Happily the amazing customer service of LLL has saved the and they are sending me a replacement for the one the PO decided to gift some lucky person in my area. The joy of anticipation is extended.
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - music by Paul Sawtell, Jerry GOLDSMITH, Lennie Hayton, Leith Stevens, Alexander Courage and Nelson Riddle
I received mine this morning and i've been listening attentively. Sounds fabulous and the set is beautifully designed along with a great booklet that is well written, informative and complemented with great pics (including the eye-poppingly striking Barbara Bouchet - twice! as well as the stunning Ina Balin, whose beauty left me struck dumb, 45 years ago, and just as much today). There weren't many chicks on VTTBOTS, but Irwin sure knew how to cast them.
The fine people at LaLaLand outdid themselves again. Kudos to the entire team, in particular Jeff Bond, whose affection and grasp of the subject material shines through in every note and every paragraph, but also to the great Neil S. Bulk who was, not to put too fine a point on it, masterful.
Of course, there is way more than enough material to justify a volume 2, but then if you know me at all you already know that . Here's to volume 1 selling out, and soon.
In the second season opening episode - Jonah and the Whale - a percussive effect was heard over the Main and End titles. For the longest time, I was convinced that the effect was an overlay that had been left off the GNP/Crescendo CD, an opinion that Mr. Charles Thaxton also adhered to, IIRC. Now that the fabulous set is no longer wishful thinking, do we know the explanation or will the mystery remain (at the bottom of the sea)?
Also, the episode "Deadly Waters" features a cue from The Cyborg (at 47:25)*. Was the cue available and in good enough shape to use, or was it an editorial decision not to include it in the set?
Deadly Waters:
In any case or scenario, Fabulous work on your part and the LaLa team. Kudos!!!
* I used this episode to showcase the cue because it is more distinguishable than in The Cyborg.
The percussion effect on the "Jonah" title music is some kind of overlay although it's never referred to in the recording logs we have for the series (it sounds like a solovox effect). It was not present in any of the recording materials we obtained from the series, and since there's a loud narration over the show's main titles it would be very difficult to reconstruct (interestingly the effect only occurs in the opening second or so of the END title so it's really not a factor there). Might be something to revisit in a potential second set but the actual overlay element sure seems to be lost forever. As for "The Cyborg," we included all the releasable music from that score--there were definitely a few cues too damaged to include, and I know there's a LONG cue employing electric violin to do with Basehart's cyborg double's hand malfunctioning near the end of the episode that was very, very badly damaged and had to be edited down a lot for the release--sounds like that's what's playing in "Deadly Waters." Believe me, I share anyone's frustration about what's missing--but I'm actually amazed how much of the best music came out intact. There was one Leith Stevens episode finale--one of my favorites--that was perfect until the final seconds, and we were actually able to reconstruct that with one of the DVDs. My biggest frustration was another Stevens cue, a kind of slow, pulsing cue for the Flying Sub berthing with the Seaview that sounds a lot like one of his War of the Worlds cues, that was horribly damaged and unsalvageable. But on the whole I think we managed to get almost all of the musical highlights from the final three seasons on this set. Certainly I hope to revisit it.
Man, the work you guys put into these things is beyond belief. Other people might just have said "damaged forget it." I think the story of the restoration efforts would be worth a book or article on its own.
Speaking of books, I finally oered your book, Jeff. Really looking forward to getting into all of this all over again.
Believe me, I share anyone's frustration about what's missing--but I'm actually amazed how much of the best music came out intact. There was one Leith Stevens episode finale--one of my favorites--that was perfect until the final seconds, and we were actually able to reconstruct that with one of the DVDs. My biggest frustration was another Stevens cue, a kind of slow, pulsing cue for the Flying Sub berthing with the Seaview that sounds a lot like one of his War of the Worlds cues, that was horribly damaged and unsalvageable. But on the whole I think we managed to get almost all of the musical highlights from the final three seasons on this set. Certainly I hope to revisit it.
I'm only just finishing going through the 2+ hours of Stevens material, and it's been the highlight for me. I come to him by way of just the science fiction, not his social dramas or noirs, and I agree with Jeff that most of this sits right along side the feel of War of the Worlds, and I'd add When Worlds Collide (to a lesser degree Destination Moon, which is a weirdly [and wonderfully] heavy score for such a comedic picture). Stevens had a distinctive way of scoring the fearful anticipation of waiting, or the importance in some process oriented work. It's different than suspense. I think he makes moments that could seem mundane feel weighty or important.
