THE EIGER SANCTION (1975) - 2021 2-CD Expanded Edition from Intrada Records

[Jay 39,162]

Roger says

 

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Coming 8/10...

 

 

http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8767

 

 

 

 

August 10th update:

 

Roger's full blurb:

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INTRADA Announces:

 

 

THE EIGER SANCTION
Music Composed and Conducted by JOHN WILLIAMS
ISC 465

 

Intrada's latest release features a 2-CD set of John Williams' music for the 1975 Universal Pictures thriller The Eiger Sanction. The score is a masterful example of the composer’s 1970s style, encompassing orchestral and jazz elements, tonal and atonal moments, and memorable themes. From the foreboding theme of the main title to the thrilling action of "The Car Chase" and the majestic "The Top Of The World," the score is a showcase of a composer who was rapidly rising to the top of the industry's game.

The first disc features his complete 75-minute score, offering substantially more music than was represented on the MCA LP, a re-recording that also included tracks often substantially reworked by Williams. While the original scoring sessions were in three-track split-mono, ace producer Mike Matessino has mixed the tracks into a satisfying stereo experience, similar to his prior work on Williams' Earthquake. For the MCA album, Universal Music Group unearthed the original 2" unmixed multitrack tapes, not only allowing for a state of the art new mix to showcase more detail than ever heard before, but also revealing several additional tracks Williams recorded for the album but which were not ultimately included on the LP release.

 

In The Eiger Sanction, university professor, art collector and former assassin Jonathan Hemlock (Clint Eastwood) is called out of retirement to perform a “sanction" (“killing") in Zurich, in return for $20,000 and a letter indemnifying him from tax troubles. En route home, he meets a stewardess who promptly seduces him and steals his money. It turns out she’s been sent to convince him to undertake a second assassination during a perilous climb of the Eiger. Hemlock flies to Arizona to get back into shape for the dangerous climb. He reunites with old friend Ben Bowman (George Kennedy); Bowman introduces him to a Native American trainer, who puts Hemlock through his paces. Once in Switzerland, Hemlock and Bowman join three other members of the climbing team. One of Hemlock’s fellow climbers is the target, but he cannot ascertain which before they leave to attempt climbing the north face of the Eiger. Falling rocks kill one and the other two fall to their deaths, leaving Hemlock the sole survivor—and only then does he discover the real killer’s identity.

INTRADA ISC 465
Barcode: 720258546500
Retail Price: $29.99
Starts shipping 8/10
For track listing and sound samples, please visit http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12305/.f

 

 

http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8773

 

Doug's full blurb:

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John Williams
Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 465
Film Date: 1975
Album Date: 2021
Time: 128:00
Tracks: 46
Price: $29.99

 

Greatly expanded 2-CD premiere of John Williams original soundtrack! 1975 espionage adventure/thriller with director Clint Eastwood as star also features George Kennedy, Vonetta McGee, Jack Cassidy. Based on the best-selling novel by Trevanian, from executive producers Richard D. Zanuck, David Brown, presented by Universal Pictures. Eastwood is Jonathan Hemlock, once assassin and current professor and rare art collector. Called out of retirement to perform one more “sanction” (killing), Hemlock gets more than he bargained for in a thriller that eventually climaxes atop the icy Eiger peaks with spectacular mountain climbing stunts largely performed by Eastwood himself. Wow! 

 

John Williams scores with his now-trademark seventies style that offers a symphonic orchestra using both highly tonal and atonal elements as well as smaller ensembles showcasing his early love of jazz. Some sequences for orchestra literally soar: “Top Of The World”, “The Eiger”. Some sequences quicken the pulse: “The Car Chase”, “Hemlock’s Bonus”, “George Reveals Herself”. Still others display aggressive action: “The Microfilm Killing”, “Falling And Swinging”, “Hanging By A Thread”. Williams also displays his melodic and rhythmic gifts with his classically-limbed “Main Title” and “Montage-Running With George”. And wearing his softer garb, Williams uses flugelhorn horn (mellower trumpet) to bring love into the air. 

