Figo 2 Posted August 12, 2002 Share Posted August 12, 2002 I just found Earthquake used, for under five bucks! I brought it home and put it on the disc player, full of anticipation -- and what a groovy snooze-fest! Sheesh, and Neil was only just thanking God Ken Thorne wrote "Honeymoon Hotel." Maybe they should have used the soundtrack to Earthquake instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2002 Share Posted August 12, 2002 Do I even have this score, i'm just not sure...Stefancos- who won't bother looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John 3 Posted August 12, 2002 Share Posted August 12, 2002 i just picked up Seven Years in Tibet for $2.99 used. Whee! I bought Earthquake a while ago and paid (gasp) full price for it. I was getting the disaster soundtracks. How appropriate!BigJohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamecube 0 Posted August 12, 2002 Share Posted August 12, 2002 I know some of you people don't think too much before buying a soundtrack, but those of you who do, how do you decide which ones to buy? I look at reviews, find as many sound clips as I can, and then try to find a really low price. I need advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Game, I usually go by what most peole are talking about. Anyway, I rather like Earthquake!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren 75 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 i haven't heard it, nor will i probably pick it up....nah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuintBrody 0 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Hey, Earthquake is actually a pretty good score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figo 2 Posted August 13, 2002 Author Share Posted August 13, 2002 Good to see Quint and Brody finally hooked up, after all that male bonding on the Orca... :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Earthquake is good, why you not like it.Morn - Who is reinventing the english language Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 i have Earthquake also. the main theme is very good and gets its best performance on the "Great Composers" cd, a compilation cd of a wide selection of Williams' works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figo 2 Posted August 13, 2002 Author Share Posted August 13, 2002 When this quake's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'! Earthquake LOL ROTFL :wow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahler3 478 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Earthquake is such a cool score! The exhilorating jazziness of 'Miles On Wheels' & 'Something For Rosa' are such fun, albeit cheesy! But hey, the '70's was meant to be cheesy, yes?The soaring horn led main title captures the hustle and bustle of the city exceptionally well, with the secondary city theme causing us to pause and reflect quite succinctly.It is a very important score in the Williams canon, so I do recommend that everyone checks it out! It was also a favourite of Williams at the time, wonder if it still is? :? The RSNO's arrangement lacked the original punch, as the tempo is ponderous, the rhythm section's balance is too low and the recording has too much reverb. Their re-recording of 'The Towering Inferno' was the opposite though, an excellent rendition that packs more of a punch! Suppose the 'concert hall sound' works better for some and not for others!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 I heard it in the movie. What I heard there did not exactly "Rattle" my interest. ::INCREDIBLY LAME PUN SADLY INTENDED!:: :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamecube 0 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 LOL Feel free to post your lame puns anytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omen II 1,236 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 I just found Earthquake used, for under five bucks! I brought it home and put it on the disc player, full of anticipation -- and what a groovy snooze-fest! Sheesh, and Neil was only just thanking God Ken Thorne wrote "Honeymoon Hotel." Maybe they should have used the soundtrack to Earthquake instead.Aw c'mon, Figo! Earthquake is actually the first John Williams CD I ever bought, partly because I liked the picture on the front cover. I like the score a lot but I don't think the CD really does it justice, for the following reasons:- as with most albums of the time, I believe the album is a re-recording so differs slightly from the original soundtrack- the Varese album is poorly sequenced (IMHO) with a couple of the tracks indexed incorrectly; I would have put the track 'The City Sleeps' (actually the end title) at the end where it belongs- the album misses out a lot of the more dissonant and atonal cues that underscored the disaster scenes (e.g. the prologue, the burial of the dam workers, etc.). While they may not be hummable on their own their inclusion would have made for a more rounded and enjoyable listening experience as with FSM's "The Towering Inferno" release.- personally I would also have included a dialogue track of police officer George Kennedy shouting, "Zsa Zsa Gabor!" You gotta love 'im.- I would have also included dialogue excerpts from that ridiculous bedroom discussion between 190-year-old Chuck Heston and his young lover Genevieve Bujold about what the male equivalent of nymphomaniac is ("A satyr, I believe"). Quite unbelievable.For the jazz enthusiasts among you, several great jazz musicians performed on the original soundtrack, including Clare Fischer (piano), Shelly Manne (drums) and Vince de Rosa (french horn).Damien yipee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Five Tones 302 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 I will weigh in in defence of the Earthquake score and album, although I hate those now ridiculously low-fi sound effects! It is perhaps not one of his most successful scores, but it suggests to me that JW was getting tired of the disaster genre. It does kind of come off like a TV score sometimes.There is some beautifully wacky 70's business there, as well as some truly fine jazz piano and an appropriately mundane main theme.FSM's releases of the Poseidon Adventure and the Towering Inferno are wonderful. Those scores are far better than Earthquake. Killer main/end titles for both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figo 2 Posted August 13, 2002 Author Share Posted August 13, 2002 The sound effects are a trip. They should have gone whole hog and included the dialogue. That would have elevated it to the status of Cheese Classic. We're in agreement on one thing, Damian -- the cover art is great. I especially like all the writhing bodies hurtling into the void.Figo, Earthquake.Groovy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Now if you want a better disaster score "The Poseidon Adventure" is