I think there are good releases.
One EXCELLENT (Goldsmith's one, I love his music so every new release about his music is very important in my opinion), the other ones aren't bad but also not so good as the first one.

Anyway, I think we should hope for never released scores, expecially old ones, from Varese Club, Intrada or FSM, because they are the most professional labels on the market about film scores.
I think soundtracks like Independence Day, Spiderman 3 etc.. should be released as "new / expanded / deluxe" edition with standard series (like Varese's Stargate).

It's my opinion, because I love golden and silver age music overall, and I think masterworks of the past should have the priority by limited series of professional labels.
For the other ones I think standard or "young labels" series are the good chioice... i likes very much La-La-Land's releases for Bad Boys, Godzilla etc.. (and they also released masterworks like Masters of the Universe, The Island of Dr.Moreau etc...).

Anyway, these new Varese's Releases aren't for "all", a lot of people I know don't listen to scores "composed before 1990", so I understand your point of view. From mine I have to say that is better to have a good release (like ID4's standard one) and add new titles never printed before than have 2 or 3 releases of the same score (expanded, complete etc...) and no one of some others :-)

(My Personal Opinion) :-)

rhmast, September 28, 2009; 10:24 AM

I agree, but in the case of ID4: i heard the complete score and it is the best ever in action/scifi music. Very good music with a great finale.


dirk.j.jansen, September 28, 2009; 11:13 AM

I'm far from being disappointed, because I realized, that VCL won't release titles I'm
interested in. (Rare exceptions, like Hanover Street or Gloria, are the poof to this.) That's a
pity, because I like the look of the series very much.

Personally, I'd prefer to see them concentrate on composers like Christopher Young, Neal
Hefti or Michael Small, but as they have a permanent predilection for Bernstein, Goldsmith
and Conti, I rather look for new stuff from Intrada and Kritzerland.

Enjoy!

coma, September 28, 2009; 2:39 PM

I was really excited about Children of the corn - best soundtrack ever! We've been petitioning to Varese Sarabande for weeks for this, knowing it would be great to coincide with the current remake. Don't care for the others though!

warren.wood4, September 28, 2009; 3:29 PM

In my opinion, the Goldsmith, Waxman and Bernstein releases are of the highest interest. I understand that for younger generations (I am over 40), these three composers (especially Waxman and Bernstein) are not very attractive. It's a matter of taste. For me, it is a real relief that labels such as Varèse, Intrada and FSM are releasing soundtracks from the 70's, 60's and 50's. Although I have tried it, I can't find many interesting stuff among nowadays composers (with the exception of a few names from outside the USA).

As for CHILDREN OF THE CORN, I must admit I'm also very happy with this release. The main theme has haunted me for ages, since I saw the movie in the theatre as a youngster.

Regarding ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES, it is a must for me. Goldsmith is my all time favourite composer, and the APES series has always been a cult franchise for me. On the other hand, the music is pretty enjoyable and the cover art is lovely.

I remember watching A WALK IN THE SPRING RAIN a couple of years ago on TV, and the music really caught my ear. It's a pity it has so many short cues (less than a minute or so). CRIME IN THE STREETS is a mystery to me. I have never seen the movie nor listened to the music, but Waxman writing jazz sounds exciting.

I'm affraid I'll go for the four titles. And lets see what happens tonight at INTRADA :-)

Kind regards,
Angel

angeldibujo, September 28, 2009; 4:47 PM

Intrada will release Scarecrows (Plummeri) an 10 to midnight(Ragland) in their Signature edition. As to Varese´Releases: i am very excited about "Crime in the streets" and "Escape from the planet of apes" although the running time is a little bit dissapointing. The Elias is a guilty pleasure for me, remembers me the VHS-times when we sat before the TV, watching brainless nonsense as COTC.

peter-anselm, September 28, 2009; 5:26 PM

I really can't get it: i've heard them all: Alien, Russia House, Under Fire etc. but Goldsmith's
music is just so static, boring. I love all the other stuff but somehow i just cannot get it...

dirk.j.jansen, September 28, 2009; 6:09 PM

Very interesting to read: Goldsmith's music is boring.