I'm sorry we have to miss some, but the amount of Leith Stevens sci-fi music to which I have access just more than doubled. This is such an enjoyable set.
The percussion effect on the "Jonah" title music is some kind of overlay although it's never referred to in the recording logs we have for the series (it sounds like a solovox effect). It was not present in any of the recording materials we obtained from the series, and since there's a loud narration over the show's main titles it would be very difficult to reconstruct (interestingly the effect only occurs in the opening second or so of the END title so it's really not a factor there). Might be something to revisit in a potential second set but the actual overlay element sure seems to be lost forever. As for "The Cyborg," we included all the releasable music from that score--there were definitely a few cues too damaged to include, and I know there's a LONG cue employing electric violin to do with Basehart's cyborg double's hand malfunctioning near the end of the episode that was very, very badly damaged and had to be edited down a lot for the release--sounds like that's what's playing in "Deadly Waters." Believe me, I share anyone's frustration about what's missing--but I'm actually amazed how much of the best music came out intact. There was one Leith Stevens episode finale--one of my favorites--that was perfect until the final seconds, and we were actually able to reconstruct that with one of the DVDs. My biggest frustration was another Stevens cue, a kind of slow, pulsing cue for the Flying Sub berthing with the Seaview that sounds a lot like one of his War of the Worlds cues, that was horribly damaged and unsalvageable. But on the whole I think we managed to get almost all of the musical highlights from the final three seasons on this set. Certainly I hope to revisit it.
@ Mr. Bond: Thanks. Not complaining in the least, but rather trying to elucidate a question I had for decades. In any case, the Voyage set is a tremendous achievement, one the fans could not reasonably expect to see the light of day, and yet you pulled it off. You guys made me - and surely every Voyage fan - tremendously happy. I actually went through the whole set twice yesterday. Best spent 60 smackers ever! (I'd be willing to pay double for a volume 2).
I really appreciate the feedback we're getting on this set--I was tremendously excited to get it out but also dreading the reaction because of what was missing and the fact that everyone has a different opinion about these scores. I'm especially proud that we got this much Leith Stevens material out--I've really come to realize working on these sets what a tremendous contribution Stevens made to the sound of the Irwin Allen shows and how underrated he is as a composer. His sound and approach is extremely consistent--he reminds me of Rosenman and Rozsa just in the fact that a lot of the music does sound similar, but it also always sounds great, and he had a distinctive gift for drama and I think was one of the real innovators in terms of creating a sound for science fiction that I think doesn't get enough recognition. I was watching the new Criterion War of the Worlds blu ray last night and marveling at that soothing atmosphere he created for the priest walking out to meet the Martians early in the movie--Stevens in a way scored that guy's inner calm, and by doing that created something far scarier and more suspenseful than if he'd just written a bunch of grumbling horror music. His orchestrations and chords are just so sleek and modern-sounding, and inherently dramatic. I think all the composers on Voyage had their moments and I love what we got on the set from Goldsmith, Hayton, Courage, Sawtell and Mullendore, but for the most part when I think of Voyage, apart from Sawtell's theme and Goldsmith's "Home Free" playoff music that seemed to end every episode, I really think about Leith Stevens' sound...
Really enjoying the set! After the Goldsmith episode on Disc 1, think my favorite is disc 4.
I really dig Stevens 4th season version of the main title as well as “Blow up” and “Man Beast“.
Mullendore’s “The Return of Blackbeard” is almost like a tribute to The Sea Hawk at times.
Stevens horror movie sound for Man Beast is so unlike his other scores on the set.
I still can’t believe all the great ‘60’s TV music that’s been made available now. I have a whole playlist on my iPhone that just makes for hours of enjoyable listening when I hit shuffle.
Thanks Jeff, Neil and all the people at La La Land!
Really enjoying the set! After the Goldsmith episode on Disc 1, think my favorite is disc 4.
I really dig Stevens 4th season version of the main title as well as “Blow up” and “Man Beast“.
Mullendore’s “The Return of Blackbeard” is almost like a tribute to The Sea Hawk at times.
Stevens horror movie sound for Man Beast is so unlike his other scores on the set.
I still can’t believe all the great ‘60’s TV music that’s been made available now. I have a whole playlist on my iPhone that just makes for hours of enjoyable listening when I hit shuffle.
Thanks Jeff, Neil and all the people at La La Land!
Hear, hear. The Stevens scores are aces as is Blackbeard, a score I didn't remember being this fun.
We are truly blessed what with The Invaders, Wild, Wild, West, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, Jonny Quest ... etc. The team at LaLaLand along with Jeff Bond & Neil S. Bulk have taken the stuff dreams are made of and turned them into wondrous shiny musical discs. Kudos!!!
