THE INTRUDER WITHIN / STARCROSSED - ORIGINAL SCORES BY Gil Mellé
Dragon’s Domain Records presents THE INTRUDER WITHIN/STARCROSSED, featuring the world premiere releases of two scores composed by Gil Mellé from his lengthy filmography.
At last, a brand new Gil Mellé release! Dragon’s Domain Records presents THE INTRUDER WITHIN/STARCROSSED, featuring the world premiere releases of two scores composed by Gil Mellé from his lengthy filmography.
Originally airing as a television movie in 1981, THE INTRUDER WITHIN was written by Ed Waters, directed by Peter Carter, starring Chad Everett, Joseph Bottoms, Jennifer Warren, Rockne Tarkington, Lynda Mason Green, Paul Larsson, James Hayden, Michael Hogan, Mary Ann McDonald, Matt Craven, Ed LaPlante, Mickey Gilbert and Joe Finnegan as The Intruder. THE INTRUDER WITHIN is essentially ALIEN on an oil rig. Drillers on an oil rig off the coast of Antarctica discover that they have accidentally brought up several prehistoric eggs. One of those eggs hatches and grows into an unstoppable creature... The crew must overcome their differences and work together to destroy the intruder... within.
STARCROSSED originally aired in 1985 as a television movie, written and directed by Jeffrey Bloom, starring Belinda Bauer, James Spader, Peter Kowanko, Clark Johnson, Jacqueline Brooks and Chuck Shamata. STARCROSSED tells the story of Mary the Alien (Bauer), who is running from a deadly enemy and trying to hide on Earth. She meets young mechanic Joey (Spader), who helps her get back home so she can fight for the freedom of her people. The film is a more effective sci-fi telefilm than we’re perhaps used to from 1980s TV, though it sustains a bittersweet finale as these star-crossed lovers share their time briefly between worlds far, far apart.
For nearly five decades, composer Gil Mellé innovated in mixing electronic and orchestral music when he wasn’t playing the nuances of modern jazz or enjoying his collection of unique microscopes at home. Mellé had made a mark in the world of jazz as an outstanding baritone saxophonist and composer who was also noted as a painter. In film and television, his music has been extraordinarily notable, if not well preserved, on records and CDs. His TV-movie music in the early ’70s included a trio of high-profile films for television: MY SWEET CHARLIE, THAT CERTAIN SUMMER, and FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY. His most well-known film score was THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, but as an innovator in the use of electronic music in movies of the 1970s and ’80s, Mellé contributed to a many science fiction, fantasy, and horror television and feature film scores, including NIGHT GALLERY (theme and episodes), THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN (original TV-movie), A COLD NIGHT’S DEATH, THE QUESTOR TAPES, KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER, STARSHIP INVASIONS, WORLD WAR III, and many others. Mellé’s efforts preceded almost everyone else’s experiments in electronic film music and resulted in the first true electronic film score.
Dragon’s Domain Records presents THE INTRUDER WITHIN/STARCROSSED, featuring the world premiere releases of music composed by Gil Mellé for these two projects. The music has been mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland and the liner notes have been written by noted author Randall Larson.
THE INTRUDER WITHIN/STARCROSSED is a limited edition release of 500 units. THE INTRUDER WITHIN/STARCROSSED is expected to begin shipping the week of October 28, 2024
THE INTRUDER WITHIN 1. Theme / Opening Titles (1:21) 2. Past 20,000 Feet (1:44) 3. Sea Creature Attack (1:38) 4. He’s Dead (2:53) 5. Burial At Sea (1:56) 6. The Eggs (1:18) 7. Sam’s Death (2:01) 8. Robyn Assaulted (4:02) 9. Bad Dreams (2:22) 10. Wilma’s Death (2:33) 11. Deck Fight And Harry’s Death (3:15) 12. Twisted Birth (1:09) 13. Creature Confrontation And Aftermath (5:46) 14. Closing Credits (1:03)
STARCROSSED 15. Starcrossed Theme (2:37) 16. Hunters At The Door (2:10) 17. Mary Explains / Bouncing Balls (3:13) 18. Joey And Mary (3:58) 19. The Observatory / Mary’s Home (4:06) 20. Testing Mary (2:26) 21. The Kiss / Junkyard Escape (5:22) 22. THE MIBs Show Up / Tender Interlude / MIBs Kidnap (4:36) 23. Mary Calls For Help / Joey To The Rescue (5:08) 24. Escaping The MIBs (3:33) 25. Transfer Of Knowledge / End Of The Hunters / Mary’s Farewell (4:53) 26. Finale (2:01)
Gil Mellé is my favourite composer ever! I've loved his music for five decades. He was a true genius. What an amazing man, what an amazing mind.
