This site was conceived as a side project by a "tekkie" friend of mine who suggested I use my journalistic experience to write about something I love. We bandied about some ideas before settling on this one - largely because I had collected movie soundtracks for much of my life and thought I could write about them. We wanted the site to be user friendly, well-written and reliable.
Over time, I hope to attract other writers keen to contribute to the site, who don't mind foregoing the financial benefits they may be used to in the short-term for something that may, or may not, be profitable further down the line.
The gradual demise of the cd format, re-emergence of vinyl, along with the expansion of blu-ray dvd and downloads translate to an ever-changing market place; despite this, most of us still buy cd's and dvd's and I hope that you will use the Amazon links on this site to buy online.
We have also included mini YouTube video links that accompany the reviews, so that you can listen to your favourite theme music while watching a related trailer or clip from the movie; because film is a visual medium, there seems no better way of presenting it.
Finally, a note on the type of soundtracks featured. Though purists generally view albums such as "Top Gun", "Flashdance" and others like them, as unworthy of coverage on a film soundtrack site, preferring instead to focus on orchestral scores, we have taken the view that these albums have earned their place based on their continued saleability and affection with a large section of cinema-goers. We wanted to reach as broad an audience as possible and have developed the site with this in mind, without forgetting those fans for whom composers such as Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith, among many others, are considered on a par with the master composers. We hope you can find your best movie soundtracks on this site.
Battle Of The Planets.
1979, Sandy Frank Entertainment.
Hoyt Curtin/Bob Sakuma.
Silva Screen, CD, 2004, SILCD1167. Rating:
This Japanese animated action series, first produced in 1972, aired on British children’s afternoon television back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, becoming an immediate hit. Translated for American audiences – much of the ‘violent’ content was removed – the score was also adapted and new material written, drawing from popular musical styles of the day, such as disco and Japanese pop. This double CD edition includes most of the original material written for the Japanese version of the show by Bob Sakuma, plus all of Hoyt Curtin’s compositions added to the U.S. edition. It is an oddball concoction, veering from mainstream disco to action to strange noises, percussive and electronic effects but it’s rather endearing and certainly never dull. Collectors and fans of the show will love it; everyone else will probably be amused and puzzled in equal measure. Battle Of The Planets Television Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Cult Themes Television Soundtrack.
Various Artists.
Virgin/EMI, CD, 2005, VTDCD 748.
Rating:
Released to mark ITV’s 50th Year, this double CD collection contains many of the landmark ratings grabbers of the day including, ‘The Avengers’, ‘The Saint’, ‘The Sweeney and ‘The Prisoner’. Particularly interesting is the amount of space given over to American series, such ‘The Streets Of San Francisco’, ‘Hawaii Five-O’ and ‘Dragnet’, all of which made a mark on British television at a time (generally the 1970s) when home grown drama was far less common. The lack of liner notes may let it down but this is a great collection, perfect for retro addicts. Cult Themes Television Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Disc 1
1. The Avengers (1965)
2. Man In A Suitcase
3. The Saint
4. The Baron
5. Danger Man (1960)
6. The Prisoner
7. The Champions
8. The Persuaders
9. Danger Man (1964)
10. Department S
11. Jason King
12. The Sweeney
13. The Professionals
14. Dempsey and Makepeace
15. Randall & Hopkirk Deceased
16. Sapphire and Steel
17. Return of The Saint
18. Mr. Rose Investigates
19. No Hiding Place
20. Echo Two-Four
21. Top Secret
22. Front Page Story
23. The Human Jungle
24. The Avengers (1961)
Disc 2
1. Stingray
2. Thunderbirds
3. Supercar
4. Captain Scarlet
5. Joe 90
6. Aqua Marina
7. Fireball XL5
8. Four Feather Falls
9. Adventured of Robin Hood
10. William Tell
11. The Army Game
12. The Strange World of Gurney Slade
13. At Last the 1948 Show (The Ferret Song)
14. Strange Report
15. Hill Street Blues
16. Streets of San Francisco
17. Hawaii Five-O
18. The Six Million Dollar Man
19. Space 1999
20. UFO
21. Batman
22. Mission Impossible
23. Dragnet
24. 77 Sunset Strip
25. Rawhide
CHiPs Television Soundtrack Volume One.
1978-79, MGM.
Alan Silvestri/John Parker.
FSM, CD, 2006, FSM VOL 9, NO 10. Rating:
This American cop show about the California Highway Patrol was struggling to make the ratings before new producer Cy Chermak turned it into Baywatch for cycle cops, slapping on the gloss and giving John Parker’s main theme a disco spin; in fact this is essentially a disco album, depending on how purist you are about the genre, with cues including ‘Ponch’s Disco’ being one of many obvious examples. This first volume of the score covers season two to coincide with the show’s reboot, which also contains a single episode (only one of two eps assigned to composers other than Silvestri in five seasons) scored by Bruce Broughton, hired for his ability to write dramatic scores; after seeing the episode however, Broughton decided that disco was still the only way to go, which pretty much sums up this enjoyable album. Excellent liner notes include interviews with Cy Chermak and Silvestri. CHiPs Television Soundtrack Volume One. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Main Title (John Parker).
2. Peaks & Valleys.
3. Family Crisis.
4. Disaster Squad.
5. Neighborhood Watch.
6. High Flyer.
7. Trick Or Treat (Bruce Broughton).
8. The Grudge.
9. The Sheik.
10. Return Of The Turks.
11. Supercycle.
12. High Explosive.
13. Down Time.
14. Repo Man.
15. Mait Team.
16. Pressure Point.
17. Rally ‘Round The Bank.
18. Matchmakers.
19. Ponch’s Disco (From ‘Peaks & Valleys’).
20. End Credits (Parker, arr. Silvestri).
