Film Score Monthly (FSM) Releases Gremlins (2CD) by Jerry Goldsmith!!!

[Jay 33,670]

Thanks!

[King Mark 3,411]

Got my c.d.

[scallenger 452]

U like it KM? I think it's an awesome presentation with very few nitpicks. And the sound couldn't have been better!

[King Mark 3,411]

I'll listen to it tomorrow

[scallenger 452]

What about anyone else? Other people here must have it by now, in some capacity. What do you all think? I love the presentation, booklet, and quality!

[Koray Savas 2,244]

Wonder when they're gonna do their next sales promotion that they've been thinking about for a couple months now.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,774]

Ain't got mine yet. They took ages to ship it though.

[King Mark 3,411]

I forgot my ipod today

[pixie_twinkle 46]

Mine arrived today. I'll listen to it on the drive to work tomorrow when I get done listening to Vaughan Williams' 7th symphony. Can't wait!

[Trent B 325]

I've sampled a couple of tracks from this issue to see if I actually would get it. Not having heard the score itself outside of the film (it's been years since I've seen the film), the few tracks I did sample I found quite interesting. A rather different approach for Jerry but it is one score I will definitely buy. Since it's not limited the purchase has to wait until after the new year, most likely February. Either way it is one I will buy for sure.

[King Mark 3,411]

I don't think it's a different approach. I think it's one of the last vintage Goldsmith scores before the mid-80's.

Although I must say I must of overhyped it a bit in my mind. Not the same impact as Explorers or Baby Secret of the Lost Legend releases

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,257]

Although I must say I must of overhyped it a bit in my mind.

Funny, you said the same thing after I got you the bootleg. And then it became a holy grail again.

[King Mark 3,411]

Yes, I guess since I didn't listen to the boot for a long time I returned to my idealized memory of the score

just like most people here for Back to the Future and Goonies

[scallenger 452]

I agree in a way, it is better in parts than it is as a score as a whole (in comparison to other Goldsmith works like Poltergeist, Innerspace, Legend, and possibly even Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend). But it is still a score I always wanted and is one that actually stood out to me as a kid and I think helped paved my way into recognizing music in films as being something fun and unique out there. Any score that helped with that thought will always be a grail for me. But honestly, there are a LOT of standout tracks in the score, and the sound quality of this release blows the bootleg(s) out of the water. I see no reason to hang onto those anymore. However, I think somehow the vast majority of people here would find more to love in a complete Gremlins 2, which I really hope does still happen someday soon. But isn't that one still owned by Varese, who did the OST?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,774]

It's out of print though. Might do with a Deluxe Edition.

[King Mark 3,411]

I never cared much for Gremlins 2 .I was always disappointed that had a c.d. release and not Gremlins

Gremlins has much more of the Gizmo related music I prefer in these scores

[Marian Schedenig 7,199]

Although I must say I must of overhyped it a bit in my mind. Not the same impact as Explorers or Baby Secret of the Lost Legend releases

I'm much more excited about Gremlins than about Explorers.

And G2 is brilliant. A favourite among Goldsmith's "secondary" scores. Pot Luck alone is worth the price of the album.

[scallenger 452]

Oh yeah Gremlins 2 is great in different ways from the first. It's wacky tone is far more consistent and is done in a more upbeat way, whereas the first score (like the film) takes itself a lot more seriously to levels of fright. There is some good music missing from the OST of the 2nd film too. My favorite omission being the music when the flying Gremlin attacks the Futtermans by the cathedral, then gets covered in cement, and then turns into a gargoyle (hahahaha). The music at that part just sounds really fun in the film!

[publicist 4,638]

Got it yesterday.

As scallenger said, the sum of its parts is greater than the whole, but that's nitpicking. It still is chock-full of themes and ideas, clearly belonging to a colorful Amblin-mid-80's movie (like YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, AN AMERICAN TAIL, BACK TO THE FUTURE, it seems like the music was destined to carry the picture, and the composers loved Spielberg for it).

Even if you cut out the all-too-short tracks or the functional suspense cues, there are around 45 minutes of bliss, all topped by the strangled cat synthie which i noticed on TV before i know either Goldsmith or Williams. Even if i know the score, listening to the whole thing reminds you what great musical storyteller Goldsmith was when he got films like this. It all The cute suburb theme - Goldsmith became the master of cute suburb themes after POLTERGEIST - gets some much needed workout. The whole finale cue, combining the usual Stravinsky-esque action music with a bright and spirited Korngold fanfare was always the crown juwel of the score, and it sounds better than ever before here.

