Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The original A.I. album isn't bad at all. It's actually pretty good by Williams OST standards. There are two Goddamned songs, missing highlights and questionable sound quality...okay, some parts sound like pure shit. I don't know what happened except to say Shawn Murphy. But what were you expecting from a Williams OST? Highlights friggin' galore are featured. There aren't glaring edits as far as I can tell. It's a solid hour of Williams bliss, without a lot of the boring underscore from the complete thing. And as I recall, the Academy Promo leaked not long after the OST had come out, so we had very little to complain about with this score for all these years. It makes perfect sense they would do this one, actually, since we have most of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 There aren't glaring edits as far as I can tell. The cue ROUGE CITY was, wasn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,534 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 It may have been re-recorded, to omit the Strauss. Also, I hope that the film version of "Mecha World" is there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 it better be, but at least it's on the Promo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,017 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The OST is, actually, a pretty good representation of the score. It has all the major cues, and...er...that's pertty much it... Anyway, enjoy. You're joking, right?It may have all the major cues from the end of the film, but it sure is missing a lot of highlights from the beginning!And the 2 versions of the pop song.... I'm glad they're on Disc 3 of the new set It's a good album, as a purely musical experience (not counting songs). Feels almost like a concert work and tribute to Kubrick's eclectic choice of music for his films. All the tracks feel like self-contained orchestral miniatures.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amer 2,110 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Apart from this expansion set of AI it is indeed gratifying to know that LLL through the professional expertise of Mike Mattessino have managed to forge a very good trust worthy relationship with both Williams and Spielberg's offices. LLL has already alluded to this fact that these will forge further releases from them in the near future ( and I guess these are probably in pre-production since revealed last year in an on-line interview and recently on the FSM)So what's on their agenda? Well I know nothing but I would speculate that the breathtaking restorations of the recent EMPIRE OF THE SUN and AI will surely pave way for release of very Important scores. Definitive 'stand alone' scores from the Indiana Jones saga, Jurassic Park and Lost World and also CE3K and ET. JAWS could already be in the works from Intrada with the requisite re-mastering since we are expecting a major release to tie in with that labels anniversary. They have already issued other JAWS sequel scores except JAWS 2 which could be tied up with Varese but things change at the last minute. Lets see. But right now I'am very excited to grace the new AI set next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The OST is, actually, a pretty good representation of the score. It has all the major cues, and...er...that's pertty much it... Er... you're wrong, sorry. While the OST can be a fine listen on its own and surely contains several key highlights, it does not represent the score in all its subtlety, nuances and true musical fashion. As others said, it omits almost completely the music from the first act of the film and some really gorgeous connective tissue material where the thematic material is further explored and taken to new directions (JW is a master of the theme-and-variations approach).A.I. maybe doesn't have the same tone poem-like narrative flow as Superman, Raiders, Star Wars or Harry Potter--it's a real strange and almost "schizophrenic" score, but when listened in complete and chronological form, it becomes a very powerful and moving musical journey from beginning to end. Incanus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx99 1,740 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Promo dump begins...Hearty-har-har!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amer 2,110 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The OST is, actually, a pretty good representation of the score. It has all the major cues, and...er...that's pertty much it... Er... you're wrong, sorry. While the OST can be a fine listen on its own and surely contains several key highlights, it does not represent the score in all its subtlety, nuances and true musical fashion. As others said, it omits almost completely the music from the first act of the film and some really gorgeous connective tissue material where the thematic material is further explored and taken to new directions (JW is a master of the theme-and-variations approach).A.I. maybe doesn't have the same tone poem-like narrative flow as Superman, Raiders, Star Wars or Harry Potter--it's a real strange and almost "schizophrenic" score, but when listened in complete and chronological form, it becomes a very powerful and moving musical journey from beginning to end.Yes, I'll agree with TownerFan. In fact I even disliked the the way the album begins with 'The Mecha World' track. It should have been the 2nd track on the album like 'Cadillac of the Skies' that begins on EMPIRE OF THE SUN after Suo Gan . The album should have instead started with 'Where Dreams Are Born' cue which is the main theme and perhaps could have been also reprised as the last tarck on the cd. Still the new linear approach to the AI score will be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phbart 609 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Looks like a fantastic release... can't wait! I never did hear the original A.I. CD... because I owned the DVD-Audio release. The DVD-A of A.I. is just an upsample version of the 44.1kHz/16bit CD, encoded as 88.2kHz/24bit. So, yes, you did hear the original A.I. CD, and only the CD! Do you have proof of this? The CD does not contain a surround mix. The inside of the DVD-A's back paper insert:"This album was mixed and mastered especially for DVD-Audio.Playback is possible