What is the last score you listened to?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

An all-star lineup today. Premiered Images and Monsignor. Very cool stuff. I'll be revisiting Monsignor often. Also did Amazing Stories Ghost Train and The Mission, The Towering Inferno, Music For Stage and Screen (The Reivers suite is amazing), A.I., John Williams Conducts Music From the Star Wars Saga, Home Alone 2 and The Poseidon Adventure.

[Incanus 5,716]

Its annoying because I remember lots of good music while watching season 5. Giacchino just seems to have pulled a Williams on which cues to include on the OST

I seem to recall that Varese's Robert Townson has his hand in selecting the music for the OSTs even though it goes to Giacchino for final approval.

And I find myself liking the Season 5 OST despite its shortcomings. I agree that a lot of great music is missing but there are many of my favourite moments here. And yes, the flow could be a bit better.

[John Crichton 4]

Back to the Future

For some reason, I haven't been getting the same level of enjoyment out of the Intrada release as I had my...previous version. I know, makes as much sense as Johnny Cochrane's Chewbacca defense, but it was true. The corner finally turned tonight, an absolutely wonderful listen.

[Trent B 337]

Back to the Future

For some reason, I haven't been getting the same level of enjoyment out of the Intrada release as I had my...previous version. I know, makes as much sense as Johnny Cochrane's Chewbacca defense, but it was true. The corner finally turned tonight, an absolutely wonderful listen.

I love Intrada's release for Back To The Future.. I've always wanted to hear the real "85 Lone Pine Mall" cue outside of the film. It sucks it wasn't on the promo boot as it was such an important cue. I'm glad I was finally able to listen to it.

Hopefully one day we might get the complete releases for 2 and 3, but if we don't the foot-warmers will suffice for me as they've got great sound quality that matches Intrada's BTTF.

[Wojo 2,453]

I would not feel the same enthusiasm for buying 2 and 3 complete that I did the day Intrada announced the complete BTTF 1 album.

What is the last score you listened to?

Charles Gerhardt's The Empire Strikes Back. Happy 30th, oh glorious best sequel ever!

[Datameister 2,044]

Best sequel ever indeed! Best sequel score ever, too...

[Jay 37,374]

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Charles Gerhardt's The Empire Strikes Back. Happy 30th, oh glorious best sequel ever!

Me too! Let's hear it for Gerhardt's wonderful SW recordings. Also one of the rare appearances of the concert arrangement of JW's apparently disowned love theme.

[crocodile 8,020]

I agree.

Karol - who will listen today to the RCA version

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

An all-star lineup today. Premiered Images and Monsignor. Very cool stuff. I'll be revisiting Monsignor often. Also did Amazing Stories Ghost Train and The Mission, The Towering Inferno, Music For Stage and Screen (The Reivers suite is amazing), A.I., John Williams Conducts Music From the Star Wars Saga, Home Alone 2 and The Poseidon Adventure.

I envy you, ET. I remember hearing "Gloria" for the first time, and being blown into the next room by it!

Best sequel ever indeed! Best sequel score ever, too...

"Best sequel ever"? What about "The Godfather Part II"?

[Datameister 2,044]

Haven't seen it...

But ESB is better.

[King Mark 3,631]

I wish I could listen to a post 1977 Williams score for the first time again

[Datameister 2,044]

Be grateful for Tintin, then!

[John Crichton 4]

Images > Monsignor

John- startin' sumthin'

[indy4 155]

A Guide for the Married Man:

Well, I love the song/main theme of the score. A lot of it is boring mickey-mousing, but there are some other highlights. Most of the source music is good, "The Globetrotters" is a fun and interesting piece. I also really like alternate "The Race Home." And the nostalgic choir in "Finale - No Place Like Home" is just great (and unexpected). As a whole it'll probably be a dust collector. However, I can see myself returning to specific cues every once in a while. And I'm glad I got it before it went out of print--I definitely don't need another outrageously expensive JW score to hunt down.

[King Mark 3,631]

Be grateful for Tintin, then!

Well we got a bit of that experience with the Indy box Set

[Datameister 2,044]

True, that...

Just finishing listening to BTTF now. My edit combines the film's major songs with the utterly fantastic Intrada release. What an awesome score...I must admit, its construction can be a little bothersome, because it reuses its own material sooooo much. Though I'm very glad to have the complete score, a lot of it is rather redundant. Still...Silvestri really hit the ball out of the park. It's one of those scores that just makes me marvel at how a human brain could think to put those specific notes together to create something with such impact.

[indy4 155]

I think it's a bit overrated. It's still a very good score, but to me nothing really seems to be that incredibly about it, and it's certainly not a groundbreaking work.

[Datameister 2,044]

Perhaps it's ever so slightly overrated, but if that's the case, it's only because of the repetitiveness I mentioned - and the fact that the score receives SO much love. In any case, I think it's fantastic.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I don't think every score has to be groundbreaking. ESB isn't really groundbreaking - SW was at its time, but even that was heavily based on an earlier form - but ESB is still one of the greatest scores ever. BTTF is great to me because everything seems effortless. The themes are great, but the score captures the essence of the film so well, which makes it such a fun - and feelgood - listen. I think a score can still be very good at what it does, even if that may have come before, and still be a profound experience.

That said, it's the best straight comedy score ever.

