Missed out on the Varese Club release. Whats everyone's take on it? I haven't seen the movie since it went to VHS and consider myself blessed in that respect - but I'm curious about snapping up Williams music from around this era after listening to Hook all week.
Missed out on the Varese Club release. Whats everyone's take on it? I haven't seen the movie since it went to VHS and consider myself blessed in that respect - but I'm curious about snapping up Williams music from around this era after listening to Hook all week.
i think it's a fine release - it does have some problems were the music tries to hard to deliver but fail becaurse the music just circles around the same themes (e.g. setting the trap) but you don't wanna miss this release when it's christmas (christmas in carnegie hall is a stunning track)
It's a MAGNIFICENT score. Has a similar warm and fuzzy feeling to Hook. If you give it a chance, you won't regret it. Just make sure you like X-mas music as it is replete with it. That's the charm, though!
I picked up a copy recently for a ridiculously good price, given it's OOP status. It's a wonderful score, and you won't regret making the effort to acquire it.
This score is incredibly underrated. Superman's comments above are spot on. I only listen to this score around Christmas time, because it is so entrenched in that Christmassy feeling. The new songs, Christmas Star and Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas are as good, if not better than the concert pieces written for the first film. There is some delightful chase music as well as the cartoony comedy music for which the series was famous.
There are new spins on old favorites from the first film, like Holiday Flight and Setting the Traps. But Williams puts some wonderful new spins on them to make them fresh and interesting.
I think it outdoes the original Home Alone score in every way. If you can find it, here's one hearty recommendation.
Would you say that getting the Varese Club set is worth the money? I could get the original release and save myself about $60. (I'm aware of the subtle "sped up" problem that exists on the original release.)
Yeah, I get that its not "Predator" or "Die Hard" in and as far as demand goes, but I feel like I missed out after a friend at work talked the VCD release up and down and out the windows.
Would you say that getting the Varese Club set is worth the money? I could get the original release and save myself about $60. (I'm aware of the subtle "sped up" problem that exists on the original release.)
it's not speed that is the problem - actually the missing of it - the music runs a bit slower on the OST release - not much but enough to notice if you have listened to the varese version of the main title
I don't think the 'speed problem' on the original release will annoy you as long as you don't compare it to the film version. Also the extra 35 minutes on the Varese release are not important enough to spend $$$ for three limited edition releases on it IMO. I'd go for the Fox CD if I were in your place.
I think of Home Alone 2 as the closest thing Williams has done to rescoring the same film twice. As a result there's a fair amount of repeat material - the worst being the "running down the stairs" music from Home Alone getting used about 5 times in Home Alone 2. But I like the parts that are reorchestrated like the main titles and setting the trap sequence. Add on to that the 2 new songs and a lot of good, new underscore and its a very good soundtrack to me but it just depends on the person.
The expanded, like so many have said on here, is just great, all the music, correct speeds etc. sounds wonderful. I must say though the original score that came out is a GREAT representation of the score. Has all the best parts on 1 CD. I have both of course.
