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Jerry Goldsmith's FACE OF A FUGITIVE (1959) - premiere release by Intrada Records, March 2021


Jay

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Roger says

 

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A little Saturday morning cheer as we work our way through an endless winter...

Coming March 23: First time released in any form, Jerry Goldsmith's complete Face of a Fugitive!

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http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8686

 

Doug says

 

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3/21/2021

With the arrival of this coming Tuesday, fans of Jerry Goldsmith can delight in the arrival of his long-missing in action early western soundtrack for Face Of A Fugitive, a 1959 Columbia picture starring Fred MacMurray that also introduced James Coburn to movie audiences. This holy grail score for Goldsmith listeners will be in stock and available to order on Tuesday the 23rd. One by one the precious remaining unreleased Goldsmith scores are unearthed for everyone to cherish - and Intrada is a leader in the digging!

 

http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8694

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Roger says

 

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INTRADA Announces

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FACE OF A FUGITIVE
Music Composed and Conducted by JERRY GOLDSMITH
INTRADA ISC 466

 

Intrada announces the premiere release of Jerry Goldsmith's score for Face of a Fugitive, the recording of which was long thought lost. Goldsmith's music for this 1959 Columbia western was one of the earliest in his theatrical career (and first color project!), preceded only by Black Patch and City of Fear. It was, however, his first use of the full resources of a standard symphony orchestra, since prior scores relied on his savvy for using selective ensembles due to limited budgets. Goldsmith was determined to produce a score that would grab the audience's attention right from the first notes. The score opens with an urgent brass fanfare, then takes that fanfare through a series of tortured variations. It's just the start of a tense, percussive score, with moments of warmth, lilting romance throughout and gripping action writing—all hints of where the composer would go with his budding theatrical career.

 

While the recording sessions had been elusive for years, as luck would have it—a lot of luck—the print takes for the film showed up in crisp mono sound courtesy of the Sony Pictures vaults. Given the age, the sound quality is excellent, with only minor degrees of wear and tear.

 

The story starts as safecracker Jim Larsen (Fred MacMurray) is escorted to prison by a friendly deputy sheriff. Larsen manages to turn the tables on the deputy in a bid to escape, only to find his brother Danny (Roy Hayes) arriving with his own intentions to free Larsen. In the confusion Danny and the deputy exchange gunfire, the deputy is killed and Danny gravely wounded. The Larsen brothers board a train to the next town, but Danny dies en route, leaving Larsen a fugitive saddled with the murder of the deputy. Larsen passes himself off as a mining inspector in the next town and befriends the local sheriff. The town is involved in a conflict with a ruthless cattle baron who has claimed government land by illegally fencing it. With the town cordoned off and knowing that wanted posters bearing his likeness will soon reveal him as the escaped fugitive, Larsen hides in plain sight, backing the sheriff against the cattle baron and his gang.

 

INTRADA ISC 466
Barcode: 720258546609
Retail Price: $21.99
Starts Shipping Week of 3/22
For track listing and sound samples, please visit http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.11724/.f

 

Doug says

 

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FACE OF A FUGITIVE
Jerry Goldsmith
Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 466
Film Date: 1959
Album Date: 2021
Time: 40:01
Tracks: 21
Price: $21.99

 

World premiere release of early Jerry Goldsmith western score! Columbia Pictures presents in 1959, Fred MacMurray stars with Lin McCarthy, Dorothy Green plus introduction of James Coburn. Charles H. Scanner executive produces and Paul Wendkos directs. Jerry Goldsmith tackles only his third feature film score, his first in color and his first for full orchestra (Black Patch omitted trumpets, City Of Fear dropped most strings). Safecracker (Jim Larsen) en route to prison makes an escape that sees his beloved brother mortally wounded. Also killed in the gunfire is the sheriff’s deputy. Now a fugitive, Larsen trains his way to a new town, assumes a new identity and begins his new life. Romance and success ensue… but so does conflict and the inevitable showdown. 

 

Goldsmith launches with dynamic entrance for French horns, allows moment for strings, then takes off and runs with propulsive allegro for unison horns featuring striking device of downward glissando effect that becomes not only trademark throughout score but also of composer’s entire subsequent action-filled career! And action commands attention here with what arguably is Goldsmith’s first major full-bore action cue of his fledgling career, “Trackdown”. Hear those riveting horns lead the charge, then virtuoso trumpets enter the fray with descending horn glissandos again on display. Aggressive percussion, jagged rhythms also become future Goldsmith signatures. Excitement! 

 

Many other highlights play out in this long-missing in action gem: expressive solo trumpet writing in “Company Man”, warm love theme featuring expressive oboe during “The Meeting”, lean and clear string writing, sinister material for the villains, propulsive train music, other ideas. Intrada presentation features complete score mastered in mono from print takes courtesy Columbia Pictures, surviving in reasonably good condition despite their age. Several Goldsmith-arranged source cues also appear including composer’s own original rag, heard as recorded for the picture with bullet-damaged saloon piano music grinding to a halt. Informative booklet notes by Jeff Bond plus dramatic cover art utilizing original 1959 Columbia key art campaign add to cool release. Fun trivia: Composer credit in opening of film itself appears as Jerrald Goldsmith. Recorded in December 1958, orchestrations by the composer, Jerry Goldsmith conducts the Columbia Pictures Orchestra. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!