The con's: the synths can be downright embarrasing at times, giving the score a cheese Casio feel and you wish Dante would have talked him out of the goofy "Mrs. Deagle"-music. On the other hand, Goldsmith would be a lot more boring without his more silly stuff, it's part of the parcel and listening to a score like GREMLINS, you again realize how inventive he was, risking embarassment instead of playing it safe - getting the demented fun of the film while still giving it an emotional arc with the more serious and cute music (which certainly is the reason KM likes it much more than GREMLINS 2, which is much better and more cohesive but lacking any wmotional gravitas).

Thanks a lot, FSM. Not the worthy Goldsmith goodbye release one could have hoped for but great to have all the same.

[pixie_twinkle 46]

Anyone else hear a lot of similarities between Gremlins and Heartbeeps? The synthy stuff is really similar.

[Charlie Brigden 6]

Finally got this today. I feels really surreal holding this in my hand, having waited this long. But awesome.

[Joe Brausam 211]

My copy should be arriving today as well!

[Jay 33,670]

For a score that was on everyone's grail list for almost 2 decades, I feel like the terrific FSM CD that eventually came out did not receive a lot of discussion.

So, let's get some going! Who has it, who likes it, who ended up being not that impressed with it, etc? Share your thoughts!

[Wojo 2,450]

I had downloaded a footwarmer from the interwebz that was very similar to FSM's complete first disc, and so I haven't listened to it as much as I should have with a new purchase since the footwarmer got so much play; disc 2 hasn't been touched at all.

[Jay 33,670]

Is Gremlins one of your favorite Jerry Goldsmith scores?

[Wojo 2,450]

It's probably my second favorite out of his mid-80s kiddie movie phase, which would include Baby*, Explorers, Innerspace, and his work on Amazing Stories.

[Jay 33,670]

Did Goldsmith score any episodes besides "Boo!"?

[John Crichton 4]

This instantly became one of my favorite Goldsmiths as soon as I listened to it for the first time, I hardly knew anything about it beforehand.

I remember posting on FB on my second or third listen, asking just what in the hell Jerry did to those cats to make them make those sounds they made.

[Frank Vincent 215]

Did Goldsmith score any episodes besides "Boo!"?

No, just the "Boo!" episode directed by Joe Dante.

[Wojo 2,450]

I fell in love with The Gremlins Rag because of its usage on Goldsmith Conducts Goldsmith. It's been years since I saw the movie, and until it's offered on Netflix for streaming, it'll be more years until I see it.

That compilation is also what compelled me to buy Intrada's Masada.

[John Crichton 4]

Masada is fantastic. The main theme is one of Jerry's best.

I still need to pick up The Great Train Robbery and The Sand Pebbles from Intrada.

[Demondm810 372]

I've been slacking on Great train Robbery as well. I need to kick it up a notch on my Goldsmith acquisitions.

[Joe Brausam 211]

The Great Train Robbery is great.

After giving Gremlins quite a few listens I could safely say I could have done without it, his suite that he had on other albums was plenty good enough. Of course I'm glad it was released, I'm just a remorseful buyer.

[crocodile 7,542]

It's amazing how underwhelming response this release got. It's been demanded for ages!

I, for one, never heard it. The release, that is.

Karol

[Jay 33,670]

Yea. It was so demanded for SO long, then it came out and..... it was like great, what's next?

Hook I feel also didn't generate nearly as much discussion as I was expecting

[crocodile 7,542]

I'll tell what I think when I get it. Hook, that is.

Karol

[John Crichton 4]

Yea. It was so demanded for SO long, then it came out and..... it was like great, what's next?

Hook I feel also didn't generate nearly as much discussion as I was expecting

I think both of those are just due to the nature that these types of releases aren't really new anymore, they're now the norm. Great music and great releases to be sure, but ones that we've come to expect now.

[Jay 33,670]

But does that mean we should not discuss them? I feel like we discuss more what isn't out, or could be coming out, then we do what is out

[Koray Savas 2,244]

I don't remember the last time I did an in depth review of a score. I'm not going to anytime soon. And Hook wasn't discussed enough? I stopped reading all those damn threads before the CD even came out.

