New Intrada: The War Of The Worlds / When Worlds Collide / The Naked Jungle / Conquest Of Space

[Jay 37,288]

INTRADA Announces:

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (Leith Stevens)

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (Leith Stevens)

THE NAKED JUNGLE (Danielle Amitheatrof)

CONQUEST OF SPACE (Van Cleave)

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 202

Before Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Peter Jackson, one man captivated film audiences with colorful, big-budget science fiction and fantasy spectaculars: George Pal. Pal would produce four highly imaginative films during the period 1951-1955: When Worlds Collide (1951), The War Of The Worlds (1953), The Naked Jungle (1954) and Conquest of Space (1955). These pictures would employ top actors, large casts and the elite of the Paramount special effects and art departments, and each would provide film composers with the opportunity to underscore spectacle, astonishing visual effects, terror and intense human drama.

With its world-spanning plot and chaotic scenes of humanity preparing for the threat of approaching planets, When Worlds Collide features by far the busiest and most energetic score of the three sci-fi films represented on this set. Leith Stevens' eerie, foreboding melody for the approaching planets dominates the score, reinforcing both the menace of the looming planets and the boiling cauldron of human emotions that threaten to derail humanity's last hopes.

The War Of The Worlds showcased scenes of destruction and mass panic that outdid even When Worlds Collide. Leith Stevens managed to find a fresh way to pay homage to Gustav Holsts's "Mars, The Bringer Of War" from The Planets. Instead of mimicking Holst's famous rhythms, Stevens overlays driving percussion onto his main title music, which launches from a spiky, startling fanfare through a gloomy yet propulsive dirge for humanity finally brightening into brilliant, spine-chilling major chords.

With its lurid title, well-established actors and unique "invaders," The Naked Jungle might be George Pal's strangest film but also one of his strongest human dramas. Composer Daniele Amfitheatrof had ample experience scoring dramatic films, and he possessed the technical background to create the sort of orchestral fireworks necessary to reinforce the idea of an army of killer ants advancing through a jungle.

Pal returned to "hardware" science fiction in 1955's Conquest of Space, an ambitious epic about a flight to Mars. The score primarily called for bright, semi-militaristic music for the space mission, an ethereal portrait of outer space itself and some psychological shading for the mission commander. Van Cleave created a noble march that recurs throughout much of the score, embodying the driven character of Commander Merritt but ultimately standing for the heroic nature of the mission.

For this 2-CD set, spearheaded by Lukas Kendall, Intrada had access to all existing materials. The War Of The Worlds, The Naked Jungle and Conquest Of Space are mastered from 35mm protection copies of the music tracks at Paramount Pictures, in varying degrees of completeness. The Naked Jungle is the only title to survive in three-track stereo, one of the earliest scores so recorded at Paramount. When Worlds Collide is presented in complete form, largely from acetates. All combined, this set presents a rare, but thrilling listen into the sci-fi/adventure sound of George Pal's '50s Paramount epics.

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 202

Retail Price: $29.99

Available Now

For track listing and sound samples, please visit

http://store.intrada...it.A/id.7685/.f

WAR OF THE WORLDS / WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume 204

Date: 1953/1951/1954/1955

Tracks: 65

Time = 141:24

World premiere 2-CD release of original soundtracks to four sci-fi/fantasy movies from legendary producer George Pal. Leith Stevens music from WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953) anchors, offering imposing main title, several evocatice sequences. All surviving cues presented in crisp mono from original elements stored in Paramount vaults. Also getting attention is complete 41-minute Leith Stevens score for WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951), presented from Paramount mono masters with choral overlays intact. Colorful sci-fi expedition music abounds! Taking center stage next is exciting, frightening 40-minute Daniele Amfitheatrof soundtrack for THE NAKED JUNGLE (1954), mastered from dynamic three-channel stereo scoring session elements, amongst first ever made at Paramount! Score offers both richly expressive love theme, exciting action material with advanced harmonic vernacular. Getting spotlight is ferocious presto motif for massive army of ants marching inexorably towards Charlton Heston's South America plantation. Terrific descending idea for brass, woodwinds is chilling, even by today's standards! Rounding out impressive collection is 35-minute Nathan Van Cleave score for CONQUEST OF SPACE (1955). Music here is both exciting, stirring, presented in mono from from original Paramount master elements. Four scores represent some of the most evocative sci-fi & fantasy works of the fifties! Full color artwork and stills plus authoritative notes from Jeff Bond round out generous set. Intrada Special Collection release available while quantities and interest remains!

