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DRACULA - 2018 Varese Deluxe Edition Produced by Mike Matessino


Romão

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4 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Hence the score can't even be re-recorded, because there's no sheet music to use as a guide (nor any way of knowing what alternates Williams wrote or recorded).

 

Scores are being re-recorded all the time by transcribing by ear.

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The last time I saw the original album must have been about 20 years ago. In fact it is exactly 20 years because the store that had it was opened in 1998 and it was brand new then. I didn't buy it and regretted it ever since. But my two decade remorse ends now. :)

 

Karol

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36 minutes ago, Arpy said:

I haven't seen Dracula and haven't heard the score outside of the concert piece. Is the film worth watching?

 

One day years from now after finally watching the film I'll be like: 'fuck, I should've bought Dracula!'

 

32 minutes ago, crumbs said:

I'd love to know that too. Would happily watch it but it seems the Bluray is a bit of a visual mess. Supposedly the director pulled a 'Yates' and drained all colour from the film when it was remastered, preferring a more 'sepia' visual approach when it was originally filled with deep, rich colours.

 

 

I watched it a few days ago and it's nothing too special, but not bad, either. Maybe a little boring at times. It features a more countly Dracula than the previous big renditions, he goes to visit his neighbours, invites the girl over, slowly seduces and hypnotises her instead of immediately going for the bite when she's asleep, I like that aspect.

 

I never thought I'd say this but I actually really like the drained visual look, and seeing the trailer, probably prefer it to the original (but still am upset it's not available in high quality). There are still skin tones pushing through, it gives a huge impact to the red love scene and the finale when colours kinda return, and adds enormously to the gloomy atmosphere. I feel the original colours were a bit overdone and take away from that impact and feel. And it's not just the bluray, I found it was already regraded back in the 90s. The first cropped Laserdisc release is the best quality we have of the original version. And technically the new grade's closer to the director's original intention, he wanted to shoot it in B&W, but the studio forced him to go big and colourful to show off set design.

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Jane Eyre alternates lost to time:

  • Jane Eyre Theme (Celeste and Harpischord Alternate)
  • Restoration (Feat. Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
  • Thwarted Wedding (Harmonica and Steel Drum Alternate)
  • String Quartet (Brass Trio Alternate)
  • Reunion (Tuba and Vuvuzela Alternate)
  • Overture (Pipe Organ and Pan Flute Alternate)
  • End Titles (Feat. duet by Led Zeppelin and the Sex Pistols)
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8 minutes ago, Holko said:

The first cropped Laserdisc release is the best quality we have of the original version. And technically the new grade's closer to the director's original intention, he wanted to shoot it in B&W, but the studio forced him to go big and colourful to show off set design.

 

The visual palette in the trailer looks superb. Dark, moody, deep colours. Seems like the Bluray proper has been smeared with a sepia filter at 90% opacity.

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Holko said:

And technically the new grade's closer to the director's original intention, he wanted to shoot it in B&W, but the studio forced him to go big and colourful to show off set design.

 

And it's quite good. First class production values and photography. And the most impressive death scene for Dracula up to that point (gaudy as it is). I was deeply disappointed watching all those classic versions supposedly so much better than this Mirisch production and they all completely loused up the count's death.

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I am curious about the improved sound on the Disc 2 OST which I'm very glad they included, that's pretty much it for me (and see if difference is all that it's made out to be). But I will probably suffice with a digital promo which I can use to replace my iTunes import (and maybe browse a pdf of the liner notes); I'm otherwise content with my old Varese CD in physical format.

 

But I'm aware this has been highly sought-after by fans -- especially as the OST had become rare and expensive -- so I'm happy for them.

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1 minute ago, Thor said:

(and see if difference is all that it's made out to be)

Are you serious? Have you listened to the samples, and have you ever heard how terrible the old CD sounds?

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3 minutes ago, Thor said:

But I'm aware this has been highly sought-after by fans -- especially as the OST had become rare and expensive -- so I'm happy for them.

 

The problem is that the CD release of the OST has crappy sound compared to the vinyl one.

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2 minutes ago, Holko said:

Oh yes!

 

There's a wonderful english Cornwall feel to it, that a circus spectacle as the Coppola never has due to its stagebound production. For me that's half the rent of a Dracula movie.

1 minute ago, Holko said:

Are you serious? Have you listened to the samples, and have you ever heard how terrible the old CD sounds?

 

....don't...

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2 minutes ago, Holko said:

Are you serious? Have you listened to the samples, and have you ever heard how terrible the old CD sounds?

 

As I've said before, I've had the old CD for decades now, and I've never had much of an issue with the sound. I think the criticism is all terribly overblown. But yes -- I am curious about the new version, and I think I'll gladly replace my iTunes rip of the old CD if/when I get a digital promo.

