I didn't get this, as I already have the original.
When I listened to the samples a few weeks ago, they sounded very "beepy" towards the end tracks.
But after people's positive comments here, I thought I'd just give this another listen.
But god-dammit... the links for the samples on the BSX page no longer work!
Try the samples on iTunes or Amazon.
Agreed it is not the original soundtrack...but this is a fine version, really. Now no one will be fooled into thinking it is 100% acoustic instruments...but it is pretty damn close. None of that shiny synth sound marring the orchestral sections.
Listened to it a couple of times, they really did a good job of making it sound as close to the original as possible and Howarth's material proves to be equally nerve wrecking as Morricone's. There's a comment by Morricone in the booklet where he describes the music as following: "Nothing Happens. It seems to suggest that something is going to happen; however, nothing happens." And this music feels at times like an ordeal with no end in sight, which on itself is a great approach to scoring this particular movie. Howarth captured that aspect of the Morricone music brilliantly and this edition by BSX sounds like a true 'unity' of both approaches, more so than the actual film version I'd dare say.
Surprisingly good. I was a bit skeptic in regard to the all-digital nature of the re-recording but except for a few tiny bits here and there it's as close to an orchestral version as I can imagine samples to be. The new track order works well with the Carpenter/Howarth cues integrated. And compared to the cristal clear sound of this newly recorded Thing, the Varese disc sounds pretty muffled. I'm very happy with this new beast
Surprisingly good. I was a bit skeptic in regard to the all-digital nature of the re-recording but except for a few tiny bits here and there it's as close to an orchestral version as I can imagine samples to be. The new track order works well with the Carpenter/Howarth cues integrated. And compared to the cristal clear sound of this newly recorded Thing, the Varese disc sounds pretty muffled. I'm very happy with this new beast
Surprisingly good. I was a bit skeptic in regard to the all-digital nature of the re-recording but except for a few tiny bits here and there it's as close to an orchestral version as I can imagine samples to be. The new track order works well with the Carpenter/Howarth cues integrated. And compared to the cristal clear sound of this newly recorded Thing, the Varese disc sounds pretty muffled. I'm very happy with this new beast
Mark if you don't mind me asking....Was the film version end credits an original composition or was it edited? It seems to be slightly different in the film, and it wasn't on the disc. However I do love the CD. Thanks so much.
The version of the end credits on this album is different from the movie. I believe Alan was going for something that would be in line with other end credits music pieces heard in Carpenter films.
I thought the percussion was a nice touch and it reminded me of PRINCE OF DARKNESS, THEY LIVE, BIG TROUBLE right away.
I've owned a copy of the Varese CD for over ten years, and it's a great CD. I'm very happy with it. So I don't think I'll be buying this release. But I will say one thing - the sequencing of this new release is a little odd. For instance, the cue Despair, which was used in the film when MacReady and co investigate the crashed alien craft, is placed on this CD before the cue Burn It and before any of the cues containing music from the scene in which MacReady and Copper search the wrecked Norwegian camp. So the music on this release is not in film order.
I've owned a copy of the Varese CD for over ten years, and it's a great CD. I'm very happy with it. So I don't think I'll be buying this release. But I will say one thing - the sequencing of this new release is a little odd. For instance, the cue Despair, which was used in the film when MacReady and co investigate the crashed alien craft, is placed on this CD before the cue Burn It and before any of the cues containing music from the scene in which MacReady and Copper search the wrecked Norwegian camp. So the music on this release is not in film order.
In this case there really isn't much of a FILM ORDER per say..
Morricone didn't score to picture and more or less gave them a music library based onthe script and viewing a rough cut.
We tried to make it closer to the film, while still making it a listenable album.
I was aware that Morricone didn't score to picture, Ford. I just thought it was a little odd that cues containing music eventually used in the film were not placed on the new release in film order. The cue Despair should really come after Humanity I, Solitude, Wait and Burn It.
it will be great a 30th anniversary score in 2012 with all orchestral cues from ennio morricone fully remastered and all cues in original movie version (not re- recording, re- creates)from the work of john carpenter in collaboration with alan howarth...
Listening to this re-recording right now. My opinion is that it's incredibly well done and also disquieting due to the coherence among all the tracks regardless of their original author.
All this stuff sounds like Morricone was really "assimilated" by the Howarth-Carpenter-Thing.
We need someone like MacReady to tell who is one and who is the other!