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You Will Believe: La-La Land Restores Williams' 'Superman' Score For 40th Anniversary

February 15, 2019 By The Second Disc 9 Comments

BUY NOW FROM LA-LA LAND RECORDS

Look, up in the sky! (You knew we were going to say that!)

Following remastered releases of the scores to Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace in 2018, La-La Land Records returns to the one that started it all: a brilliant new remastered edition of John Williams' score to Superman: The Movie, landing just a few months after its 40th anniversary. (In an amazing confluence of events, today's announcement comes on "Superman Soundtrack Day," the same date as two previous expanded editions of the original soundtrack: a double-disc set issued by Rhino in 2000, and an eight-disc box set featuring all four film scores and material from the Ruby-Spears animated Superman series, issued in 2008.) As with those versions, Mike Matessino is at the helm, producing, mixing, assembling and remastering this new three-disc set. This time, the score is sourced from the newly-located original 2", 24-track music masters, making this far and away the best-sounding version of this classic score ever released.

Williams' music to Superman almost needs no introduction, but it's worth noting what a towering achievement this score was for the veteran composer at a time when he was composing classic film themes with all the speed and strength of The Man of Steel himself. This screen adaptation of the legendary DC Comics superhero was the most ambitious ever, a planned two-film story shot simultaneously with producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind, The Omen director Richard Donner, and a galaxy of talent from established stars (Gene Hackman as the villainous Lex Luthor, Marlon Brando as Superman's Kryptonian father Jor-El) and up-and-comers (including definitive performances by Christopher Reeve as Superman and Margot Kidder as Lois Lane).

Working from an epic script co-written by The Godfather novelist Mario Puzo, Donner stressed the importance of a genuine, believable story ("verisimilitude," the director was keen to say) told fantastically, with realistic flying effects and emotional heft in the film's craft - a worthy goal particularly in the wake of the release of Star Wars a year before. John Williams, of course, had won his third Oscar for the soundtrack to that film, and again reunited with The London Symphony Orchestra to create a bold musical accompaniment for Superman: The Movie. (This partnership with the LSO produced six incredible scores between 1977 and 1981: Star Wars, The Fury, Superman, Dracula, The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders Of The Lost Ark.) Williams' Oscar-nominated work for Superman, anchored by multiple melodic leitmotifs and a love theme that was turned into a pop tune, became synonymous with the character for several generations; when Warner Bros. released their first Superman film in nearly two decades with 2006's Superman Returns, composer John Ottman retained nearly all of Williams' motifs.

This set, which features the complete film score, an assortment of alternate cues (among them "an astonishing early version of 'The Fortress of Solitude' that remained vaulted and unplayed for four decades"), the first-ever U.S. release of the complete 2LP soundtrack presentation from 1978 on compact disc, and 44 pages of liner notes written by Matessino and designed by Jim Titus, will more than live up to the promise of Superman: The Movie's bold, inspiring tag line: "You'll believe a man can fly." Order this set, limited to 5,000 copies, at the link below and check out the full track list!

Superman: The Movie - 40th Anniversary Remastered Edition (La-La Land Records LLLCD1478, 2019 - original film released 1978)

Disc 1: Film Score

  1. Prelude and Main Title
  2. The Planet Krypton and The Dome Opens
  3. Destruction Of Krypton (Extended Version)
  4. The Kryptonquake
  5. The Trip To Earth
  6. The Crash Site
  7. Growing Up
  8. Jonathan's Death
  9. Leaving Home
  10. The Fortress Of Solitude (Extended Version)
  11. The Mugger
  12. Lex Luthor's Lair (Extended Version)
  13. Helicopter Sequence
  14. The Burglar Sequence and Chasing Crooks
  15. Cat Rescue and Air Force One
  16. The Penthouse
  17. The Flying Sequence (Instrumental Version)
  18. Clark Loses His Nerve

Disc 2: Film Score continued and Extras

  1. The March Of The Villains
  2. The Truck Convoy Sequence
  3. To The Lair
  4. Trajectory Malfunction
  5. Luthor's Lethal Weapon
  6. Superman Rescued and Chasing Rockets
  7. Golden Gate Bridge and The Rescue Of Jimmy
  8. Pushing Boulders and Flying To Lois
  9. Turning Back The World
  10. The Prison Yard and End Title
  11. Love Theme From Superman
  12. Prelude and Main Title (Alternate)
  13. The Planet Krypton (Alternate Segment)
  14. The Dome Opens (Alternate)
  15. The Fortress Of Solitude (Alternate Segment)
  16. The Mugger (Alternate)
  17. Prelude and Main Title (Film Version)
  18. I Can Fly (Flying Sequence Alternate Segment)
  19. Can You Read My Mind (Film Version)
  20. Trajectory Malfunction (Alternate)
  21. Turning Back The World (Extended Version)
  22. The Prison Yard/End Title (Film Version)