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Just now, Thor said:

As I've said before, I've has the old CD for decades now, and I've never had much of an issue with the sound. I think the criticism is all terribly overblown.

 

I thought the same until I heard a mint vinyl release.

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I didn't think the old rainbow MCA lp sounded much better, honestly. There was a strange pinched quality to both versions, unfortunately you could make out a great recording waiting to break free.

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42 minutes ago, crumbs said:

What did you think of Dracula: Dead and Loving It ?

 

I thought Nielsen was a superb Count.

 

Really nice score on that one, actually

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8 hours ago, Bespin said:

 

Mine what? Where do you place Thomas and the King?

What I meant by "mine" was that there's a short piece of music which underscores some Whitby miners.

 

Where does T+TK go? It premiered in London, in October, 1975, so...in between JAWS, and FAMILY PLOT.

 

 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, crumbs said:

What happened to her blouse?! 😅

Who gives a fuck?! :lol:

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1 minute ago, Richard said:

What I meant by "mine" was that there's a short piece of music which underscores some Whitby miners.

 

Where does T+TK go? It premiered in London, in October, 1975, so...in between JAWS, and FAMILY PLOT.

 

No! The LP went out in 1981, the recording is from 1981 too!

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8 minutes ago, Norma's Corpse said:

Anyone else know why the 1990 OST sounded so bad? Other Varese OST releases from that time sounded exceptional like Jaws 2 and Psycho II, and others sounded pretty good like The Fury, The Omen and Macarthur.

 

Only MCA would know. Though Tomlinson's recordings to me always seemed more 'precious' than those of other engineers in that they could either sound splendid or, if the mix was only slightly off it was all pinch city. Even 'American Tail' from 1986 has this anachronistic tinge.

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The studio files were unceremoniously dumped in the late 80's, but recording engineer Mike Ross-Trevor realized what a gem the score was so he saved most of it on some reel-tapes in his garage. Which were the basis for Silva Screen's 1992 release (it is also a very different mix). Many bootlegs are private copies of stuff you'd never get out a studio archive (or, as Goldsmith once complained, from foreign dubbing studios as they would often receive the score tapes for their own sound mix).

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1 hour ago, Norma's Corpse said:

Anyone else know why the 1990 OST sounded so bad? 

 

LO-RES transfer from an average LP could explain why they « restored » it so heavily and badly at the times... That’s my guess. Digital restoration evolved a lot since the 90’s...

 

I don't know if @Jay can confirm this, but it's highly possible that the "new source" they used for the "Original album" on the new set, is taken from a brand new HI-RES transfert from a mint LP.

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15 minutes ago, Richard said:

I think you'll find that it's Lucy, in the picture, and not Mina.

 

Well, I had a 50% chance of guessing that one correctly based on names in the tracklist, as I have basically no knowledge of the movie.

 

I chose... poorly.

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2 hours ago, Bespin said:

I don't know if @Jay can confirm this, but it's highly possible that the "new source" they used for the "Original album" on the new set, is taken from a brand new HI-RES transfert from a mint LP.

 

This seems like the most ludicris, shameless, unabashed, take-no-hostages kind of rumor spreading I’ve ever read.

 

In my life.

 

Anywhere. 😂😂😂😂

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7 hours ago, crocodile said:

The last time I saw the original album must have been about 20 years ago. In fact it is exactly 20 years because the store that had it was opened in 1998 and it was brand new then. I didn't buy it and regretted it ever since. But my two decade remorse ends now. :)

 

I probably picked mine up about 20 years ago. In fact, I just listened to it last Sunday for the first time in who knows how long, expecting that we wouldn't get a new release anyway for years.

 

In light of this, what are the chances that the Hallelujah Trail score hasn't been completely destroyed after all?

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Ordered! 

 

So excited to read that booklet, learn about the sources and most of all, to listen to this in its newly restored glory. 

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3 hours ago, rough cut said:

 

This seems like the most ludicris, shameless, unabashed, take-no-hostages kind of rumor spreading I’ve ever read.

 

In my life.

 

Anywhere. 😂😂😂😂

 

Take it like you want. @Jay told me months ago that Dracula was about to be re-released on CD.

 

Now, do they will shout on every roof that the best source available for the OST in 2018... is a mint LP.

 

Maybe not.

 

I don't care if it's indeed the best source available!

 

 

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The main theme from this score...man, I'm listening to these demos again. Wow. Back when Williams would really channel these different sides of his musical personality to craft a theme. He has written countless great themes since, and in the last 20 years, but most of them sound like pure "John Williams", if you understand my meaning. 

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