James Horner's SNEAKERS (1992) - 2023 2-CD Expanded Edition from La La Land Records, Produced by Neil S. Bulk and Mike Matessino

[Jay 38,811]

 

 

The world isn't run by weapons anymore...its run by film scores...

 

 

SNEAKERS: EXPANDED & REMASTERED LIMITED EDITION (2-CD SET)

LLLCD 1629

Music by James Horner

Featuring Branford Marsalis

Limited Edition of 3000 Units

RETAIL PRICE: $29.98

 

La-La Land Records, Universal Pictures and Sony Music proudly present SNEAKERS: EXPANDED LIMITED EDITION, a remastered and expanded 2-CD presentation of renowned composer James Horner’s (GLORY, FIELD OF DREAMS, THE MASK OF ZORRO) original motion picture score to the delightful 1992 big-screen spy caper SNEAKERS, starring Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd and Mary McDonnell and directed by Phil Alden Robinson.

 

Delicate, playful and complex, Horner’s SNEAKERS score manages to be one of the legendary composer’s most original works while demonstrating his classical literacy and keen understanding of the needs of Hollywood cinema. Laced with wonderful saxophone flourishes performed by Branford Marsalis, Horner’s notable score is finally allowed to reveal its secrets in full within this deluxe, expanded presentation.

 

Produced by Neil S. Bulk and Mike Matessino and mastered by Matessino, Disc One of this 2-CD re-issue features the original film score presentation, while Disc Two of the set showcases the remastered 1992 original soundtrack as well as additional alternate cues. The art design is by Dan Goldwasser and the exclusive, in-depth liner notes are by writer Jeff Bond. This is a limited edition release of 3000 units.

 

TRACK LISTING:

DISC 1
SCORE PRESENTATION
1. Jeremy Subharmonics 0:44
2. ‘Sneakers’ Main Title (Film Version) 2:17
3. Bank Penetration 2:05
4. How Much Do You Want? 1:45
5. Bishop Goes To NSA / Surveillance / Black Box 2:44
6. Janek’s Office 2:01
7. “Too Many Secrets” (Extended Version) 7:57
8. The Hand-Off (Film Version) 3:07
9. Cosmo…Old Friend (Film Version) 9:26
10. Phone Trace 1:19
11. What Did It Sound Like? 4:52
12. Planning The Sneak 3:23
13. Carl Enters Playtronics 3:04
14. Playtronics Break-In Part 1 4:15
15. Playtronics Break-In Part 2 4:01
16. Cosmo Sounds Alarm 1:53
17. Cosmo’s Monologue 3:07
18. The Escape / Whistler’s Rescue (Extended Version) 3:36
19. Goodbye 3:23
20. The Sneakers Theme 3:37
21. “…And The Blind Shall See” 4:32
Total Time Disc One: 73:24

 

DISC 2
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM 48:30
1. ‘Sneakers’ Main Title 2:57
2. “Too Many Secrets” 6:16
3. The Sneakers Theme 3:37
4. Cosmo…Old Friend 7:09
5. The Hand-Off 3:06
6. Planning The Sneak 3:23
7. Playtronics Break-In 10:38
8. The Escape / Whistler’s Rescue 3:22
9. Goodbye 3:24
10. “…And The Blind Shall See” 4:32

 

ADDITIONAL MUSIC 10:10
11. Janek’s Office (Alternate) 1:59
12. The Sneakers Theme (Alternate) 3:36
13. “…And The Blind Shall See” (Alternate) 4:29
Total Time Disc Two: 58:41
TOTAL ALBUM TIME 2:12:05

 

This is a CD format release

 

https://www.facebook.com/lalalandrecords/posts/pfbid0239sGycG4sARr31cZS5xTEQyGJBozwKqrjfT3SC2g1P3kV8iPMuNL9MwWE68uAUzXl

 

https://lalalandrecords.com/sneakers-expanded-remastered-limited-edition-2-cd-set/

[crocodile 8,365]

@Marian Schedenig will have a heart attack!*

 

*hopefully not for real

 

Karol

[Joe Brausam 216]

Fantastic!  

[OneBuckFilms 329]

Unexpected grail release for me. I’m in Horner Heaven this year.