always out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figo 2 Posted August 14, 2002 Author Share Posted August 14, 2002 Yeah, then if I want groovy I'll have to settle for Gene Hackman's hairdo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 I can't say is's one of Williams best,but"The City Sleeps" is one of my favourite Williams cue.K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 I'm having trouble login in.K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 Lets try againK.M.Getting irritated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 HA!K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,069 Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 Actually this is one score that needs to be expanded and remastered. There are several cues that need to be added to the current release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figo 2 Posted August 14, 2002 Author Share Posted August 14, 2002 All I can say is, I guess I got what I paid for. :roll: Groovy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted August 15, 2002 Share Posted August 15, 2002 Figo, I really do like the score myself. Its kind of jazzy, cheesy, pulpish.Its alot more fun a score than Poseidon Adventure, though no where the quality of the Towering Inferno, which I think is one of John's underrated greats(should have beaten the score the Godfather 2). I love to play the earthquake to just below the point where it will ruin my speakers. Shakes the whole house.And I agree the city sleeps is a mournful, sad tale of a que, that I really like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted August 15, 2002 Share Posted August 15, 2002 OH yeah and lets not forget THE TOWERING INFERNO!!! :flamebob: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eplicon 53 Posted August 15, 2002 Share Posted August 15, 2002 Two of the tracks are transposed on the CD, if memory serves. Meaning that the corresponding track titles do not reflect the cues on the disc.I must've listened to the disc only once in its entirety in all the years I've had it. But for those who grew up in the 70s, the film was one of those "all star cast" disaster films that were a bundle of fun to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted August 16, 2002 Share Posted August 16, 2002 Does it deserve to be forgotten? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris 0 Posted August 16, 2002 Share Posted August 16, 2002 Maybe Earthquake needs an expanded release. Out of 11 tracks on the CD there are 5 that don't even begin to appear in the movie, and only 1 track (Love Theme) appears in its entirety! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 There is a reason why JW isn't known for his disaster movie scores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Because SW, JP, HP and IJ outshine any other score.Even if they have all that funky underscore, only for their main themes the disaster scores of JW deserve more recognition, brilliantly constructed (a construction that would only but expand to mastery levels in the decades to come) and showing some of the earlier examples in film scoring of his own musical voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 That much is certain, but I have more pressing matters:K.M.Getting irritated.So it begins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Because they are so obviously better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I can't help but think that I would like these old scores much better if they were available in modern, pristine sound quality. That's why I was so excited to hear FSM's Superman release, though it turned out not to be a major improvement in sound (indeed, "Helicopter Rescue" is inferior to the Rhino version). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Are you on crack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 58 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I just play the Earthquake cd only for the sound effects on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 That's why I tend to listen to Debney's recording of the theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro 147 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I only bought Earthquake for the screensaver and collector's cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I dunno, the pop-up cd cityscape was pretty cool - a pre 9/11 relic to cherish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Are you on crack?Mmmm... crack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,069 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Debney's recording of Earthquake is atrocious.As I mentioned earlier this is a score that is deserving of a remastered release and I do believe there is some more dramatic underscore that could be added.I would also hope they would ditch the stupid sound effects that cover up some of the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I'm all for that, considering the damn thing is too expensive to purchase legally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Debney's recording of Earthquake is atrocious.Huh, atrocious. So categorical.Excuse me, what is so atrocious about it? Whatever that doesn't equal an LSO performance? I bet you have to be so let down with any live concert that you got to...Funnily I was listening to Rawsthorne's Symphonic Studies yesterday, and I found the Royal Scottish recording much better than LSO's But, well, back to the topic, Debney's direction of the music in this theme in particular has some good dynamics, I don't hear anything bad at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,069 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I found the performance sloppy and poorly performed. It's severly lacking compared to Williams' original.Just because the LSO plays it doesn't always guarantee a great perfromance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahler3 478 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Have to agree with Mark on this Peio, as I stated back in 2002 I always thought Debney's RSNO recording lacked pace and had too much reverb. Think i'll have another listen to Earthquake on the way to work tomorrow, it's been awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,069 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 However I do find McNeely's Towering Inferno suite on the same disc to be outstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahler3 478 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 However I do find McNeely's Towering Inferno suite on the same disc to be outstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I didn't say it was a perfect recording, but it's far from being bad or "atrocious". The reverb makes it sound worse though, I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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