The Official La-La Land Records Thread

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Joe Brausam 216]

Blast, I thought there were two Williams releases coming, yeah. Sorry for the confusion.

I'm sure more than one will come. There's no real rumors for Towering Inferno, but you know it's gotta be happening. And Hook seems to definitely be in the process as well.

[Jay 37,479]

It's certainly possible more than 1 release could be coming from ANY of the composers listed! We just don't know

I am hopefully for a re-issue of Towering Inferno as well - its a glaring hole in my JW collection

[Joe Brausam 216]

It's certainly possible more than 1 release could be coming from ANY of the composers listed! We just don't know

I am hopefully for a re-issue of Towering Inferno as well - its a glaring hole in my JW collection

Same, and it bothers me because I actually really enjoy the score too, based on what I've heard in the film.

I really would like The Fury reissued too, or at least to be able to find it at a decent price. I LOVE that one.

[ST-321 4]

Good Lord, people. The day Hook comes out, this place is going to just dry up with regard to Williams grails. Savor the wait.

I am sure the list of complaints about the release will keep this place going for quite a while.

[Datameister 2,087]

Unlikely. If La-La Land releases this score, there might be a few complaints about the design of the cover art, or about a handful of very minor cues missing, or about the fact that some cues were (or weren't) edited with the original segues, but that's about it. Major complaints only happen when a more mainstream label (or Varese) releases a score in a more deeply flawed fashion. (c.f. the Indy Concord box set)

Hook's status as a well-loved classic is undeniable, which means that if La-La Land releases it, pretty much every cue imaginable will be on it, and there will be enough copies for everyone. Sound quality clearly won't be an issue, either.

[Trent B 337]

Unlikely. If La-La Land releases this score, there might be a few complaints about the design of the cover art, or about a handful of very minor cues missing, or about the fact that some cues were (or weren't) edited with the original segues, but that's about it. Major complaints only happen when a more mainstream label (or Varese) releases a score in a more deeply flawed fashion. (c.f. the Indy Concord box set)

Hook's status as a well-loved classic is undeniable, which means that if La-La Land releases it, pretty much every cue imaginable will be on it, and there will be enough copies for everyone. Sound quality clearly won't be an issue, either.

I do agree with Joe's post, especially the second part that if LLL does release it, they will make it perfect. They practically made ID-4 perfect. Grant there were a couple of tidbits that weren't the film version mixes. That though is a very small personal preference on my end. Aside from those I think the ID-4 2-CD set they released is perfect.

[OneBuckFilms 325]

Not to mention how great their release of Star Trek V turned out, as well as Batman Returns.

Both of these are stunning, pretty much perfect releases.

[Datameister 2,087]

Yep. There are no "long lists of complaints" about releases by La-La Land and the other labels like it, at least not among the relatively reasonable folks on this site.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Unlikely. If La-La Land releases this score, there might be a few complaints about the design of the cover art, or about a handful of very minor cues missing, or about the fact that some cues were (or weren't) edited with the original segues, but that's about it. Major complaints only happen when a more mainstream label (or Varese) releases a score in a more deeply flawed fashion. (c.f. the Indy Concord box set)

Hook's status as a well-loved classic is undeniable, which means that if La-La Land releases it, pretty much every cue imaginable will be on it, and there will be enough copies for everyone. Sound quality clearly won't be an issue, either.

I do agree with Joe's post, especially the second part that if LLL does release it, they will make it perfect. They practically made ID-4 perfect. Grant there were a couple of tidbits that weren't the film version mixes. That though is a very small personal preference on my end. Aside from those I think the ID-4 2-CD set they released is perfect.

Yeah, I was a bit disappointed with Batman Returns where they placed the film version of the end credits in the context of the chronological score as opposed to the album version, which is actually longer. But at least it's a bonus track. I like the mix on this release too, it's not harsh and tinny like the album.

[LongTallJodie 59]

La La's my favorite label. They're the one group I absolutely trust to get Hook completely right. 'Course, after Batman TAS, I'd pretty much follow them into hell and back.

[Datameister 2,087]

I trust Intrada and FSM the same way, personally. All three of them seem to be pretty consistent in offering releases that cater perfectly to my brand of film score geek - at least in quality of presentation, if not always in the actual music itself.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

La La's my favorite label. They're the one group I absolutely trust to get Hook completely right. 'Course, after Batman TAS, I'd pretty much follow them into hell and back.

