Please release me (let me go) - Part 1

2010 seems to have turned into a vintage year for re-releases, expanded versions, first time releases and the like but of course the serious collector always wants more, so here are my picks of the cream yet to be skimmed from the metaphorical milk of film music history. Hmmm. Here goes:

Hook - John Williams

It's John Williams, it's Steven Spielberg, of course it's going to be amazing (well, unless it's Always, I suppose). Hook may not quite have been the brilliant Peter Pan for the 90's Spielberg intended but it's still a solid family entertainment and is only deemed less successful by being less successful than his other films. It is, however, more financially successful than Schindler's List. Well, quite. Whatever one can say about the film, John Williams' music is a triumph; even by his standards, it's oozing with themes - about as many major melodies as the entire original Star Wars trilogy put together and that's pretty tuneful by all accounts. The original album is generously proportioned, but there is plenty which is more than worthy of appearing on disc, not least of all the marvellous end credits suite - remember them? They were good weren't they? End credits suites. Of all of Williams' otherwise released scores, this is the one that would surely benefit most from a complete release with some of the myriad alternate cues that are knocking around.

Sugarland Express - John Williams

It's John Williams, it's Steven Spielberg, of course it's going to be amaz... oh, wait, we've done that. Then again, when this one came out, nobody knew just quite how amazing. The theme from Sugarland Express has appeared on the odd compilation, but as the score that started the whole collaboration, it really out ought to be heard. Plus it has that nice Reivers vibe about it, which brings us onto...

The Reivers - John Williams

The original album is lovely and all, but it is missing the MOST EXCITING CUE. The horse race cue features on a charming 16 minute suite from one of Williams' more obscure self-conducted compilations (Music for Stage and Screen), but said suite also contains narration. I'm not totally against narration in itself and it's beautifully read by Burgess Meredith (who narrated the film) but it would be nice to hear it au nature. In fairness, I've not seen the film, but wouldn't be surprised if the horse race cue was expanded to more epic proportions for the suite, but it would still be nice to have the original cues out there.


Jaws 2 - John Williams
Is there much more score in Jaws 2 than the existing CD? Probably not a vast amount, but the follow up score to the classic original is pretty much every bit as good. I'm quite a fan of the film, it only really suffers in comparison and is plenty entertaining in its own right. You can bitch about the teenage cast all you like, but some of them do get eaten. So that's ok. The shark doesn't half look bad this time round either and the attacks are often every bit as scary and well crafted as in the original. Williams' music is a substantially different take on the material, with only the original shark theme remaining. The horror and action are deftly handled and somewhat more intense, but likewise the adventurous portions are brilliantly catchy with some especially fine music as the cast head out to see in sailing dinghies.

The Original Star Wars Trilogy - John Williams

Only joking. Although it would be nice if Empire and Jedi sounded a bit better. Compared to other scores from the same period, they are pretty hissy, muddy or simply a bit blah sounding at times. The best sounding, ironically, turns out to be the original. Blistering.


More idle proposals to come...