Jerry Goldsmith Online News 2000

News 2000

WB Germany Re-Issues! (Updated 18/12/00)

Great news, It seems that the German arm of WB has released the CD re-issues to Twilight Zone The Movie and Under Fire in the light of WB Japan cancelling their versions.

To add a further twist to these re-issues, it appears Warner Japan has now released their versions, which in terms of presentation are exactly the same as the German versions.

Police Story Now Available

Prometheus has finally released their limited edition CD to the 70's TV Pilot movie and series; Police Story. The albums features over 53 minutes of music which also includes a 7 minute suite from Medical Story.

Hollow Man DVD

Sony Pictures has announced the spec of the Hollow Man DVD for release on the 26th December 2000. A whole host of extras including isolated score and composer commentary!

WB Japan CD Re-Issues Cancelled

FSM seem to have a good source of info on this and now say definitely cancelled. After a month of cancellations and delays it now seems the on/off releases of Twilight Zone The Movie and Under Fire are now OFF!

SACD/DSD5.1 Demo Disc Appears

The UK Hifi Press heard the new SACD/DSD5.1 mutli-channel Jerry Goldsmith disc, recorded earlier this year with the LSO at Abbey Road. WHAT HiFi reviewed a new SACD Player from Marantz - the SA1 (£5000!) and used the new Goldsmith demo disc. The November 2000 issue includes a brief mention of the disc.

Total Recall Deluxe Edition

Varese Sarabande has now confirmed the release of the expanded Total Recall CD. This new disc will run to 70 minutes and feature such gem's as the 'Massacre' and 'The Treatment'. The package will be replete with extensive notes and lavish production values. The disc will hopefully surface December 5th.

Legend DVD Special Edition - Updated 24/10/00

Universal are preparing a special edition DVD of Legend. This version will be a never before seen extended version with audio commentary from Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith's score fully restored. The 2 disc set was planned for a 21st November release, but is now delayed indefinitely, perhaps to avoid being trounced by the Gladiator disc.

However, DVD Review posted this update yesterday saying "The delays, according to Matt Kalinowski of Universal Home Video, will allow time for the ‘...completion of additional bonus materials being developed for the title, as well as some technical issues that needed to be resolved".

Universal's press release on the up and coming disc features this statement from Ridley Scott on the debacle over the score:-

"I got totally paranoid," he reveals. "I started to hack away at the movie. A gentleman at Universal literally tried to physically stop me. As opposed to him saying, 'We've got to cut this film,' it was me....I figured that maybe we'd been too adventurous with our expectations of a full-blown fairy story, and therefore, maybe the combination of the score and the visual was actually too sweet. So, with only three weeks to redo a score, I went to Berlin and did the score with Tangerine Dream. In three weeks they did an incredible job, but it was completely different. It was a driving, more modern way to go, and given what they did in the time, I thought they did a fantastic job. On reflection, it was the wrong thing to do, and the first score [by Jerry Goldsmith] was what it should be, which is what we've got on this disc." (Copyright Universal 2000).

IMAX Score - Soarin' Over California

Soundtrack Magazine has reported Goldsmith has just completed a 6 minute score for a new IMAX film about Hand Gliding. This is in fact the Disney Theme Park Ride News item reported some months ago. The title of the piece is Soarin - Over California and is for the new Disney Theme Park Opening Feb 2001 called The California Adventure.

Ride Details

Soarin' Over California, a Disney-exclusive attraction, guests enter a giant hangar to find themselves viewing an air show. Overhead projection and surround-sound acoustics make it seem as if famous aircraft from California's history are flying overhead (computer generated graphics).

Visitors then move to the main ride where they sit on an 87-person suspended theatre that floats above an Imax-style screen to simulate hang gliding over scenic California. The five-minute flight will take place over 10 to 12 different locales, and will be filmed 48 frames per second, almost double the typical movie.

First Blood CD Re-Issue

Varese Sarabande has announced a re-issue of the original First Blood CD to be released September 26th. This release does feature the additional cue featured on the Intrada release and has been re-mastered.

Along Came A Spider - New Assignment

We can finally confirm the composer is working on the prequel to the hit psychological thriller; Kiss The Girls. Along Came A Spider, again has Morgan Freeman in the lead and is directed by Lee Tamahori whom Goldsmith scored the The Edge for. The movie was scheduled for release by Paramount at the end of September. However, the film has had some poor test screenings (using a temp score) which focus on a poorly executed twist ending which is now to be re-shot. Film now expected Feb 9th 2001.

WB Japan CD Re-issues!

Warner Brothers Records in Japan has confirmed they are to release a CD of the soundtrack album to Twilight Zone The Movie! This has remained one of a handful of Goldsmith scores only available on LP for some time now and considering the score and the original album's popularity it is surprising we have had to wait this long. The original LP has a phenomenal recording and remains the composer's favourite album of one of his scores. Also re-issued will be Under Fire, briefly available back in the early 90's this should prove very popular with those who missed out.

