the atmosphere by divinity or whatever. It's a miracle." - John Williams-
I think music is a stream of some kind. It could be blood. It could be water. It could be ether. Whatever it is it seems to be a living, organic force that’s in motion, that serves humanity and is part of humanity and part of what describes us as humans. We sing, play, dance, all the things that we do. And there is a vibrant and great literature we have been given. ... As musicians, we join the stream. We swim in the stream with all the other millions of music makers. It’s a life force, a strong one, surrounding us and we are part of it. -John Williams-
#17
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 08:07 AM
Great interview indeed - thanks for the interesting read!
(Btw: spelling error - it's 'were' instead of 'where')
(Btw: spelling error - it's 'were' instead of 'where')
#18
Incanus
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 08:08 AM
Could you say more specifically where?Great interview indeed - thanks for the interesting read!
(Btw: spelling error - it's 'were' instead of 'where')
Ars superior est vita hominum.
"We pop out and come into the world and music is there. We didn't invent it - it's all organised in the atmosphere by divinity or whatever. It's a miracle." - John Williams-
I think music is a stream of some kind. It could be blood. It could be water. It could be ether. Whatever it is it seems to be a living, organic force that’s in motion, that serves humanity and is part of humanity and part of what describes us as humans. We sing, play, dance, all the things that we do. And there is a vibrant and great literature we have been given. ... As musicians, we join the stream. We swim in the stream with all the other millions of music makers. It’s a life force, a strong one, surrounding us and we are part of it. -John Williams-
#19
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 08:27 AM
It's in one of the questions; if all materials were located or something.
#20
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 08:31 AM
Great interview Jay! I've enjoyed it a lot.
"It's still baffling to me. I sit down with a pencil and a piece of paper and do my best... The remarkable thing is that my music is heard by billions of people." --John Williams
"Let me say, however, there is no "next" John Williams. Sadly, he is unique--- a figure who simultaneously embodies and transcends the music of all the masters of film music who preceded him (much like Brahms and Wagner of the Romantic era). He comes from a time when the craft of music in film was still one of the ear, heart and mind. Today, sadly, the craft is largely technical. Most composers do not conceive their music "inwardly" but rather at the computer--- and with rather limited skills, musically, at that. The inner spirit knows no boundaries--- our plastic abilities, sadly, do. John is a man of spirit, heart, intellect and soaring music." -- Conrad Pope about John Williams
"Let me say, however, there is no "next" John Williams. Sadly, he is unique--- a figure who simultaneously embodies and transcends the music of all the masters of film music who preceded him (much like Brahms and Wagner of the Romantic era). He comes from a time when the craft of music in film was still one of the ear, heart and mind. Today, sadly, the craft is largely technical. Most composers do not conceive their music "inwardly" but rather at the computer--- and with rather limited skills, musically, at that. The inner spirit knows no boundaries--- our plastic abilities, sadly, do. John is a man of spirit, heart, intellect and soaring music." -- Conrad Pope about John Williams
#21
Incanus
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 08:33 AM
Waiting for tomorrow to get to order and then waiting for the CDs to arrive feels like an eternity after this interview. 
Ars superior est vita hominum.
"We pop out and come into the world and music is there. We didn't invent it - it's all organised in the atmosphere by divinity or whatever. It's a miracle." - John Williams-
I think music is a stream of some kind. It could be blood. It could be water. It could be ether. Whatever it is it seems to be a living, organic force that’s in motion, that serves humanity and is part of humanity and part of what describes us as humans. We sing, play, dance, all the things that we do. And there is a vibrant and great literature we have been given. ... As musicians, we join the stream. We swim in the stream with all the other millions of music makers. It’s a life force, a strong one, surrounding us and we are part of it. -John Williams-
#22
SF1_freeze
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 11:54 AM
Fantastic and very informative interview. You ask all the right questions and Mike Matessino gladly took his time to cover every aspect extensively.
The Force Theme Archive
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John Williams CD Series
Which JW scores let you feel summer, winter, autumn and spring
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John Williams CD Series
Which JW scores let you feel summer, winter, autumn and spring
#23
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 12:57 PM
Thanks Incanus, fommes, Maurizio, and SF1_freeze!
I tried to ask questions about anything that wasn't covered in the liner notes. The problem was, the release was handled so perfectly, with every last bit of music included, and the liner notes covered so many of the questions I would have had, it was somewhat hard to come up with good questions! Luckily Mr. Takis suggested some good ones that led to great responses.
I tried to ask questions about anything that wasn't covered in the liner notes. The problem was, the release was handled so perfectly, with every last bit of music included, and the liner notes covered so many of the questions I would have had, it was somewhat hard to come up with good questions! Luckily Mr. Takis suggested some good ones that led to great responses.
-Jay
#24
fommes
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 01:16 PM
Colour me 0,25% disappointed that they kept the cannon thing in the concert version of the march - I would have done it otherwise. And we already had the OST for that. (The rest, including sequencing, sounds absolutely perfect though!)
#25
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 01:20 PM
Well, he had to keep the cannons in to duplicate the original 1979 LP.
I'm sure had their been room, he would have also included the March without cannons... but both CDs are currently maxed out. What would you have dropped to fit it in?
You can always re-create the March, without cannons, by editing the final track of Disc 1 yourself.
I'm sure had their been room, he would have also included the March without cannons... but both CDs are currently maxed out. What would you have dropped to fit it in?