[Jim Ware 536]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

1. Jeremy Subharmonics 0:44

Cute!

[Incanus 5,785]

What a nice surprise! I have been hoping for an expansion of this score for some time.  

[Drawgoon 104]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

...Disc One of this 2-CD re-issue...

 

Wait, what? Re-issue? This had been released once before?! When? By whom?

[Mr. Breathmask 566]

This sounds really good, but I've already placed my order for Hook and The Mask of Zorro. Should have added this. Next time, I guess.

[Romão 2,311]

I love this score and I find the OST one of the best Horner presentations. I wonder f the expansion is revelatory in any way

[Marian Schedenig 8,803]

6 hours ago, crocodile said:

@Marian Schedenig will have a heart attack!*

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0UB3LD2EoA&t=172s

(I don't know why it's not embedding)

 

To be fair, I've seen the film *many* times and I've always said that I don't remember anything missing from the album. But it's my favourite Horner score, so of course I'll get this.

 

I won't get rid of the old album though:

[Andy 5,002]

Ordered, on reputation alone. 

[Holko 10,016]

The samples are the first I'm hearing of this, and I like what I'm hearing... but don't exactly love it just from this. Will require further investigation!

[Taikomochi 1,184]

This score absolutely rocks, and there is plenty of great stuff in the unreleased material

[Jay 38,811]

Artwork preview:

 

https://warmbutter.com/albums/sneakers/

[OneBuckFilms 329]

This one sounds great.

 

An excellent release, IMHO.

[thestat 402]

A novel score for JH at the time - I think this was the first time he used his Bicentennial/Beautiful/Bobby Fischer theme, ie. the genius theme I think.

 

As with a lot of the other recent JH expansions, not entirely sure this needs it. I watched the film recently and most of the stuff is on the 1992 release - convince me otherwise.

 

[Yavar Moradi 2,872]

I mean, maybe LLL’s Disc 1 program includes some cues that were recorded for the film but not used in it? But it’s pretty evident that there is a 25 minute time difference between the original album length and the length of the full score as recorded for the film:

 

[OneBuckFilms 329]

From what I remember of the film most of the music on CD 1 is used pretty much complete.

 

There are some fantastic cues not on the OST disk, such as “Carl Enters Playtronics “, and the film version of “Cosmo… Old Friend”.

 

Perfect music for writing code.

[Tallguy 4,122]

Shipped!

 

On 04/12/2023 at 10:32 PM, OneBuckFilms said:

Perfect music for writing code.

 

I've been listening to Tron, Heartbeeps, Person of Interest, Days of Thunder(!), and a fair amount of Bach.

 

But I'm looking forward to coding / complaining while listening to Sneakers!

[Jay 38,811]

I don't know when my copy will be arriving, but I sooo cannot wait to dig into it and read the liner notes!!!

Does anybody else on JWFan have any comments on this yet?

[Tallguy 4,122]

First impression:

So far I haven't run into anything mind blowing. I mean, it's Sneakers and it's sublime. A lot of the new tracks are variations on the old tracks. I haven't found anything yet that says "THAT'S what I was waiting for!" (Having Cosmo's Monologue as a separate track might be the closest thing yet.) Edit: Carl Enters Playtronics might be that track!

 

I love the extended Too Many Secrets (very spooky and unsettling ending). Having it in film order means I'll listen to the whole thing rather than listening to Main Title / Too Many Secrets and bailing.

 

Phone Trace is kind of wild. It's the most different from the previously released tracks.

 

What Did It Sound Like is kind of a stand out. It's also has some nice precursors to Titanic.

The extended Cosmo Old Friend has an additional two minutes that go off in a different direction on piano.

I've often dismissed The Escape / Whistler's Rescue as a pretty plain standard Horner piece. But lately I've come to realize that it might be the very best iteration of this kind of musical idea.

This score is chock full of Horner-isms. But I think this is where a lot of his 90's sound started. (I'm not familiar with all of his scores. There might be an earlier score that sounds just like this.)

Buy this if --

You don't own Sneakers. Because you should.

You own Sneakers and it is solidly one of your favorites. You'll love this.

