The Ghost and the Darkness 2-CD set & Coneheads/Talent for the Game/The Itsy Bitsy Spider

New Intrada releases

Intrada has released 2 new soundtrack this week. The first is a 2-CD set of Jerry Goldsmith's The Ghost and the Darkness. The second release is David Newman's scores to Coneheads, Talent for the Game enThe Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Spectacular 2-CD presentation showcases Jerry Goldsmith at his most exciting, evocative best. Intense, flavorful, stirring! The Ghost And The Darkness soundtrack is all that and more. Stephen Hopkins directs Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer with famed screenwriter James Goldman on board to chronicle riveting true story of 1898 British bridge-building site in Tsavo region of Kenya turned terrifying nightmare, courtesy two ferocious man-eating lions that claimed more than one hundred lives - apparently for sport. Terror on an epic scale, presented by Paramount Pictures and Constellation Films. Described to composer as Lawrence Of Arabia meets Jaws, Jerry Goldsmith anchored his melodies in feel of classic David Lean epics, then crossed them with some of his most ferocious low brass action motifs ever. The result is a massive work both richly melodic, frighteningly aggressive. Original 1991 Hollywood label album offered just 12 selections from Goldsmith's score plus five African vocals by The Worldbeaters under George Acogny's direction. Now premiering in this packed 2-CD set are all of Goldsmith's cues, including 70-minutes of score appearing in the film plus wealth of alternates assembled by Goldsmith and engineer Bruce Botnick to accommodate post production changes. Numerous cues were recorded, then re-recorded, then worked again with complex layers of native voice, electronics, percussion over orchestra to yield still further revisions. Voices in some cues were hushed and subdued under the orchestra, then revisited to yield voices with startling emphasis and clarity. Sometimes layers of electronics were recorded anew to add further density, other times they were peeled away to create leaner takes. Changes are both subtle, profound - and all of them appear in this generous set! Some 100 minutes of incredible music are followed by the original album release in its entirety, which interestingly features yet further altered mixes and performances of nearly every scoring cue, resulting in more than two hours total of epic Goldsmith. Previously unreleased sequences abound. Highlights include splendor and excitement of 'Over There', 'One Shot', 'First Kill', riveting action of 'John's Nightmare', 'First Kill', harrowing suspense of 'The Trap', 'The Cave' and many others. Major spotlight goes to complete nearly 10-minute finale of score that climaxes with premiere release of Goldsmith's 'revised' coda featuring resounding fortissimo major chords that play just prior to end credit crawl. A magnificent, triumphant finish! Entire 2-CD set presented in dynamic stereo from original digital scoring session mixes made by Bruce Botnick. Notes by Jeff Bond plus vivid graphic design by Joe Sikoryak complete this essential addition to any Goldsmith library. One of the composer's finest! Jerry Goldsmith conducts National Philharmonic Orchestra. Intrada Special Collection 2-CD set available while quantities and interest remain!

track list

CD 1
1. Opening Title (Tall Grass) 1:03
2. Train To Catch 2:01
3. First Time 4:01
4. Over There 0:56
5. One Shot 1:34
6. The Claws 3:54
7. Mahina’s Death (Alternate) 0:48
8. The Funeral 0:45
9. The Wall 1:31
10. Starling’s Death (Alternate) 5:56
11. The Lions Reign 2:39
12. Near Miss 1:23
13. Prepare For Battle 4:33
14. You’ve Been Hit 3:23
15. Preparations 1:38
16. The Trap (Alternate) 2:00
17. Lions Attack 5:33
18. The Cave+ 4:14
19. After You 0:44
20. The Baboon (Alternate) 0:41
21. First Kill (Alternate) 2:44
22. John’s Nightmare 1:23
23. Remington’s Death 2:30
24. Final Attack 2:49
25. Welcome to Tsavo 2 9:50

