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Superman Expanded 2-CD Set


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I'm a big fan of the score to Superman, like many people here, but I don't have the expanded Rhino/Warner release from a few years ago. I have the older 1-CD release which I like a lot. I am wondering if it's worth the extra money to pick up the 2-CD set. I would really appreciate some comments from people who have the expanded release, especially in comparison to the older release. Thanks for any feedback!

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Yes get it. It is the greatest expansion of a soundtrack yet. From the opeing prologue, to the death of Johnathan Kent, to so much more. It is the finest 2cd John Williams score available. don't walk, run to get it. The extra dollars you pay are well worth it.

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DEFINITELY get the Rhino set. I think it's one of the best expanded releases ever. Damn good. My favorite.

The Varese Sarabande cd set is also very cool. It's quite different, in that the tempo is slower in many spots, but it sounds excellent and is very energetic.

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If you already have the 1 CD version then you really don't need to be in a hurry to pick up the Rhino set.

If i were you i'd try to get stuff like The Giude For A Married Man, or Fitzwilly first.

Stefancos- jesting, naturally. :mrgreen:

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I always wonder how some people will say "I'm the biggest fan in the world of such and such a composer or score," then need to ask if the said work of the composer or a particular score is worth buying...

Kinda makes you wonder how big of a fan they really are, eh?

:mrgreen:

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The American Warner 1 CD has poor sound and missing 2 tracks from the 2 LP set.

The Japanese Warner Bros. 1 CD has slightly better sound and the two missing tracks from the 2 LP set.

The Varese 2 CD re-recorded set isn't bad if you want something different, but...

The 2 CD Warner/Rhino is probably the finest John Williams 2 CD expanded set to date. It includes alternates and a great deal of unreleased music. I always liked the Superman score very much, but after I got the Rhino set, I liked it even more. A great release to a great score!

It's too bad that we can't have ALL of Williams releases as complete as that set. It sets the tone and makes almost every other release look bad.

-Chris, Celebrating post 200! Wahoo! (That USED to mean something in the days of the EZ Board, LOL!)

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Thanks for all the input from everyone. I really appreciate the feedback. Unlike some people think, just because you're a "big fan", you don't always have the money for every single release by a favorite composer. I fall under this case. Since I already own the older 1-CD set, I just wanted to make sure the 2-CD was worth it since I can't purchase CDs that often. Thanks again to everyone!

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The American Warner 1 CD has poor sound [...]

The Japanese Warner Bros. 1 CD has slightly better sound [...]

The 2 CD Warner/Rhino is probably the finest John Williams 2 CD expanded set to date. [...]

But it still has poor sound.

Marian - who thinks this score has some of Williams all-time best cues (like Fortress of Solitude), but as a whole is quite overrated. 8O

:mrgreen: Eric Clapton Unplugged

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Marian - who thinks this score has some of Williams all-time best cues (like Fortress of Solitude), but as a whole is quite overrated.  :mrgreen:

:wow:

Prepare to feel the wrath of Joe and Neil.

Stefancos- who sort of agrees with Marian.

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Hmm... the sound on the Rhino set never bothered me. It's certainly better than the other releases. Still yet to try the DVD isolated score yet. I've been meaning to get the boxed set for a good price.

Supes isn't really overrated, IMO. It's rated by most fans approximately how I feel about it. It isn't my favorite score, but it's one of them. It's a classic in the Williams body of work.

-Chris, Who feels that the 1977-1983 era was a legendary streak and ol' Johnny could do no wrong... (Odd coincidence that this is the original Star Wars trilogy era, but I love all the inbetween scores just as much.)

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Marian - who thinks this score has some of Williams all-time best cues (like Fortress of Solitude), but as a whole is quite overrated.  :mrgreen:  

Yet you think that the Fury is the best score of all time :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

?

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Hey now! I love both Superman AND The Fury! And I like The Fury a little more. No need to pit them against each other! Hell, they were recorded during the same sessions! (At least the album of The Fury was) They're almost related! :mrgreen:

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Now that is subjective because as much as I love Supes, Fury is second to none to my tastes (I like it as much as ESB, my two undisputed faves).

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The 2 CD set of Superman - The Movie is a must have in any Williams collection, especially if you enjoy the music. The single CD set is very good (I still listen to it) but the 2 disc set is even better. Practically every track on the single disc was edited in some way, while the 2 disc set is complete. You've heard a little more than half of the actual score. Superman gets my highest recommendation.

Neil

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IndySolo, thanks for the feedback. This is helping me decide where to put that hard earned $! With all the positive feedback, I don't see how I can NOT get it. I'm already feeling the itch to run out right now and pick it up! Hmmm, when is the next holiday? :o

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It's amazing. And the coolest cue, The Helicopter Sequence/The Big Rescue (RSNO re-recording title/Rhino title; I like the former better), is not on the original 1-CD.

