There's been a flurry of great catalogue activity from our friends at soundtrack label Varese Sarabande! A trio of limited editions, an exciting wide reissue of two soundtracks to a popular film series, and a quirky, cool box set tied to a popular novelist have all been announced by the label in the last few weeks.
Varese recently put the latest titles in their long running limited edition CD Club on sale, right around Halloween--so it's fitting that the first is a horror score from the late, great Jerry Goldsmith. He scored a latter-day remake of The Haunting in 1999, an adaptation of the 1963 British horror flick (itself an adaptation of the novel The Haunting Of Hill House) helmed by Speed and Twister director Jan De Bont and starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson. It was one of three scores Goldsmith did that year, all for big budget remakes or adaptations (the other two being The Mummy and The 13th Warrior, an adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel Eaters Of The Dead).
The other two titles are the quirky, forgotten Paul Hogan comedy Almost An Angel (1990), a release that features Maurice Jarre's complete score as well as the original soundtrack album presentation on one disc (including a rare tune by Vanessa Williams, "Some Wings"); and a reissue of Craig Safan's original soundtrack album to the biopic Stand and Deliver, starring Edward James Olmos in an Oscar-nominated turn as idealistic math teacher Jaime Escalante. These discs are both limited to 1,000 copies each, while Goldsmith's The Haunting is limted to 2,000. All titles are ready for pre-order, and expected to ship the week of November 20.
Things move south for an exciting non-limited title from the label due in stores December 1. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the quirky low-budget comedy Smokey and The Bandit, which starred Burt Reynolds as an affable trucker in a sleek Pontiac Trans Am and with runaway bride Carrie "Frog" (Sally Field), on the run from the dimwitted Texas Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) as they attempt to bring a shipment of Coor's beer from Texas to Atlanta (where, at the time, it really was illegal to sell east of the Mississippi River!). Featuring wild car stunts, a mostly improvised script and a catchy song score by the film's co-star Jerry Reed (whose signature song "East Bound and Down" debuted in the picture), Smokey ended up behind Star Wars as the year's highest-grossing film. Varese here pairs the Smokey soundtrack with that of its sequel, 1980's Smokey and The Bandit II (in which Reynolds, Field, Reed and Gleason--playing Justice and his two brothers--all reappeared); that album featured tracks by country icons like Reed, Tanya Tucker, Don Williams, Brenda Lee, Roy Rogers and The Statler Brothers. Both albums appear here for the first time on compact disc!
Culturally, it's been a big year for Stephen King. The beloved writer has seen two of his most major works adapted for the big screen--an ill-received version of The Dark Tower with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, and a blockbuster big screen first installment in a two-part re-telling of It--so Varese is honoring him with an interesting limited edition box set covering several adaptations of his works. The Stephen King Soundtrack Collection features two expanded versions of scores from Varese's catalogue, reissues another and premieres yet another, all in a handsome 8CD box styled to look like one of King's paperbacks.
The scores are:
- An expanded edition of James Newton Howard's score to the 2003 adaptation of the sci-fi/horror romp Dreamcatcher, co-written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan (writer of Raiders Of The Lost Ark, The Bodyguard and writer or co-writer of four Star Wars films between 1980 and the present)
- A reissue of Tangerine Dream's electronic score to Firestarter, the cult sci-fi film about a young pyrokinetic played by Drew Barrymore. This is the score's first appearance on CD in 15 years.
- The premiere of Nicholas Pike's soundtrack to the three-part television miniseries adaptation of The Shining, aired in 1997 as an attempt to make a more faithful adaptation to the novel (a longstanding regret of King, who wrote the teleplay for this feature).
- An expansion of W.G. "Snuffy" Walden's soundtrack to The Stand, aired as a four-part, Emmy Award-winning miniseries in 1994. (King also wrote this teleplay, and Mick Garris directed both this and the television version of The Shining.)
The Stephen King Soundtrack Collection, limited to 1,500 units, will also start shipping the week of November 20. Full details and pre-order listings for all titles are available below!