I have more limited releases from LLL than any other label. I think Mars Attacks! could have been a better release, but that might have been out of their hands.

[OneBuckFilms 325]

I agree, Datameister. All 3 labels are great.

The only one I have an issue with would be Varese Sarabande.

[Datameister 2,087]

Yeah, Varese is a lot less reliable. They've still done some pretty fine releases, but with them, I'm more a fan of what they release than how they release it.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493]

My fear for Hook is not that it will be incomplete, but that pivotal inserts/alternate passages will not be edited into the score as intended for the film. Like they didn't edit them in for Home Alone or ID4. They just presented the segments. So likely we'll have to edit in gigantic highlights of the score (I personally will message someone on these boards who does that shit), for instance: the Never-feast when Peter sees the food and the beginning of Ultimate War when Peter appears from behind the sails.

[Datameister 2,087]

Interesting. Personally, I pray for the freedom to edit those moments the way I want to.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Who wants to bet that Laurent Bouzereau will want control and ask Williams for input? If it's Spielberg/Williams, he has to get himself involved.

[shockwave 8]

I agree, Datameister. All 3 labels are great.

The only one I have an issue with would be Varese Sarabande.

I agree also OneBuckFilms.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493]

Who wants to bet that Laurent Bouzereau will want control and ask Williams for input? If it's Spielberg/Williams, he has to get himself involved.

Laurent Bouzereau should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell. Cookie?

[Joe Brausam 216]

Who wants to bet that Laurent Bouzereau will want control and ask Williams for input? If it's Spielberg/Williams, he has to get himself involved.

Laurent Bouzereau should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell. Cookie?

[Jay 37,479]

You guys, its not the label that determines if a score release will be handled well or not, its the producer/editor/assembler. Most of the perfect presentations we have were handled by Mike Matessino. He knows what he's doing. You look at a Varese release done right like Home Alone 2 - Mike Matessino did it.

And since Matessino is the resident John Williams guy - for all projects that aren't given to Bozereau, that is - there's no question that if any of the "big 4" labels got to do HOOK, they would of course hire him.

I'm not trying to say Mike Matessino is the ONLY good producer out there by any means, just that its safe to say HOOK will be in good hands regardless of the label that releases it

As yea, as far as the labels go, FSM is definitely the best at ONLY hiring producers that want to a do a thorough and complete release of all their scores. LLL has released plenty of albums with frustrating material missing or edited weird. Intrada is almost always good, but they make weird choices sometimes such as Robocop and Predator. Varese has released way more perfectly done albums that botched ones, they really get a bad rap around here for some reason. No that they haven't messed up from time to time, but they've done way more good than bad.

[ManofDestiny 72]

Intrada is almost always good, but they make weird choices sometimes such as Robocop and Predator

I would like to know the details. Can you explain more about this? Thanks. Because their Robocop and Predator sounds fine to me.

[Trent B 337]

My fear for Hook is not that it will be incomplete, but that pivotal inserts/alternate passages will not be edited into the score as intended for the film. Like they didn't edit them in for Home Alone or ID4. They just presented the segments. So likely we'll have to edit in gigantic highlights of the score (I personally will message someone on these boards who does that shit), for instance: the Never-feast when Peter sees the food and the beginning of Ultimate War when Peter appears from behind the sails.

Interesting. Personally, I pray for the freedom to edit those moments the way I want to.

I'm the same way as Joe. Personally I would want to have film version inserts as bonus tracks. Just like what they did with "Clothesline Trapeze" for Home Alone. I would like to have the original material in the main body of the score but any revised film version portions as bonus tracks.

I too agree with Jason that if LLL does in fact do Hook that Mike would be on the job for assembling the album and he will make sure it's done right. I've been told it's no secret that Mike Matessino loves the score for Hook and the labels I'm sure know this as well. So who-ever releases Hook (whether it be LLL or the other two (Intrada or FSM), they would hire Mike and the job would be done right.

[Jay 37,479]

Intrada is almost always good, but they make weird choices sometimes such as Robocop and Predator

I would like to know the details. Can you explain more about this? Thanks. Because their Robocop and Predator sounds fine to me.

They absolutely SOUND fine

With Robocop they blended all the source cues into the flow of the score instead of as bonus tracks at the end, put a few very short cues at the beginning of a track instead of the end of a previous one, and made a strange choice with the end credits by segueing the original cue Poledouris wrote to tracked end credits, but not the exact same tracking as heard in the film. I dunno.

