OldDarth Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Superman - John Williams' fans rejoice! At this link - http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=8874 the scores for all 4 Christopher Reeves movies are finally available from Film Score Monthly! My copy has been ordered.:rock Here are the details: FSM's 8-CD box set, SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC (1978-1988), encompasses a new fully remastered and complete edition of John Williams's SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE along with previously unreleased presentations of the complete scores for its three sequels: SUPERMAN II and SUPERMAN III (adapted and conducted by Ken Thorne) and SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (adapted and conducted by Alexander Courage and featuring new themes by John Williams). The latter is spread across two full CDs of never-before-released music and songs. Also included in the set is a bonus disc of additional alternates, source music and songs, plus a full disc of Ron Jones's music for the 1988 SUPERMAN animated series, rounding out a full decade of Superman music. The 8 CDs are accompanied by an in-depth, full-color 160 page hard-bound book, all housed in an elegant blue slipcase box with the Superman "S" embossed in silver. The set is available as a limited edition of 3,000 copies priced at $119.95 each, and may be ordered beginning at 3:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 21, 2008 via screenarchives.com. Additional information and sound samples will be available at that time. SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC (1978-1988) is produced by Mike Matessino and Lukas Kendall and celebrates the Man of Steel's official birthday of February 29 as well as a triple anniversary year.... The character made his debut 70 years ago when Action Comics #1 hit newsstands, and 30 years ago, on December 15, 1978, Superman: The Movie was released, introducing audiences to Christopher Reeve's indelible portrayal and John William?s classic themes. Additionally, Warner Bros., the studio behind the Superman series, celebrates its 85th anniversary in 2008. With SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC, Film Score Monthly delivers a release befitting this multi-tiered celebration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I posted about this in the music thread last week. I put my order in after it went online last Thursday. I'm looking forward to it a great deal though I am still not sure when it begins shipping (usually when new FSM titles go up they're ready to go out within a week). It's been their worst kept secret for a good while now, but it's a very comprehensive set - though one that many may still ignore on account of them owning the old out of print Rhino release of the original score, and peoples dislike for Ken Thorne's work on 2 and 3, which is actually decent work marred somewhat by the recording and mixing limitations. Aside from having the first film's score sourced from higher generation masters I think the Williams/Courage work from IV is a particular addition that makes the set so very special. This is what it looks like (similar to FSM's Bernstein Box set really): http://www.capedwonder.com/newwebsite/images/Superman-TheMusic/CW-Superman-TheMusic-01.jpg Didn't help collectors that Varese also went and named new club releases only a few days after the Superman set going on sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldDarth Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Sorry dude. I searched the forum but couldn't find a specific post about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 No reason to be sorry. It’s rather nice to see someone else dedicate a thread to a release like this as typically my ramblings about spending silly money on limited film score releases is just me typing to myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyN Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Nah type away. I rarely post in the music thread, but am Interested in all the soundtrack stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldDarth Posted February 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 William's work on Superman is my favourite of his body of work. Soundtrack passion is expensive! I shudder to think at the money put down for this and the complete LOTR soundtracks. Such petty concerns evaporate once I start listening to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 These types of sets are never that frequent though, so I think collectors have always been left with ample time to save up. OK, the Superman set is limited to 3000 copies (as is common for FSM releases) whereas the LOTR sets are in continued production, but the ?Blue Box? really was their worst kept secret for a while so I think people were prepared for this one. Again the annoying thing for close followers of the limited edition film music release scene was Varese announcing new club releases only a few days later. It wasn't a great week for the wallet. Sticking with Williams? I?m really eager for an expanded box set of Indiana Jones scores as it is high time it happened. Last Crusade in particular has so much music I love that I only have via a terrible bootleg it?s just begging for an expanded/complete release. Raiders got one, but Raiders being performed by the LSO didn?t leave it bound to union issues unlike the scores for Temple, Crusade (and now Crystal Skull) which are all performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orhestra. Beyond that someone really needs to get to work on new sets for the six Star Wars films. It was a shame nothing surfaced in time for the 30th Anniversary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 The first 204 copies went out yesterday. They're working on getting out as many as possible today and over the weekend. Superman Cinema has also conducted an extensive interview with Mike and Lukas - the set's producers: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35754 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan_E Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I loves me the Williams Superman soundtrack (used to own the LP way back in the day) and this is really testing my resolve, as I swore I wouldn't try to spend money on myself until April. