Part two of the ninth episode of SOUNDTRACK ALLEY here on CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO continues the analysis and discussion of the music written for the separate cuts of Ridley Scott’s 1985 epic dark fantasy adventure film, LEGEND, featuring music by Jerry Goldsmith (European Cut) and Tangerine Dream (American Cut).
The conversation continues with an in-depth look at three more sequences; Jack accepting weapons and armour to become The Champion, a bewitched and seduced Lili dancing and the fall of Darkness.
Joining fill-in host, Erik Woods, is the host of THE ARCHIVE, Jason Drury, host of OBSCURE SCORES, Robert Daniels and CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO’s in-house composer and host of COMPOSER CONVERSATIONS, David Coscina.
LEGEND is a 1985 epic dark fantasy adventure directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, David Bennent, Alice Playten, Billy Barty, Cork Hubbert, and Annabelle Lanyon. The film revolves around Jack (Cruise), a pure being who must stop the Lord of Darkness (Curry) who plots to cover the world with eternal night.
The original score for the film was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith, performed by The National Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded by the legendary Mike Ross-Trevor. However, due to the massive changes made from the European version to the American version of the film, it was decided to remove Goldsmith’s score and have the German electronic group, Tangerine Dream, write and perform a new score.
Jerry Goldsmith’s original motion picture score is available on Silva Screen Records and Tangerine Dreams score is available through Varese Sarabande Records.
You can listen to part one of the program by clicking HERE.
We hope you enjoy the discussion, and the music and if you have any questions about SOUNDTRACK ALLEY please email Randy directly.
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Cinematic Sound Radio Fanfare and Theme by David Coscina | Soundtrack Alley Theme by Alexander Schiebel | Bumper voice artist: Tim Burden
I greatly enjoyed both podcasts, and all of your insightful observations.
As far as Alexander’s Courage’s involvement in Legend, Courage got the job because Arthur Morton was ill at the time.
Regarding Courage’s influence on the Legend score, — it’s been pretty-well established that Jerry Goldsmith’s orchestrators functioned more as “secretaries” (albeit secretaries who had to be trained composers in their own right to do the job). Goldsmith wrote highly detailed sketches, with counterpoint, dynamics, instrumentation, etc. all laid-out in “shorthand”.
Interviewed by Randall Larson in CinemaScore Magazine about his score for Poltergeist, Goldsmith was asked if he orchestrated the score himself, and the composer explained “In the physical sense, no; in the technical sense, yes. Meaning that I write it on a nine-line sketch with all the instruments indicated, and then Arthur Morton, who works with me on all the pictures, transfers it to the orchestral scores.”
As the late and 90s wore-on, Courage also worked on a lot of other Goldsmith scores (often sharing duties with Morton, who was getting on in years). Other people who “orchestrated” Goldsmith’s music over the years included David Tamkin, Herbert Spencer, Nancy Beach, Hummie Mann and Mark McKenzie.
Agreed on that soaring, triumphant choral passage which climaxes “Darkness Fails”. Oddly — and sadly — this part of the score got removed from the European cut of the film, because Scott completely excised Darkness’ final monolog (and therefor the music that went with it). Odder still, Scott restored the monolog for the American cut. (The longer director’s cut contains the monolog however).
Anyway, again, great job! Looking forward to more on your podcasts!
Thank you, Paul. We really should have had to on the show. That’s on me and that was a missed opportunity.
I have been waiting 37 years for a discussion on the scores for “LEGEND” and I was not disappointed in this two part piece of work…..OUTSTANDING!!! Thank you Erik, Jason, Robert, and David.