Apart from the main theme from SUGARLAND always making me break out into singing the 'partridge in a pear tree' song, have you noticed how close it resembles his FITZWILLY march/theme?
Apart from the main theme from SUGARLAND always making me break out into singing the 'partridge in a pear tree' song, have you noticed how close it resembles his FITZWILLY march/theme?
If I remember correctly, the car chase music toward the end of the picture is actually quite exceptional. Stylistically ahead of its time, yet works brilliantly in context.
Yes Heath. Incredibly dramatic and powerful, especially in relation and comparison to what has come before it. Just this slow, portentous build-up of notes, rising to quite a crescendo!! I'm sure Howard Shore took note
Apart from the main theme from SUGARLAND always making me break out into singing the 'partridge in a pear tree' song, have you noticed how close it resembles his FITZWILLY march/theme?
I looked up this thread so I could ask if anyone else made that connection! It drove me nuts. Anyway I really don't see the need for a release. There's hardly any music in the film that I recall. A few suspense cues, some hillbilly stuff. Kinda all over the map musically speaking.
I've just listened to a 24 track "unmentionable" of this score and it's surprising good IMHO. A great shame that it's never been released commercially.
Considering the apparently rather sorry archival state of the other Williams scores of the time, it might be too much of a herculean task trying to get a release of Sugarland Express' soundtrack out that sounds somewhat listenable.
Considering the apparently rather sorry archival state of the other Williams scores of the time, it might be too much of a herculean task trying to get a release of Sugarland Express' soundtrack out that sounds somewhat listenable.
Early next month JW and Spielberg are celebrating 50 years - wouldn't be surprised if this came out net month in LLL's batch - hell - Reivers too - that'd be the ultimate celebration of their relationship.
A friend of mine back in the day had a recording on a CD-R that was about 45 minutes with the whole score and what seemed to be Instrumental Grand Ol' Opry sounding Country music Source Cues as well. I remember some of the cues had a lot of Militaristic Drums and Chimes probably representing the Police presence in the film. Always thought it sounded like Goldsmith's SEVEN DAYS IN MAY Main Title music. Drums and Chimes. Then I remember a lot of versions of the Harmonica Theme and then so much Country music maybe not by Johnny himself but adapted perhaps. I thought the last time I heard it that it was probably the least enjoyable score Williams had scored for a Spielberg movie and I wasn't that broken up that there wasn't a legitimate soundtrack release. Parts of it also reminded me of Williams THE MISSOURI BREAKS and maybe a little of THE RIVER, but not as good as those two.
Even that Toots Main Theme got a little tiring and almost irritating after a while. A whaling Harmonica. It certainly was no THE REIVERS which had inspired Spielberg to seek out the Maestro.
To be honest I've never even seen the movie of THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS. Is it on Blu-ray/DVD? Was it a good movie?
It's a terrific film, a very life-sized story you barely see anymore.
As for the score, the main theme is very simplistic, and does sound an awful lot like "On the first day of Christmas…" (It also doesn't sound very much like the concert version Williams has recorded.) There's plenty of twangy country-western scoring, effective and energetic, and some percussive cues, but it's mostly pretty basic stuff. While I would say "Bring it on!" it doesn't shock me that Williams is not interested.
Back in the late 90s, Universal had this score stored on DAT, in mono.
Now that I think if it, I even remember a few cues on it that sounded like the funky "Miles on Wheels" from his EARTHQUAKE score and a few of those funky rock pieces from EARTHQUAKE and THE TOWERING INFERNO. All 3 were from right around that time in The Willams Score history.
I'd venture to say SUGARLAND'S closest cousin in the Williams Song Book would be THE MISSOURI BREAKS, without MISSOURI'S nice Love Theme. Loved so much of 70's John Williams! "The Chase" in the suite below starting at 7:52 sounds like it could have come from SUGARLAND.