You can always re-create the March, without cannons, by editing the final track of Disc 1 yourself.
-Jay
#26
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 01:23 PM
I know, I know; but I would have dropped the March with cannons. The Varèse sounds good enough for those that would want it with cannons.
#27
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 01:36 PM
Nah, they had to duplicate the original 1979 LP presentation down to a T, including cannons. Besides the fact that they were probably obligated to do so, it's just smart business to do so.
-Jay
#28
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 01:40 PM
Very informative interview, good work! :-) One teensy question since you've listened to the CD, how are Capture of Hollis / Kelso Lost combined? Like, say for the sake of argument I wanted to isolate the latter for when I put it on my iPod, is that possible?
#29
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 01:53 PM
Yea, that would sound fine. Kelso Lost just comes in as Capture Of Hollis is fading out, but it was just edited at the right musical moment to sound like it could have been a long single cue if you didn't know any better.
For the most part all the tracks that contain 2 or more cues can be separated out easily enough, especially since the liner notes point out where the second (or third) cue starts. The only ones that would sound REALLY jarring if you don't have gapless playback would be like how Sub Commander goes into Wild Bill Kelso, which is the same transition as heard on the OST (The Invasion at 4:51)
For the most part all the tracks that contain 2 or more cues can be separated out easily enough, especially since the liner notes point out where the second (or third) cue starts. The only ones that would sound REALLY jarring if you don't have gapless playback would be like how Sub Commander goes into Wild Bill Kelso, which is the same transition as heard on the OST (The Invasion at 4:51)
-Jay
#30
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 03:03 PM
Great job, Jay! You do better than most interviewers from all these major papers.
Karol
Karol
From a storytelling point of view, from a directing point of view, there is one thing I associate with what he does, which is calm. There is such an inherent calm and inherent trust of the one powerful image, that he makes me embarrassed with my own work, in terms of how many different shots, how many different sound effects, how many different things we’ll throw at an audience to make an impression. But with Kubrick, there is such a great trust of the one correct image to calmly explain something to audience. There can be some slowness to the editing. There’s nothing frenetic about it. It’s very simple. There’s a trust in simple storytelling and simple image making that actually takes massive confidence to try and emulate.
- Christopher Nolan
#31
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 03:08 PM
Ha! Thanks Karol!
-Jay
#32
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Posted 26 September 2011 - 04:02 PM
Nice. Good interview. I also like his Captain Hook reference. Hopefully there was a little something to that reference.
#33
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Posted 27 September 2011 - 10:32 PM
Any truth to the rumor I heard years ago that Spielberg was not at all happy with the score? He felt it added yet another layer of chaos to the film. When he discusses it now, he always re-tells the story of going home, grabbing his clarinet and joining the ensemble to mess it up just a little. Maybe he DID play with the orchestra as a form of sabotage...
TJH
TJH
#34
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Posted 27 September 2011 - 10:50 PM
Any truth to the rumor I heard years ago that Spielberg was not at all happy with the score?
Yes, it didn't quite work out between the two of them after that. After some early success with Jaw and Close Encounters, they never worked together again after 1941. Shame, really. So much potential down the drain....Egos man.
#35
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Posted 27 September 2011 - 10:51 PM
Any truth to the rumor I heard years ago that Spielberg was not at all happy with the score?
Yes, it didn't quite work out between the two of them after that. After some early success with Jaw and Close Encounters, they never worked together again after 1941. Shame, really. So much potential down the drain....Egos man.
WITW?
Among all the things I have done in my short and pitiful life, becoming an inside joke on JWFAN is the one I'm the least proud of.
#36
Miles Prower
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Posted 27 September 2011 - 11:24 PM
I ducked out of my physics class to order it at one sharp - and I got my shipping notice just a little over two hours later, so it was more than worth it!
Great job again on the interview Jason (and thanks for answering my question from earlier) - care to explain how you got to hear it before the rest of us?
Great job again on the interview Jason (and thanks for answering my question from earlier) - care to explain how you got to hear it before the rest of us?
#37
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 28 September 2011 - 12:18 AM
Any truth to the rumor I heard years ago that Spielberg was not at all happy with the score? He felt it added yet another layer of chaos to the film. When he discusses it now, he always re-tells the story of going home, grabbing his clarinet and joining the ensemble to mess it up just a little. Maybe he DID play with the orchestra as a form of sabotage...
TJH
The liner notes do recount the story of Spielberg playing clarinet in the sessions, but nowhere do they mention Spielberg being unhappy with the score. I wish I had known about that, I would have asked Mike about it. Oh well, next time
Great job again on the interview Jason (and thanks for answering my question from earlier) - care to explain how you got to hear it before the rest of us?
I was sent a copy so that I could conduct an informed interview.
-Jay
#38
Miles Prower
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Posted 28 September 2011 - 12:48 AM
Great job again on the interview Jason (and thanks for answering my question from earlier) - care to explain how you got to hear it before the rest of us?
I was sent a copy so that I could conduct an informed interview.
Well, look at you with your perks and your ability to listen to the CD while we all wait impatiently.
Serious tho, nice. Hope you get to do things like that more often, I love reading in-depth interviews about our favorite subject like this.
#39
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Posted 28 September 2011 - 02:17 AM
Good work, Jason! It sounds like this is a finely packaged and comprehensive release!
#40
Jason LeBlanc
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Posted 28 September 2011 - 01:07 PM
It sure is!
-Jay
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