Home Alone Main Titles

[Josh500 1,615]

Which Home Alone Main Title version do you like better? 1 or 2?

It's the same theme, actually, (House theme) but I can't get over how the second arrangement is SO MUCH BETTER, so much more fun. Maybe it's the fact that the 2nd one features the Thieves' Theme. But it's not just that. It sounds like a whole different piece, IMO.

What do you think?

[King Mark 3,631]

I hadn't noticed the House theme,but Somewhere in My Memory has a much better arrangement in Home Alone 2(Track 13 disk 2)

[Ollie 1,059]

1st film I guess.

[ChuckM 1]

I haven't paid much attention to the differences in the main theme, but "Preparing the Trap" (The second movie's version of "Setting the Trap") is way better.

[Henry B 50]

I haven't paid much attention to the differences in the main theme, but "Preparing the Trap" (The second movie's version of "Setting the Trap") is way better.

God, what? It's the same except for a very awkward transition and a forgettable ending extension.

[ChuckM 1]

I prefer the ending, and I made an edited version to cut out "The Christmas Star" from the beginning. But the actual content of the piece is slightly different, and I prefer it as well. It's a little more intricate, and seems to have been performed much more precisely and dynamically.

That's all just opinion of course.

[King Mark 3,631]

Id like a pop drums -less version

[ChuckM 1]

Isn't it basically a pop drums -added version of Star of Bethlehem?

[King Mark 3,631]

No,it's more of a "fugue".It would sound like Building the Cage in Jaws in tone if there was no pop drums...much cooler.

K.M.Who also hates Dennis Steals the Embrios for similar reasons

[Guest macrea]

I didn't vote in the poll because I think the first score is a perfect straightforward introduction of the house theme preceded by an intro of "Somewhere in My Memory." And the main titles of Home Alone 2 are ideal for the sequel in that they summarize the first score while remaining similar. The sequel is also recorded way better than the original, so overall I can't make a call.

My problem with the sequel's trap-setting cue is that there is the recurring rising scale wind phrase, which, in the original film, was written to indicate the presence of the tarantula. It has no business being in the sequel - that was just lazy.

The other lazy moment in the sequel is when all the pigeons come flocking in to feed. Rather than a statement of "Somewhere in My Memory" in the same "Kevin runs downstairs" arrangement that will be heard at least two more times later, use of the new "Christmas Star" melody should have been made there. The whole score is by no means lazy, because that pigeon scene is preceded by "Haunted Brownstone," which is fantastic.

[Henry B 50]

No,it's more of a "fugue".It would sound like Building the Cage in Jaws in tone if there was no pop drums...much cooler.

K.M.Who also hates Dennis Steals the Embrios for similar reasons

Yeah, anything that doesn't follow a very specific early 20th century concept of orchestration is simply bad.

[Red 75]

First movie. Just because.

[odnurega1 0]

I voted for the second film, because the thieves theme is included.

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

No,it's more of a "fugue".It would sound like Building the Cage in Jaws in tone if there was no pop drums...much cooler.

K.M.Who also hates Dennis Steals the Embrios for similar reasons

It's comments like these that I always find incredibly tiresome.

Hoosiers was a bad score because of the drum machine, and synths Goldsmith used... right?

They are "dated" to a degree yes. Get over it. It's no different to what producers like Armand Van Helden are doing with dance music today to be perfectly honest. Most of his recent club anthems have used drum loops and synths from the 1980's in fact.

I would go nuts if all I ever listened to was purely orchestral film music, I really would. You have all thouse different ideas from a wide variety of talented musicians available to you. Why write them off simply because an electronic device is involved? Silly really. I understand that people do have their own personal tastes, but all I'm getting from you Mark is sheer negativity.

Heck, I'm listening to "Burly Brawl" from The Matrix Reloaded right now. The version with Juno Reactor is far better then Davis' original version with just the orchestra involved.

