Dark Crystal soundtrack CD

[scarecroe]

Coming in April 2003 for the first time on CD... finally, will be Trevor Jones' magnificent score to the 1982 Jim Henson/Frank Oz film, The Dark Crystal.

Released as a soundtrack album on LP in 1982 and long since out of print, the score has shown up on bootleg CDs and even isolated on its' own track for the 1999 DVD release from Columbia Tristar. The 1982 LP features re-recordings made specifically for a soundtrack album -- a common practice for such a release, especially at the time. The isolated track on the DVD presents the music as recorded for the film, but suffers in listening experience from crude edits and sound level changes throughout.

For one month, buysoundtrax.com will have exclusive rights to the online sale of this CD. After which time, other online outlets (such as Intrada and Screen Archives Entertainment, for example) will have a chance to pick it up for their catalogues. The 2-disc set is slated for a $24.95 price tag and will be limited to 5,000 numbered copies. It will not be available in stores.

Disc One will contain the original 1982 album master taken from the 1610 Digital masters.

Disc Two features the full score that contains just about every note you hear in the final film as taken from the Jim Henson Archives. It runs about 30 minutes longer than the isolated score on the DVD, as often cues are cut or shortened for the film version, but still recorded.

Also look for new liner notes including quotes from the filmmakers and photos from the production in a lavishly designed booklet. The 1982 LP also contained extensive liner notes, but I'm unsure at this point if they'll be retained.

The project is is now in the artwork approval stage (click here to see the working cover) and once that is complete it will move into full production of the discs.

Music is performed by the world renowned London Symphony Orchestra as conducted by Marcus Dods.

 

[scarecroe]

By the way, this hasn't exactly been *officially* announced yet. Particulars are subject to change

 

[Daylight]

Wow!! Sounds wonderful! More stuff I really want to buy.

By conicidence Dark Crystal was shown on television yesterday on a Canadian channel (YTV).

 

[electricmayhem]

That's exciting I just watched it this afternoon, the music is beautiful

 

[scarecroe]

By the way, one particular note of interest about the bootlegs I mentioned, came up in conversation yesterday. The MC collectibles page cites one of these. I believe this particular disc was the 2nd of three bootlegs released throughout the 90's.

The first one was done in the early 90's and coupled with Tony Banks' The Wicked Lady. The second I believe is the one on MC coupled with Labyrinth, and the third was released after 1999's DVD provided an isolated track and used other elements from past sources as well.

Over the course of these bootlegs having been issued, their quality increased and started becoming more difficult to seperate from real CD releases. The sound most often tends to surprise on these discs, usually done by college students who are extremely good at what they're doing; at the level of Hollywood craftsmanship at times. Most of them came from a European circuit such as Tsunami and always featured the disclaimer "FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY, NOT FOR SALE" as a means of supposedly decreasing suspicion.

Pressed CDs -- not burned -- have been used in recent years and even the booklets have become quite handsome. They enter the collector's circles by means of online vendors who are usually turning a blind eye on their origins and most often call for a price tag between $30 and $40.

So given this run-down as compared to what April's release will finally see, I hope you can further appreciate what fans of this fantastic score will finally be getting a chance to sink their teeth -- and ears -- into.

 

[Chad Kermit]

Great News,

I've been waiting to add this soudtrack to my collection for years. And the extras are incredible. Thanks again.

 

[smcguire]

Thanks for the info, Scott!

--Scott McGuire

(Boy doesn't that look wrong! )

 

[SNLIM]

due to the limited of outlets selling this and the limited number produced do you think this will be hard to get?

 

[Phillip]

It won't be hard to get at first, but it's possible by later this year it will be sold out. So if you want it or even *think* you may want it, try to get the set when it is announced.

 

[scarecroe]

Given the film's popularity *outside* of Henson and film music geek circles, I'd say based on past releases of similar stature that they'll all be gone in a year.