Disc One:

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS | WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

WAR OF THE WORLDS

01 Main Title 1:11

02 The Thing/It’s Moving 3:12

03 Heat Ray Dispenser/Get the Military 1:45

04 Attempted Communication 3:09

05 The Scanning Eye 2:41

06 Evacuation 3:00

07 End Title 1:03

Total Score Time: 16:02

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

08 Main Title/Foreword 2:35

09 The Black Box 1:11

10 Uncertainty 1:33

11 Bellus, Zyra and the D.A. 1:59

12 U.N. Headquarters/Nasty Headlines 1:11

13 Project Recruiting/Project Indoctrination 4:28

14 Martial Law/Evacuation Montage 1:34

15 Securing the Rocket 0:51

16 A Savage Outburst/Save the Ship 2:54

17 A Revengeful Night/Bellus Approaches/Doomsday Drawing 2:32

18 Calendar Montage 2:52

19 Tony’s Generosity 2:56

20 Ecstasy and Despair 0:58

21 Zero Hour 1:35

22 The Take Off 1:52

23 The Flight 2:23

24 The New World 3:49

Total Score Time: 37:12

The Extras (WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE)

25 10AA Unknown 0:22

26 High on the List 1:58

27 Café Fox Trot 1:14

28 Main Title 1:16

Total Extras Time: 4:46

The Extras (WAR OF THE WORLDS)

29 Main Title 1:13

30 Prologue and Main Title 1:45

31 Heat Ray Dispenser Sound Effect 2:58

Total Extras Time: 5:54

Disc Two:

THE NAKED JUNGLE | CONQUEST OF SPACE

THE NAKED JUNGLE

01 Prelude/Main Title 1:27

02 Opening Sequence/A Lonely Arrival 5:02

03 Leiningen’s Arrival/First Meeting 2:28

04 Bitter Words 2:24

05 Survey of the Plantation 2:42

06 Silhouetted Temptation 1:27

07 Drunken Developments/The Hanging 3:51

08 Marabunta 1:51

09 Almost Enticed 2:20

10 Army on the March/Escape Destroyed/Magnified Enemy 2:34

11 Drums #2 1:49

12 Explosion Montage 2:35

13 The Fight Begins 2:05

14 Retreat 2:00

15 I Love You 2:07

16 Flooded and End Title 3:07

Total Score Time 39:55

CONQUEST OF SPACE

17 Main Title/The Firmament 2:30

18 Stricken 1:23

19 Meteors/Transport Rocket 2:40

20 Orders to Mars 2:47

21 Off to Mars 1:31

22 Stowaway 1:20

23 Asteroid 1:22

24 Last Rites 1:24

25 Approach 2:22

26 Mars and Madness 3:42

27 Life and Death 1:53

28 Snow 3:31

29 The Elements/Earthquake 3:46

30 Victory/Finale/Cast 1:37

Total Score Time 31:48

The Extras (CONQUEST OF SPACE)

31 Space Muzak 2:37

32 Main Title 1:08

Total Extras Time 3:39

The Extras (THE NAKED JUNGLE)

33 Prelude in E Minor (Chopin) 1:01

34 Ant Noise 1:07

Total Extras Time 2:08

Leith Stevens, Daniele Amfitheatrof, Nathan Van Cleave

Price: $29.99

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Very Interesting.

I love both War of the Worlds and When Worlds Collide, both the films and their scores.

I think When Worlds Collide could be remade into a terrific disaster film. They could even use the same story with ease.

I often thought JW would be the perfect composer for this potential remake.

[Jay 37,288]

7/10/12

Funny story. Well, I'm trying to smile anyway, as I work to fix a problem.

I arrive to work this morning and Steve comes out of the mailing room with a query. No big deal, right? So he asks - and here's where the smile comes in - "Does the score for War Of The Worlds begin with jungle drums?" I am not making this up. Who would... unless Steve was in his practical joke mode. So I continue smiling while putting on a shiny new CD that's supposed to begin with a burst of brass and percussion announcing the Martians are coming! The Martians are coming! My smile fades fast when I instead find I'm naked in the jungle. Yep. Really naked. Our pressing plant delivered at the last minute our new 2-CD set for four George Pal film scores... but not in the order we intended. CD 1 is CD 2 and vice versa. Sure, the CDs sound fine but the labels are reversed. Did I hit the roof? Yes. Is the plant fixing the issue asap? Yes. Will we be shipping proper CDs out early next week? Yes, I say... with a smile.

Source: http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4942

[ST-321 4]

I guess that means a delay in getting them. Still, I am very much looking forward to having this.

[Dean1700 4]

These looks like an awesome release. Both movies on disc 1 are true classics from the 50's so I think I might have to get this set. I've not seen the movies on disc 2 though.

[ST-321 4]

I got my shipping notice for this today.

[ST-321 4]

There doesn't seem to be much interest in this here, but my copy arrived today & I am importing it now.

[Omen II 1,235]

There doesn't seem to be much interest in this here, but my copy arrived today & I am importing it now.

I intend to get this marvellous release in the fullness of time, ST-321, planetary natural disasters notwithstanding. I am familiar with three of these movies and have long wanted to hear more from Leith Stevens. He died relatively young after suffering a heart attack when informed that his wife had been killed in a road accident - a very sad end for a much unheralded composer.

[ST-321 4]

That is a sad end indeed.