with all DVD-Video or Audio/Video players. Your hardware set up determines the mix you hear:DVD-Video compatible Dolby Digital SurroundorNew for DVD-Audio, Advanced Resolution Surround or Stereo"Yes, sir, I do. But I'm at my work now, so I'll post the prints from the Adobe Audition spectral view later today.As for the surround, I only have a 2ch equipment, so I didn't experience the full surround yet, but the downmixed 5.1 to 2.0 didn't sound good to me. I've read reviews out there that this is one of the worst surround remixes from the early days of the format, like weak channel separation, wrong channel placement, stuff like that. But I'll double check this too. I'm saying this because the E.T. SACD, when downmixed from 5.1 to 2.0, sounds very good (a volume normalization may be handy, though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The A.I. DVD-a doesn't sound good at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 On the Joseph Williams stuff--I woul imagine he'd of been credited on the OST if he were significantly involved, since JW is his father an would probably want that. I'm guessing ppl have checked the OST and there's nothing there?Joseph Williams definitely composed the techno music heard in the "Moon Rising" track on the OST album. (0:53-1:32) There aren't glaring edits as far as I can tell. The cue ROUGE CITY was, wasn't it? That track had a (presumably last minute) edit to remove the Strauss quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Are JWfanners fan of the 'For Always' song? If so, I'm not really representative of JWfan. Alexandre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 I think both versions are terrible. My ipod only has the score; Not the songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,651 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I listen to it when I listen to the album, but not, like, shuffling through my iPod. I like it well enough. It's Williams' theme. It's not awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have never, ever played either of the songs. And I never will.I bought the 1 CD FYC promo to have a copy of the CD without them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,715 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have never, ever played either of the songs. And I never will.I bought the 1 CD FYC promo to have a copy of the CD without them!Now that's dedication! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 We only hear it during the end credits, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I like the song. And the techno. It's ok, someday, you will all come to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 155 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I like the songs, particularly the duet. The techno is inoffensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 We only hear it during the end credits, right?Neither version of the song is included in any part of the film at all, not even the end credits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 So somebody decided not to use it in the movie. Smart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,017 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Are JWfanners fan of the 'For Always' song? If so, I'm not really representative of JWfan. AlexandreI generally dislike "theme songs" by any composer. They all seem to overstate the point which music itself already makes. Usually with quite bizarre results.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The lyrics and the polished pop performances are awful to my ears. But then i never liked this glossy Alan/Marilyn Bergman kind of Hollywood lyricism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,715 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Are JWfanners fan of the 'For Always' song? If so, I'm not really representative of JWfan. AlexandreI generally dislike "theme songs" by any composer. They all seem to overstate the point which music itself already makes. Usually with quite bizarre results.KarolIndeed. There are of course songs that became huge hits that were based on the music from a film score but I too generally find those an awkward addition to the music by the composer, a bit of extra for the pop market if by some chance it might catch people's ear. Michael Kamen did this quite a few times in the 90's and it felt almost like he was writing the song first and then using it in the score which didn't mesh well at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Wasn't 'For Always' meant to be a typical Céline Dion song? How many movies didn't end with such blaring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 For this movie it feels like a cop-out. And Spielberg can tell me what he wants, this was not a Kubrick mandate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 So somebody decided not to use it in the movie. Smart!Agreed, it would have hurt the film, even if it was just in the end credits.I hope the liner notes will illuminate whether it was commissioned to be in the film and then they decided against it, or it was only ever going to be an album thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 For this movie it feels like a cop-out. And Spielberg can tell me what he wants, this was not a Kubrick mandate.LOL. Can you imagine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,017 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 For this movie it feels like a cop-out. And Spielberg can tell me what he wants, this was not a Kubrick mandate.LOL. Can you imagine?Maybe there was a reason he never completed this project?Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 No dead composer ever did a satisfyingly enough cloying song to use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,017 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I want to make this film but it needs a perfectly cheesy song. Who knows, maybe all this trouble stopped his heart in the end?Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Wasn't 'For Always' meant to be a typical Céline Dion song? How many movies didn't end with such blaring?My Heart Will Go On is a brilliant song! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Except for her slappable voice, yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmmusic 1,829 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Are JWfanners fan of the 'For Always' song? If so, I'm not really representative of JWfan. AlexandreI'm generally not a fan of songs that have been based on previously composed music, and not originally conceived as songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 My Heart Will Go On is a brilliant song!Horner was never shy about those melodies..though i never could stomach the cheap elevator whistles. Did Horner ever record a more classical version like A BEAUTIFUL MIND or that NEW WORLD song? Both are much superior aesthetically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The Portrait satisfies my need for a slightly less syrupy rendition, but I like both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Nah, that's just boring. I want Horner's big string orchestra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,200 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The OST is, actually, a pretty good representation of the score. It has all the major cues, and...er...that's pertty much it... It sounds like shit.I generally dislike "theme songs" by any composer. They all seem to overstate the point which music itself already makes. Usually with quite bizarre results. Goldenthal excepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 We only hear it during the end credits, right?Neither version of the song is included in any part of the film at all, not even the end credits. While the melody is a gorgeous cantabile that seems to cry out to be sung, the song was never meant to be in the actual film. If I remember well, it was conceived as a tie-in product by the record company, hoping the success of the film would drive sells of the OST album and maybe help push the celebrity of the two up-and-coming popstars.The song itself is not that bad--the melody is still great, I mean, maybe the lyrics are sappy, but they're simple. The main problem is the typical schmaltzy over-producing by David Foster, a.k.a. "the master of bombastic pop kitsch", as Rolling Stones magazine once called him. The rhythm section for example is dreadful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Ah yes. The dreaded David Foster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 the song was never meant to be in the actual film. If I remember well, it was conceived as a tie-in product by the record company, hoping the success of the film would drive sells of the OST album and maybe help push the celebrity of the two up-and-coming popstars.Ah, thanks for that! Makes sense!Man, what a bummer "Under the Ice" and "Almost Human" had to be dropped to make room for the record company's hopeful money-maker. I wonder what J Dubs thought about it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmmusic 1,829 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 the song was never meant to be in the actual film. If I remember well, it was conceived as a tie-in product by the record company, hoping the success of the film would drive sells of the OST album and maybe help push the celebrity of the two up-and-coming popstars.Ah, thanks for that! Makes sense!The strange thing for me is this:So, Williams doesn't agree for a few seconds or a couple of minutes of great film music to be released in some expansions (eg. Hook, Indiana Jones etc.), but he does agree on the release of some pop songs based on his melodies? (or maybe these were imposed without his consent from the studio?) Score 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,017 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 We only hear it during the end credits, right?Neither version of the song is included in any part of the film at all, not even the end credits. While the melody is a gorgeous cantabile that seems to cry out to be sung, the song was never meant to be in the actual film. If I remember well, it was conceived as a tie-in product by the record company, hoping the success of the film would drive sells of the OST album and maybe help push the celebrity of the two up-and-coming popstars.The song itself is not that bad--the melody is still great, I mean, maybe the lyrics are sappy, but they're simple. The main problem is the typical schmaltzy over-producing by David Foster, a.k.a. "the master of bombastic pop kitsch", as Rolling Stones magazine once called him. The rhythm section for example is dreadful.If you want Lara Fabian in a good pop song, based on a theme from a movie. And from the same year. This is the one: And yeah, I said this before. But just came back from a part-Goldenthal concert and he, yet again, stole the show. As he usually does.Karol publicist and Incanus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 the song was never meant to be in the actual film. If I remember well, it was conceived as a tie-in product by the record company, hoping the success of the film would drive sells of the OST album and maybe help push the celebrity of the two up-and-coming popstars.Ah, thanks for that! Makes sense!The strange thing for me is this:So, Williams doesn't agree for a few seconds or a couple of minutes of great film music to be released in some expansions (eg. Hook, Indiana Jones etc.), but he does agree on the release of some pop songs based on his melodies? (or maybe these were imposed without his consent from the studio?)It will not sound very romantic, but maybe it's because the pop songs might "generate" more money than a couple of minutes more of great film music! Anyway, the musical theme as appears in the score is really gorgeous. The version in the End Credits with the female voice singing without words is just "the right way" to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Just finished listening to that track actually - boy, is it lovely!How have I been neglecting this score over the past 14 years? Score 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I'd rather not listen to it until this new release comes out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmmusic 1,829 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have to say, my favourite cue from the score (and one of my favourite post 2000 Williams cues) is the chorus piece heard in the Journey through Ice scene. (which in reality is the 2nd version he did) Score 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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