Predator they combined WAY too many cues together to make longer tracks. It's perfect when Matessino does it (ID4, Home Alone) because he leaves the clean openings / endings intact and has a small silence between cues. But with Predator, they went overboard in blending the tracks together, creating longer pieces of music that simply shouldn't exist that way. The Girl's Escape segueing into Blaine's Death and Billy Stands Alone blending into The Chase are the worst contenders

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493]

The Star Wars 2-discs are like that as well, and we still need that rectified!

[Wojo 2,453]

You do it yourself with the Anthology. I'm not buying yet another presentation of the OT soundtracks.

[Jay 37,479]

I'd buy a properly assembled and remastered sound version of the OT in a heartbeat!

[Ollie 1,069]

I have no problem with any of the labels. They are all fantastic.

[Delorean90 42]

Intrada is almost always good, but they make weird choices sometimes such as Robocop and Predator

I would like to know the details. Can you explain more about this? Thanks. Because their Robocop and Predator sounds fine to me.

They absolutely SOUND fine

With Robocop they blended all the source cues into the flow of the score instead of as bonus tracks at the end, put a few very short cues at the beginning of a track instead of the end of a previous one, and made a strange choice with the end credits by segueing the original cue Poledouris wrote to tracked end credits, but not the exact same tracking as heard in the film. I dunno.

It was Poledouris's original intentions to segue into that tracked credits suite, though. Verhoeven made the change so that the main Robocop theme would coincide with the appearance of the title card at the start of the end credits, which is a nice idea, but I like Poledouris's version better.

[Jay 37,479]

I guess it was more the source music interrupting the flow of the score that bothered me. They did the same thing with Back To The Future

[Delorean90 42]

Yeah. I think it works best with the SUX-6000 commercial music, and the others don't offend me too much, except that I always skip the elevator music. BTTF, I tend to want to put "Marvin Bebop" at the end as a bonus, but "Goodnight Marty" works for me, especially since I put "Johnny B. Goode" in sequence after "Earth Angel/The Kiss."

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I guess it was more the source music interrupting the flow of the score that bothered me. They did the same thing with Back To The Future

I think it was the wrong decision with BTTF, but I think it works with RoboCop because of the nature of the film and the regular MediaBreak and commercial interruptions. The first track sets the tone with the main title immediately followed by the MediaBreak theme.

[Wojo 2,453]

It's only a "wrong decision" if the source tracks are irreparably embedded into the actual score. I have a Hook boot where when the feast ends, it soon blends right into Maggie's singing. Not good if you don't like Maggie's singing.

The fact that Poledouris wrote the music for the commercials and news broadcasts in Robocop makes it perfectly fine with me. If they had placed snippets of 80s pop songs in between I would be more bothered.

But Track 3 Score, Track 4 Source, Track 5 Score is not a big deal because you can move the tracks around once ripped, create a playlist on your CD player, or hit the skip button. These are CDs for crying out loud, not LPs or cassette tapes, where fast forward is a guessing game.

[John Crichton 4]

I have no problem with any of the labels. They are all fantastic.

Indeed.

I do have minor quibbles about sequencing. As mentioned I wouldn't have put Silvestri's source cues in sequence with the rest of the BttF score, and I would have but the Genesis Project cue at the end for Star Trek II. But, as I said, quibbles.

[Trent B 337]

Also let's not forget in Intrada's Predator for I think "Girl's Escape" they literally cut the last couple of notes off the end of the cue before it segues's into "Blaine's Death". I mean it they literally cut off the last two notes. It makes a very, very awkward listen for that cue.

[Datameister 2,087]

I really couldn't care less what order the tracks are in; they're all gonna end up in iTunes anyway, and at that point I can click and drag to my heart's content. Track order is easy to "fix"; missing music (or music that's edited badly into other music) isn't.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I'll happily miss two notes off a cue if it means I don't have to pay $400 for it.

[ZackR 95]

To me, the Home Alone presentation is great. I know there is the debate on film order, intended flow, etc.

Personally, I like both. When it's a film I know and love (like Home Alone), the music as presented in the film is a HUGE thing for me. So with that release, I just threw the insert in there before the longer/combined track and in iTunes, specified the start time of the other track to start after the trapeze part of the track. Didn't even have to edit.