Don't buy this if --

You own Sneakers but you don't listen very often. It's good. It's OK. Whatever. There won't be enough new and different to justify a double dip.

You don't like 90's Horner / You don't like any Horner. (You monster.)

 

EDIT: Oh, and it's funny that this came out with Zorro . That opening clarinet in Jeremy Subharmonics varies the Sneakers theme just enough to make you want to sing "I want to spend my whole life loving you!"

[Jay 38,811]

Speaking of Jeremy Subharmonics, has anybody on JWFan figured out what that means yet?

[Tallguy 4,122]

3 hours ago, Jay said:

Speaking of Jeremy Subharmonics, has anybody on JWFan figured out what that means yet?

 

I have not. And I just looked through the liner notes and nothing jumped out at me. I'll give it a solid read this evening and if I missed something I'll report.

 

[Jay 38,811]

too many secrets...

[Tallguy 4,122]

10 minutes ago, Jay said:

too many secrets...

 

Duh. It's obviously been too long since I've seen the film.

 

Spoiler

"music by James Horner".

 

[Jay 38,811]

I put the answer in a spoiler block in cast anybody else wants to figure it out on their own

[Marian Schedenig 8,803]

3 hours ago, Jay said:

Speaking of Jeremy Subharmonics, has anybody on JWFan figured out what that means yet?

 

Spoiler

James Horner my bich (US)

 

[Jay 38,811]

so close...

[Tallguy 4,122]

It's been 30 years since I've seen the film and I just remembered something. So while I was feeling vaguely clever, isn't this literally how the credits are presented?

 

A very nice thing about this release is a reminder of how great Too Many Secrets is and always has been!

[Holko 10,016]

I acquired this for an evaluation listen to see if I'd like it, having only ever heard the samples from it. During What Did It Sound Like, I shut it off and deleted it.

 

Because I liked it so much that half the score was easily enough to make me decide to buy it! And then of course I wanted to save it for when I already have it.

 

Sometimes I have a complaint with Horner that his long unbroken tracks (when his spotting is based on "how much can I physically conduct in one before I get a cramp in my hand") cover so much ground, so many scenes and have to change mood and direction so much that overall they have zero identity, all those tracks are just a mush of everything, or at least it can take longer to grasp them and understand the structure. Well that is certainly not the case here! It's all very pleasingly coherent, very cohesive. Great instrument use and writing, it's lowkey fun leaning more towards just pleasant and satisfying, truly inspired. Love it.

[Marian Schedenig 8,803]

13 hours ago, Tallguy said:

It's been 30 years since I've seen the film and I just remembered something. So while I was feeling vaguely clever, isn't this literally how the credits are presented?

 

"Fort Red Border"

 

I think Sneakers was where I learned what an anagram is.

[Bespin 8,650]

20 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

"Fort Red Border"

 

I think Sneakers was where I learned what an anagram is.

 

Ah yes, the famous actor Ford Red Robert!

[Henry Sítrónu 513]

not a fan of the decision to combine three cues and build the single track Bishop Goes To NSA / Surveillance / Black Box. Especially the first cue deserves a proper ending.

[OneBuckFilms 329]

4 hours ago, Henry Sítrónu said:

not a fan of the decision to combine three cues and build the single track Bishop Goes To NSA / Surveillance / Black Box. Especially the first cue deserves a proper ending.

I agree, though I can see why it was done.

 

I'd rather they had kept all the cues as either separate tracks or left a clear audio gap between each cue in the track.

[Tallguy 4,122]

This is a case where I don't know what they sound like in the film. So I don't know what they are "supposed" to sound like.

[Henry Sítrónu 513]

8 hours ago, Tallguy said:

This is a case where I don't know what they sound like in the film. So I don't know what they are "supposed" to sound like.

well the complete score has already beenfloating around for a while, that‘s why I noticed it in the first place

[Corellian2019 403]

Bit the bullet and ordered this before LLL closed for the holidays

[Jay 38,811]

I received my physical copy and can't wait to dig into things!!!

[Henry Sítrónu 513]

it's my absolute favorite next to Titanic and it really defined so much of his work after Sneakers. 

I bought the written score and it was so interesting to read along and to discover so many things, e.g. the use of several pianos and them playing the bass riffs unisono – if you know about that, you can hear it, too. 

