Well, 2013 is nearly upon us, so it's time to dine on ashes and pick apart the bones of 2012, and by that I mean make a bunch of lists. There are a ton of things to talk about, with some knockout catalogue releases as well as the obvious list of the best film soundtracks of the year. So let's do this, no?
Picture this: it's 1983. The space shuttle Challenger makes its maiden voyage, the world mourns the passing of Karen Carpenter, and moviegoers everywhere thrill to the climactic chapter of the Star Wars saga, Revenge of the Jedi.
But a Jedi doesn't seek revenge, I hear you shout. But this isn't normal 1983, it's alternate-1983 and there's none of that "Return" bull here. In 1983A, anything can and will happen. Events can be replayed, crimes can be undone. And it's one particular crime that we're going to undo today, a musical crime committed against one of the greatest film scores the world has ever known: the original motion picture soundtrack of Return of the Jedi.
It's been a long week, with a quartet of quality releases from the boutique labels designed specifically to rob us of our hard-earned cash, as well as the return of an old favourite retailer. Perhaps we should ask for an overdraft...
Being one of the odd-numbered films in the franchise, Star Trek Generations has always had many people trash both the film and the score, and all in all it gets treated as one of the redheaded step-children of the series. To which I say: screw that, I love redheads. But while the film and music has been harshly treated in the past, there has always been a vocal set of supporters for it, all of which which are going to be tribbling at GNP/Crescendo's new release of the complete soundtrack to the film.
Holy regular column Batman! A pretty full edition today, with new releases from two legendary composers, our first snippet from a certain New Zealand movie about a bunch of hairy dwarves and a not so hairy dwarf, and a cracking Pixar playlist. So let's get on with it...
Well, we all had a big shock yesterday when a certain entertainment giant bought another entertainment giant that happens to own the rights to a legendary franchise that happens to have some of the greatest music ever composed. So in that vein, you can expect this edition to at least have a little mention of that galaxy far, far away...
Well, it's October, and I'm sure I'm not the only one asking what the hell happened to January through September. But nevertheless it's a new month and a new format for Keeping Score. In an aim to give you content on a more regular basis, the standard column (which you're reading now) has been streamlined to take more of a focus towards upcoming releases and other miscellenea, allowing us to take a bit more time bringing you the in-depth articles, which will now be spread out a bit more. So, let's get on with it.
Music Composed and Performed by John Carpenter
Produced by Ford A. Thaxton
Mastered by James Nelson
Silva Screen; 2012
“Eleven fifty-five. Almost midnight… enough time for one more story.”
So begins The Fog, John Carpenter’s homage to the spooky stories of old where a group of ghostly pirates besiege a small Californian town in revenge for their death at the hands of the town founders. Like most of Carpenter’s movies, the film not only has a big cult following but also a beloved music score which itself has a history as intriguing as that of Antonio Bay. Now the score has been given a new release by Silva Screen, it’s the perfect time to take a stroll down to the local lighthouse and delve into a classic horror soundtrack.
Yes, okay, I'm late again, although this is really only due to my hectic double-life. It's not easy being a mild-mannered film writer and general layabout by day and a dynamic sleepaholic by night. To be honest, it might be better for you all to club together and buy me a signal that will call me to action, or at least an alarm clock, even if it's one of those cheap ones from Argos.
