Intrada Conjures Up Magic, “Miracle”; Kritzerland Returns to “Alien Nation”

This week has seen some great archival soundtrack releases courtesy of Intrada and Kritzerland – all featuring some big names in the film score world.

Kritzerland’s latest title is already shaping up to be a hot one: a greatly expanded double-score reissue from the cult classic Alien Nation. This 1988 film featured James Caan and Mandy Patinkin as partnered cops in a future Los Angeles where a race of aliens, called Newcomers, have landed on Earth and have done their best to fit in with our planet’s culture. The catch, of course, is that Patinkin is the first Newcomer detective on the LAPD. The unlikely pair eventually have to solve a case that takes them into the criminal underbelly of the Newcomer culture. The film was successful enough to spin off a short-lived TV series, five subsequent TV movies and a host of comics and novels.

The music of Alien Nation has an intriguing pedigree: Jerry Goldsmith originally wrote a strongly thematic, electronic-dominated score for the film before it was significantly re-edited. Composer Curt Sobel stepped in to record a new, somewhat darker and noir-inspired score, while Goldsmith reused his Alien Nation theme for the 1990 spy film The Russia House. (The theme was in fact rejected once before, for Oliver Stone’s Wall Street.)

While Varese Sarabande released Goldsmith’s score years back, Kritzerland’s double-disc set remasters and presents both scores, with Sobel’s appearing on CD for the first time anywhere. (The score on this release was prepared in part from a cancelled album.) Limited to 1,200 copies (and likely selling fast), Alien Nation is shipping now.

After the jump, find out what Intrada’s scared up from Elmer Bernstein and The Walt Disney Company!

Intrada’s first release of the month is the premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s beloved score to The Miracle (1959). This score to an epic drama, set during the Napoleonic Wars and starring Carroll Baker and Roger Moore, is perhaps one of the saving graces of the film; Bernstein’s score, with its Spanish influences and a scale that recalls his work for 1956’s The Ten Commandments, had the misfortune of being attached to a film that paled in comparison to the other epic drama released the same week: William Wyler’s Ben-Hur. But Bernstein himself was such a fan that he started his own private label in the 1970s, making a re-recorded highlights LP its first release. This double-disc set collects the entire score in its original mono presentation, including eight adaptations of period pieces interspersed throughout the film.

Intrada’s also continued their rich Disney partnership (though this, like The Miracle, is a limited title in their Special Collection series) with a release of John Debney’s score to the spooky comedy Hocus Pocus, for its 20th anniversary. Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy star as a trio of witches resurrected in present-day Salem, who attempt to fully regain their powers by stealing the life force from a group of resourceful kids. Hocus Pocus has gained considerable cult status, and this disc, featuring a score by John Debney (as well as a haunting additional theme written by originally intended composer James Horner), will surely delight fans of the film.

All three titles are available to order below!

Curt Sobel/Jerry Goldsmith, Alien Nation: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Kritzerland KR 20026-4, 2013 – original film released 1988)

Disc 1: The Film Score by Curt Sobel (previously unreleased)

1. Tug Killed/Drug Attack
2. Main Title
3. Jumped
4. Chicken
5. Swimming Lesson
6. Coming Home
7. Quarantine
8. Hold Up
9. Methane Foreman
10. Sykes Chases Harcourt
11. To the Beach
12. Sweet Indulgence2
13. Harcourt OD’s
14. Eternity
15. Monster Lives
16. Searching
17. Driving
18. Prelude to Trouble
19. Bathroom Fix/Breach
20. Water Rescue
21. Platinum Bomb/Main Title Revised
22. Tell Him the Rest
23. Chase and Fight
24. Drug Intro
25. Bathroom Fix
26. A Serious Breach
27. Platinum Bomb
28. Slag Bar Rag
29. Wedding Song
30. Here Comes the Bride

Disc 2: Original Score by Jerry Goldsmith (released as Varese Sarabande VCL 0505 1035, 2005)

1. Alien Landing
2. Out Back
3. Are You All Right?
4. Take It Easy
5. The Vial
6. Jerry’s Jam
7. Alien Dance
8. Are You There?
9. The Beach
10. Tow Truck Getaway
11. 772 – I Shall Remember
12. Tell Them
13. A Game of Chicken
14. Overdose
15. Got a Match?
16. A Nice View
17. Just Ugly
18. The Wedding

Elmer Bernstein, The Miracle: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada Special Collection Vol. 243, 2013 – original film released 1959)

Disc 1

1. Main Title
2. At First Sight
3. Aftermath
4. Infirmary
5. Un Momento
6. Convalescence
7. Stolen Fruit
8. Departure/Decision/Flight/French Attack
9. Musical Watch/Death News
10. Christian Gypsy/Proposal
11. A Woman for Carlitos/Michael’s Return
12. Betrayal/Guido Dead

Disc 2

1. Madrid
2. With Your Permission/The Painting
3. Casimir Exits
4. Teresa and Cordoba
5. Hail the Matador/The Bull
6. Cordoba’s Death
7. La Morena Gitana
8. Reunion
9. Toast to Victory/Waltz
10. Forgotten Vows
11. Bugles/Action
12. Waterloo/Teresa Departs/The Journey/Arrival at Convent/Madonna Returns
13. Gratitude
14. Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart, arr. Bernstein)/End Title
15. French Attack (Alternate)
16. A Woman for Carlitos/Michael’s Return (Film Version – No Vocal)
17. Gratitude (Alternate)
18. Oh Maria, Madre Mia (Traditional, arr. Bernstein)
19. Salve Virgen Pura (Unknown, arr. Bernstein)
20. British Grenadiers (Unknown, arr. Bernstein)
21. Auld Lang Syne (Traditional, arr. Bernstein)
22. La Boca de Pepita (Unknown, arr. Bernstein)
23. Cancion de Maja (Unknown, arr. Bernstein)
24. Muineira (Unknown, arr. Bernstein)
25. Adoramus Te (Palestrina, arr. Bernstein)

John Debney, Hocus Pocus: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada Special Collection Vol. 254, 2013 – original film released 1993)

1. Main Title
2. Garden of Magic/Thackery Follows Emily
3. Witches’ Lair
4. To the Stake
5. Death to the Witches
6. Meeting Allison
7. Max Loses Shoes
8. Hallowe’en
9. Max and Dani
10. Divertimento #17 In D, K. 334 (Mozart)
11. To the Witches’ House We Go
12. The Black Candle
13. Witches on a Rampage
14. Graveyard Attack
15. The Calming Circle
16. The Master
17. Fingers
18. Springing the Trap
19. Winnie’s Lament 3:05
20. Witches Flight
21. Sarah’s Theme
22. Max Fools the Witches
23. Winnie Catches Up
24. Billy Speaks
25. Witches Capture Dani
26. Witches Demise/Resurrection
27. End Credits
28. Witches’ Lair Pt. 3 (Original Version)
29. Witches Take Dani (Alternate)
30. Winnie Catches Up (Alternate)
31. String Tremolo
32. End Credits (Alternate)