"Setting the Trap" from Home Alone is far better with the electronic drum machine in the first film then it is with the acoustic percussion in the sequel.

I voted for the first film for the opening also. I think the lead in is better, and I don't like the "Somewhere In My Memory" quote when the title card appears in the sequel.

[Trent B 337]

Heck, I'm listening to "Burly Brawl" from The Matrix Reloaded right now. The version with Juno Reactor is far better then Davis' original version with just the orchestra involved.

I agree with this statement.

BTW I voted for the second film.

[Richard Penna 3,692]

Second.

Unlike some, I think JW did a good job with the sequel score and I find myself listening to it far more than the first.

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

Second.

Unlike some, I think JW did a good job with the sequel score and I find myself listening to it far more than the first.

I do also.

[King Mark 3,631]

No,it's more of a "fugue".It would sound like Building the Cage in Jaws in tone if there was no pop drums...much cooler.

K.M.Who also hates Dennis Steals the Embrios for similar reasons

It's comments like these that I always find incredibly tiresome.

Hoosiers was a bad score because of the drum machine, and synths Goldsmith used... right?

They are "dated" to a degree yes. Get over it. It's no different to what producers like Armand Van Helden are doing with dance music today to be perfectly honest. Most of his recent club anthems have used drum loops and synths from the 1980's in fact.

I would go nuts if all I ever listened to was purely orchestral film music, I really would. You have all thouse different ideas from a wide variety of talented musicians available to you. Why write them off simply because an electronic device is involved? Silly really. I understand that people do have their own personal tastes, but all I'm getting from you Mark is sheer negativity.

Heck, I'm listening to "Burly Brawl" from The Matrix Reloaded right now. The version with Juno Reactor is far better then Davis' original version with just the orchestra involved.

"Setting the Trap" from Home Alone is far better with the electronic drum machine in the first film then it is with the acoustic percussion in the sequel.

I voted for the first film for the opening also. I think the lead in is better, and I don't like the "Somewhere In My Memory" quote when the title card appears in the sequel.

I don't mind some electronics, but I hate the drum machine,especially in Hoosiers

[indy4 155]

The 1st.

The first is like a concert version of the House theme (assuming we're only talking about the main titles, not the track titled "Home Alone Main Title ("Somewhere in My Memory")"). THe second is like a medley of themes from the films. We hear the thieves theme and SIMM MANY MANY places throughout the 2 scores, we rarley get to hear the House theme (which I think is the strongest theme in both movies), so it's nice to hear one and a half minutes dedicated purley to that theme.

indy4 - who prefers "Setting The Trap" over "Preparing the Trap," and loves "Dennis Steals the Embroyes"

[Josh500 1,615]

we rarley get to hear the House theme (which I think is the strongest theme in both movies), so it's nice to hear one and a half minutes dedicated purley to that theme.

It's a terrific theme, but the strongest theme of the HA franchise is a bit of an exaggeration, IMO. For me, the strongest themes in the Home Alone films (and I'm talking about the first 2 only) are Star of Bethlehem, Somewhere in my Memory, and the Thieves' Theme, in that order.

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

I don't mind some electronics, but I hate the drum machine,especially in Hoosiers

Just out of curiosity Mark... What do you think of Goldsmith's score to Gremlins?

I know I'm definitely in the large majority when I say "That score wouldn't have worked, or been half as good had it not been for Goldsmith going wild with the synths and electronic samples".

I've heard fully orchestral versions of the Gremlins theme and Hoosiers theme done by many different conductors, and none of them are as good as their original counterparts. I'm not just saying that out of spite, there are versions of other themes/suites that I have heard and actually prefer them to the originals for one reason or another. I cannot understand how you can hate the drum machine in Hoosiers, because the way Goldsmith constructed it was nothing short of genius. A great deal of the actual beat is the sampled sound of a basketball hitting a wooden floor, a great idea for a film about "basketball" if there ever was one.

