Michael Kamen's THE IRON GIANT (1999) - 2022 Varese Deluxe Edition

[Jay 37,287]

 

1. The Eye of the Storm (2:30)
2. Hogarth Hughes (0:21)
3. Creepy Music / Hogarth Investigates (1:30)
4. Into the Forest (3:33)
5. The Giant Wakes (1:24)
6. Hogarth in Car / Sting for FBI Man (0:56)
7. Come and Get It (1:45)
8. Shut Off Switch / Rock Tree (1:04)
9. Cat and Mouse (0:53)
10. Train Wreck (1:07)
11. Magic Rebuild / Hand Underfoot (2:55)
12. Chew Your Food (2:01)
13. Amerika (1:23)
14. Great Ride (1:14)
15. We Gotta Hide (0:49)
16. His Name Is Dean (0:47)
17. He Can Stay (0:39)
18. Eating Art (0:42)
19. Space Car (0:58)
20. Souls Don’t Die (4:07)
21. Contest Of Wills (4:34)
22. The Army Arrives (1:34)
23. Annie and Dean (1:18)
24. I’m Superman (0:30)
25. He’s a Weapon (2:43)
26. Giant Discovered (4:28)
27. Trance Former (4:26)
28. No Following (4:02)
29. The Last Giant Piece (1:07)
30. End Credits (8:23)
31. Bedtime Stories (2:25)
32. Wild Tam-Tam (0:19)
33. Chew Your Food Pickup (0:44)
34. Duck and Cover (0:30)
35. Early Demo #1 (2:40)
36. Early Demo #2 (3:52)
37. Souls Don’t Die – Michael Kamen & Eric Clapton (2:45)

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/the-iron-giant-original-motion-picture-score-deluxe/1611663693

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

awful artistic choice.

[Jay 37,287]

The bottom is the same as the OST cover, they just changed the top

 

[chrissiddall 162]

You know what would go well with this?!?  

 

THE IRON GIANT in Full Score (chrissiddallmusic.com)

 

 

[Jay 37,287]

Now THAT'S good cover art!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Yeah that's gorgeous.  I'm always disappointed in Varese not investing more in art direction considering they're financially the biggest player in the specialty label space

[filmmusic 1,823]

Is this the complete score?

[chrissiddall 162]

4 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

Is this the complete score?

 

Yes, plus some unused stuff including some demo songs.  Everything on the disc except those demos is in the book, though I think I'll have to do another "matrix" that shows which cue links to which track since they've joined some cues together and used different titles again!

[bruce marshall 1,315]

It's a good film with gorgeous animation##!

[chrissiddall 162]

49 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

It's a good film with gorgeous animation##!

 

A gorgeous score too, and quite a unique sounding recording, due to the fact it was recorded in a concert hall rather than a studio (the Dvorak Hall at the Rudolfinum in Prague, Czech Republic).

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

I never listened to that score before but always have been a fan of the movie. It will be nice to discover it immediatly

It's out in N-Z streaming platform

 

The Iron Giant by Michael Kamen (youtube link)

[Jay 37,287]

On 10/03/2022 at 1:35 PM, chrissiddall said:

I think I'll have to do another "matrix" that shows which cue links to which track since they've joined some cues together and used different titles again!

 

I got you covered

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RE9v_-muOBtBnUmLik3t60-h8KAfeJ1TMEQQuansh6g

 

It looks like those early versions that you had you mentioned hearing recordings of are not included

 

On 10/03/2022 at 1:58 PM, May the Force be with You said:

It's out in N-Z streaming platform

 

Yea, the link is in the main post of this thread - that's how I discovered it existed!

[crocodile 7,984]

This is an instant purchase. I love this score and movie. ❤

 

Karol

[chrissiddall 162]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Looks like those early versions you mentioned hearing recordings of aren't included

 

Yes unfortunately that seems to be the case.  It's a shame as they were definitely recorded (I'm heard the master tapes!) but I guess that would have meant stretching to a second disc and other production costs.

Luckily you can find all the cues from the book on my YouTube playlist below, which uses my notation software playback to fill in the gaps from the original OST release.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2XL1LU1Am0iDi6gRmqwVlZrmYkpEUrbo

 

[Jay 37,287]

That's the thing - I'm pretty sure that fans of this score who want more than the OST album provided would be happy to pay a little more for a complete 2-CD set, than this incomplete 1-CD set.  Especially since the price difference would be like $5

[bruce marshall 1,315]

I've never owned it but am going to revisit the ost.