 

The original 1975 MCA re-recorded album presented 36 minutes of highlights across all of the myriad styles using arrangements designed for album listening back in the day. The actual film soundtrack, never-before-released, contains more than twice that amount of music! And Williams also recorded another seven minutes of original source music as well. All of it appears in this new 2-CD expanded Intrada presentation, expertly mixed by Mike Matessino from the Universal three-channel split mono elements into crisp and vibrant stereo and heard in chronological sequence, including music not used in the finished film. And in a terrific discovery, Universal Music Group located the actual 2” masters for the album re-recording sessions held four months after the film recordings took place. In beautiful condition, these multi-track elements allowed Matessino to remix the entire MCA album in stunning audio as well - including three previously unreleased tracks Williams recorded for that album but were subsequently dropped prior to the album’s release. And all of this appears here in this 2-CD set as well. Over two hours of music in all! It’s a dynamite listening experience!

 

Jon Burlingame provides literate notes for the booklet, Kay Marshall designs the dramatic package. John Williams composes, conducts. Intrada Special Collection 2-CD set available while quantities and interest remain!

 

CD 1 FILM SCORE RECORDING (PREMIERE RELEASE)
01. Main Title (From The Motion Picture The Eiger Sanction) (3:23)
02. The Microfilm Killing (Film Version) (1:47)
03. To The Dragon (1:30)
04. Felicity (3:03)
05. Up The Drainpipe (Film Version) (3:38)
06. Love Scene (4:05)
07. Art Masterpieces (1:38)
08. Hemlock And Jemima (3:18)
09. The Unlocked Safe (2:17)
10. Friends And Enemies (Film Version) (3:23)
11. Montage – Running With George (4:48)
12. The Top Of The World (Film Version) (3:37)
13. George Reveals Herself (1:17)
14. The Car Chase (Fifty Miles Of Desert) (3:21)
15. Hemlock’s Bonus (2:10)
16. The Eiger (Film Version) (1:53)
17. Hotel Bellevue (3:00)
18. Anna On The Stairs (1:44)
19. Leading The Climb (2:46)
20. The First Sunset (1:37)
21. Sunrise (0:44)
22. Falling And Swinging (4:42)
23. The Icy Ascent (Film Version) (4:13)
24. Down The Ice Face (2:15)
25. Freytag Onto Ice (2:24)
26. Hanging By A Thread (3:47)
27. End Title (From The Motion Picture The Eiger Sanction) (2:16)
Total Disc Time: 75:16

 

CD 2 REMASTERED ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK RECORDING
01. The Eiger Sanction (Main Title) (2:46)
02. Theme From The Eiger Sanction (Flugelhorn Version) (2:57)
03. Fifty Miles Of Desert (2:54)
04. The Icy Ascent (3:44)
05. Friends And Enemies (3:03)
06. The Top Of The World (3:09)
07. Theme From The Eiger Sanction (2:12)
08. Training With George (2:15)
09. Theme From The Eiger Sanction (Hemlock And Jemima) (2:10)
10. George Sets The Pace (2:42)
11. The Microfilm Killing (2:08)
12. Up The Drainpipe (3:21)
13. The Eiger (2:17)
Total Original Soundtrack Album: 36:00

 

SOURCE MUSIC
14. Dinner With Gem (2:05)
15. Never Quaver (2:26)
16. Leave Me Alone (3:05)
Total Source Music: 7:53

 

THE EXTRAS
17. Theme From The Eiger Sanction (Love Scene) (2:20)
18. Hemlock Leads The Climb (3:08)
19. Theme From The Eiger Sanction (Reprise) (3:10)
Total Extras: 8:48

Total Disc Time: 52:44

Two-Disc Total Time: 128:00

 

http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12305/.f

 

 

[mstrox 6,849]

Eek!  Fills a major gap in my collection.  Hoping it’ll have the OST too, since I’ve never heard that presentation.

[Holko 10,086]

Awesome! Heard this one direly needed improvement and expanding, but never heard anything from it. Looking forward to discovering it! Film score plus the rerecorded OST, must be 2CDs, right?