I think you should listen to it better, expecially old works like In Harm's Way, pLanet of the Apes, The Sand Pebbles, Patton, Capricorn One, First Blood, Twilight Zone The Movie, The Boys from Brazil,.. too many to list them all.

It's difficult to say that music of one of the best composers of all time is boring.
Maybe you don't know that what you call "action music" today (and reading your whishes i think you like it) is the result of Goldsmith's sperimentations and studies (Capricorn One's track Break Out for an expample). The same for "space music", from Alien to Outland...
I can understand Young Soundtrack Fans prefers simple and immediate music... but I'm 28 years old, not 50, so I think it's not so impossible to understand the value of composers like Goldsmith, Rosenman, Rozsa, Herrmann or Steiner, and their influence on young composers.

If you want to make a gift to yourself, let's listen to Goldsmith music without prejudice... in my own opinion you'll be able to understand more and better film music after a good listening :-)

rhmast, September 28, 2009; 7:16 PM

With the exception of Chinatown and L.A.Confidential, I completely agree with Dirk's opinion.
Which doesn't mean, his music doesn't work pretty well on the screen. And no, I'm not a young
soundtrack fan, who prefers simple and immediate music. ;)

coma, September 28, 2009; 7:52 PM

It's curious how differently people can think! Curious and wonderful.

If there is a composer who never bores me, he is Jerry Goldsmith. I can't imagine a more dinamic music than his. In my opinion, there isn't a single modern movie composer in Hollywood today who can handle the harmony and orchestration in such an amazing way as Goldsmith did. He was only 30 years old when he composed STUDS LONIGAN. I can't imagine anybody saying the track "A Game of Pool" is boring and static. And that was only the start of an outstanding career in film music full of master pieces.

As I said before, it is a matter of taste. Anyway, I'm more than happy to enjoy Goldsmith's music so much...

Greetings,
Angel

angeldibujo, September 28, 2009; 8:22 PM

I think his melodies are just fine, but in a matter of dynamic filmmusic he always uses the same static rythems. Compare it with John Williams and i think the latter uses a lot more notes, swifting of rythems, chordprogressions etc. Put ET next to Explorers and you see what i mean. There is no emotion at all in Explorers, while ET is full of it. Sorry guys, i'm a collector for 21 years now, i have tried a lot of Goldsmith, but i'm mostly dissapointed.

dirk.j.jansen, September 29, 2009; 7:23 AM

I never would put ET against Explores. An average Goldsmith against a Williams at its best doesn´t seem fair. But what about ET against Alien. They both have their merits no question but i won´t put one over the other (and my collections about Goldsmit and Williams are nearly complete).

peter-anselm, September 29, 2009; 7:16 PM

I agree Peter-Anselm. It's unfair to put E.T. against EXPLORERS. Apart from our personal tastes, we all know John Williams is a Master, and E.T. is one of the best film scores in cinema history. But, for example, lets think in CINDERELLA LIBERTY against THE BLUE MAX. Absurd, isn't it? If we are going to compare one thing to another, I think we should take two scores playing in the same league. For example THE OMEN against THE FURY, or PLANET OF THE APES against IMAGES, or WILD ROVERS against THE COWBOYS, or THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS against PENELOPE... On the other hand, although I consider that Williams has composed more master pieces (and I love almost everyone of his scores), I will always prefer the audacity of Goldsmith (from the examples named above I will always choose the Goldsmith's scores).

By the way, I would like to know the name of one only modern american composer working in films today, who is better than Goldsmith. I could be missing something really good, without knowing it.

Greetings,
Angel

angeldibujo, September 29, 2009; 9:26 PM

To me, ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES is definitely the most listenable and enjoyable score from the APES movies, but given the short running time against the background that Varèse's pricing is the most expensive* in the whole soundtrack business, I'm not buying it. Out of all the labels offering vintage soundtracks, Varèse offers the least value for money. Which is probably what makes them survive.

*unless you buy directly from them which I cannot given I have no credit card and unless you live in the USA.

handstand, September 30, 2009; 5:57 AM

You can buy from Varese if you're from another country, you only need a credit card. I ordered my Goldsmith score right away. I am very exicted about it, since I love the Apes series so much, it's a real pleasure to finally have the last missing score from the movies released.

philkws, September 30, 2009; 8:40 AM