There is a slim chance I d  buy an expansion - too many short cues included- but , as it's only ONE DISC...its possible. You never know😁

[Groovygoth666 650]

Looking forward to this release, thankfully had @chrissiddalls YouTube playlist to help appreciate the unreleased music, but getting to hear the actual recordings is exciting. Definitely a great score that really captures the emotional weight it needs along side the action, something that Kamen was always good at balancing.

[Holko 9,499]

7 hours ago, Jay said:

That's the thing - I'm pretty sure that fans of this score who want more than the OST album provided would be happy to pay a little more for a complete 2-CD set, than this incomplete 1-CD set.  Especially since the price difference would be like $5

How are Varese the biggest if they don't even see this and are too cheap to make their artworks not shit?

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Only a JWFANNER would complain that this release is " incomplete" and wish it was more expensive😒

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

Super, looking forward to this! And yeah, it's a shame the art is so lame... there are some terrific custom covers lurking around the internet. I have no idea who did this one, but it's lovely:

 

[bruce marshall 1,315]

The film was DEFINTELY channeling an E.T. vibe!

[Richard Penna 3,671]

The art does look a bit flat, although we don't know how constrained Varese was in designing it. You know how these things work sometimes - they can only use certain images or can't deviate from the OST's design.

 

That fan one is awesome though.

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

Again, with apologies that I can't credit the designers, but these are great too...

[Disco Stu 15,495]

7 hours ago, Holko said:

How are Varese the biggest if they don't even see this and are too cheap to make their artworks not shit?

 

Hedge fund money

[Tallguy 3,376]

I'm... SUPERMAN.

[Jay 37,287]

Michael Kamen
Iron Giant, The: The Deluxe Edition (CD)
UPC: 888072415645
Release Date: 3/11/2022
Regular price: $19.98

 

The Iron Giant (1999) is a modern classic, an animated film directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol) about a young boy who befriends a giant alien robot during the Sputnik era of the Cold War. Based on the 1968 book The Iron Man by poet Ted Hughes, the film is a marvel of heartfelt storytelling, with timeless themes of friendship, caring and self-determination.

 

Creating the Iron Giant’s beautiful, sympathetic score was Michael Kamen—one of his last major scores and his first animated film, miles away from the action blockbusters for which he had become known, but much closer to his heart. Kamen’s gorgeous score is full of melody, humor and sensitivity, grandly performed by the Czech Philharmonic. It scales as big as the threat of nuclear annihilation, and as intimate as the goodness that connects nine-year-old Hogarth Hughes to the alien machine—who decides he would rather be “Superman” than a weapon.

 

Varèse Sarabande released Kamen’s The Iron Giant score as a 49-minute program in 1999. This Deluxe Edition fills an entire CD, with a 64-minute score program plus 13 minutes of alternates, outtakes and rare demos—including a piano-and-guitar attempt at an unrealized song, “Souls Don’t Die,” based on Kamen’s theme, performed by Kamen and Eric Clapton. Tim Greiving’s new liner notes feature new interview material with director Brad Bird, music editor Christopher Brooks and orchestrator Blake Neely, going deep into Kamen’s working process and their adoration for the gifted, late composer.

 

Limited to 2000 copies

 

https://www.varesesarabande.com/products/michael-kamen-the-iron-giant-the-deluxe-edition-cd

[bruce marshall 1,315]

That was fast!

I wish TWIN PEAKS was up .

 

[Datameister 2,037]

I love the film for a lot of reasons, one of which is the wonderful score. But I've never listened to it outside the film. I'm looking forward to this release arriving on my doorstep so I can fix that!

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Just found out about this extended edition.

Nice cover#!

[Richard Penna 3,671]

I saw the film a couple of years ago, but admittedly the only bits of music that really stood out to me that much were the 'Superman' scene and the final pre-credits scene. The rest of it is nice as a background standalone listen, but not something I revisit often.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

I've listen to this on youtube and while I'm really statisfied by the music and presentation, I can't really get into the art cover so I come with those using various images:

[Jay 37,287]

Wow those are all genuinely great!