TRACK LIST

01. Main Title (3:01)
02. Escape (1:42)
03. So Long Boy (2:30)
04. Company Man (1:48)
05. The Meeting (1:04)
06. Jake, The Barber (1:00)
07. Wanted For Murder (0:43)
08. New Suit (2:19)
09. Slow Draw (0:40)
10. Special Delivery (6:08)
11. Bitter Thoughts (2:01)
12. Goodbye (1:39)
13. Broken Fence (0:55)
14. Friendly Advice (0:43)
15. Showdown (1:13)
16. Trackdow (3:19)
17. The Ride Home – End Title (0:57)
Total Time: 32:18

 

Source Music Arranged by Jerry Goldsmith
18. Down In The Valley (0:25)
19. Sweet Betsy From Pike (2:47)
20. Skip To My Lou (2:59)
21. Jerry’s Ragtime (0:55)
Total Source Music Time: 7:07

 

 

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20 hours ago, Jay said:

I assume a Goldsmith Odyssey episode about it will go live once this starts shipping


Yup I say what I think of it pretty thoroughly here in the new Spotlight chat with Doug, Roger, and Clark:

https://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/8192306-odyssey-soundtrack-spotlight-face-of-a-fugitive-1959


One of his “greatest scores”, no... but an absolutely excellent one. And I’ve thought that ever since first exploring it in the film three years ago for Episode 3 of our podcast:

https://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/673893-episode-3-face-of-a-fugitive-1959-toccata-1958
 

Yavar

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This is the first time I have seen an Intrada order page not show off the back cover

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On 3/23/2021 at 8:20 AM, Yavar Moradi said:


Yup I say what I think of it pretty thoroughly here in the new Spotlight chat with Doug, Roger, and Clark:

https://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/8192306-odyssey-soundtrack-spotlight-face-of-a-fugitive-1959


One of his “greatest scores”, no... but an absolutely excellent one. And I’ve thought that ever since first exploring it in the film three years ago for Episode 3 of our podcast:

https://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/673893-episode-3-face-of-a-fugitive-1959-toccata-1958
 

Yavar

Where have you viewed the film?

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46 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

Not on my phone, it doesnt.

If I get access to a pc I'll give it a look.


You have a phone that can play paid streaming services but not YouTube? What kind of phone is it?

 

Yavar

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He meant he doesn't want to watch it on his phone, he wants to watch it in his television. 

 

But then he for reason thinks you need a pc to watch YouTube on a TV instead of like, a $30 streaming stick. 

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15 minutes ago, Jay said:

But then he for reason thinks you need a pc to watch YouTube on a TV instead of like, a $30 streaming stick. 

 

Or not even that, if the TV has a YouTube app or supports casting from his phone.

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2 hours ago, Jay said:

He meant he doesn't want to watch it on his phone, he wants to watch it in his television. 

 

 

Right.

Or on a large Apple pc monitor.

Eventually, I'll have access to either one.

But, it will.probably look bad on ws tv.

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In 2021 you don't need a computer to watch most internet streams, especially something as universal as youtube

 

Just get this $30 stick and plug it into a free HDMI port on your TV and you have instant youtube on your television

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WVFCVJN

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/6367480.p?skuId=6367480

https://www.target.com/p/-/A-52105147

https://www.walmart.com/ip/R/120569644

 

 

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According to this Intrada post, which I assume is simply coming from the booklet of the new release (I don't have it yet), John Williams played piano on this score.  Anybody here received their copy yet to verify?

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19 minutes ago, Jay said:

According to this Intrada post, which I assume is simply coming from the booklet of the new release (I don't have it yet), John Williams played piano on this score.  Anybody here received their copy yet to verify?

 

Wow, really? That's new information to me, and I like to keep on top of those things. Count me in as curious too.

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Wow great, thanks for that!

 

We also don't know if he played on City of Fear or not, is that right?

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5 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said:

Looks like you're going to have to buy a 1958 Jerry Goldsmith score, Thor! :P

 

Damn! ;)

 

Seriously, thanks for the confirmation. I just love it when new discoveries pop up like that. I'm only a physical completist of his compositions, so I don't need to buy the CD. But you're damn straight I need a digital version of this soundtrack now. Hopefully I can work something out, promo-wise.

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16 minutes ago, fommes said:

We need to tread carefully, maybe it's JW the guitarist.

 

He, he. I know you jest, but he was 17 at the time and studied at the Royal College of Music in London. There was another jazz pianist at the time also called John Williams, but I think it's fairly certain this is OUR Williams.

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I'm guessing "Johnny" was more of his "stage name" which was put out in public on albums (and film credits through the 60s), but on something like studio paperwork about session musicians performing on a score (no doubt the source for this), it makes sense that it would just be his given name.

Yavar

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  • 2 weeks later...
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  • 9 months later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 7 months later...

Only 50 copies sold in half a year means that this may last another couple of years, I think. (No doubt being digitally available for download and streaming is a big reason behind those slower sales.) BUT it is a great release of a really wonderful score with an excellent liner notes booklet, and I highly recommend people pick it up! I'll plug our Goldsmith Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight on it again, for anyone on the fence:

https://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/8192306-odyssey-soundtrack-spotlight-face-of-a-fugitive-1959

 

b49cbe86cb411762753e730c58953bb88ad958a9

 

Yavar

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  • 2 months later...

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