World Superman music box set to be released

[Super Kal]

source

Coming soon from the Film Score Monthly soundtrack label is an 8-CD box set of the music from the four Christopher Reeve Superman movies. Album producers Mike Matessino and Lukas Kendall effectively made an unusual and technically unofficial pre-release announcement when the release, originally slated for December 2007 or January 2008, was delayed due to a change in manufacturing schedule.


The box set is now expected to appear in time for Superman's traditional birthdate of February 29th and celebrates a twin anniversary year: Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie was released 30 years ago in 1978, and it was 70 years ago, in 1938, when the iconic superhero made his debut in Action Comics #1.


Specifics about the release remain intentionally sketchy, since FSM's usual practice is to announce their releases at the time orders can be placed. Both Superman Cinema and CapedWonder were involved with the project, so we will also withhold specifics until the official announcement is made (so please don't ask us!). What is known is the price, $119.95, which, in addition to the 8-CDs, includes a 160-page fully-illustrated book which, as Matessino has been quoted, "takes score documentation to a whole new level."


The producer has also stated that the music contained in the set will contain "many surprises, delights and revelations" for Superman and score fans. I can tell you first hand from reading the fully-illustrated book and hearing the remastered tracks that this is truly the case!


This amazing box set is going to be a HUGE seller (limited edition of 3000 as of this writing), so I highly recommend that you purchase yours just soon as it goes on sale. Updates will be posted here as the release date approaches.


Stay Tuned Super Fans!!

this looks very awesome, but the price tag makes me a bit wary... if I have the money, I will definitely buy it.

 

[C. Lee]

That price tag is way out of my league. I love the music....but that's a bit high.

 

[Super Kal]

I agree with ya, C. Lee... it sucks to see only 3000 to be made, but if it were cheaper, I would definitely buy it.

you know what would help?... if they released a sample of whatever was new about it; gives us a small taste of what to expect

 

[C. Lee]

I have Superman the movie's music on cd....a set of all of them (at a decent price) would be nice. I just wonder if execs will ever figure out that everyone isn't made of money.

 

[Super Kal]

a SIV release would be nice to see

well, I'm sure that's just the SRP, so it should go down a bit through amazon and other places

 

[Morg]

That price tag is way out of my league. I love the music....but that's a bit high.

If my comic store has it on order I can get 25% off

 

[C. Lee]

If my comic store has it on order I can get 25% off

That's still way out of my budget. I don't spend enough time just sitting and listening to music (like I did years ago) to make any cds worth that much.

 

[Super Kal]

from Superman Homepage:

FSM ANNOUNCES DATE OF ITS ANNOUNCEMENT

We're almost there, friends. The blue box will go on sale begining at 3:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 21, 2008.

FSM's 8-CD box set, SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC (1978-1988), encompasses a new fully remastered and complete edition of John Williams's SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE along with previously unreleased presentations of the complete scores for its three sequels: SUPERMAN II & SUPERMAN III (adapted and conducted by Ken Thorne) and SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (adapted and conducted by Alexander Courage and featuring new themes by John Williams). The latter is spread across two full CDs of never-before-released music and songs. Also included in the set is a bonus disc of additional alternates, source music and songs, plus a full disc of Ron Jones's music for the 1988 Superman animated series, rounding out a full decade of Superman music. The 8 CDs are accompanied by an in-depth, full-color 160 page hard-bound book, all housed in an elegant blue slipcase box with the Superman "S" embossed in sliver.

The set is available as a limited edition of 3,000 copies priced at US$119.95 each, and may be ordered begining at 3:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Thursday, February 21, 2008 via www.screenarchives.com. Additional information and sound samples will be available at that time.

Why announce the announcement? Because we have a limited number of autographed copies and want everybody to have the same chance at reserving one: Fifty (50) copies of the enclosed book have been signed by composers Ken Thorne and Ron Jones. These autographed editions will be available for US$199.95 each on a first come-first served basis and with a limit of one (1) per person -- also through Screen Archives Entertainment at the same date and time.

SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC (1978-1988) is produced by Mike Matessino and Lukas Kendall and celebrates the Man of Steel's official birthday of February 29 as well as a triple anniversary year.... The character made his debut 70 years ago when Action Comics #1 hit newsstands, and 30 years ago, on December 15, 1978, SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE was released, introducing audiences to Christopher Reeve's indelible portrayal and John Williams's classic themes. Additionally, Warner Bros., the studio behind the Superman series, celebrates its 85th anniversary in 2008. With SUPERMAN: THE MUSIC, Film Score Monthly delivers a release befitting this multi-tiered celebration.

