Describe in your own words: Images

[AC1 3,565]

Hello,

Is there anyone who can describe the music of the soundtrack "Images".

This must be the CD (LP) I'm missing the most. What makes me interested is that here you supposedly hear a different Williams at work. (more atonal, dissonant, etc.) Is this true?

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Alex Cremers

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

I have only one word.

Freaked.

Stefancos-

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

The only description I can think of is this:

Bllllleeeeeeeaaaaaaaauuuuuuuurrrrrrgggggghhhhhh.

And it's not even my own words, that's the sounds that guy on the CD makes.

Marian - who has to listen to it again.

Supergirl (LSO, Goldsmith)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Supergirl (LSO, Goldsmith)

My recording or yours?

Stefancos-

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

Both, kinda.

Marian -

Fireworks (LSO, Goldsmith)

[banthapoodoo 0]

Yes, Alex, it is the most fascinating of all the Williams scores. It is atonal and dissonent at times but also contains a very beautiful, dreamy theme.

Mr. Williams and I had a discussion about that score when I met him in Cleveland a few years back. He described the many strange instruments that percussionist Stomu Yamashita brought to the session. He would percuss piano strings with different mallets and had what Williams described as "beautiful works of art" that he would also "play". One of the instruments was a metal pipe that was bent and had different sized "leaves" attached to it. He would hit the leaves with different mallets and each one had it's own distictive sound. They also used voices that were slowed down to make the moaning sounds you hear.

It was very progressive and different from anything that the maestro had done up to that point and is a favorite of mine.

Hope this answers your question.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

I have the score to Images only on my home-recorded minidisk, because the tracks were only available in an mp3 format for me, obviously provided by someone who recorded it from carefully treated vinyl (it's clearly heard in the recording--yet the quality doesn't lag behind as it is almost crystal clear and dynamic. By the way, the guy who made those mp3's of it off his vinyl obviously enjoyed the track "Blood Moon" far more above all the rest of the album, since this particular track on the album also suffers from noticeably more hiss and worn-record's typical crackling unlike any other remaining cue on the album.)

This is my favorite Williams' score, one that I don't listen to very often, but it's without a doubt not due to music on it. People who would imply that the score to Images contains more "weirdly sounding" material than a raw Williams' score, they'd be speaking in cogent terms.

Anyway, what to me seems to be a main theme John Williams wrote for Images and gave it a heavenly passionate and urging rendition in the track titled "Blood Moon", it's in and of itself such a sturdy stand-out track of the whole score that it would have made up for anything you could find boring or more or less ear-hurting in the rest of the music.

Despite the short playing time of the album and the prevalence of "sound effects" so untypical (my humble guess) of Williams so far, the theme I so call "main theme" does go through masterful variations, few yet strong, from a lone piano part (still often interrupted by unnatural instrumental sounds and bugaboo voices) to that already-complimented outburst in the "Blood Moon" track.

I cannot say whether the fully-symphonic touch Williams blessed certain cues of Images with was already his trademark compositional approach back then, which is since I have not heard many scores of his from sixties and seventies. These few gems punched into this effort nevertheless make the score belong among those very finest, strong-theme journeys through maestro's oeuvre, if only for the two or three tracks in total. I haven't seen the movie, again, but the approach Williams had taken may have very well been intentional, so my hypothetical complaint about full-scope orchestrational curb would likely be swept away.

Roman.-)

[AC1 3,565]

Thank for the replies, everyone! If I look at the little reviews displayed here, it seems "Images" is not Williams's most commercial work (duh). I sincerely hope that this wont scare off any potential reissuers. (praying smiley)

Maybe we should do it, huh? I mean, what can it cost? What are we talking about here, 1000 CD's? If varese wont do it, maybe we will...

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Alex Cremers

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Maybe we should do it, huh? I mean, what can it cost? What are we talking about here, 1000 CD's? If varese wont do it, maybe we will...

Well, since only a promo record of Images was available at its time, I understand why I have never seen the sleeve for this soundtrack which perhaps never seen the light of a day. Does anyone know what the promo looked like? And who performs the music? Are the piano solos played by Williams himself?

Anyway, I'm pretty contended with my MD made from mp3's. Let's just hope the source tapes of the original score exist, the tapes whose quality was incredible considering the period they were recorded in (still judging only by mp3's I have). I wish they would make the score to Images available on a pressed CD. But I pray even more that this will not be a re-recording, just these original takes. They're incredible. Not everyone's cup of tea might Images be, but those who like it would be definitely in heaven once the limited release is announced.

Roman.-)

[King Mark 2,924]

I can only listen to the cues without the creepy voices,like Bloodmoon and Ponies,Dogs and Old Ruins(which if amazingly hypnotic)

K.M.Who is afraid people might call the police if he played it in his appartment

K.M.2who thinks this boot sounds better than a lot of legit releases.

[Miguel Andrade 964]

The works of art Mr. Williams speaks of, are these sculptures by two french brothers. You can find more avout them here:

www.baschet.net

[AC1 3,565]

Interesting looking instruments!

It's a pity that there are no samples for us to hear on that website. I wouldn't mind having one.

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Alex Cremers

[Thor 5,273]

As far as I know, the original promo LP only had the words IMAGES on a straight white cover, possibly with track titles on the back cover (I don't remember this latter). That's all. Obviously, the CD-R conversions out there come with fan-made artwork that is somewhat more elaborate.

[Miguel Andrade 964]

Thor, to my knowledge there where two lp releases, one being an academy promo lp, the other a bootleg made from that. You can check the diferent covers, the bootleg being the one with pictures on it:

[AC1 3,565]

Somehow I want that cover in CD booklet format. Beautiful!

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Alex Cremers

[ocelot 445]

Hey, can anyone send this score to me? (if anyone has it who got For Seiji from me, that would be great!) If not, that's OK too.