[Jay 38,811]

That reminds me: Is the 2 minutes of music added to the end of "Too Many Secrets (Extended Version)" that wasn't in "Too Many Secrets" (OST track) included as part of "5M1 Scrabble & Black Box Secrets" in the Omni book? Or is that music not in the book at all?

 

Same question for the 2 1/2 minutes of music added to the end of "Cosmo... Old Friend (Film Version)" that wasn't in "Cosmo... Old Friend" (OST track)... is that a part of "7M1 Cosmo's Office" in the Omni book, or just not in the book?

[Henry Sítrónu 513]

19 minutes ago, Jay said:

That reminds me: Is the 2 minutes of music added to the end of "Too Many Secrets (Extended Version)" that wasn't in "Too Many Secrets" (OST track) included as part of "5M1 Scrabble & Black Box Secrets" in the Omni book? Or is that music not in the book at all?

 

it's not in the book at all and can't be find in the leaked handwritten score either. I've been wondering about that extra part anyway, since it's not in the film, IIRC. And to me it sounds different and more electronic (piano and claves) than the part before. 
 

 

19 minutes ago, Jay said:

Same question for the 2 1/2 minutes of music added to the end of "Cosmo... Old Friend (Film Version)" that wasn't in "Cosmo... Old Friend" (OST track)... is that a part of "7M1 Cosmo's Office" in the Omni book, or just not in the book?

yeah it's in the book, pp. 94-95.

[Jay 38,811]

Interesting that Horner wrote the scene for Martin in Liz's apartment as part of the long cue for him in Cosmo's Office, since they are separated in the film by the unscored scene of him being dumped out of the car in the street.

[Henry Sítrónu 513]

27 minutes ago, Jay said:

Interesting that Horner wrote the scene for Martin in Liz's apartment as part of the long cue for him in Cosmo's Office, since they are separated in the film by the unscored scene of him being dumped out of the car in the street.

I don't think Horner wrote it as one cue, it's just the way it's represented in the Omni print. In the handwritten score the apartment scene is not part of the long Cosmo cue, in fact it's not there at all, probably because it's just piano and synths.

[Jay 38,811]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh that makes sense

 

So the Omni guys might have transcribed that cue from the audio themselves rather than having access to a handwritten version to start from

Kind of like how they made a version of the tracked music used instead of most of "Goodbye" for the book

[Henry Sítrónu 513]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

So the Omni guys might have transcribed that cue from the audio themselves rather than having access to a handwritten version to start from

Kind of like how they made a version of the tracked music used instead of most of "Goodbye" for the book

I guess so, yeah!

[Mr. Breathmask 566]

I'm listening to this now. Quite lovely!

 

And now I know what Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was temped with.

[The Great Gonzales 6,041]

Got this one today as well.

[Jay 38,811]

Man, I love this release, it was certainly my most-played album of December (since I already had Hook beforehand)

 

The new main program on disc 1 is totally killer, its a perfect listening experience from start to finish, no dead space, no boring music, great flow, great sound quality. 

 

And boy, that "Sneakers Theme (Alternate)" is fanTAStic!  I get why it would have been too much for the film, but I'm pretty shocked Horner didn't put that version on the old OST album.  Wow!

[Holko 10,016]

I loved the main program too, the only change I made for my "edit" is that I put the alternate "sneakers theme" in the main program named "Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men", and moved the film/OST version to the end with an unchanged name as if it's a concert piece or something. Watched the movie since then and the score was definitely the best part of it, very inspired, better than it deserved!

[Jay 38,811]

Yeah we watched the film the other week or so, and I REALLY enjoyed the music in the movie, it totally elevates it and makes it a different movie than it would have been with a less in-your-face score.  But yeah, it was kind of funny to learn that the track Horner called "The Sneakers Theme" is just a cue from near the end of the movie where they are giving their demands to James Earl Jones.  So yes the crazy sax from the alternate would have competed with all that dialogue, but its just a fun performance and seems MUCH more fitting of a track given the NAME "The Sneakers Theme", its shocking to me Horner didn't want that recording on the OST album.  SO glad we get to hear it now, 31 years later!