[PHOENIX 34]

Quote from LaLa Land MV over this years releases-

"Ah, screw it -- I'll give ya guys a New Years treat:

Barry

Debney

Elfman

Goldsmith

Horner

Howard

Kamen

Mancina

Newman

Morris

Poledouris

Portman

Snow

Tiomkin

Williams

. . . and a host of others will be out on our label this year"

and also-

"And there are more than one Williams', Poledoris' and Goldsmiths too!

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. . .

MV "

[Hitch 58]

Such teasing is not practical.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Quote from LaLa Land MV over this years releases-

"Ah, screw it -- I'll give ya guys a New Years treat:

Barry

Debney

Elfman

Goldsmith

Horner

Howard

Kamen

Mancina

Newman

Morris

Poledouris

Portman

Snow

Tiomkin

Williams

. . . and a host of others will be out on our label this year"

and also-

"And there are more than one Williams', Poledoris' and Goldsmiths too!

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. . .

MV "

Yes, we've been discussing it for the last 2 pages.

[indy4 155]

MV has listed some of the scores that LLL has not been able to obtain rights to release:

Contact

Superman Returns

Batman Begins

All Harry Potter's

1492

The Last Samurai

North By Northwest

Practical Magic

The Witches Of Eastwick

Also, please note most of the titles Varese released from 1990 and up are in perpetuity to them, thus they are the only ones that can do expanded reissues of them.

So, for instance:

DIE HARD 2

PREDATOR 2

VOLCANO

STARSHIP TROOPERS

QUICK AND THE DEAD

AIR FORCE ONE

EXECUTIVE DECISION

STAR TREK NEMESIS

So, that also most likely rules out Dracula, Earthquake, and The Fury. Unless Varese decides to rerelease them.

[Trent B 337]

Or unless Varèse decides to give those rights up.

[Maglorfin 196]

Wow, I would VERY MUCH like the expanded/complete Executive Decision which is one of my favourite scores.

[Richard Penna 3,757]

Contact seems an odd one to consider, if we're judging the digital availability. The OST is still in print (and has every single major cue), and the 15 mins or so of unreleased music is on the isolated score.

I'm not surprised WB don't want to give up the Potters. I can't imagine a big studio giving up the rights to one of their biggest franchises.

The Varese rights thing is disappointing. If it were just one or two scores then it's conceivable to see them in a club batch, but to hold on to an entire decade, when there's another label ready to do them? Meh... it'd be nice to see some co-operation here. (and yes, admittedly I feel strongly as one grail and a number of otherwise important scores are in that collection)

[Jay 37,479]

Here's MVs entire quote since Indy4 only posted a partial

To make things easier on some of you here is a brief list of titles that we are not able to License at this time:

Contact

Superman Returns

Batman Begins

All Harry Potter's

1492

The Last Samurai

North By Northwest

Practical Magic

The Witches Of Eastwick

Also, please note most of the titles Varese released from 1990 and up are in perpetuity to them, thus they are the only ones that can do expanded reissues of them.

So, for instance:

DIE HARD 2

PREDATOR 2

VOLCANO

STARSHIP TROOPERS

QUICK AND THE DEAD

AIR FORCE ONE

EXECUTIVE DECISION

STAR TREK NEMESIS

...ETC. . .

I implore you -- gather your film score geek forces and let the fine folks at Varese know they hold the golden ticket in their hands... that we, the fans, collectively, have 100's of thousands of dollars just waiting to be spent on all this wonderful music that needs to be expanded (Thor, shut the bleep up -- I mean it with love)

Now, Fly my pretties! FLY!

MV

I don't like this whole perpetuity thing.... studios shouldn't give labels those kind of licenses. Seems to do more harm than good. Turns a win win into a lose lose

[Ollie 1,069]

If I'm not mistaken, all the rights to the old MCA albums Varese issued expired years ago. I thought Ford or someone had posted that a few years ago.

[Andy 4,241]

So is it worth while to examine what is not on the list? Hook, Jurassic Park, anything else?

[Richard Penna 3,757]

I implore you -- gather your film score geek forces and let the fine folks at Varese know they hold the golden ticket in their hands... that we, the fans, collectively, have 100's of thousands of dollars just waiting to be spent on all this wonderful music that needs to be expanded (Thor, shut the bleep up -- I mean it with love)

Now, Fly my pretties! FLY!

MV

Man I love MV's PR.