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Film Score Monthly announces the Blue Box - Superman.


TownerFan

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Well guess what was waiting for me when I got home? :D

For all of those who are concerned about SAE, don't worry they will get your order to you as quickly as possible.

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Unfortunately I don't have the Rhino set with me to compare, but I've been listening through disk 1 of the FSM set and it's got a wonderful sound. That marvellous "blattery" brass sound really rips out of the speakers. I'm really not the one to do the comparison as my Rhino set is in Blighty, but I'm highly impressed with this set so far. There's no denying it's a '70s recording. Don't expect it to suddenly sound like it was recorded with modern equipment or anything. But I for one love that 70s film-score sound, and here it's presented in a very sharp and clear quality. I dig it, man. The book is excellent!

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So how MUCH more awesome does it sound than the Rhino release?

It does sound better, a much crisper sound to it. Not as muddy or muffled sounding, also less hiss.

Now it still sounds like a 1977 score and not 2008.

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Wow...now that there's no narration, The Flying Sequence is probably my favorite track so far!

The Rhino set presented "The Flying Sequence" both with narration and without.

And if this set sounds anything like the Star Wars SE, I'll be thrilled.

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true

I remember for the longest of time doing rough cassette edits to remove the part where Margot Kidder speaks

:D OMG that just brought some flashbacks to me. I did the exact same thing, years ago!

The cut came right after the timpani after he caught her, and blended with the CYRMM phrase that occured right after she finished blabbing.

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So how MUCH more awesome does it sound than the Rhino release?

It does sound better, a much crisper sound to it. Not as muddy or muffled sounding, also less hiss.

Now it still sounds like a 1977 score and not 2008.

Is the brass still mixed so harshly?

How does it sound in relation to the Star Wars SE and Close Encounters SE?

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I had a weird problem. The last track on the second disc (The Prison Yard/End Title [Film Version]) was cutting off 5 seconds early when I ripped it in iTunes. When I played the CD in iTunes, it was fine, but I ripped it twice, and each time it was cutting off early. So I ended up ripping it in another program and then importing in into iTunes.

Anyone else have this trouble?

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Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages....... My box has just arrived!!! :D

That's great, you're a lucky man! Very quick for UK delivery too, hope mine is as quick.

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Mine arrived this morning, in the UK! Couldn't believe it, only five days since it was dispatched, that's including the weekend.

:D Superman: The Movie (John Williams)

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I had a weird problem. The last track on the second disc (The Prison Yard/End Title [Film Version]) was cutting off 5 seconds early when I ripped it in iTunes. When I played the CD in iTunes, it was fine, but I ripped it twice, and each time it was cutting off early. So I ended up ripping it in another program and then importing in into iTunes.

Anyone else have this trouble?

First thing I did yesterday was rip all 8 disks to i-tunes. I just checked the track you mentioned and it ripped just fine on i-tunes for me. Sorry :(

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Yay! Mine arrived at work yesterday, but I was out sick so I didn't get to rip open the box til this morning. It looks great! Can't wait to get it home and indulge myself in the goodness. And rip it to iTunes, etc. Might take some time at lunch to read some of the book.

Yay!

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I remember for the longest of time doing rough cassette edits to remove the part where Margot Kidder speaks

LOL :lol: I can't hold back roaring with laughter only imagining you painstaikingly doing that ... :D

Man, do I envy all you guys who have already received your treasures ... :sigh: Living in Slovenia does have some disadvantages after all ... :P:D Well, I have some futile hope that it might arrive tomorrow, Wednesday seems like such a great day for great boxsets to arrive ... :D

Anyone wanna post some more pics for us miserable waiting people? :(

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There's some images from people who have received their sets over at FSM.

Turns out our former moderator is... Batman.

- Marc, who just noticed MovieMusic.com has shifted their release date for the set from March 5th to March 7th... :(

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There's some images from people who have received their sets over at FSM.

