Unfortunately you can take it for almost granted that no score released in the Universal France series would come out in complete edition and/or with some explanation regarding that. We simply have to follow the producer's taste, period. You can read who invited who to dinner before scoring the picture, but you'll never know what happened to the master tapes of the unused tracks.
That's why I never stop to criticize these releases.

I'm sorry but I can't comment the LP itself -- the only thing I remember ever seeing was a 7" with two tracks.

42zaphod, February 19, 2007; 5:18 AM

Hi Christian,

unfortunately I cannot help with the LP, but given I love the Universal CD that you mentioned very much, I would be glad if you could give me a recommendation of SIMILAR scores. I for my part love the LE HASARD ET LA VIOLENCE part of the Universal CD most, but of course the other two scores on the CD are really outstanding as well.

Regards,

Urs

handstand, February 19, 2007; 5:19 AM

@ Dorian: I like the way in which the Universal France CDs are made up and I am really glad
about this series, because it covers many scores which are unavailable today. I have some of
the scores on LP, but I really rejoiced when I had them on CD, additionally (and in such
cases, I was also glad, the cues were different from the original vinyl releases). But that's a
long introduction to a short note of agreement: yes, the liner notes are usually somewhat
shallow.

© Urs: Unfortunately, I don't know what exactly meets your taste in LE HASARD ..., but I
imagine Eric Demarsan's LE CERCLE ROUGE or Philippe Sarde's MORT D'UN POURRI might
appeal to you, too. Both scores are from the same series.

Another suggestion is Francis Lai's LE CORPS DE MON ENNEMI. However, only the main
theme has been released on CD so far (to my knowledge). I am craving for the LP, but by
now I have almost given up hope to obtain it for a reasonable price.

The movie itself is somewhat disappointing, but I use to listen to it for its jazzy intermezzos
und reprises of the main theme.

Maybe it's helpful to have a look at Coma's thread:
http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/forum/displayquestion.php?topicid=7591

Christian.Quatremain, February 19, 2007; 7:15 AM

Christian: of course it's better to have these releases than nothing -- and many factors which I personally do not appreciate --packaging, artwork-- are purely subjective matters. However my original passion for these releases has quickly worn out when I realized that with each score we get in a truncated release there's about NO chance to ever get the rest of the music (which was left for whatever unknown reason). And I really don't want to chase a single rare track on some compilation here or there. I also don't think it's good when the selected cues on the CD differ from the vinyl, which, as you pointed, is often very hard to find.

David: yes some there are some such examples (I have no doubts about the Demarsan scores which are so long that even if something was missing there wouldn't be probably a point in adding that--but isn't it because Mr. Demarsan himself was involved in their production?). However, please don't believe everything that you read (please don't apply this advice to my response!): the sign "Version(s) intégrale(s)" is to be taken with a BIG reserve as it is mentioned on SEVERAL releases which OBVIOUSLY are not complete, like for example FORT SAGANNE or LA GRANDE VADROUILLE (both have LESS music than the EXISTING vinyl releases which --especially with the latter score-- by far even DIDN'T contain all the music originally recorded).
I can also point that all the releases you mentioned are from the 2000-2002 period but as I have more or less stopped buying the following releases I have no idea if this concerns these more recent too.

- Dorian

42zaphod, February 19, 2007; 7:04 AM

@ Dorian: I share your doubts about eventual releases of truncated soundtrack material, but
I am realist enough to know that scores such as Est-ce bien raisonnable? etc would have
(had) any chance to be issued in full. So, I am glad to have at least fragments of these
soundtracks, although our desire goes into the same direction.

Back to topic:
The only tracklist for the LP I could to unearth originates from
http://www.blaxploitation.com/s_398.html
(courtesy of the Man).

It is as follows:
L'Heritier (Theme) | Reve | L'usine | Hotel Lutetia | Kidnapping | L'Heritier Part 2
Tarot | Incantation | Tarot Part 2 | Breakdown | Tarot (Finale)

As it seems, the Universal release covers the complete LP, since the last 5 tracks (= complete
side B?) are from the movie "Tarot" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070774/fullcredits),
which is not listed in this database (by the way: how can one/I change that?).

So, where are the cues I enjoyed that much when watching the movie?

Christian.Quatremain, February 19, 2007; 9:09 AM

Christian, you can add Tarot at http://soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/suggest1.php?movieid=&referer=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowsetitle.php

I take it you want to add a new TITLE.