[Miguel Andrade 964]

Hey, can anyone send this score to me? (if anyone has it who got For Seiji from me, that would be great!)    If not, that's OK too.

E-mail me your adress, and I'll send a cd-r as soon as I'm able.

[ocelot 445]

Hey Miguel,

Thanks for offering my friend, I hear Eric talked to you and he's gonna send a copy over. I can't wait to hear this, there aren't that many Williams pieces I haven't heard... Esecially one this different.

[Miguel Andrade 964]

You're very welcome. Keep us posted with your thoughts on this marvelous, but demanding score.

[scissorhands 16]

Dogs, Ponies & Old Ruins is my favorite track. One of the best use of guitar Williams has ever done.

As I previously said in another thread, Images (and above all the 2nd track The House) are the predecessors of the Pheasant Hunt (and another unreleased track) from Empire of the Sun.

The Love Montage is the weirdest love theme i've ever heard (if it's actually a love theme).

I was playing this score today, and my mother said "Stop making that noise!!!" LOL

But it's more than noise and 3 tonal cues. It's the feeling of uneasiness, anxiety all over the score what makes me like this score so much.

[Miguel Andrade 964]

Oh my, were are my manners??? Thank you Eric, for filling in for me on this one. As always, you just are the best friend one could have wished for.

[Chris ChrusherComix 27]

Images is an odd and haunting score, but the same two tracks that KM mentioned ("Dogs, Ponies & Old Ruins", and "Blood Moon") are possibly two of my favorite Williams tracks on ANY soundtrack in my collection. I simply cannot get enough of them.

Anybody ever seen that film? Is THAT one available on DVD or anything? I'm dying to see the "images" that go with that freakish music (oh, BAD pun... LOL... and it wasn't initially intended either).

-Chris, Who is exhausted... and typing while... ....

[Morlock 9]

I've just been listening to Images lately, and I felt like mentioning it.

It truely is freaky score, but it has two great tracks, IMO two of JW's best ever- Blood Moon and Dogs, Ponies & Old Ruins.

I think that Blood Moon is a classic horror theme, IMO far better than Dracula and even better than The Fury Main theme.

I once downloaded all the real player tracks from Neil's site (Or at least, I think it was Neil's) and discovered a few great unknown themes, like Black Sunday, Checkmate and Fitzwilly and also Blood Moon. I had never heard of the track or movie before, and I fell instantly in love with it, and I knew I must have the rest of the score.

So I waited for over a year, but finally I got it in a trade with Chris, but it was in my try out folder for months, and only a couple of weeks ago did I get to it.

I love it, but especialyDogs, Ponies & Old Ruins, because I knew the melody from Blood Moon, but I loved hearing it in this fantastic track.

I suggest all people should try to get the score, or at least these two tracks. The rest of it is easily the freakiest score I've ever heard.

[Peio 0]

Neil's site

Neil's site? :spiny:

easily the freakiest score I've ever heard.

I know a couple of scores freakier than Images... too freaky to recommend here.

Dogs, Ponies & Old Ruins is my favorite track. One of the best use of guitar Williams has ever done.  

As I previously said in another thread, Images (and above all the 2nd track The House) are the predecessors of the Pheasant Hunt (and another unreleased track) from Empire of the Sun.  

The Love Montage is the weirdest love theme i've ever heard (if it's actually a love theme).  

I was playing this score today, and my mother said "Stop making that noise!!!"  LOL

But it's more than noise and 3 tonal cues. It's the feeling of uneasiness, anxiety all over the score what makes me like this score so much.

I agree at %100.

-Peio

[Lurker 5]

Yeah, I've never had a site. Don't want one.

Neil

[Morlock 9]

Than I must've gotten mixed up. Then who's site was it?

[AC1 3,565]

(and another unreleased track) from Empire of the Sun.

Would you care to explain that a bit, please? Thanks.

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Alex Cremers

[Peio 0]

(and another unreleased track) from Empire of the Sun.

Would you care to explain that a bit, please? Thanks.

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Alex Cremers

2 tracks (which remain unreleased) from the beginning of the movie are basically percussion (like "Images"). a)when Jim meets the japanese soldiers for the first time (looking for his toyplane before war begins), b)tracked in "The Streets of Shanghai" in the movie.

[AC1 3,565]

when Jim meets the japanese soldiers for the first time (looking for his toyplane before war begins), b)tracked in "The Streets of Shanghai" in the movie.

That should be right after Imaginary Air Battle, right? Was it also percussive? I don't remember. Maybe Williams didn't want them on the CD for listening purposes.

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Alex cremers

[Peio 0]

That should be right after Imaginary Air Battle, right?

Right

Are you sure it's Williams who decides all the tracks? Also important is the fact that the Warner soundtrack CDs of the time didn't surpase the 1 hour length.

-Peio

[JoeinAR 1,759]

I've never seen the film or heard the score.

[nja 0]

I bought a copy of ebay a couple of years ago (bootleg) but it does have a booklet and pictures. It conveniently carried little info on the label but did say ADVP Records on the side.

It is fun to pull it out and play it for people who think they have the Williams style pegged. It usually makes their eyes bug out (which is probably the best description you could give of the score.)

[Morn 7]

I recently saw this movie, it's on the same topic of A beautiful Mind but more freaky and serious. See it the score fits it well!

[AC1 3,565]

Are you sure it's Williams who decides all the tracks?

I thought I read it several times that Williams even compiles the tracks in a certain order for maximum listening pleasure. A more likely reason is maybe it's that 60 minute limit you just mentioned. Anyway I'm content with the way it turned out. It's one of my favorite soundtracks (if not THE best!) although the writing and atmosphere is Williams' doomiest.

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Alex Cremers