The Extras (Unused Mixes and Alternates Part 1
26. Tall Grass (Original)+ 1:03
27. The Claws 2:56
28. Mahina’s Death (Original)+ 0:48
29. The Box Car (Unused Insert)+ 0:29
30. The Box Car (Original)+ 0:57
31. Near Miss (Alternate)+ 0:27
32. Stand Off (Original)+ 2:12

CD 2
Unused Mixes and Alternates Part 2
1. Starling’s Death (Original)+ 5:57
2. The Thicket (Original)+ 3:29
3. Preparations (Original)+ 1:34
4. The Trap (Original)+ 2:00
5. The Baboon (Original)+ 0:41
6. First Kill (Original)+ 2:40
7. First Kill (With Extension)+ 2:38
8. Welcome To Tsavo 2 (Original)+ 2:53

Original 1996 Soundtrack Album
9. Theme From The Ghost And The Darkness 2:11
10. The Bridge 4:09
11. Catch A Train 2:02
12. Lions Attack 5:18
13. First Time 2:00
14. Starling’s Death 5:57
15. Lions Reign 2:40
16. Preparations 2:46
17. Remington’s Death 2:31
18. Prepare For Battle 2:00
19. Final Attack 2:53
20. Welcome To Tsavo 4:59
21. Hamara Haath (“Our Hands Unite”) 3:05
22. Dueling Chants, Part 1&58; “Jungal Bahar” 3:20
23. Safari Ya Bamba (“Journey To Bamba”) 2:32
24. Terere Obande 2:42
25. Iye Oyeha 2:13

Trio of rousing David Newman soundtracks, all on one CD! First up is Newman's nod to Bernard Herrmann with evocative out-of-this-world score for The Coneheads featuring Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprising their popular roles from NBC's Saturday Night Live sketches, this time on the 1993 big screen for Paramount Pictures. Steve Barron directs wild tale of extraterrestrials bent on invasion of planet Earth with Newman tipping his hat towards The Day The Earth Stood Still. Signature 'tri-tone' throughout (both in melodic intervals, harmonic vernacular) keeps homage in spotlight while moving 'Bed Talk' brings touch of warm Americana into play. 'Blunt Teeth' allows serious edge while 'Return To Earth' brings satisfying resolution to score. Newman brings rousing, dramatic sports vibe to Talent For The Game, directed by Robert Young, starring Edward James Olmos. Newman joins their 1991 baseball game with musical moments both stirring, poignant. Winning Americana! Filling out CD is crisp, punchy Newman score for 7-minute animation short Itsy Bitsy Spider that played in front of 1992 Paramount feature Bebe's Kids. Witty tale has cute arachnid falling from web into piano pupil's practice session, bringing wacky exterminator (voiced by Jim Carrey) into zany house-destroying efforts to remove it. Newman uses familiar nursery rhyme as foundation for his own wild, madcap orchestral tour-de-force. All three scores presented in dynamic stereo from mint condition master elements courtesy Paramount. David Newman, Lukas Kendall supervise production with informative liner notes from Andy Dursin. Three musical faces of David Newman! David Newman conducts. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!

Track list

CONEHEADS
01. Opening Credits (3:11)
02. Eating Soap (1:47)
03. Communicator (2:19)
04. Seedling & Eli (2:03)
05. The Symbol (1:58)
06. Phlairndep (1:58)
07. Bed Talk (4:29)
08. What’s With the Head (1:12)
09. The Big Phone (3:01)
10. Human Authority Figures (4:45)
11. Blunt Teeth (3:50)
12. Master Speech (1:45)
13. Return to Earth (2:25)
Total Time: 35:12

TALENT FOR THE GAME
14. Traveling Montage (3:26)
15. Rainy Tryout (5:09)
16. The Discovery (1:43)
17. Sammy’s Tryout (1:28)
18. How Good Is My Son? (2:49)
19. Visualize the Target (1:52)
20. Don’t Try So Hard (3:44)
21. Am I Ready? (2:07)
22. Sammy to the Mound (1:27)
23. The Final Out (6:43)
Total Time: 30:47
$THE ITSY BITSY SPIDER
24. The Itsy Bitsy Spider (6:00)