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

31 minutes ago, May the Force be with You said:

I've listen to this on youtube and while I'm really statisfied by the music and presentation, I can't really get into the art cover so I come with those using various images:

Ugh how I have to decide between yet more amazing cover options! Super stuff. 

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

I will personnaly stick with the last one ala E.T. because this scene brings me back so much memories

[Tallguy 3,376]

Just got to Cat and Mouse and it made me smile. "Bad robot!" 

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Animated films provide a plethora of great cover material.

Unfortunately, the art director at VS is oblivious!

[Tallguy 3,376]

You know, I've had this score for years, I love the movie, and I just don't listen to it very much.

 

I'm loving this! I'm not always sure what's new but I mostly don't care.

 

I think I just need to listen to more Kamen. The only Kamen disc I ever really listened to from start to finish on a regular basis was Mr. Holland's Opus.

[crocodile 7,984]

I really love this score. It is somewhere between the Golden Age cartoon and something more Pixary. You get all the mickeymousing but it never really gets silly, if that makes sense? It's wonderfully recorded and performed as well.

 

Karol

[bruce marshall 1,315]

I just watched the bluray " signature edition".

Not sure what bits were added but a scene with THE JACK PAAR SHOW stood out.

It's a good film with a great finale.

It's erratic in quality but never goes below " good".

Two main problems:

1. Like STARMAN, the plot too often mirrors E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTIAL

2. Some of the attempts at humour fall flat; most glaringly the Ex-Lax gag.

 

But, overall good film and score!

[Groovygoth666 650]

1 hour ago, bruce marshall said:

Not sure what bits were added

The brief conversation between Annie and Dean in the diner before the farmer show's him his tractor, the giants dream coming through on Dean's TV were added and an advert for Tomorrowland replaced a cereal one that was in the theatrical cut.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

The Giants dream really added alot to the story!

[Groovygoth666 650]

On 27/03/2022 at 8:45 AM, bruce marshall said:

The Giants dream really added alot to the story!

It really does add some more context to the story, quite surprised that it was originally cut.

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

Absolutely loving The Iron Giant, nice to be reminded about a score I'd not listened to in a while, plus being able to enjoy the unreleased music which more rounds things out a little than being revelatory.

 

However I'm mystified about why the track Bedtime Stories appears after the end credits rather than in the body of the main programme. I can't figure out why this would be the case and the liner notes don't say (as far as I can see). Like all the tracks identical to their OST counterparts it's marked as "original soundtrack version", which is a bit weird in itself given that there aren't film versions of these cues (including Bedtime Stories) presented instead. I will probably move it to the main programme (in a similar location to where it appears on the original album I guess) as it's a lovely cue but I'd really like to know why it's programmed at the end! Any ideas?!

[Jay 37,287]

Isn't "Bedtime Stories" just an album track that combined what is now "Amerika" and "Great Ride" together into one track?

 

On 10/03/2022 at 2:29 PM, Jay said:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RE9v_-muOBtBnUmLik3t60-h8KAfeJ1TMEQQuansh6g

 

[Tallguy 3,376]

8 hours ago, Groovygoth666 said:

It really does add some more context to the story, quite surprised that it was originally cut.

 

I always thought it was redundant and at the time so did Bird.

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

Isn't "Bedtime Stories" just an album track that combined what is now "Amerika" and "Great Ride" together into one track?

 

 

Aha. Thank you. That explains it. 

[Jay 37,287]

So has anybody besides Tom listened to this new album at all?

[Yavar Moradi 2,590]

I have! It's really good! I wish they'd pushed it to 2CDs for $5 more, just to include those early versions/alternates of cues, but I understand why they didn't.

 

Yavar

[Jay 37,287]

I for one do not understand why they didn't.

 

It's a baffling decision IMO

[Yavar Moradi 2,590]

3 minutes ago, Jay said:

I for one do not understand why they didn't.

 

It's a baffling decision IMO

 

How many times do fans complain about having to pay for a second disc of just "extras" when the complete score proper fits on a single disc?

 

(A: ALL THE TIME -- and that's on Goldsmith releases! Michael Kamen just doesn't have the same kind of following, and I'm sure that was part of Varese's calculation.)

 

Yavar