Intrada Soundtrack Forum

Would Iron Will by Joel McNeely be something that Intrada could release in the near future, or does it still belong under Varese Sarabande? The reason I ask, is because I have listened to a few tracks from this and it is just amazing! It's the sound of good old-fashioned adventure wonderfully orchestrated! What do others think about this one, and would you want to see this one get a complete release?

I obviously can't offer a definitive answer about the rights issue, but I see that Varese is selling the album on iTunes. This has historically been a very strong indicator that they remain in control of a score. Also, it has been noted by some people working for other labels that Varese started to more widely claim perpetual rights to scores in the early 90s.

For what it's worth, I really like the Varese album.

The Varese album is really short (30 min), but really effective too. I'm a big fan of the movie, so I can tell you it has plenty of unreleased music, and cool stuff ! This is easily the best score Joel McNeely has ever written, with many great themes :
-Will's father's theme : a very tender theme that becomes a 4 notes motif (called Will's tune in the movie) that Will whistles troughout the movie to launch his dogs sled that is incorporated inside the score with such intelligence and talent.
-Will's theme : a very sweeping, long and innocent americana theme, that cleverly begins with the 2 first notes from the 4 notes motif and ends with the 2 last notes.
-The rousing race theme that musically demonstrates the epicness and the danger of the race, and that also is embraced by the 4 notes motif (2 notes opening the theme and 2 notes closing it, same as Will's theme)
-The heroic theme that embodies the myth of Iron Will as the hero emerges, that will inspire later the theme for Dash Rendar in Shadows of the Empire.

All the tremendous adventure/action music (orchestrated by Bruce Broughton's usual partner David Slonaker) is some of the best americana/adventure music I've ever heard, and the amerindian flavor is a critical touch of serenity and tenderness (just like in Squanto, recently released by Intrada).
Each track of the score has something to say, something to build, until the final "crossing the line" cue, where everything blends with the 4 notes motif becoming more musical and triumphant than ever.
Splendid work of art.

First of all...

IRON WILL is a wonderful Disney movie with a fine cast. The cinematography is beautiful. In the day and age of CGI and just plain "LOUD" movies, I go back and watch this gem at least once a year. Call me corny... but it still stands up (to me). One
cannot help but fight back the tears during the film. It just makes you feel good and young again.

Joel McNeely's score... WOW! Have had the original Varese issue since it's release (bought the day it came out). JM's score has long since been one of my favorites by the very gifted composer/conductor. Articulate. Exciting. Emotional. Regardless of it's short running time on cd, this is truly a wonderful score. There is that word again... wonderful.

Well... I know what I am watching and then playing the cd of today...

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Another awesome year with Intrada... 2012

I'd buy it in a flash!

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Rame Tep! Rame Tep! Rame Tep!

Joel McNeely should deserve all the current blockbusters in need of a gorgeous symphonic score... Jim Cameron, give Avatar 2 to your old time partner...

He really should, not just out of loyalty but because I think Joel is most likely to write the best score (and most consistent with its predecessor). The only other composer currently working that might be able to fit well within the sound world is James Newton Howard (think Dinosaur). But Cameron has worked with McNeely most recently of anyone else besides Horner, so he makes the most sense on multiple levels.

Yavar

That's exactly what I think Yavar, you give me hope that Cameron thinks so too.