Great, thanks very much for that! :sigh: I already looked at all the pics and am now positively drooling ... :D Man, it looks so awesome! :lol:

I also just checked out my order status at SAE and it says "shipped, February 28th", which means it'll probably arrive sometime between March 8th and 12th ... :(

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- Marc, who just noticed MovieMusic.com has shifted their release date for the set from March 5th to March 7th... :P

:D:(:sigh::D :D :lol:

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About customs charges, I ordered mine from Screen Archives, on the package it was listed as "gift", description: "book", and value "$10-". Postman delivered it along with the other mail. :(

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About customs charges, I ordered mine from Screen Archives, on the package it was listed as "gift", description: "book", and value "$10-". Postman delivered it along with the other mail. :(

Yes they, BSX and Intrada are great when it comes to charges.

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I got a laugh out of reading Margot Kidder's recollection of trying to sing in front of John Williams.

Williams' version of the story was much kinder to her. :(

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About customs charges, I ordered mine from Screen Archives, on the package it was listed as "gift", description: "book", and value "$10-". Postman delivered it along with the other mail. :(

Indeed - I forgot to mention that - that was a nice bonus.....

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Oh no. As much as I adore this release and the sound quality.... I've noticed a mixing error, and I'm certain now (I noticed it right off the bat), I have done comparisons.

The track Prelude And Main Title (Film Version) at 1:41 which is where the principal trumpet statement appears suddenly loses a great deal of bass and fidelity that should be present in the track which just vanishes from that point on.

I've compared it to the Theme From Superman from the first disc which features the exact same rendition of that statement, the DVD (which has a pitch shift I know) and the Prelude And Main Title March from the Rhino disc. It's definitely wrong. :sigh:

From how I'm hearing it, the music goes from sounding full and robust... to merely hollow and lacking. The Rhino disc sounds fuller. I feel ashamed to say that right now, because up until that point I had been enthusiastically pleased with this release, and I am still extremely grateful to everybody involved for their work on its inception.

I think I'm going to send FSM an email making them aware of this. It is only one track, but it's my favourite rendition of the overall march. :(

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I think I'm going to send FSM an email making them aware of this. It is only one track, but it's my favourite rendition of the overall march. :(

I, for one, am just glad they made the damn thing. If I sent an email, it'd be one of gratitude.

My box came today. This is the first time I've been to JWFan in a few months, so it was kinda ironic to read this thread and see all the talk about Alien since I ordered it along with the BB (also ordered Mancini's/Kamen's Lifeforce).

For one thing, I'm glad I haven't been around here because I only found out about the Blue Box a little over a week ago, which was two days before my birthday. So that was a damn good surprise. Two, the sound kicks ass. The bass is a little heavier than I'm used to, but who cares? The main title really sounds like it's got some life to it.

But I'm only up to "The Mugger" on Disc 1...haven't even touched anything else yet from the BB or Alien or Lifeforce. Such a great assload of music lined up!

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Oh no. As much as I adore this release and the sound quality.... I've noticed a mixing error, and I'm certain now (I noticed it right off the bat), I have done comparisons.

The track Prelude And Main Title (Film Version) at 1:41 which is where the principal trumpet statement appears suddenly loses a great deal of bass and fidelity that should be present in the track which just vanishes from that point on.

I've compared it to the Theme From Superman from the first disc which features the exact same rendition of that statement, the DVD (which has a pitch shift I know) and the Prelude And Main Title March from the Rhino disc. It's definitely wrong. :sigh:

From how I'm hearing it, the music goes from sounding full and robust... to merely hollow and lacking. The Rhino disc sounds fuller. I feel ashamed to say that right now, because up until that point I had been enthusiastically pleased with the release, and I am still extremely grateful to everybody involved for their work on its inception.

I think I'm going to send FSM an email making them aware of this. It is only one track, but it's my favourite rendition of the overall march. :(

What I think you are hearing is actually a noticeable edit on the Rhino version that is not present on this set or in the film (but can be heard on the 2001 DVDs main menu!). What's presented on disc 8, track 1 is correct, according to the cue sheet and what can be heard in the movie (even the isolated score track). Page 59 of the notes mentions all of this, even the edit at 1:41.