 

 

That cover art... seems to copy the OST but gets the font, the colour wrong... wait, does it even cut Clint's foot off with the overscaled art going under a white-filled text box? Come on! Can't Intrada just give up their nepotism/overloyalty and their stupid art formula/template and give Titus and the like a go? Didn't we once hear that JW wanted all his scores to be done by Mike and have Titus art?

[Bounty95 561]

@Edmilsonthis time we are officially allowed to be disappointed. 

[Amer 2,210]

What a surprise!!. This now will complete a major gap in my collection.
 

btw @Jay we both posted at the same time on FSM although I think I posted first. But great news Nevertheless.

[Tom 5,025]

This is excellent news.  A nice, varied score.  I have no idea how much is unreleased and such, but a score that deserved a remaster and expansion.  

[Jay 39,162]

Since this is a 46 (!) year old film, and the OST album has been unavailable on CD for ~ 30 years, and never released digitally.... I'm sure a lot of people aren't familiar with this film or score.

 

To get a bit of an idea what to expect from this, check out the film's original trailer, which shows off all the locations and characters, and sort of sets you up for the feel and tone..... and is entirely scored with a great cue from Williams' film score (a cue Eastwood didn't use in the film for some reason)

 

 

Williams re-recorded the cue for the OST album, but its a lesser performance in that version, imo.  Even in this crummy youtube trailer quality, you can hear the original version is more impactful especially in the percussion

 

 

[Chewy 2,495]

Great news! Would have preferred to get a 90s or 2000s score but I guess this is fine, another gem to discover  

 

4 minutes ago, Holko said:

That cover art... seems to copy the OST but gets the font, the colour wrong... wait, does it even cut Clint's foot off with a white-filled text box? Come on!

 

Oh yeah this is really really bad, I didn't notice it at first but the foot is indeed cut for absolutely no reason here... 

 

Too bad Jim Titus isn't working for Intrada, this cover art from Kay Marshall (I suppose?) looks very amateurish  

[1977 1,745]

Intrada isn't known for their good cover art unfortunately. The custom cover artists that post over at FSM (guys like raferjanders, steffromuk, Brad Wills, Josh Gizelt, Spinmeister and others) routinely trounce many of the covers put out by the labels.

[crocodile 8,416]

Sweet. I've been wanting this for quite a few years now.

 

Karol

[Holko 10,086]

4 minutes ago, JTWfan77 said:

Intrada isn't known for their good cover art unfortunately. The custom cover artists that post over at FSM (guys like raferjanders, steffromuk, Brad Wills, Josh Gizelt, Spinmeister and others routinely trounce many of the covers put out by the labels).

I guarantee someone here will also do something infinitely better than this in... a day. You'd think after these decades of being one of the biggest labels in this business, they'd have some standards. At least JW makes sure his scores are done by Mike, not... let's not even go into that again, this will be great.

[crocodile 8,416]

Is it likely to be a 1 CD release like Monsignor or The River? I'm not really that familiar with the score so can't say how much is missing.

 

Karol

[1977 1,745]

11 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Is it likely to be a 1 CD release like Monsignor or The River? I'm not really that familiar with the score so can't say how much is missing.

 

Karol

 

I expect 2 CDs assuming it includes the film tracks and the album.

 

So the last JW MCA album released on CD by Varese has been dealt with.

 

Hopefully LLL has BOTFOJ waiting in the wings, then all the MCA stuff will be covered.

[rough cut 1,740]

Woohoo!

[JohnnyD 1,304]

AWESOME! I've seen the film a few times; good film. I never had the original soundtrack album. Looking forward to getting this. Man, this year has been great when it comes to the Maestro. Images, Always, Violin Concerto No. 2, and now this. Looking forward to more.

[Edmilson 8,688]

34 minutes ago, Bounty95 said:

@Edmilsonthis time we are officially allowed to be disappointed. 

Once again no Patriot  

 

But I don't think I ever heard Eiger Sanction, so it's not THAT disappointing.

