It's Mancini! It's Disney! It's "Condorman" and It's Flying to You from Intrada! Plus: "Battlestar" and More!

The Intrada label is going up, up and away with their latest slate of releases – but Superman doesn’t have much to fear. No, the Intrada/Disney partnership is taking off instead with another heroic release: Henry Mancini’s original soundtrack of the zany family comedy Condorman!

Last August, when prepping a Wish List of possible releases from the Disney vaults, I wrote of Condorman that “this loopy superhero comedy can count among its assets a high-flying, fun score by Henry Mancini. The composer brought his typical ingenuity to the tale of a comic book artist (Michael Crawford) who dons the guise of his own creation to defeat some villainous Soviets! Directed by Charles Jarrott (Lost Horizon) and starring Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed, Condorman has gained a cult following of late. [Despite a critical drubbing and weak box office take, the film lived on via numerous airings in the early days of the Disney Channel, and subsequently on a VHS and a now-costly DVD release. Pixar's animators even paid homage to Condorman with an appearance of a Condorman toy in the short Small Fry.] Mancini’s score is highlighted by a tongue-in-cheek choral theme (‘Con-dor-man!’) for the hero, in addition to melodic love themes, taut suspense cues and strong action sequences. None of Mancini’s score has ever been commercially released, but the time is definitely right for Condorman to take flight again!”

And so, at long last, Condorman is available now at Intrada, filling a major gap in the Mancini library. (Due to licensing issues at the time, the beloved composer/conductor didn’t even re-record the film’s themes for one of his own studio albums.) For its debut presentation as part of the Intrada Special Collection, Condorman has been derived from the mint-condition multi-tracks scored in the Disney vaults, and the hour-long, stereo release also includes bonus material such as alternates and outtakes. Though this marquee release from the House of Mouse is hard to top, it’s not Intrada’s only new release. Hit the jump for the scoop on releases from Stu Phillips and Christopher Young, plus track listings and pre-order links for all titles! And watch the skies!

Intrada has also just announced the fourth and final volume of Stu Phillips’ television scores from the original 1978-1979 sci-fi opus Battlestar Galactica! This 2-CD set presents scores for two of the series’ most beloved two-part episodes, "The Living Legend" and "War of the Gods.” Expect stirring military anthems, rousing battle themes and mysterious angelic cues as Phillips deftly illustrates the cosmic battle between good and evil. The label informs us that, as with all Universal Television episodes of the era, the masters for Battlestar were stored in variety of mono, split mono and stereo (main themes, end titles) formats. The Second Disc’s pal Mike Matessino has combined all formats into the best possible listening experience. The package is rounded out by new notes from John Takis, and the Intrada Special Collection release has been designed by Joe Sikoryak.

Lastly, Intrada heads back to 1998 for the world premiere soundtrack release of Christopher Young’s score from Jonathan Darby’s thriller Hush. The TriStar Picture starred Jessica Lange opposite the young Gwyneth Paltrow and veteran actor Hal Holbrook. Although the film itself was roundly panned by critics upon its initial release, Intrada is making a case for its score in which Young “creates [a] fascinating soundscape for orchestra and chorus by anchoring with very accessible themes, both in major, minor. Gentle lullaby opening sets tone, warm ideas follow. Then, when music reaches certain point, Young introduces scares, action, excitement. Unusual for soundtrack albums, composer has presented his music in carefully assembled fashion, building lengthy cues with incredible cohesion [and] musical architecture.” Mastered from the digital session elements courtesy of Sony Pictures and produced by the composer, this Special Collection release offers one bonus track, a 15-minute suite of the film’s themes arranged for concert performance.

Condorman, Battlestar Galactica Volume Four and Hush are all available now from Intrada and can be ordered below!

Henry Mancini, Condorman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada Special Collection Volume 219, rec. 1981, rel. 2012)

Condorman Main Title
Eiffel Tower Flight
First Fight
It Was Nothing
Meet Laser Lady
The Gypsy
Free Single Woman
Attack of the Prognoviach
Morovich Again
The Barn
Natalia’s Theme
Morovich Presses
Welcome to the Matterhorn
Joy Ride
I’ll Bring the Dip (Natalia’s Rescue)
Bye-Bye Rolls
The Speedboat Chase
More Speedboat Chase
End Title
Theme from Condorman
Mummy Tummy
Mummy Tummy (Alternate)
Belly Dance
Walk on Ice
Accordion Dance
Russian Party Dance
Son of Russian Party Dance
Condorman Logo (Outtake)

Tracks 21-28 are bonus tracks.

Stu Phillips, Battlestar Galactica: Volume Four (Intrada Special Collection Volume 222, rec. 1978-1979, rel. 2012)

CD 1:

Main Title
Episode Titles
Cease Fire
Not Dead Alert Commander Cain
Commander Cain/Holograph/How to Fight
Visual Echo/Fabric of Miracles
Cassie and Cain
No Friendship/Get to It
Good Luck, Son
Launch/Squadron Rendezvous
Tanker Mission
What Happened?/Cain Relieved
Lucifer Reports
Baltar’s Ugly Smile/Shuffle to Pegasus
Under Attack
Another Battlestar
Adama Worried/No Choice/Side Bet
Air Drop
Charges Set
Change of Order/How to Win a Battle/About That Lady
Sheba Shot
Sheba Wounded/Blessings
A Special Man
Sick Room/Family
Cease Fire
Not Dead
Commander Cain/Holograph/How to Fight
Visual Echo/Fabric of Miracles
Cassie and Cain
No Friendship
Good Luck, Son
Tanker Mission (Part 3)
What Happened?/Cain Relieved (Alternate)
Shuffle to Pegasus
Under Attack (Part I)
How to Win a Battle

CD 2:

Main Title (Stereo)
Episode Titles (Stereo)
Mysterious Lights
Plans
Very Soon
Strange Planet
Iblis–The Stranger/A Little Suspicious
Looking For Iblis/Iblis–The Spell/Transmission OK
Find Adama/Pardon Me/They Are Everywhere/Where Are You From?
Another Narrative
Garden Of Sin/Inside You/Launch Again
Intercept Launch
Death Is The Beginning
Mind Over Mind/Under Protection
Marching Feet/Plodding Freight Ship/See For Yourself
Fruit A-Plenty/The Count's Proposal
Our Enemy Has Been Delivered
The Sentence/A Familiar Voice
Baltar Sits
Son
To Win/Apollo Loses Control
Heaven Gets Closer/Out Of Reach
Diabolical/Adama And The Bird
Learning
What’s Up, Count?/A Price To Pay
You Won’t Find Him/Gruesome Sight
Devil, You Say
On The Way Home
Gotta Get To Heaven
It Was Beautiful
End Titles (Stereo)
Rising Star Celebration
Light Ships
Light Ship Effects And Fly-Bys
Ship Of Lights Approaches
A New Narrative
Blue Squadron Returns
Cylon Base Ship Rises Again
Our Enemy Has Been Re-Delivered
End Titles (Galactica: 1980)

CD 1, Tracks 1-16 from The Living Legend, Part One
CD 1, Tracks 17-24 from The Living Legend, Part Two
CD 1, Tracks 25-36 are extra recordings from Mission Galactica – The Cylon Attack
CD 1, Tracks 37-40 are additional bonus tracks
CD 2, Tracks 1-17 from War of the Gods, Part One
CD 2, Tracks 18-30 from War of the Gods, Part Two
CD 2, Tracks 31-35 are source music and sound effects
CD 2, Tracks 36-40 are recordings from Galactica 1980

Christopher Young, Hush: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada Special Collection Volume 221, rec. 1998, rel. 2012)