New Intrada Releases

Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century and Salem's Lot

Intrada follows its series of Battlestar Galactica albums with the release of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, featuring music from a selection of season one episodes. Unlike Galactica which featured music composed exclusively by Stu Phillips, Rogers relied on a stable of different composers. While each composer has his own distinctive voice, they all shared a basic understanding that Buck is an old-fashioned hero. He is brave, generous and honorable; always quick to do what is right. He is also suave, funny and fiercely competitive. The series’ humanity and good humor needed to come through in every episode, however intense the action, however cornball the sentiment, and however outlandish the alien trappings. Music played a major role in striking that balance. The scores of Buck Rogers are exciting, funky, tender and strange— but they are never less than fun, and they never lose sight of the hero at the heart of it all.

For this volume, Intrada presents suites from the following episodes on this 3-CD set:
Planet of the Slave Girls (Johnny Harris)
The Plot to Kill a City (Stu Phillips)
Return of the Fighting 69th (Johnny Harris)
Vegas in Space (Les Baxter)
Aradala Returns (Johnny Harris)
Space Rockers (Johnny Harris)
Unchained Woman (Richard LaSalle)
The album also includes the added bonus of 'Jelly Belly,' a source dance cue from the pilot The Awakening that fans have been seeking for years.
The scoring sessions were recorded directly onto three-channel stereo tape at the Universal Studios The format music (bumper, main titles and end credits) were more elaborately recorded on full 24-track formats, however. All of these elements, both ½″ and 2″, were housed in the Universal vaults in pristine condition—with the sole exception of the second part of “The Plot to Kill a City,” which was fortuitously preserved by the composer on ¼″ full-track (mono) tape.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century stars Gil Gerard as Captain William “Buck” Rogers, an astronaut who is frozen in space for more than 500 years before being discovered and revived. He quickly becomes embroiled in a conflict between the Draconian Empire, led by Princess Ardala (Pamela Hensley) and her aide, Kane (Henry Silva in the pilot, Michael Ansara thereafter), and the embattled residents of Earth, represented by Colonel Wilma Deering (Erin Gray) and Dr. Elias Huer (Tim O’Connor). Buck soon finds new purpose as a galactic “wild card,” bringing his unique perspective to dangerous missions on behalf of the Earth Defense Directorate.



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World premiere 2-CD release of powerhouse soundtrack by Harry Sukman for sensational TV mini-series from Stephen King vampire novel, directed by Tobe Hooper, starring David Soul, Bonnie Bedelia, James Mason, Lance Kerwin. Sukman writes large orchestra score in equal parts gothic action, dramatic melody, over-the-top horror. Main theme begins in declamatory fashion with powerful fortissimo chords in full orchestra, then launches into dynamic bass trombone ostinato suggesting 'Dies Irae' with minor-key French horns in game of tag with trombone. Idea appears sparingly, allowing for abundance of other dramatic ideas, beautiful love theme, frightening action cues. Clever use of pizzicato strings introduces numerous vampire sequences. When score comes to final 'Conclusion', Sukman returns with fortissimo chords as producer credit appears on screen, then launches into closing statement of 'Dies Irae' ostinato for 'End Credits'. Composer actually prepared three versions of conclusion, all three appear here. Entire score mixed, presented from pristine condition multi-channel stereo masters vaulted at Warner Bros. Two-disc set also has cues Sukman subsequently re-fashioned for edited feature version of picture. Standing out here is dramatic coda climaxing in powerful fortissimo unison for entire orchestra. Stunning finish to lengthy 99-minute ride! One of the great seventies scores! Harry Sukman conducts. Intrada Special Collection available while quantities and interest remain!