Really enjoying the set! After the Goldsmith episode on Disc 1, think my favorite is disc 4.
I really dig Stevens 4th season version of the main title as well as “Blow up” and “Man Beast“.
Mullendore’s “The Return of Blackbeard” is almost like a tribute to The Sea Hawk at times.
Stevens horror movie sound for Man Beast is so unlike his other scores on the set.
I still can’t believe all the great ‘60’s TV music that’s been made available now. I have a whole playlist on my iPhone that just makes for hours of enjoyable listening when I hit shuffle.
Thanks Jeff, Neil and all the people at La La Land!
Hear, hear. The Stevens scores are aces as is Blackbeard, a score I didn't remember being this fun.
We are truly blessed what with The Invaders, Wild, Wild, West, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, Jonny Quest ... etc. The team at LaLaLand along with Jeff Bond & Neil S. Bulk have taken the stuff dreams are made of and turned them into wondrous shiny musical discs. Kudos!!!
Thanks to LLL, we've got some of the best tv soundtrack of the Swinging Sixties era. I hope next, it's: Stoney Burke (because of The Outer Limits) The Time Tunnel (because of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) Mannix (because of Mission: Impossible) Gunsmoke (because of The Wild Wild West) Hawaii Five-O (because of The Wild Wild West)
@ Mr. Jeff Bond: Thanks again for the additional info with respect to "Jonah and the Whale". I rewatched (and listened) the episode very carefully and I noticed that the percussive effect was also used prominently in the cue "Diving Party" (X 15). As I was watching the episode, it suddenly dawned on me that the overlay may have been added after Mr. Goldsmith was done with recording the episode's score. After the fact tinkering is not that rare (although perhaps it was back then) of an occurence and it would go a long way in explaining the absence of any paperwork. Just an hypothesis on my part.
Oh, and it begs repeating: thanks again for your marvelous work on this fantastic set and other scores. You made this middle aged kid, and countless others, very happy.
Thanks for asking for my input on the scores to both "And Five of Us are Left" and "Man-Beast".
I'll start with Mr. Hayton's work. I made a disparaging comment about the score a while back and in retrospect, I was wrong and it was wrong to generalize. My previous remarks were directed to a specific cue, that for better or for worse, I found a bit too "treacly", a style I am not very fond of. Specifically, I was referring mostly to the faux Asian music for Mr. Nakamura, a style I've often found hackneyed and cliched (even when the Great Goldsmith did it). Apart from this minor caveat, the score has many marvellous highlights, chief among them a dynamic new fanfare for the Seaview ("The Seaview"), a nimble theme that practically became the signature for the Flying Sub ("The Flying Sub"), and finally, one of the most rousing and thrilling end of episode fanfares of Voyage's entire run (Homeward Bound"), second only to Jerry Goldsmith's "Seaview heading into the sunset theme". The score is a bit old-fashioned at times, but overall it is a stirring and exciting score by Mr. Hayton. Noodling? I think not!
Second, "Man-Beast" by Leith Stevens is - in my humble opinion - a very fine score that manages to steer clear of Mr. Stevens "regular" style, heading in at times in quasi Bartokian directions, all the while capturing with laser precision the pathos and sadness of the episode, thus elevating a late 4th season episode to the lofty heights of the best stories of seasons 1 & 2. Surprisingly, the music of Voyage remained far more adventurous (Harry Geller's wonderfully twisted music, for instance) than the "monster of the week" direction the show had embarked upon during season 3 and onwards.
I hope that LaLaLand remains just as adventurous in releasing a second volume of VTTBOTS, but even if the Voyage were to end here, the incredible scores that were released are some of the most exciting, clever and original television music of the sixties, or any decade for that matter. Just wonderful. Kudos to the valiant LaLaland team, spearheaded by Mr. Jeff Bond and Mr. Neil S. Bulk.
I almost wonder on "Man-Beast" if Stevens had to work with a smaller group in order to make up for the larger group he had on "Blow Up." The no-brass approach is positively shocking after the brass-heavy scores for the rest of the series. There was one lengthy cue too damaged to use which scores some back and forth cutting between the Seaview and Flying Sub, and hearing Stevens' propulsive music for the Flying Subs on just strings was truly strange--but it showed his adaptability and it gives the episode a truly disturbing character, unique even for a show that did THREE werewolf episodes.
Hayton is certainly a more old school composer but his nautical style fits in well with Stevens' and Courage's.