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It's amazing. And the coolest cue, The Helicopter Sequence/The Big Rescue (RSNO re-recording title/Rhino title; I like the former better), is not on the original 1-CD.

I know! That's the best cue of the whole score! There's all this tension building in the score right before Kent pulls away his shirt to reveal the emblem to the "supe"rman theme. Tension returns as Lois Lane, then the helicopter falls, then the Superman theme just rockets away when he catches the helicopter! That's one of the finest scoring moments in all of movie history.

It's interesting that they had to reconstruct the cue from little bits and pieces from other takes. I think they did a fantastic job in the end. I couldn't even tell it was editted!

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It's interesting that they had to reconstruct the cue from little bits and pieces from other takes. I think they did a fantastic job in the end. I couldn't even tell it was editted!

Yes, it was a fantastic job assembling the score back together. I love that CD so much.

And naturally, after the album was released all of the original masters were found and utilized for the restoration of Superman. Now the ultimate release would be using those new 6 track masters and releasing the complete score again as a DVD-A.

As much as I love "The Big Rescue" I still think my favorite "new" cue on the album is "StarShip Escapes".

Neil

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And naturally, after the album was released all of the original masters were found and utilized for the restoration of Superman.  Now the ultimate release would be using those new 6 track masters and releasing the complete score again as a DVD-A.

I thought the masters suddenly materializing after the 2-CD set was released was kind of suspicious. During the restoration process of the soundtrack, it had been reported they looked everywhere and only had the album masters plus odds and ends that were used to dub into the film. It was almost as if Warner Bros. decided to save the best source material for themselves. I mean, that seemed the cast with North by Northwest. Several of the tracks sound badly mangled on the CD, but sound great on the isolated score track of the DVD.

I agree that Superman should be a prime candidate for a DVD-A release, but in complete form and at a higher bit rate!

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Oh yes, the NxNW iso score sounds great.

Yet you think that the Fury is the best score of all time

Yup. No, not quite. Not the single best score. But second to none.

Superman has lots of awesome stuff. Like the Krypton fanfare, or Fortress of Solitude. The main title and love theme/flying music are very good too. And there's some great Cowboys-like Americana stuff on the first CD of the Rhino set. Oh, and March of the Villains is very funny.

But as a whole, I still find the score too much of the same. I hardly ever play the whole 2 CDs. As a whole score, I find The Fury far superior.

Marian - who for a long time couldn't understand how some people like Goldsmith's Supergirl theme better than the Superman March, but after hearing the Goldsmith thing in London (far more energetic than on the album) agrees. :o

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Marian - who for a long time couldn't understand how some people like Goldsmith's Supergirl theme better than the Superman March, but after hearing the Goldsmith thing in London (far more energetic than on the album) agrees.

Goldsmith fanatics are beyong comprehension :)

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Neil, you think we had any hand in getting the Rhino set released at all?

I'd like to think Hips' and GandAlf's sites showed Warner's that there was a lot of demand for this music. Even if it didn't, at least we now have all of the music. :)

Neil

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Marian - who for a long time couldn't understand how some people like Goldsmith's Supergirl theme better than the Superman March, but after hearing the Goldsmith thing in London (far more energetic than on the album) agrees. :)

it is amazing how many people at this message board seem to be suffering from severe brain injuries. :twisted:

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Have you heard the London performance? If not, you can't understand - the original recording is lame in comparison. :) But I also thought, how could people possibiyl prefer Goldsmith's theme. Until that concert. ROTFLMAO

Just a bit more clarification: I don't think The Fury is the best score on CD. But it's one of the very best when heard in the film.

Marian - who nearly picked up The Fury on DVD today, but was confused by the audio format (DD 4.0?)

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Marian - who nearly picked up The Fury on DVD today, but was confused by the audio format (DD 4.0?)

Left, Center, Right, Surround (Mono) and no LFE.

Keep in mind that the films original mono track is also on that DVD.

Neil

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Mono track? In the late 70s? :)

Woody Allen's films are still in mono.

Other mono films from that era include National Lampoon's Animal House and Conan the Barbarian.

Neil

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Left' date=' Center, Right, Surround (Mono) and no LFE.

Ok...I was afraid there might be no center (which would make dialogues difficult to understand). Still, why no LFE? Oh well. So the audio mix on the US DVD is 4.0, too? Then I won't have to worry and can simply pick up the Euro release.

Keep in mind that the films original mono track is also on that DVD.

Sure, and I'm glad at least the score will be in stereo on the DVD. :)

Marian - who picked up Disney's Robin Hood on DVD today, which has the score in mono even though the film was remixed in DD5.1. (Dammit, I want that score on CD!)

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