Indeed I would give this my vote although I am also inclined to vote for Dragon Seed just because it sounds so amazing for such an old score. Both are fantastic though
Aside from that gorgeous central theme, I find most of this score to be ordinary. I really can't understand why other composers and listeners thought Friedhofer was so good? I think most of Friedhofer's output was mediorce at best.
You leave me totally aghast, agog and agape.
Ironically,I am not crazy about the main theme, especially when arranged for strings. It comes off overly sentimental and the lead.violin plays as if this is a Hollywood scoring session from the 30s! (The love theme comes off much better in the more subdued arrangements e.g. brass statements).
But....
The underscore is brilliant. A modernist masterwork that Goldsmith, North or Fielding would be proud to have composed. Brooding, suspenseful, exciting. Modern! The full score is.much more representative of the mood the score convrys in the film itself.
The master for the main title must have deteriorated, because the one on the soundtrack for disc 2 is the one from the album.
Correct.
The Encore Edition (which is still available) now does have the original main titles, which was found since the original release. Great film, great score & a great looking Blu-ray.
The master for the main title must have deteriorated, because the one on the soundtrack for disc 2 is the one from the album.
Correct.
The Encore Edition (which is still available) now does have the original main titles, which was found since the original release. Great film, great score & a great looking Blu-ray.
Yes, the Encore release is the one to go for. As I said in the thread for that release, pointing out differences to the first release:
"Being something of an obsessive with both film and score I had to have this encore version in order to hear the alternate Main Title and I have to disagree with Bruce Kimmel's comment above when he says it’s not much different to the version as in the film. I’ve heard plenty of alternative cues where I’ve had a hard time spotting any change at all – but I'm pleased to say that's not so in this case.
Although the thematic material is the same, the arrangements and orchestration are very different, giving a more subdued, romantic sounding Main Title. Assuming this was Friedhofer’s first version, it’s not surprising that he decided (or more probably asked, in view of all the changes made to film and score) to make it sound harsher to suit the revenge theme. The cue also extends from the title sequence into the opening scene of the bank hold-up, where Brando is nonchalantly sitting on the counter eating a banana, and ends on an ominous downward chord. That music is in the film but isn’t included on disc 2 as part of the OST. So it's good to have that music - albeit brief - as well. The complete cue is therefore 25 seconds longer than the Main Title as heard on track 1 of both disc 1 and disc 2."