Rudy SE DVD

Columbia Pictures are curiously preparing a special edition DVD of the minor US title Rudy. Along with an assortment of extras will be Jerry Goldsmith's score isolated!

The Hollow Man CD News

The soundtrack to The Hollow Man was to be the first score CD to feature a new recording technology. The music was recorded using the revolutionary new DSD (Direct Stream Digital) encoding technology. DSD samples the musical signal at a phenomenal 2.8 million times a second! The result is an extremely smooth digital waveform with unparalleled frequency response and dynamic range. Unfortunately the recording was lost during post production and the CD from Varese is a standard recording.

The Omen SE DVD News

Sadly it looks as if the The Omen Special Edition DVD will not feature an isolated score. Features now being reported are a 'making of' with an interview with Jerry Goldsmith and audio commentary by the director. Damn shame!

Goldsmith Reveals Exciting LSO Projects

Jerry Goldsmith revealed, during a pre concert interview in London, that he has been working closely with the London Symphony Orchestra throughout January on an exciting programme of his concert work. The recording was made in a new Digital 5.1 CD format (possibly SACD), with the CDs shipping with the new Phillips and Sony players later in the year. The project will culminate in a further CD release of the composer's work to be recorded at the end of the year. It is hoped both recordings will be available in the standard format, but the composer revealed the new sound is phenomenal. Commenting the recording at the Abbey Road studios had more technicians in the booth than musicians on the studio floor! The recordings will include Fireworks, Music For Orchestra and Christus Apollo, with Ray Bradbury's text spoken by Anthony Hopkins!

Goldsmith Reveals all at London Concerts

Jerry Goldsmith joked about the possibilities of scoring both the Mummy Returns and the Planet Of The Apes remake. Goldsmith commented due to the frustrating time developing the original score to The Mummy, the composer has been put off from committing to the sequel at this stage (Alan Silvestri is now attached to this project). As for Planet Of The Apes, questioned on whether he would score the remake (if asked), he said he would decline saying there would be little more he could say musically on the subject.

During the Star Trek segments performed, the composer revealed his discussions with Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry. The most intriguing comment being the composer was originally asked to score the original television series!

Goldsmith Drops 'The Kid'

Soundtrack magazine has reported that Goldsmith has left the Disney project The Kid. According to several sources the departure is due to creative differences with director Jon Turteltaub over the approach to scoring the film. By all accounts it was an amicable split agreed to by all parties. Goldsmith had already been working on synth mock-ups of his cues for a preview of the film when the decision was made to change the direction of the scoring. The composer chosen to replace Goldsmith is Marc Shaiman.

The film stars Bruce Willis as a man who meets himself as an eight year old, who then helps to improve his lot in life. Interestingly the website included details of the film's shoot and included a mention on the unusual scoring process that composer and director were about to be engaged in and the probable reason why Goldsmith left the project. Due to the tight post production schedule Goldsmith was to write music first based on script then discussions with the director. Then they were to edit the music to fit the film or in some cases edit the film to fit the music.

Annual BMI Awards For Goldsmith

Jerry Goldsmith picked up two awards at the recent annual BMI Awards dinner. The winning scores were The Mummy and The Haunting.

Arthur Morton Dies At 91

The death of Arthur Morton, aged 91, has been reported in the New York Times. The long time friend and orchestrator of Jerry Goldsmith died on April 15 at his home in Santa Monica, California, USA. Morton composed and orchestrated for numerous films and television shows during his 65-year career in Hollywood, including the scores for Ocean's 11, From Here to Eternity and even helped out on Star Wars. His work in television included the series Peyton Place and The Waltons. But it's his collaboration with Goldsmith that he will be best remembered for. Morton remained in Goldsmith's "employ" into the new millennium. Although age played its part Morton often worked alongside Goldsmith's recent orchestrator, Alexander Courage and during the composer's flirtation with eastern European orchestras, Nancy Beach.

Back in the mid eighties I am reminded of a letter I received after writing to Mr Morton in the hope he would impart some background to his work with the composer and the orchestrator's responsibility. Morton wrote back in a wonderfully sardonic manner refusing to waste any ink on explaining the process and only revealing an answer to my question where did you first meet Jerry Goldsmith? His response "In a bar, I still drink Mr Goldsmith doesn't anymore."

Police Story CD

Police Story (TVM), originally to have been partnered with Shamus, will be released late September. Shamus was permanently pulled when the tapes could not be found. Police Story, which has been reported by Ford Thaxton, are in very good condition, will be partnered off with a short suite from Medical Story.

Saturn Nomination For Goldsmith

Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for his music to the summer 99 smash The Mummy. The winner was Danny Elfman, Sleepy Hollow.

Goldsmith Drops Reindeer Games/Deception (UK Title)

After missing out on Ronin two years ago, due to the composer's commitment to re-score The 13th Warrior, Goldsmith has now dropped out of the assignment to score Reindeer Games aka Deception for director John Frankenheimer. Exact details are not known but Alan Silvestri replaced him.