[Jay 39,162]

44 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Is it likely to be a 1 CD release like Monsignor or The River? I'm not really that familiar with the score so can't say how much is missing.

 

Karol

 

FWIW, Roger's pre-announcements have indicated when its a 2-CD or 4-CD set all year long.

 

IE,

• Flight of the Phoenix
• Company Business
• Extreme Prejudice
• Sleepy Hollow

The rest of the pre-announcements this year that didn't have such an indication all ended up being 1CD releases

[crocodile 8,416]

1 disc then.  I might wait a week and order it together with The Russia House and Khan from Intrada. 

 

Karol

[Jay 39,162]

[Dr. Rick 1,193]

Another gap filled in my collection!!  I've already created the necessary slot for it on my shelf, right between Dracula and E.T. 

[Chewy 2,495]

15 minutes ago, Jay said:

The rest of the pre-announcements that didn't have such an indication all ended up being 1CD releases

It came out last year but I remember that Roger's announcement for War of the Worlds didn't indicate it was a 2-CD set!

[Jay 39,162]

Oooh!

[Bespin 8,674]

Images and Eiger Sanction the same year... IMPRESSIVE, MOST IMPRESSIVE.

[Jay 39,162]

Two of the most expensive Williams CDs to buy, no longer

[Thor 8,191]

I know you've been waiting for this, Jay, so congrats!

 

I'm obviously content with the old CD, but this is a reminder that I haven't seen the film in many years. Perhaps it's time for a revisit.

[Jay 39,162]

The film has aged very poorly.  Lots of problematic elements in it.  And, it's just kinda boring, predictable, and cliched.

But the score is great.

[Bilbo 3,777]

14 minutes ago, Thor said:

I'm obviously content with the old CD

But we’re so glad you took the time to remind us 

[Ollie 1,108]

[Tallguy 4,213]

I fell in love with this score from YouTube. It's like nothing else that I know from Williams. This is a definite get for me! (Never made it through the movie.) 

[Jay 39,162]

If anyone wants to sample just 5 quick tracks from the OST album to get a feel for the score before otherwise waiting for the new Intrada version, I'd go with:

 

01 Main Title

05 Friends And Enemies

08 Training With George

03 Fifty Miles of Desert

06 The Top of the World

 

 

[Bespin 8,674]

3 minutes ago, Jay said:

If anyone wants to sample just 5 quick tracks from the OST album to get a feel for the score before otherwise waiting for the new Intrada version, I'd go with:

 

01 Main Title

05 Friends And Enemies

09 Theme From The Eiger Sanction (Hemlock & Jemima)

03 Fifty Miles of Desert

06 The Top of the World

 

 

 

I just deleted my mp3 folder.

 

I will wait for the CD!

 

[Thor 8,191]

27 minutes ago, Jay said:

The film has aged very poorly.  Lots of problematic elements in it.  And, it's just kinda boring, predictable, and cliched.

But the score is great.

Yes, the film is a bit hokey, but I do remember some individual set pieces that were kinda good.

[Bespin 8,674]

If I remember well, this score is from the "harpsichord" period of John Williams.

[Jay 39,162]

43 minutes ago, Thor said:

Yes, the film is kinda hokey, but I do remember some individual set pieces that were kinda good.

 

The third act is the best part.  Once they actually get to Switzerland, most of the film's problems are gone and it's a mostly compelling conclusion at that point.  The cinematography is great there too

 

 

41 minutes ago, Bespin said:

If I remember well, this score is from the "harpsichord" period of John Williams.

 

Ha!

There is harpsichord, indeed!  Nothing on the level of Family Plot though

[Thor 8,191]

It’s what I call ‘baroque jazz melancholy’. Wonderful score.

[TownerFan 5,097]

Stay tuned for a very special preview of this new release coming soon on The Legacy of John Williams.

 

It's really one of the best ones so far, imho. Even if you're familiar with the movie and the OST, there is a lot more here than you can imagine.

[Jay 39,162]

GREAT NEWS Maurizio!!!!!!!!!!

[Dr. Rick 1,193]

Ohhh boy, now I'm even more stoked for this release!!!!  

