The Return of the King Redux

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDATIONS

The enhanced CD soundtrack to THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING, released this week by Reprise (48560-2), contains the same musical content as the initial soundtrack CD release (reviewed in depth in last week's column), however it includes a DVD containing a wealth of material pertinent to the new film's score.

Each LOTR soundtrack has enjoyed a deluxe, limited edition release expanding, in some way, the presentation of the standard soundtrack released a week or two ahead of it. Shrewd marketing? Perhaps, but not unlike the duality of the DVD releases, with followed an initial release of the theatrical print with a lavish, multi-faceted and multi-disk set containing a richly expanded version of the theatrical release and tons of documentary extras, the additional material added to the limited CD releases enhances somewhat to the enjoyment of Howard Shore's music as presented on the first releases. The "extras" provided on these deluxe edition soundtracks, however, remain minimal, and much of the expansive music Shore composed for the monumental series remains unreleased, at least for now.

Each of the deluxe edition CDs is bound in a leatherette digipack covers (FELLOWSHIP in red, TWO TOWERS in dark blue, RETURN OF THE KING in green) with the titles stamped on in gold foil. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING added nothing to the musical content, but did include an exclusive 24-page booklet printed in heavy cardstock paper. THE TWO TOWERS preferred an exclusive bonus track, not released on the first soundtrack, Shore's lovely "Farewell to Lórien," recorded for the special extended DVD cut of the film and featuring a vocal performance by Hilary Summers. THE RETURN OF THE KING contains the same CD as on last week's edition, but includes a remarkable DVD containing a 19-minute "visual diary" featuring Shore as he finishes composing the score and launches into the recording sessions at London's Abbey Road Studios.

The "visual diary" is something we're seeing more and more of these days wherein a cast or crew member is given a video camera or a videographer and records his or her impressions of working on the film throughout the process. The DVD for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, for example, contains a pair of neat "photo diaries," one by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and one filmed by actor Lee Arenberg (Pintel), a fascinating look into the filmmaking process from the perspective of one of the supporting actors. Shore's diary, filmed by Elizabeth Cotnoir, is a absorbing look into the recording process, starting up with Shore, ensconced in London's Dorchester hotel, finishing his composition and taking up the recording sessions, describing changes required when a new cut of the film arrives, with scene lengths different than what were originally composed to. We see Shore working with singer Annie Lennox as she works out the vocal parts for the score's closing song, "Into The West," and also scenes showing flautist James Galway, singer Renée Fleming, and young soprano Ben del Maestro rehearsing and performing their contributions to the score.

The DVD also features an extended widescreen "supertrailer," encompassing the trilogy as a whole, as well as a 3.5-minute montage of photos of the crew, instruments, choir, and orchestra, accompanied by music from the soundtrack, and a 5-minute text montage of the words to each of the film's 14 songs*, including Tolkeinesque translations of the text into the elvish Sindarin language (e.g., from The Mountain of Fire: Beneath the Ground / Swollen hot with anger / Orodruin releases all its ruin = Nu dalav / Ùrui tuiannen na ruith / Leithia Orodruin oe in phan.)

It's credited nowhere on the cover, but the included DVD does, in fact, contain an extra track written especially for the DVD a sublime rendition by Annie Lennox of Shore's "Use Well the Days," a song Shore intended (as he describes in a text introduction to the song) to herald the journey from final victory to home. "I always felt that 'Use Well the Days' was part of the journey into "Into the West," a place that we had to go to finally arrive at The Grey Havens and the end of the film," writes Shore. "Annie's reading of the song is particularly beautiful and moving, and I also love that it encompasses so many beautiful lines from the book."

Composer Danny Elfman and actress Bridget Fonda were married over the Thanksgiving holiday. Sorry guys she's married now! L

Perseverance Records has released the original soundtrack to THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES, with music by Basil Kirchin (Perseverance PRD 004). This release follows their soundtrack CD to Kirchin's THE RETURN DR. PHIBES, released a few months ago. www.perseverancerecords.com

Nonesuch Records (79837) has released Thomas Newman's soundtrack to the metaphysical HBO drama, ANGELS IN AMERICA, starring Meryl Streep and Al Pacino. Intrada describes the score: "Thomas Newman contributes one of his richest works with multi-textured score. Large orchestra is emphasized but variety of intricate colors remain a Newman signature. Haunting sounds of violin, clarinet, piano are manipulated, woven into orchestral fabric. Large choir enters, score moves from delicate whisper to overwhelming power."

Silva Screen has released their next SuperMarionation soundtrack, Barry Gray's music for the Gerry Anderson series, CAPTAIN SCARLET (Silva Screen 607).

A promotional recording of the music from the first season of the USA Network TV series, THE DEAD ZONE (based on the Stephen King novel) is now available exclusively online from www.buysoundtrax.com. The features Jeff Buckley's "New Year's Prayer," (The Main Title theme to THE DEAD ZONE TV Series), Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (sung by Anthony Michael Hall), Santo & Johnny's "Sleepwalk," Mambo Mambo Mambo's "Perfidia" and many more.

La-La Land Records has just released Michael Giacchino's score for the new LucasArts computer game, SECRET WEAPONS OVER NORMANDY. Giacchino provides a full-throttle orchestral score to accompany the high-flying LucasArts videogame. The music is performed by the Northwest Sinfonia, and the CD includes a special bonus CD-ROM featuring additional music cues and a behind the scenes look at the game, the score, and its composer. www.lalalandrecords.com

Brian Tyler will be following up his science fiction score for TIMELINE, with yet another sci-fi thriller, Omar Naim's THE FINAL CUT, which stars Robin Williams and Mira Sorvino. The story is set in a world with memory implants and Williams portrays a 'cutter,' someone with the power of final edit over recorded histories.

According to the AP newswire, composer Hans Zimmer has been sued by his associate producer, Jay Rifkin, who claims that Zimmer "Has secretly conspired with the current resident composers to take business for himself, to the exclusion of Rifkin,'' despite the fact that Rifkin "Helped build their company into a 'well-oiled machine'.'' According to Zimmer's lawyer, Bonnie Eskenazi, the Zimmer "Had been planning to end the 15-year business partnership with Rifkin for some time." AP writes that "Rifkin seeks damages in excess of $10 million for the business that he has allegedly lost as a result."

In it's "Daily" report for last Friday, Film Score Monthly's web site listed the film-related Grammy nominees:

Best Score Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media

Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media

Randy Newman was also nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the cue "Seabiscuit" from the SEABISCUIT soundtrack, and Joel McNeely was nominated for Best Classical Crossover Album for his conducting of the Varese Sarabande re-recording of Bernard Herrmann's THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.

* THE RETURN OF THE KING'S 14 songs:

(except for the closing song, none of these appear as separate tracks on the soundtrack CD; nor are all the songs included in the score cues presented on the soundtrack CD).