Sergeant Ryker

[stravinsky 203]

I know this was a 1968 TV Movie (or was it released theatrically?) that was made up of two TV show episodes from 5 years earlier. Is Williams score a work from 1968 or 1963? I'm thinking maybe the latter? 

[Manakin Skywalker 4,889]

IMDB lists Williams as the composer for the 1963 TV episodes, so it indeed appears to be the latter.

[Thor 7,452]

SERGEANT RYKER was a theatrical release. It was based on, edited from and added to the double episode opener of KRAFT SUSPENSE THEATRE, "The Case Against Paul Ryker" whose two parts aired October 10 and 17, 1963. It's quite a remarkable case. While adapting individual episodes into standalone TV movies wasn't that uncommon at the time, rereleasing it as a THEATRICAL film (5 years later, no less!) is somewhat of a rarity and curiousity.

 

Both the film and the original double episode are now available on YouTube, albeit in shoddy quality.

 

Interestingly, the opening theme music of the film (what I've often called "The Ryker Theme" in various circumstances, since it was also used in several other TV shows) was NOT composed for the original TV episode, but for the THIRD episode of Kraft, "The End of the World, Baby" (which had nothing to do with Ryker).

[Barnald 365]

32 minutes ago, Thor said:

SERGEANT RYKER was a theatrical release. It was based on, edited from and added from the double episode opener of KRAFT SUSPENSE THEATRE, "The Case Against Paul Ryker" whose two parts aired October 10 and 17, 1963. It's quite a remarkable case. While adapting individual episodes into standalone TV movies wasn't that uncommon at the time, rereleasing it as a THEATRICAL film (5 years later, no less!) is somewhat of a rarity and curiousity.

 

Both the film and the original double episode are now available on YouTube, albeit in shoddy quality.

 

For those interested, Kino recently announced they would be releasing the film version on Blu-ray (either later this year or early next). It will be from a new 2K restoration.

[stravinsky 203]

Wow thankyou for this info. Do you think any of Williams other work from the 60s & early 70s might see the light of day on CD?

 

Daddy's gone a hunting 

 

The Plainsman/The Rare Breed (might make a nice twofer) 

 

The Screaming Woman (doesn't sound like Williams at all to me when I watched this Olivia de Havilland TV movie on YouTube) 

[Thor 7,452]

41 minutes ago, stravinsky said:

Daddy's gone a hunting

 

FSM looked into releasing this several years ago, but they ran into some trouble. Maybe in terms of master tape availability, I can't remember the specifics.

 

41 minutes ago, stravinsky said:

The Plainsman/The Rare Breed (might make a nice twofer) 

 

Would be nice, yes. While THE RARE BREED has a generous suite already, it would be neat to have them both out. I'm guessing labels have looked into it.

 

41 minutes ago, stravinsky said:

The Screaming Woman (doesn't sound like Williams at all to me when I watched this Olivia de Havilland TV movie on YouTube) 

 

Williams only composed the end credits theme (that starts a bit before the actual end credits). The rest was existing music by other composers, due to a musician's strike at the time. Would nonetheless be interesting to have on CD, but due to its complex situation, I'm guessing the rights issues are tricky.