Jerry Goldsmith, The Haunting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition (originally released as Varese Sarabande VSD-6054, 1999 - reissued Varese Sarabande VCL 1117 1181, 2017)
- Afraid
- A Place For Everything
- Hill House
- First Look
- In The Dark
- The Carousel
- The Yellow Light
- Nell's Story
- A Broken String
- Meetings
- Portraits
- The Curtains
- Testing
- Noisy Fireplace
- Welcome Home Eleanor
- Green House Tale/Bloody Feet
- Crane's Study
- Curly Hair
- The Picture Album
- What Am I Doing
- Out Of Bed
- Return To The Carousel/What Do You Want
- Twisted Stairs
- Terror In Bed/Nell's Room
- Finally Home
- Home Safe
- Theme From The Haunting
- Finally Home (Album Version)
Maurice Jarre, Almost An Angel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition (Varese Sarabande VCL 1117 1182, 2017)
- Main Title
- Prison
- Outside
- Willy
- Death Bed
- Scumbag
- Bank Robbery
- Angel Wings
- Holy Water
- Harmonium
- Salvation Army
- Moving Moses
- Introductions
- Two Hustlers
- Nervous Walk
- Scrub Up
- Party Television
- Bottom's Up
- Wheelchair Duet
- Steve's Doing It
- Dinner Date
- A Sign
- Wheelchair Chase
- Leg Wound
- Steve's Doubts
- Empty Box
- Wings
- Some Wings - Vanessa Williams
- Almost An Angel
- Fly
- Rose and Terry
- The Mafia Bluff
- Steve's Run
- Let There Be Light
Tracks 28-34 released as Varese Sarabande VSD-5307, 1990
Craig Safan, Stand and Deliver: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Varese Encore) (originally released as Varese Sarabande VCD-70459, 1988 - reissued Varese Sarabande VCL 1117 1183, 2017)
- Main Title/East L.A.
- Kimo's Theme
- Fight
- Summer Hot School
- Picking On Claudia
- The First Test/Release
- Heart Attack
- Stand and Deliver Suite
- Night Fright
- Pancho and Lupe
- Retaking The Test
- The Big News
- Success
Various Artists, Smokey and The Bandit / Smokey and The Bandit II: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Edition (Varese Sarabande, 2017)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
- The Legend - Jerry Reed
- Incidental CB Dialogue - Burt Reynolds & Jerry Reed
- West Bound and Down - Jerry Reed
- Foxy Lady - Bill Justis
- Incidental CB Dialogue - Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason & Jerry Reed
- Orange Blossom Special - Bill Justis
- The Bandit - Bill Justis
- March of the Rednecks - Bill Justis
- If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry - Bill Justis
- East Bound and Down - Jerry Reed
- The Bandit - Bill Justis
- And The Fight Played On! - Bill Justis
- Ma Cousin Plays Steel - Bill Justis
- Hot Pants Fuzz Parade - Bill Justis
- Incidental CB Dialogue - Jerry Reed & Jackie Gleason
- The Bandit (Reprise) - Jerry Reed
- Texas Bound and Flyin' - Jerry Reed
- Charlotte's Web - The Statler Brothers
- To Be Your Man - Don Williams
- Ride Concrete Cowboy, Ride - Roy Rogers with The Sons Of The Pioneers
- Deliverance Of The Wildwood Flower - The Bandit Band
- Pecos Promenade - Tanya Tucker
- Here's Lookin' At You - Mel Tillis
- Do You Know You Are My Sunshine - The Statler Brothers
- Again and Again - Brenda Lee
- Let's Do Something Cheap and Superficial - Burt Reynolds
- Tulsa Time - Don Williams
- Pickin' Lone Star Style - The Bandit Band
Tracks 1-16 released as MCA Records 2099, 1977
Tracks 17-28 released as MCA Records 6101, 1980
Stephen King Soundtrack Collection (Varese Sarabande VLE-9210, 2017)
Discs 1-2: James Newton Howard, Dreamcatcher: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition (originally released as Varese Sarabande 302 066 456 2, 2003)
- Main Titles
- Finding The Keys/Be Careful
- Accident/To The Cabin
- Gathering Wood/Remembering Duddits
- Memory Warehouse
- Toasting Duddits
- Saving Duddits
- Finding Rick
- Animal Exodus
- The Bathroom/What Is It?
