Intrada Soundtrack Forum

INTRADA
Announces:



RAMPAGE
Composed and Conducted by ELMER BERNSTEIN
INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 182

By the 1960s, hit songs like Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”—not to mention Henry Mancini’s score for Hatari!—had transformed the exotic from something to be feared and avoided to something that could be comfortably enjoyed in the living room. For the 1963 Warner Bros. adventure Rampage, composer Elmer Bernstein's music follows that lead, quite unlike the emphatic King Kong-style symphonic music that had dominated the previous three decades of jungle adventure scores. The score to Rampage played against audience expectations to negotiate a film with competing agendas and some radical shifts in tone. A film with the title Rampage centering on a jungle hunt and climaxing with a deadly confrontation back in civilization might have inspired an aggressive score—but for a large part of the picture Bernstein’s music remains as laid back and confident as the film's protagonist Harry Stanton.

Bernstein’s expansive score was recorded at the tail end of Warner Bros.’ policy of retaining only monaural masters of its film scores. While the music was originally recorded in three-track stereo, the recordings were folded down to ¼’’ monaural 15 ips tape for archiving. Fortunately, every take of every cue survives, allowing for a complete presentation of the soundtrack.

The film is a dramatic adventure involving a romantic triangle set against a big-game hunt in the Malay jungle. Robert Mitchum plays Harry Stanton, a famed trapper hired by Germany’s Wilhelm Zoo to hunt down the Enchantress, a rare crossbreed of tiger and leopard. Arrogant big-game hunter Otto Abbot (Jack Hawkins), nearing the end of a storied career, accompanies Stanton, as does Abbot’s longtime mistress, Anna (Elsa Martinelli).

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 182
Retail Price: $19.99
AVAILABLE NOW
For track listing and sound samples, please visit
http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7185/.f

Another Winner ! Ordered

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Steve in the UK

As I just said on FSM, this sounds really lovely.

I'm out of funds for at least a week thanks to other great releases, so it's a big THANK YOU from me to you guys for changing the pressing policy, as I wouldn't want to miss this. If I only had a few days to grab it, I'd be going a bit mad trying to find a way right now.

As it is, I can wait until I get some money in a couple of weeks or so. So thanks, you've made this a bit less hectic. (And on a listening front I'm still waiting for my Explorers and 20,000 Leagues to arrive, desperately hoping it isn't the first package you've sent that gets lost on the way - I'm waiting another week before I allow total panic! - Incidentally that'll be a month or so after it was posted, I'm not that kind of idiot who complains or worries over a two week wait, I give it plenty of allowance!)

But as for Rampage, this looks like a great package, and you'll have my order asap.

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I haven't thought of a good signature yet.

Excellent sound quality. It does not get much better than when an older recording is preserved and presented so nicely.

Tonight is a great night for all Elmer Bernstein fans, and soundtrack collectors. My deepest thanks goes out to all the wonderful folk involved with making this release possible. I feel sure that if Elmer was still among us he would be delighted with the results of your dedicated efforts. Thanks everybody. Ordered!

This is mine, mine, mine!

Gotta say, it's almost worth picking this one up just for the cover. Fantastic piece of art guys!

After listening to this CD I have to say this ranks way up there as one of my favorite Elmer Bernstein scores. That sweeping love theme / main theme is just awesome. It reminds me of the AIRPLANE love theme. I'm thrilled that after the few Elmer Bernstein scores we got last year, this year is like an overload.

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Chris

This is one I'll be reviewing. I certainly like what I hear.

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"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance...that principle is contempt prior to investigation.
Herbert Spencer