 

[Catman]

Question:

The scores for Superman II, III, and IV are basically re-arrangements of Williams' score for Superman: The Movie. So...what's the point? John Ottman has been the ONLY composer in the movie franchise to actually EXPAND from Williams music. Which is why the Superman Returns soundtrack kicks ass. I think this is a waste of money.

 

[Super Kal]

personally, I like the SII, III and IV soundtracks so much better than the SR soundtrack, so that's one of the reasons why I'm buying it

 

[Catman]

personally, I like the SII, III and IV soundtracks so much better than the SR soundtrack, so that's one of the reasons why I'm buying it

Maybe the reason you like them so much is because it's the same music from the first movie. You're basically buying the same CD four times.

 

[C. Lee]

If the music is re-aranged....it makes it similar but different.

 

[Catman]

If the music is re-aranged....it makes it similar but different.

But it's not different enough. And the Ken Thorne stuff was bad. The Salkinds didn't give him a proper budget, so his orchestra was really small compared to what Williams had.

 

[C. Lee]

Just because it's not different enough for you doesn't mean it isn't for Super Kal.

And besides...if he collects Superman stuff...he'll need it for his collection.

 

[Super Kal]

lol, well, honestly, I stopped collecting Superman stuff, but this thing has stuff from other parts of the franchise... I personally like the Ken Thorne stuff a lot, almost just as much as the original John Williams composition, and to be honest, SII and SIII never got a decent soundtrack release, and SIV never got one at all.

and the Ruby Spears theme... come on, the Ruby Spears theme?... lol, that alone is worth the purchase

 

[KaptainKrypton]

But it's not different enough. And the Ken Thorne stuff was bad. The Salkinds didn't give him a proper budget, so his orchestra was really small compared to what Williams had.

Salkind himself actually refuted that the orchestra was smaller for the sequels. The mixes were atrocious and from all reports (including the soundtrack samples played on SAE) the new remixes show the true nature of the music in all its grandeur. Superman IV has the creme' de la creme' in terms of music because the original tracks that are on the disc are actually from the deleted scenes including the original intro and main titles as well as numerous compositions that Alexander Courage himself put together that never saw the light of day. $120 might be too steep for some people...but not for me. I'm just a bigger nerd.

 

[KaptainKrypton]

lol, well, honestly, I stopped collecting Superman stuff, but this thing has stuff from other parts of the franchise... I personally like the Ken Thorne stuff a lot, almost just as much as the original John Williams composition, and to be honest, SII and SIII never got a decent soundtrack release, and SIV never got one at all.

and the Ruby Spears theme... come on, the Ruby Spears theme?... lol, that alone is worth the purchase

Darn tootin'. Thorne wrote some good bits in III. I especially like the usage of his Streets of Metropolis themes and his adaptions of some of the other stuff I thought flowed better with the film than they did with Williams' original scoring for S:TM (namely the Trial of Zod theme re-used in the junkyard fight of Superman III). I was one of the proud nerds who caused FSM's website to crash at the release because I couldn't wait to get my grubby little mitts on one of the 3,000 sets. Man, I've been geeking out big time in anticipation.

 

[Super Kal]

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=8874
I've heard some of the samples, and let me tell you... it is beautiful. absolutely beautiful stuff. the Superman theme that Ruby Spears made was just astonishing





oh yeah, the rest is awesome too

 

[Super Kal]

the one thing I'm disappointed that it doesn't have is the small musical clip from the Concorde scene

 

[JTStarkiller]

I want this.

Not for the scores. I just think it looks incredibly cool.

 

[daywalker2007]

anyone else like the pop songs by paul fishman from superman 4 ?

i like the song he made here:
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/store/audioBlueBox/SupermanD617.ram

very uplifting, would have suited the superman 4 movie.

alexander courage's superman 4 score is just awesome, much better than john ottmans superman returns score

 

[Super Kal]

eh... not big on the pop songs

 

[JackMercy]

So, anyone else score one of these babies...?

Got my copy and it's be-autiful...

 

[Super Kal]

unfortunately no

I want one soooooooooooo bad

 

[Retroman]

The set looks great but the price is just a little too steap for my liking.