Intrada Soundtrack Forum

There is something remarkable about the fact that I actually have to "think" about my "Holy Grail" titles these days. That's not to say that there isn't still plenty of good unreleased stuff out there, but I have been collecting film scores for a quarter of a century now, and there were quite a few titles at one time that I could have readily identified as a "Holy Grail" for me, such as Alien (complete), Planet of the Apes (not even "The Hunt" was on LP, altogether just about half the score), Bandolero! (that "hanging sequence" was sadly absent), Body Double, Lawman (one of my holiest Grails), Scorpio, Logan's Run, The Big Country, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, The Burbs, The Omega Man (boy, I never thought that one would ever see the light of day)... there were more.... but these days, I actually have to give this "Grails" stuff some thought. It is remarkable how many of my former "Holy Grails" have been released and on CD. Sure, there are some other scores I'd buy right away if they were released, but I cannot actually call them "Holy Grail" titles. "Holy Grail" titles... I mean, those should be titles dear to your heart. As I said, in these fortunate days, many of my "Holy Grail" titles have been released.

Among those that have not been (officially) released, here are the first top five that come to my mind that have either not been released at all or only heavily abbreviated (in random order):

1. Jerry Goldsmith Explorers
2. Jerry Goldsmith Gremlins
3. Alex North Spartacus (a no brainer... I used to say "Alien" and "Spartacus"... now it's only "Spartacus".)
4. William Lava The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (I fear this one will remain a Grail forever)
5. Jerry Goldsmith Damnation Alley (complete... this one seems impossible, too)
6. James Horner Wolfen (whoops... that's six... OK... I'll stop now)

Not listed here among my Holy Grail titles are certain releases that have never been in widespread release, but where I am fortunate enough to have obtained a copy of those very limited releases, such as the complete The Wild Bunch or Enter The Dragon that I ordered years ago from FSM. So they are no longer among "my" "Holy Grails", though they may be for others. Otherwise, they'd have made the list.

1-INNERSPACE complete score - Jerry Goldsmith
2-EXPLORERS complete score - Jerry Goldsmith
3-SLIPSTREAM - Elmer Bernstein
4-FANDANGO - Alan Silvestri
5-BACK TO THE FUTURE - Alan Silvestri

For me, a complete SPARTACUS is the only true grail remaining.

All others would be "really nice to have," but don't reach grail status, IMO.

_________________
"Questions are a burden to others; answers a prison for oneself"
"Unlike me, many of you have accepted the situation of your imprisonment and will die here like rotten cabbages."
"Everyone votes for a dictator."
THE PRISONER

For a grail,
it's sometimes the really obscure stuff...

A SHOT IN THE DARK - Henry Mancini
THE CAR - Leonard Rosenman
CANDLESHOE - Ron Goodwin
CARBON COPY - Bill Conti
THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS - John Williams

The Kid (Marc Shaiman) would be terrific ! What a great adventure/time travel/fantasy/comedy score ! The main theme is absolutely soaring...