Film Music Masters Jerry Goldsmith


Music From The Movies magazine present for the first time on DVD the acclaimed documentary on Jerry Goldsmith produced by the late Fred Karlin and made at the time of the recording of The River Wild score. The original 70 minute documentary is presented along with a host of extras that are made up of extended interviews not used in the main documentary and 60 minutes of footage from The River Wild recording sessions.

The extended interviews with Bruce Botnick, Arthur Morton, Alexander Courage, Sandy De Crescent, Jo Ann Kane and Ken Hall offer further insight into Jerry Goldsmith and his working relationships and features some fascinating information along the way. At times revealing unknown facts behind some of Jerry Goldsmith's assignments and what goes on behind the scenes.

The extended recording session footage allows you to follow Jerry Goldsmith recording three cues not featured on the soundtrack album. It's a fascinating opportunity to watch the maestro at work and shows what a consummate professional he was. It also reveals how much painstaking detail goes into recording essentially minor cues and how they are tweaked before finally being recorded for the film. An absolute must have for Jerry Goldsmith's many fans.

Alien Quadrilogy


A stunning 9 disc box set that should be the only version you ever need to have of the Alien movie series. Sadly you'll have to keep hold of your 20th Anniversary disc with isolated score though, as the Alien disc in this set omits it! Still it does have a featurette on music and editing with an interview with Goldsmith talking of the frustrating time he had working on the movie and his disappointment over the way his score was eventually used. We also hear from editor Terry Rawlings, who is unrepentant on using music from Freud and Howard Hanson. Producer David Giler also shows his indifference to Goldsmith's efforts and compares his score to Patton? But sadly the whole piece fails to deliver a clear understanding on why so many key cues, that clearly would have worked in the movie, were dropped. No one seems to remember what really went on, even Scott plays it safe by just praising Goldsmith. And Dan O'Bannon erroneously complains about the soundtrack album including the 'honking' horns which according to him never appeared in the movie, even though they did!

Hollow Man


A feature packed disc with isolated score in 5.1 and composer commentary! Note, does not feature on the Special Edition Superbit version.

L.A. Confidential


Features complete score with source music in 5.1, isolated.

Legend Collector's Edition


At last! Ridley Scott has come to his senses and sanctioned a proper release of his 1985 film Legend, now featuring Jerry Goldsmith's wonderful score restored. A good selection of supplements including the un-filmed fairy dance with Goldsmith's music as well as a good documentary. For completists you also get the US theatrical abomination.

Please note the Psycho II temp music still features though and the score still contains fragmented versions of a number of the composer's cues! Blame the editor.

Lonely Are The Brave


One of Jerry Goldsmith earliest features makes it to R1 DVD. Presented in wide screen and featuring a short documentary on the film with Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Steven Spielberg. Most importantly though is another 10 minutes featurette on the score with Varese Sarabande's Robert Townson talking about the score.

The Mummy (R1 Only)


Features complete score and source music playing against language menu. Select English to start. The original idea was to include the score isolated and if you look carefully at the picture of the menu on the back cover you can just see the original option. Note isolated score does not feature on the latter Ultimate Edition or Blu Ray.

The Omen Special Editions


Sadly no isolated score as per the anniversary Laser Disc, but a very good documentary featuring the composer talking about the Oscar winning score. As well as a short interview spotlighting 4 of the composer's favourite cues. The latter 2 disc edition benefits from an improved picture and hearing the film in 5.1 which of course is good news for Goldsmith fans.

The Omen Special Edition Blu Ray


All the features from the above special edition DVDs but now with the isolated score in 5.1, previously only available on the 90s Laser Disc. This release also adds a commentary track with Nick Redman and Jeff Bond discussing the score. The UK version has the isolated score but misses out on a number of features in the US package.

Patton Special Edition (also Blu Ray R1 Only)


Features Jerry Goldsmith's score isolated and snippets of recording sessions featuring the Echoplex. Patton documentary includes Goldsmith interview.

Papillon (R2 Only)


A Region 2 coup! Jerry Goldsmith's score isolated with source music! Along with trailer, filmog and featurette. The score is in crystal clear 5.1 and although one of the composers relatively short scores and well presented on CD, it does feature some short additional cues. Best of all though is the arrangements, which differ from the album versions.

Planet Of The Apes 35th Anniversary/40th Anniversary Blu Ray


A sci-fi classic gets the deluxe DVD treatment on its 35th anniversary.
This impressive 2 disc set includes a host of extra features, but more importantly a commentary from composer Jerry Goldsmith, but no isolated score as previously mentioned. Goldsmith's commentary is sparse though, but nonetheless interesting.

The 40th Blu Ray set includes the same features plus additional isolated scores on the sequels including Escape From The Planet Of The Apes. Plus the improved 5.1 sound in DTS Master Audio.

Rudy Special Edition


Features Jerry Goldsmith's score isolated along with trailers and featurettes.

Rudy Deluxe Edition


Another release of the special edition DVD (see above) with the isolated score plus the Varese CD soundtrack included as a bonus item.

Ultimate Flint Collection


A 3 disc set featuring both Flint movies, plus the lost TV movie Our Man Flint: Dead On Target which should have stayed lost! Awful. More interestingly is a series of short featurettes looking back at the original movies. For Goldsmith fans there is an enjoyable, but terribly short featurette on Jerry Goldsmith's contributions. This 5 minute programme features Carrie, Joel Goldsmith and Robert Townson paying tribute to Jerry and discussing his Flint scores. This should have been longer and more in-depth. A shame but Goldsmith fans will no doubt be pleased at its inclusion.

Von Ryan's Express Special Edition


A 2 disc set featuring a good selection of extras and a couple focussing on Jerry Goldsmith and this particular score. First up is the score isolated on disc 1 along with all the studio activity surrounding the recording of each cue. Around these sequences is an enjoyable commentary from film music historians Nick Redman and Jon Burlingame. Disc 2 features one rather pointless feature entitled The Music Of Von Ryan's Express which is nothing more than an edited version of the film with edited cues of Jerry Goldsmith's score overlaid, but with sound effects too! Then we have an enjoyable 11 minute featurette called Bringing Music To Life: The Legacy Of Jerry Goldsmith in which we hear from Nick Redman, Jon Burlingame and Carrie Goldsmith. It makes for a short but enjoyable tribute with a plethora of rare Goldsmith pictures on display.