Disc 3: Original Soundtrack Album (released as Warner Bros. Records 2BSK-3257, 1978)

  1. Theme From Superman (Main Title)
  2. The Planet Krypton
  3. Destruction Of Krypton
  4. The Trip To Earth
  5. Growing Up
  6. Love Theme From Superman
  7. Leaving Home
  8. The Fortress Of Solitude
  9. The Flying Sequence/Can You Read My Mind
  10. Super Rescues
  11. Lex Luthor's Lair
  12. Superfeats
  13. The March Of The Villains
  14. Chasing Rockets
  15. Turning Back The World
  16. End Title

Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Soundtracks Tags: John Williams

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Comments

  1. andemoine winrow says

    February 20, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    I have the original 'FILM SCORE MONTHLY' release of the complete score of 'Superman' part 1. I will be getting rid of it and will buy this brand new re-release containing the previously never released alternate segment track 'THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE'. This track, along with 5 other tracks that are on the new re-release of the co-cd set, 'SUPERMAN' part 2/ 'SUPERMAN' part 3, for the last 40 years have never, EVER been released until last year. Last year, the owners of 'LA-LA-LAND RECORDS' somehow were able to get these 6 tracks and release them with all the previous tracks that were released through 'FILM SCORE MONTHLY'. The 5 of 6 tracks that are on the new 'SUPERMAN' part 2/ 'SUPERMAN' Part 3 set were supposed to be released on the 'FILM SCORE MONTHLY' collector's set. However, after i read the 160 page book that was added to the set, information on page 158 states that because of either licensing restrictions or master tape un-availability, these tracks could not be released. So for the next several years, these tracks remained never released until last year. The alternate segment track, 'THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE' was somehow finally found and with the other 5 tracks were finally released when the owners remastered and restored every track including all of the previously released alternates and songs from the 'SUPERMAN' part 3 soundtrack. Since all the bonus tracks from the 'FILM SCORE MONTHLY' DISC 8 release are on the new 'Superman' part 2/ 'Superman' part 3 re-release, i can get rid of THAT disc since i'll have them on this new re-release. I will also keep both the 'FILM SCORE MONTHLY' 160 page book and the slipcase box. And keep the complete score of the 'Superman-The 1988 animated series' cd.

    Reply
  2. Andemoine Winrow says

    February 20, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    I failed to mention that since this brand new re-release is a 3-disc set, the OTHER reason why i'm getting this is because of the new remastered, restored united states release of the original 1978 edited version. 30 years ago in 1989, the first ever united states cd version of 'SUPERMAN-THE MOVIE' was released. However. back then, those early version cd's had space limitations therefore 2 of the 16 tracks were cut. The only way you could get this entire edited version was either on the original 2-L.P set or the audio cassette. This entire 16 track edited version was also available as a japanese cd release in 1990. Now, for the first time in 30 years since it's original first ever 1989 united states re-edited 14 track cd release, this original 1978 edited version is complete containing all 16 tracks.

    Reply
  3. Andemoine Winrow says

    February 20, 2019 at 10:05 pm

    One more thing, HOPEFULLY this will be the final time these 4 soundtracks are ever recorded and released since finally, or at least we hope, every last bit of never released music has been released.

    Reply
  4. Fletch says

    February 21, 2019 at 2:00 am

    This is good stuff, but I don't see why these La-La- Land releases are always limited to 5000 copies. For something so painstaking sourced from master tapes and remastered etc, you'd think they'd be more available. Five thousand copies is kind of nothing - especially when they don't have a digital release. It's kind of criminal to go to all that work for so limited a release.

    Reply
    • Andemoine Winrow says

      February 21, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      Yeah, it should be 50,000 copies.

      Reply
    • andemoine winrow says

      February 27, 2019 at 2:46 am

      Hey Fletch, what did you think of my review of the superman soundtracks?

      Reply
      • Fletch says

        February 28, 2019 at 5:52 pm

        Very informative, thankyou! You are very knowledgeable, obviously.

        Reply
        • andemoine winrow says

          February 28, 2019 at 8:47 pm

          Thank you so much. Have a good night.

          Reply
  5. Andemoine winrow says

    February 21, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    For those of you who wondering what are the additional 5 never released tracks, here they are'. 1.Sunday Meeting. 2. Late night country music. 3. Lois's Pad. 4. Desert Riff. 5. Kids on the bus.

    Reply

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