Neil

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What I think you are hearing is actually a noticeable edit on the Rhino version that is not present on this set or in the film (but can be heard on the 2001 DVDs main menu!). What's presented on disc 8, track 1 is correct, according to the cue sheet and what can be heard in the movie (even the isolated score track). Page 59 of the notes mentions all of this, even the edit at 1:41.

Neil

I agree with, and understand what you are saying there Neil, but my problem is not the edit, I am fully aware there has always been one. It's the change in sound.

The Rhino disc and DVD isolated track do not dip in quality quite as the cue does on disc 8.

The fact that the same exact rendition of the music on Theme From Superman sounds superior and how it should sound is what I find most baffling, and therefore has led me to the conclusion that it is indeed a mixing error.

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I got a free Screen Archives fridge magnet with my order.

I got an underage blonde with mine. Oh you guys are spoiling me lately.

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I got an underage blonde with mine.

Were that true, I seriously doubt you'd have the time to visit this board or even turn the computer on. :(:sigh:

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I'm now very familiar with disk 1 having had it blasting in my car all day. All I can say is WOW. The sound is excellent. The strings on "The Fortress of Solitude", and "Trip to Earth" are especially resonant. Although I don't have either of the previous Superman CD releases with me to compare I can say that I don't remember the score ever sounding this good.

My only minor quibble: Much as I like the new track "Kryptonquake" I wish it had been included as a bonus at the end of disk 2. It seems odd going from the masterpiece that is "Destruction of Krypton" to "Kryptonquake". IMO "Destruction of Krypton" HAS to go straight into "Trip to Earth". But hey, that's why there's a skip button on CD players!

Maybe I'll switch to disk 2 tomorrow, but right now I'm loving disk 1. Yep, I think this box set is going to be keeping me entertained for weeks before it finally gets put back on my shelf for future enjoyment.

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Why would you skip over "Kryptonquake" (a.k.a "Star Ship Escapes")? If anything, "Destruction of Krypton" should be edited to segue into "Kryptonquake," as was clearly the original intention. Is it just a personal listening preference?

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I believe that's how the old double LP was programmed.

"Destruction of Krypton" followed by "Trip To Earth".

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My only minor quibble: Much as I like the new track "Kryptonquake" I wish it had been included as a bonus at the end of disk 2. It seems odd going from the masterpiece that is "Destruction of Krypton" to "Kryptonquake". IMO "Destruction of Krypton" HAS to go straight into "Trip to Earth". But hey, that's why there's a skip button on CD players!

As mentioned, "The Destruction of Krypton" was supposed to go right into "The Kryptonquake". You can hear this is in the long TV version, and you can hear the end of "The Destruction of Krypton" overlapping the start of "The Kryptonquake" on the 2001 DVD re-mix of STM and on the mono foreign versions on the 1978 DVD. On the English language version of the 1978 mix, "The Kryptonquake" started cleanly.

Neil

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so I had to do a lot of searching and I found that they did a pretty good job replicating the original film mixes.

The harp in the begining of Prelude threw me off. I'm so use to listening to the Rhino release which, as with any other correctly mixed Williams release, put the harp in the far left channel... but it would seem the film places it in the center as well... and they duplicated that here...

Makes me wonder though if that was what Williams intended but hard to tell so no reason to speculate.

I do wish that the sound quality were a bit better. With some very simple and minute mixing, you can easily rebirth the score to sound much more... clean and crisp. I wish they had done that... to make it sound more like the isolated sound track does... which is nice sounding.

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It's pretty much personal taste about "Kryptonquake". I love the track and I'm thrilled to have it on CD, it's just that after the climactic final chord of "Destruction of Krypton" I am so used to the gentle intro to "The Trip To Earth" which seems so perfect.

Not a complaint, more a minor quibble.

BTW Marc, Don't watch RoboCop 2 today. You watched the fantastic original last night. Leave it at that. If you absolutely MUST watch R2 today for goodness sake don't watch R3 tomorrow. That's even worse!

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