[King Mark 3,631]

I love Gremlins.

the sound effects in Gremlins 2,that's another story

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

I love Gremlins.

the sound effects in Gremlins 2,that's another story

They are there for a reason though. Have you seen the actual film?

The whole point of the sequel was poking fun at itself.

Not only was it spoofing its own original, it was spoofing practically everything around, before and up to that point in time.

It made a wonderful change if you ask me, compared to all the other typical mickey mousing orchestrations that were constantly being implemented into similar films of that type.

[King Mark 3,631]

I don't really care about how a film score fits in the context of the film.Listening as pure music is why I like film scores.

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

I don't really care about how a film score fits in the context of the film.

There is your problem, right there. You cannot simply expect film scores to always function as a classical symphony would on album.

[King Mark 3,631]

I don't see it as a problem.

A lot of of the scores I have ,I haven't seen the film

anyways,a cartoon noise poping up while listening to a c.d. track doesn't work for me.

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

a cartoon noise poping up while listening to a c.d. track doesn't work for me.

Well, every time that noise appears it is signaling a manic, cross-eyed gremlin character called "Daffy" appearing, or being on-screen in the film.

[Ollie 1,059]

I love Hoosiers, I was suprised how effective a synth score fit a 1950's basketball film.

I'm suprised KM prefers Gremlins over G2 since it's a synth dominated score with the synth meowing cat effects in the music.

My wife actually thought there was a cat meowing outside when she first heard the score.

[indy4 155]

I don't see it as a problem.

A lot of of the scores I have ,I haven't seen the film

anyways,a cartoon noise poping up while listening to a c.d. track doesn't work for me.

So I suppose you don't like all that voiceover junk on the 1941 soundtrack.

[King Mark 3,631]

I dislike anything else than music on my scores,including narration (like in War of the worlds,Star Trek 2 End Credits,last track of Clash of the Titans...)

[GoldsmithFanatic2000+ 0]

So I suppose you don't like all that voiceover junk on the 1941 soundtrack.

That's different though.

The cartoon noises that appear in Goldsmith's Gremlins 2 score are sampled sounds, and are part of the actual score.

It's the same ideas he utilised in the original basically, only they are now much more wackier but as I already said

"The whole point of the sequel was poking fun at itself".

I have a similar dialogue issue with the official Apollo 13 soundtrack release. That's why I only ever play my copy of the promotional score CD. Not a hint of dialogue in sight. I wish these studio labels would realise this, "If I wanted to hear dialogue commencing over a score, I'd watch the actual film".

[Ollie 1,059]

I hate dialogue, narration or any sound effects on scores. Now I know there are some cases where it can't be helped (Satan Bug, White Buffalo).

I hardly listen to the original 1941 CD, I prefer the isolated score.

[Maglorfin 196]

I voted for the first film, simply because we get introduced to that "vintage" HA sound and feeling. It's truly a classical moment and brings back so many fond memories ...

Of course, the 2 is also great (especially the way it is treated and heard on Varese Club edition), "updated" somehow, but very much with good taste (as one would of course expect from JW). So I really love that one too, but in this case, I'd go for the first film (partially also because whole Somewhere In My Memory is included).

If however asked about the Setting the Trap, I think I'd be tempted to vote for the second version. Such great stuff!

[Josh500 1,615]

I voted for the first film, simply because we get introduced to that "vintage" HA sound and feeling. It's truly a classical moment and brings back so many

fond memories ...

(partially also because whole Somewhere In My Memory is included).

To each his own, of course, but the two reasons you stated for voting for the first option are, IMO, the least telling.

Here's why:

1. We get introduced to that "vintage" HA sound and feeling, you say. If that's the case, you're disqualifying the second movie and score from the getgo. You should compare these two pieces on their own merits.

2. Partially also because whole Somewhere In My Memory is included, you say. I'm not talking about the concert version tacked on to the Main Title music at all. That's not part of the Main Title . . .

But, as I said, to each his own.