- Weasel Kills Beaver
- Military Moves In
- Scout's Honor
- Becky Bleeds
- Weasel Attacks Pete
- Jonesy and Gray Debate
- Henry Returns To The Cabin
- Boys Find Josie
- I'm That Monster
- Gray Kills Pete/Trucker
- Jonesy Gets Files
- Soldiers Find Henry
- Reading Curtis' Mind
- Henry Tells Owen
- Owen Rescues Henry
- Jonesy Calls Henry
- Picking Up Duddits
- Killing Trooper
- Duddits Tells Story
- Curtis Takes Chopper
- Curtis and Owen Battle
- Owen Dead
- Mr. Gray Go Away
- Duddits and Mr. Gray
- It's Over
- End Credits
Disc 3: Tangerine Dream, Firestarter: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (originally released as MCA Records 6131, 1984)
- Crystal Voice
- The Run
- Testlab
- Charly The Kid
- Escaping Point
- Rainbirds Move
- Burning Force
- Between Realities
- Shop Territory
- Flash Final
- Out Of The Heat
Discs 4-6: Nicholas Pike, Stephen King's The Shining: Original Television Soundtrack (previously unreleased - original miniseries aired 1997)
- Main Titles - Night #1
- Flashback
- Hello/Nice Day For Croquet (Tied)
- Tire Slash Time/Time To Play
- Memory Of Dad
- Scary Stop Sign
- Read Between The Lines
- A Scary View
- The Hotel Waits/Comin' To Get Doc/Lend Me a Hand
- Danny Holds Back
- That's How It Is For Me
- Give Me a Holler
- The Lonely Wind/The Picture Changes/What's So Sweet About It?
- Alone
- A Near Fall
- No Sale
- Safe As Safe Can Be/There Is No Tony
- Night Nest/Freeze You Bastards
- End Credits - Night #1
- Main Titles - Night #2
- How Did He Break His Arm?
- The Usual Suspects
- Behind The Door
- Are You Gonna Hurt Me?/What Does Redrum Mean?
- Please Stay
- Dollhouse Mallet/Into The Room
- Dad On The Radio/That Was Close
- A Key Is Missing
- Boy On The Stairs
- Not My Shade
- I'm Not Seeing That/Trapped
- They're After Danny
- End Credits - Night #2
- Main Titles - Night #3
- Someone Got Their Fuse Blown
- That's Not The Problem
- Dad In The Window/Where There's a Will
- Drive Through The Snow
- Girl With a Knife/Interfering Again
- It's a Drag
- Nothing But Spooks/Unmask
- Batter Up/Run and Hide
- Between The Eyes
- Here's Jack
- What's Been Forgotten
- Take Your Medicine
- What Could You Know?
- Dump It
- Think The Party's Over
- All's Well That Ends Well
- End Credits - Night #3
- Main Titles - Night #1 (Mix 1)
- Hello
- Nice Day For Croquet
- They're After Danny (Mix 1)
- Main Titles - Night #3 (Mix 1)
- What Could You Know (Mix 1)
Discs 7-8: W.G. "Snuffy" Walden, Stephen King's The Stand: Original Television Soundtrack - Deluxe Edition (originally released as Varese Sarabande VSD-5496, 1994)
- Project Blue
- The Dreams Begin
- On The Road To Kansas
- The Trashman In Vegas
- Headin' West
- Larry & Nadine (The Rejection)
- Mother Abigail
- "Sorry Mister, I Don't Understand" (Tom & Nick Meet)
- Mid Country: By The Stream
- Mother Greets The Multitudes
- M-O-O-N...That Spells Suicide
- "One Will Fall By The Way"
- Beginning Of The End
- The Stand
- Tom & Stu Go Home
- "Ain't She Beautiful"
- Escaping
- Streets Of New York
- Trashy And The Dark Man
- Sewing The Canvas
- Corn Fields
- Locked Up
- New York No More
- The Funeral
- Leaving Mother Abigail's
- Las Vegas
- Nadine Seduction
- Table Talk
- Boulder To Vegas
- Trashy Lights Up
- Nadine's Dread
- Captured
- War Preparations
Kenny says
Shame that "Smokey And The Bandit Vol 3" wasn't included in the re-release. The soundtrack LP was actually a six track mini-album. But it did contain a mega rare John Stewart track. Would have fitted easily on the two cd's