Regarding the HÉRITIER LP, you can still add a tracklisting there: http://soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=23490

UPDATE: There IS a TAROT entry in our database here, it credits Ennio Morricone with the score though. The IMDb entry has the same movie poster, but different details. http://soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=23673

handstand, February 19, 2007; 9:25 AM

Urs, I didn't know about the possibility to add new titles. Thanks for letting me know. I have
several other movies I would like to add here.

As for the tracklist, I know how that works (and often made use of that function), but since I
do not know which of the LP tracks belong to side A and which to side B, I won't do it,
because I do not want to add unverified data here.

As for Morricone and Tarot (= Macchie solari), this is a different movie, in fact dating from
1975 (and not from 1973 as is stated here). That's why I added the IMDB-Link in my
previous posting to avoid confusion with the one listed in this database.

Christian.Quatremain, February 19, 2007; 10:37 AM

Ah well, film score recordings are intended for listening aside from the film. A completely different experience. To include every damn cue from a film on a recording can ruin the entire thing by allowing it to drag on too long and often becoming boring.

Many of the LP's were sparce. Sometimes lasting a little over or under 30 minutes. The ones that were produced exceptionally keep this balance in mind.

I've noticed that some of the Universal CD releases have additional music that does not belong tacked on to the disc as if lenghtening them for a CD market. Stupid and exploitive as far as I'm concered. So called remastering of an earlier production.

As for the Colombier score... What does it have to do with so-called blaxploitation? Term is a little overused these days don't you think?



victoravalentine, February 19, 2007; 12:13 PM

Absolutely right, the term "blaxploitation" is used somewhat inflationary these days.

When Ed started blaxploiation.com, about 8 years ago, he focussed on blaxploitation movie
scores exclusively, but in the course of the last years he widened his concept (I think, he
simply ran out of material) and introduced related stuff. Naturally, he stumbled upon Italian
and French movie scores of the same period, most of which are funky or groovy in some way.

Though he diluted his original approach, I still visit his website regularly. The many
recommendations I received through his site are uncounted. He really widened my horizon.

Christian.Quatremain, February 19, 2007; 4:09 PM

Hi guys! Even though I'm unfamiliar with many of the things which were discussed concerning French movies and their film scores, nevertheless this has been an interesting thread even though you are losing me on some parts.

I have a few of Ecoutez cd's by Universal as well and I'm really glad I have them since I really like listening to their film music whenever I get the chance even though I don't believe I have seen the films but one day would love to, especially if they are 70's crime movies.

I distincly remember listening to film music by Michel Magne which I really liked. I don't recall the title(s) of the film scores. Perhaps he's not to your liking. Actually there is a fairly new Ecoutez release, or more than one, by this composer I noticed in a record store I'm contemplating of purchasing. I believe it is # 39. I don't recall the title.

One thing I don't like about Ecoutez Le Cinema is that they are digipack releases.

As you people have been saying, besides the supposedly complete soundtracks on several of these Ecoutez cd's, there are a lot of these which have been released and contain just a few tracks from various French movie titles compiled in one cd release making them seem to me more like sampler cd's than anything else.

What a tease!

Of course it's better than nothing but I wonder why Universal France does this?

Is it because the rest of the music of these titles for some reason is not available anymore, I highly doubt it... or is it perhaps because they are using these 'teaser' cd's as marketing tools for precursors of complete future releases of the same titles?

It's been mentioned that LP versions exist with more music for some of these titles.

Couldn't they just digitally transfer all this music in one individual cd release instead of bits and pieces together with bits and pieces from other titles? Of course they can.

Personally, I'm not too crazy about multiple releases in one cd album even though it's been a common practice lately among some record labels.

In a way I do side and understand wwk's point about not really having to put every single music note written for a specific film in one release but on the other hand I'm music greedy and what the heck, I rather have more great music than less.

With all the francophile knowledge and expertise you guys seem to have concerning French movies and film music, have you considered corresponding with Universal France to ask them why they do not release the complete soundtracks? They might respond.

Perhaps BIG conglomerate Universal France is not exactly interested and devoted to film music like the people from the much smaller specialized soundtrack record labels we all are familiar with were one would feel more comfortable to correspond with, but it's worth a try I guess.

Just a humble thought on my part...

serifiot, February 19, 2007; 5:10 PM