My previous remarks were directed to a specific cue, that for better or for worse, I found a bit too "treacly", a style I am not very fond of. Specifically, I was referring mostly to the faux Asian music for Mr. Nakamura, a style I've often found hackneyed and cliched (even when the Great Goldsmith did it).
Wow! For being the middle-aged kid as yourself claims, A&C, your perspective here aligns with post-20th century political correctness ideologies. Do you feel this way regarding any sort of 'ethnic'-sounding scales/intervals utilized in descriptive instrumental compositions (not only film & TV writing, but in classical music too)?
Do you feel the same about Goldsmith's 'Asian' soundtracks such as The Spiral Road or The Chairman? How do you assess Papillon as it relies upon a 'French'-dressed theme?
I myself collect Golden Age Hollywood scores, so I anticipate liking (whenever I purchase this CD set during the months ahead) Lennie Hayton's work here. I love Hugo Friedhofer's The Barbarian and the Geisha, as example, so a few Japanese seasonings here or there won't be off-putting .
Second, "Man-Beast" by Leith Stevens is - in my humble opinion - a very fine score that manages to steer clear of Mr. Stevens "regular" style, heading in at times in quasi Bartokian directions, all the while capturing with laser precision the pathos and sadness of the episode, thus elevating a late 4th season episode to the lofty heights of the best stories of seasons 1 & 2.
I shall look forward to this segment when I get this La-La Land release (with hope, by August).
The Bartokian strings might well be the cause of disparate responses to this one.
I hope that LaLaLand remains just as adventurous in releasing a second volume of VTTBOTS, but even if the Voyage were to end here, the incredible scores that were released are some of the most exciting, clever and original television music of the sixties, or any decade for that matter. Just wonderful. Kudos to the valiant LaLaland team, spearheaded by Mr. Jeff Bond and Mr. Neil S. Bulk.
So Jeff Bond's marching orders issue forth from ... Advise & Consent himself!
My previous remarks were directed to a specific cue, that for better or for worse, I found a bit too "treacly", a style I am not very fond of. Specifically, I was referring mostly to the faux Asian music for Mr. Nakamura, a style I've often found hackneyed and cliched (even when the Great Goldsmith did it).
Wow! For being the middle-aged kid as yourself claims, A&C, your perspective here aligns with post-20th century political correctness ideologies. Do you feel this way regarding any sort of 'ethnic'-sounding scales/intervals utilized in descriptive instrumental compositions (not only film & TV writing, but in classical music too)?
Do you feel the same about Goldsmith's 'Asian' soundtracks such as The Spiral Road or The Chairman? How do you assess Papillon as it relies upon a 'French'-dressed theme?
I myself collect Golden Age Hollywood scores, so I anticipate liking (whenever I purchase this CD set during the months ahead) Lennie Hayton's work here. I love Hugo Friedhofer's The Barbarian and the Geisha, as example, so a few Japanese seasonings here or there won't off-put me.
Heaven forbid! The alignement of my perspective is not motivated by politics, but rather by esthetic and psychological considerations. For lack of a better term, such uses just sound "off" to me, more often than not. Furthermore, it is not a hard rule as I rather enjoy Jerry Goldsmith's Inchon, but I'm not too keen on "The Spiral Road" and "The Chairman". A story unfolding in China needn't necessarily sound ersatz Chinese, the same way that a Godzilla score usually doesn't sound like traditional Japanese music. In the case of Mr. Nakamura, his turmoil did not require an Asian sounding theme, as we already knew he was Japanese and did not need to be reminded of an obvious fact. His emotions are human, and thus can be scored in any given way, but it is the emotions of the character that counted in his scenes, not his origins which were very well established earlier in the episode.
Would one necessarily score an American military film with Sousa, Glory purely with traditional hymns, an approach James Horner went out of his way to avoid? Why make the Adagio for the strings the centerpiece of the score in Platoon? I'm more interested in the psychological elements of film, and music that merely states the obvious won't delve as deep in the characters.
I hope that LaLaLand remains just as adventurous in releasing a second volume of VTTBOTS, but even if the Voyage were to end here, the incredible scores that were released are some of the most exciting, clever and original television music of the sixties, or any decade for that matter. Just wonderful. Kudos to the valiant LaLaland team, spearheaded by Mr. Jeff Bond and Mr. Neil S. Bulk.
So Jeff Bond's marching orders issue forth from ... Advise & Consent himself!
Haha! Not marching orders, but merely a wish AND a real appreciation for the extraordinary work put forth by the gentlemen.
The joy of anticipation is extended. 