[John Crichton 4]

Is the level of message board discussion really proportionate to how much people enjoy the release? I don't think so, personally, and don't see it as a very big deal. Plus, it's human nature to spend more time talking about what we don't have, or what we're looking forward to or expecting, than what we already have in our hands.

[Jay 33,670]

Hmmm, you may be right

[John Crichton 4]

After giving Gremlins quite a few listens I could safely say I could have done without it, his suite that he had on other albums was plenty good enough. Of course I'm glad it was released, I'm just a remorseful buyer.

I've felt that way about some other Goldsmiths I've picked up over the years (not Gremlins). But recently I listened through my whole collection, and even in the ones I never enjoyed all that much I found new worth in. One or two have even worked their way up to regular listening status.

EDIT- Of course I'm right, Jay!

[Marian Schedenig 7,199]

After giving Gremlins quite a few listens I could safely say I could have done without it, his suite that he had on other albums was plenty good enough. Of course I'm glad it was released, I'm just a remorseful buyer.

But Late for Work was not previously (legally) available. And neither was The Fountain/Stripe's Death. Those are the highlights of the score for me. For the rag itself, I much prefer the version from the sequel.

[MrJosh 783]

I listened to a foot warmer, and though I found some of it interesting, I couldn't get into the cat meow sounds and some of the other quirkiness. I wonder if this score will grow on me if I buy the FSM release.....

[Wojo 2,450]

Yea. It was so demanded for SO long, then it came out and..... it was like great, what's next?

That is the cycle. Each thread wishes and wishes for a particular score to arrive...it's a very public display of hope and expectation and anger that it's taken so long.

And then...silence. Once the score does arrive, it's a very personal, private, introspective experience. The very verbose of us -- Incanus, Marian, Steef among others -- may take the time to write an in-depth review that demonstrates their high level of appreciation, but the rest of us who just listen to it in peace and silence...well, we just can't find the words.

[pixie_twinkle 46]

But does that mean we should not discuss them? I feel like we discuss more what isn't out, or could be coming out, then we do what is out

But that's just human nature. Especially for collectors!

I enjoyed Gremlins. Great release. I hadn't realized quite how much synthesizer featured in the score. I got a little tired of that "cat howl" ghost-house noise that keeps popping up, but it certainly adds to the sense of fun.

[scallenger 452]

Gremlins was a huge grail for me. It was something I wanted ever since I was a kid, honestly. My parents taped Gremlins off the TV for me, and I used to watch it often. Before I was even consciously into film music, this score REALLY stuck out to me. The worst part for me was, my parents only taped like less than half of the end credits, meaning I actually only heard PART of the wonderfully fun end credits track for many, many years, and always wanted to hear the rest of it! It wasn't until I found a footwarmer online during high school that I finally got to.

As for this release... well maybe some of the reason for no discussion is because the FSM release is basically perfect! It includes everything from the film, and more! Hell, even the album with the songs. I think people really do find it more interesting to discuss what isn't quite right with releases, like what is missing, where to find it, etc. This release isn't one of those. It was a desired score that got the best possibly release, and now never will need another one again. I mean, look at Back to the Future? People used to mention that score all the time around here! But look at the release it got... it can't possibly ever get better than that. I mean it even had an entirely alternate score on a 2nd CD!

I think the other thing is, without getting into too much of a technical analysis, it is hard for people to really say much more than "I really liked this score, because...", or the opposite. I do however think people should actually voice that opinion more, now that it is out. And I do love this score. It is so zany and bizarre, yet it also features some genuinely scary music mixed with unexpected emotion as well. I can't think of many scores quite like this one, and I believe that is one reason why it jumped out at me so well even at a young age, and still continues to do so. It doesn't get constant playing on my media player, but it is definitely a score when if you are in the right mood for it... it is VERY satisfying.

[Jay 33,670]

Wow!  After just 5 years, this is now Out Of Print!

 

No copies left at Screen Archives, MovieMusic, or Intrada.

[Disco Stu 15,483]

It's always funny when I see these old threads bumped, all the people who used to post constantly that I've never seen once since I joined at the beginning of the year.

 

Who shall be the next to fall?

[thx99 1,621]

Gremlins is back up for sale at Screen Archives.