Poltergeist II: The Other Side
Added on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Posted by Robert Bettens
New Intrada release
Just in time for Jerry Goldsmith’s postumous receipt of coveted Hollywood Star! Intrada returns to its roots with totally remastered and expanded “specially-priced” 3-CD reissue of its own very first 1986 Goldsmith release! Oft-issued title courtesy several labels finally appears back home at Intrada, complete for the first time, including important sequences never before heard! Brian Gibson directs follow-up to wildly popular 1982 MGM fright-fest. Original cast returns with addition of Julian Beck (as evil Reverend Kane), Will Sampson (as shaman Taylor) headlining Native American storyline. Goldsmith anchors all-new score with not one but two themes associated with Taylor: first is lean, sinewy idea over sparse open chords, second is powerful, major-key theme typically heard in French horns, trumpet. For portions of film dealing with evil Kane, Goldsmith introduces dynamic satanic choral writing plus chilling variants on early hymn. Exceptionally dramatic and exciting music! “Carol Anne’s Theme” makes judicious appearances then wraps entire score in gentle fashion. In its day, recording was considered state-of-the-art, utilizing then-new Sony PCM 3324 digital format. For initial 1986 release, Goldsmith and scoring mixer Bruce Botnick created pure digital two-track mixes designed for album and listening purposes. For film itself, Botnick created analog three-channel mixes, designed to balance with center channel dialog. For this definitive edition of Poltergeist II, Intrada presents both complete digital album mixes plus analog film mixes. Choose your preference. CD 3 presents array of extras including all cues scored for orchestra and chorus but sans choir. Idea is not as redundant as it may seem: Finished film itself frequently drops chorus or dials it down to near-inaudibility. Cool highlight: Being presented for the first time ever is Goldsmith’s complete initial version of the massive final confrontation, “Reaching Out/The Astral”, which features a distinctive three-part female chorus throughout the winding chordal sequences and, at one point, a solo soprano intoning her own descant. “The Astral” was Goldsmith’s own titling of the climactic, heavenly sequence where Carol Anne re-appears. For this early alternate confrontation music, besides the unique choral material, Goldsmith wrapped with a more detailed finale emphasizing a variety of colors before finishing with a very deliberate, accented trombone coda. It is all being premiered here both with and without chorus. As it turned out, both versions were dropped in post-production and Goldsmith’s now-familiar re-scored sequence was used instead. Flipper-style booklet art plus all-new liner notes chronicling entire history of this Intrada project complete this impressive Jerry Goldsmith presentation. Arthur Morton orchestrates, Jerry Goldsmith conducts. Intrada Special Collection 3-CD set available while quantities and interest remain!