Having said that, I started to connect less and less with his music as the 1980s wore on. TV Movie after TV Movie supported by very uninspired scores. But at the start of that sometimes horrific decade he was still doing good stuff. BORDERLINE on CD was a revelation, much better than I had expected, because more than half of the music on the CD was really a completely alternate score which didn't appear in the film. It's great, but it sounded a bit different from what had come before from Mellé.
I watched THE INTRUDER WITHIN probably about thirty years ago. It was cheap and cheerful. I enjoyed it. I liked the score too. Got the boot, and now that's been turned into a drinks coaster thanks to Dragon's Domain. It's a good listen. There are plenty of signs of the "previous" Gil Mellé incarnation - the growling brass, the skittering violins, the deep, ominous chords, the intriguing piano work. It's probably a bit more routine sounding than the earlier decade's scores... but I like it very much.
STARCROSSED! Now, there's a film I enjoyed way back. I found it quite enchanting. I didn't really like the score though, apart from the romantic cues. And here it is on CD. It's horrendous! I've listened to it twice and intend to listen to it hundreds more times because it's fascinating. How could this come from the same man who gave us THE SENTINEL? I still quite like the romantic theme, even if it sounds like '80s porno music. And those drum machines! I'm glad I have a set of headphones, because I'd be embarrassed being caught listening to this. It's truly hideous.
And yet I must be missing something. Gil Mellé was a genius. How could he write this atrocity? And therefore I am seeking your help. I'd like to hear from the small group of Mellé enthusiasts here. What do you think of this score? I am also seeking the help of those of you who love '80s synth scores. How does this one fit in with the rest? What is it I'm missing? Thanks in advance!
My gratitude goes to Dragon's Domain for releasing this. I feel like playing the whole CD again. And again. So much to love in THE INTRUDER WITHIN, and so much to come to grips with in STARCROSSED.
Ford and crew - Can we expect more Gil Mellé from you in the future? I'll be buying it, whatever it is.
Gil Mellé is my favourite composer ever! I've loved his music for five decades. He was a true genius. What an amazing man, what an amazing mind.
Having said that, I started to connect less and less with his music as the 1980s wore on. TV Movie after TV Movie supported by very uninspired scores. But at the start of that sometimes horrific decade he was still doing good stuff. BORDERLINE on CD was a revelation, much better than I had expected, because more than half of the music on the CD was really a completely alternate score which didn't appear in the film. It's great, but it sounded a bit different from what had come before from Mellé.
I watched THE INTRUDER WITHIN probably about thirty years ago. It was cheap and cheerful. I enjoyed it. I liked the score too. Got the boot, and now that's been turned into a drinks coaster thanks to Dragon's Domain. It's a good listen. There are plenty of signs of the "previous" Gil Mellé incarnation - the growling brass, the skittering violins, the deep, ominous chords, the intriguing piano work. It's probably a bit more routine sounding than the earlier decade's scores... but I like it very much.
STARCROSSED! Now, there's a film I enjoyed way back. I found it quite enchanting. I didn't really like the score though, apart from the romantic cues. And here it is on CD. It's horrendous! I've listened to it twice and intend to listen to it hundreds more times becuase it's fascinating. How could this come from the same man who gave us THE SENTINEL? I still quite like the romantic theme, even if it sounds like '80s porno music. And those drum machines! I'm glad I have a set of headphones, because I'd be embarrassed being caught listening to this. It's truly hideous.
And yet I must be missing something. Gil Mellé was a genius. How could he write this atrocity? And therefore I am seeking your help. I'd like to hear from the small group of Mellé enthusiasts here. What do you think of this score? I am also seeking the help of those of you who love '80s synth scores. How does this one fit in with the rest? What is it I'm missing? Thanks in advance!
My gratitude goes to Dragon's Domain for releasing this. I feel like playing the whole CD again. And again. So much to love in THE INTRUDER WITHIN, and so much to come to grips with in STARCROSSED.
Ford and crew - Can we expect more Gil Mellé from you in the future? I'll be buying it, whatever it is.
That's the Mellé I remembered for: part jazz, part avant garde/electronic.
Enjoy the trip! And it is a trip!
The President's Plane Is Missing 1973 music by Gil Mellé
My favorite album of his remains the innovative Verve album from 1968, Tome VI, which combined a standard jazz quartet (piano, bass, drum, and Melle on soprano sax) combined with Melle's homemade electronic instruments. Only released on CD in Japan. One of these days . . .
1981 is a good year for Mellé: • The Intruder Within • The Last Chase ______________________________________________________________________________________________
The start of his decline, in my view. THE INTRUDER WITHIN is very good (see my comments above), THE LAST CHASE is pretty good... but the cutting edge had been lost. I'd class THE INTRUDER WITHIN along with the same year's BLOOD BEACH - it's very good, it's almost great... but it's about 50% routine (granted, the other 50% is superb). This is simply the way I perceive things.
I'm still totally alienated by STARCROSSED. Looking forward to reading Mr Hand's comments on this one.