[indy4 155]

I agree a score doesn't have to be groundbreaking to be great, but not being groundbreaking certainly doesn't help it. Maybe if it were a little more revolutionary I would be more enthusiastic about it (to reiterate, I do think it is a very good score), but that's certainly not the only way it can gain my fullest appreciation.

[King Mark 3,631]

My problem with BTTF is that the underscore isn't that interesting and the main theme is basically always the same with no really interesting variations

[Trent B 337]

Not really the whole score...just certain cues for Independence Day.

I listened to the alternates of "Virus Uploaded" and "The Day We Fight Back" earlier today and I know I'm used to hearing those from the boot(s) of the ID-4 score. However, to me they just don't have the power and awesomeness that the revised versions do. Also to me the revised versions give more of a sense of heroism and taking a final stand that they did in the film. I'm glad we were finally able to hear the revised versions outside of the film.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD, PART II. Maybe the best action score around. I think I'd take it over TOTAL RECALL.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

I wouldn't. But it's a close second.

[Datameister 2,044]

Just listened to ID4 again. Gooooood stuff. Nice to hear that traditional, purely orchestral sound deliver a powerful punch like that.

Now I'm listening to Images for the first time. Just arrived today. This is also wonderful music, albeit in a very different and far more terrifying way. The melody that I can only interpret as the main theme has a lovely, sad lilt to it, and all of the weird percussion and sound effects are highly effective. This is turning out to be everything I hoped it'd be, based on what I'd heard.

Urgghhh, those male vocal groaning sounds...eeeeeerie...

[King Mark 3,631]

yeah Images is the perfect score to play in the middle of the night to fall asleep on

[Datameister 2,044]

It is a bit...hynagogic. But I definitely would not want to fall asleep to this stuff. Oh man...the beginning of "The Killing of Marcel"! What crazy stuff...

Y'know, a lot of this would actually work really well as background music in a haunted house walkthrough or Halloween display. I could have used this stuff a few years ago. Oh well...better late than never!

EDIT: Oh my goodness, this music is so distressing! I love it!

[John Crichton 4]

The main theme for Images is beautiful, creepy and haunting at the same time. It's one of my favorites.

[Datameister 2,044]

It's really great. I'm listening to the last track right now. Really quite chilling. Is it true that Williams himself played the piano parts for this score? [EDIT: Yes, it's true. That's what liner notes are for, stupid. ]

EDIT AGAIN: Also, I think I'm in love.

[Jay 37,374]

Wow. I just ordered Images yesterday. Looking forward to checking it out very much now!

[Datameister 2,044]

It is soooo awesome, Jay. I hope you love it as much as I do! It's certainly very different from most of Williams' work, but as a percussionist and a guy who really loves atonal music when it inspires the right emotions, I find this score to be utterly brilliant. My only gripe is that the album is so short (35 min)...yet it provides a solid listening experience and doesn't feel overly quick. I think I'm going to listen to the whole thing again today, just to soak it in some more.

[Wojo 2,453]

I'll add Images to the list I'm making. I'd order them from MovieMusic but they don't have the one album I want so it's off to SAE I will go.

[Jay 37,374]

Which album?

[Wojo 2,453]

The Hollywood Flute

http://screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/13674/THE-HOLLYWOOD-FLUTE/

[John Crichton 4]

I'm glad Images has another fan. I instantly fell in love with it the first time I heard it too, and don't think it gets near enough respect round these parts.

[Datameister 2,044]

I've never heard anything bad about it, but I don't hear much praise, either. It's a really excellent score. I think it's my earliest Williams score now, too...

[Ollie 1,059]

That's because there is no Boommmmttzzzz.

[John Crichton 4]

Nope, just groaning.

Now I still haven't heard it all, but right now it's easily my favorite pre-Jaws Williams.

[Datameister 2,044]

There certainly isn't! Personally, I love Williams' scores that are...boom-tzzzzy, too, but there's something very special about this wholly different approach. I love getting to hear the Maestro play the piano parts, too.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Images is totally bizarre and that's what makes it interesting. For the most part, it sounds nothing like anything else Williams has done, that I've heard.

[Wojo 2,453]

I just bought it, with some other stuff.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Images is totally bizarre and that's what makes it interesting. For the most part, it sounds nothing like anything else Williams has done, that I've heard.

Harry Potter, only ever so slightly though. Specifically the last 40 seconds of "In Search Of Unicorns."

[Datameister 2,044]

Put the "ever" in bold caps, and I might be able to agree with that statement. The resemblance is very slight, and the rest of the score sounds nothing like the Potter scores. (And it shouldn't - both are fantastic musical universes that I love for completely different reasons.)

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Well there are also hints of future Seven Years in Tibet/Memoirs of a Geisha music at points. But it's all very wild and different.

[Datameister 2,044]

Yeah, I heard the slight Memoirs of a Geisha similarities, though I think Images pulls off the concept in a much more interesting way. I'm not familiar with Seven Years in Tibet, so I can't offer an opinion on that. In any case, I'm sure there are parts of this score that are similar to other things Williams has written, but it forms such a wonderfully bizarre and unique whole.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

yeah Images is the perfect score to play in the middle of the night to fall asleep on

I did that once, and I dreamt that I was being kissed to death by Susanah York. Not that I minded...

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

War of the Worlds.

Yawn.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Definitely not 'Yawn'.

[Datameister 2,044]

Agreed on both of the above. Sorry, Johnny, but this is one comparison where Mr. Horner is the clear winner.