[thx99 1,795]

2 hours ago, Holko said:

That cover art... seems to copy the OST but gets the font, the colour wrong... wait, does it even cut Clint's foot off with the overscaled art going under a white-filled text box? Come on! Can't Intrada just give up their nepotism/overloyalty and their stupid art formula/template and give Titus and the like a go? Didn't we once hear that JW wanted all his scores to be done by Mike and have Titus art?

 

No right foot of Eastwood on the cover, NO SALE!!!

[Ollie 1,108]

I love the playfulness of the training cues and some of the suspense cues have hints of what’s to come with CE3K.

 

I’m happy to pitch my original album.

[mahler3 479]

56 minutes ago, Thor said:

I know you've been waiting for this, Jay, so congrats!

 

I'm obviously content with the old CD, but this is a reminder that I haven't seen the film in many years. Perhaps it's time for a revisit.

Oh Thor! You’re going to miss out on the considerably improved sound quality! Not to mention the new music. I’ll never understand your mindset but that’s life.

 

Now where’s that ejector seat button? ;-)

[Marian Schedenig 8,892]

5 minutes ago, thx99 said:

No right foot of Eastwood on the cover, NO SALE!!!

 

What about his teeth?

[Tallguy 4,213]

Does anyone else (who is familiar with Billy Joel) get an Eiger Sanction vibe from the end of the album The Stranger?

 

Here. I think it's the strings:

 

[Jay 39,162]

Wow, definitely!

[Thor 8,191]

22 minutes ago, mahler3 said:

Oh Thor! You’re going to miss out on the considerably improved sound quality! Not to mention the new music. I’ll never understand your mindset but that’s life.

 

I'll probably sample the new release, but if I'm going to rebuy because of improved sound quality, it would have to be because the first release is "ruined" somehow - like the RAIN MAN situation. I like the slightly compressed, dated sound of the original CD; fits the type of music very well. In fact, if I ever were to get this in another physical format (which I won't), it would be the original LP.

[Jay 39,162]

Maurizio's Facebook posts indicates there is music included not heard in the film or on the OST album

 

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Coming August 10 from Intrada Records: THE EIGER SANCTION Expanded Soundtrack by John Williams. Composed for Clint Eastwood's 1975 alpine thriller, the score is one of Maestro Williams' lesser-known gems from the pre-JAWS era. Intrada's new release will feature music never before heard either in the film and the original MCA soundtrack album. 
Stay tuned for a very special preview coming soon on The Legacy of John Williams!

 

https://www.facebook.com/thelegacyofjohnwilliams/posts/309507884218980

[crlbrg 382]

So is this done by MM?

[Dr. Rick 1,193]

@Thor I send you this gif that seems to best fit   All in good fun, of course!  

 

[Jay 39,162]

6 minutes ago, carlborg said:

So is this done by MM?

 

Unannounced as of yet, but back in 2015 MM indicated here that he will do all future JW expansions.

 

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The music business has evolved to the point where boutique label soundtrack reissues, which were not even blips on the radar years ago, are now big blips. After doing 1941 for La-La Land Records there were a series of conversations which ultimately led to new lines of communications opening and methodologies being put in place when we started Empire of the Sun and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Working on adjusting the music and sound mix for Mr. Spielberg’s extended version of 1941 last year (and hosting the big screening event we did of it last March) helped solidify things. So a natural synergy just fell into place where I have been assigned to take care of all of the restorations and reissues and deal with all of the Williams & Spielberg approvals. The Back to the Future trilogy got added to the mix at the same time, as Bob Gale was spearheading that and as Alan Silvestri is represented by the same people as John Williams. So it’s become a process of working as part of a team where my job is to preserve the music and present it as definitely as possible and with the approval of the artists.

 

[crlbrg 382]

41 minutes ago, TownerFan said:

Stay tuned for a very special preview of this new release coming soon on The Legacy of John Williams.

 

Then it seems like @Chewy was right!

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Tim Burden saying at the end "before we move away from Always..." makes me think you guys then talked about a third thing that isn't announced yet. Exciting