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 My set arrived this morning (shipped last Thursday). I'm going to work through it disc by disc over the next couple of days. I have disc one on at the moment and, as expected, it's a significant improvement in quality over the Rhino release. The book of liner notes is also one of the best I have ever seen. Worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldDarth Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 Cool. Still waiting for my copy to arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 Do you own the old two-disc release of the first film?s score from Rhino? It really is a night and day difference in quality between the two. Noise is gone and so many subtleties in the orchestration shine ? the overall harshness in the brass on the Rhino release is completely absent now too. I?m quite thrilled with just how good Superman II sounds as well. It remains limited somewhat in not being performed by as large an orchestra as its predecessor, but it?s far better here than I?ve ever heard it sound before. This presentation should enhance people?s appreciation for Thorne?s contribution as it?s certainly made me re-evaluate my opinion of much of it - though I always liked his work on the Fortress of Solitude material and scenes at Niagara Falls. The ?Lex and Miss Teschmacher to Fortress? cue, though hardly one of the mot complex arrangements, has long been a favourite of mine from the second film. ?Clark Exposed as Superman? is a wonderfully sweet gem too that really makes me smile when I listen to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I actually managed to get through discs four, five and six (four being Superman III, with five and six being Superman IV) this evening. There's a lot to enjoy from Superman III, particularly as Thorne made much of it his own thing on his second go, however I feel the specific need to just to take some time out and wax lyrical about the score for Superman IV as it has left me completely dumbfounded. I've not seen Quest for Peace in over a decade and could barely remember much of its score (or the film itself, save for a distinct recollection of having a crush on Mariel Hemingway when it opened). I do know that it was a score that suffered at the hands of the movie's horrendous editing however, but it is presented here in its entirety (the original longer version of the movie, with the foiled initial attempts at making Nuclear Man...etc, was actually scored! There's 110 mins of score here, not including the alternates or the Paul Fischman source music and songs which in their own right make up another 32 minutes of material). Aside from the fact the score had never been available outside of the movie before the sheer quality of the writing has got to make this the true unforeseen gem of the boxed set. This really does deserve the pride of second place to the score for the original film as Courage profoundly captures the majestic thrill that made Williams' original so great. This score makes a real example of everything that was wrong with John Ottman's score for Superman Returns (which is hard not to consider as the worst of the Superman scores after you work through the contents of this box). Courage's adaptations of John Wiliams themes - both old and the three new ones written by Williams for IV - I consider more rewarding than Thorne's arrangements of existing material as heard in Superman II. A really good example of just how expertly Courage crafts the Williams material can actually be found in the closing track of the score ('Come Uppance/Lifted/Quarried/Flying with Jeremy/End Credits') which really has it all. You're in familiar territory thematically with this track as he moves through all the key themes, but it just sounds so fresh and seamless which is something that can be said for the entire score. I encourage listeners to work through the set chronologically in order to truly savour the wonderful surprise that is the score for Quest for Peace. Fun note for gamers. Page 116 of the book as an amusing photo of Jon Cryer in character from Superman IV with a NES light gun, the NES itself, and a ROB robot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldDarth Posted March 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 Yes, I have the Rhino release and am looking forward to doing some comparisons. Received my shipping notice yesterday so I expect the set will arrive in a week or so. Good to hear that your impressions are most favourable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 There are now fewer than 600 copies remaining of this set if anyone else here is interested in picking it up. FSM have, in a rare move for them, confirmed that there will be a second run but they do not yet know if they will be able to make a second edition as substantial as the first due to licensing agreements and either way it till be at least a couple of months before a second batch will surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimness Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Sort of related to the music, but every time at the end near where the horns rise, my friends and I insert the line "SUPERMAN!". It's sort of like when the words "Batman" got added to the cheesy song from the cheesy 60's television series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Many comment on the brilliance of the theme as if it were actually singing the words ?SUPERMAN? (including Donner on his original DVD commentary) so you?re not alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry the Clown Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 FSM are now shipping the 2nd pressing (a further run of 3000) for those who missed out on the first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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