Intrada Soundtrack Forum

Here's an important item I'm literally just now working with... and you're welcome to chime in with your preferences. You may not get what you want, but maybe it'll help me make my choice. Please stick to the topic as I'm really curious about your responses to my question.

The first two cues in CONAN THE BARBARIAN are segued together in the movie, then the next three are combined into one giant piece in the picture as well. Poledouris dropped his opening prologue from the U.S. album and started right off with the "Anvil Of Crom". We'll include the opening prologue before the credits because it sounds so cool going from bass drum hits and light percussion suddenly to massive tympani and orchestra for the titles... but it's the next three cues that I'm curious about. Yes, we're including them, of course. But... as one large sequence as heard in the film - and intended by Poledouris - or as three separate cues like the album - and intended by Poledouris. (This is not a contradiction, by the way.)

Poledouris literally composed the segues (or crossfades) right into "Gift Of Fury", "Riders Of Doom" and "Wheel Of Pain" by ensuring the closing bars of each matched the opening bars of the following and whatnot. In the film it works beautifully and if assembled as such on the album for the first time it'll have a powerful effect. It was designed to work that way so it's not just good fortune.

However... Poledouris wanted to keep each of these parts separate on his album - and he did. And each cue works by itself as well. And, yes, the re-recording retains that sequence.

It's not practical or economically sensible to have all of these cues appear twice on our release, just to play it both ways (though I've thought about it) so...

Do you think you'd prefer the film assembly (which is quite dramatic when played as one lengthy cue) or the album assembly (which retains a degree of individual clarity not possible with the film assembly). Remember, Poledouris wanted it both ways... and got what he wanted with a movie and a record. We have to make a choice.
--Doug

I would without question prefer the film assembly.

It is great to see that the prologue will be included.

The film assembly. We already have the album arrangement. And we already have them as separate cues on a faithfully recorded new album. I would love to hear them as one lengthy suite now, especially since as I recall the film is in mono, so this will be a complete revelation I'm sure.

Also, I don't know if it's been established yet whether these new releases will be complete scores, but if so all the more reason to keep it as one suite. We've got multiple versions of the album. If we're getting the complete score now it may as well be as heard in the film.

EDIT: I assumed that the suite would be broken into the three tracks rather than one long track, but in the interest of clarity, that is my preference: three tracks, flowing into each other, with the bridges intact.

I would prefer they be kept separate. It's easier for the consumer to combine cues than to separate them. And I really like the idea of being able to program the album arrangement (COMPLETE with clean openings/endings) with the sound quality of this new release.

But just my opinion, I'll probably buy it either way.

This is a hard one for me too because I'm used to the way Basil put together his album and did a brilliant job of it. Like you said, it definitely can go either way and I'd personally be content with what you'd do. I would love the hear the way it is in the film just as a curiosity because it might be even better than the individual tracks. Then again my suggestion would be individual tracks of each and having them play one blending into the other kinda of like way Hans Zimmer put together his 22 minute suite of Black Rain on the soundtrack album.

Either way, I would be really content in all honesty. I'd be excited just to have the album as it was meant to be heard.

Unless you can do both, which seems a bit extravagant - I would leave them separate, as they were on the original albums.

People are used to hearing them like that, and if Basil decided separate tracks were best for the album, all the more reason to keep them that way.

And it'll save you a lot of grief. Nobody will complain that you didn't fuse the tracks together - but there are fans who'll complain that you did. Remember the BACK TO THE FUTURE situation, where fans carped about one tiny edit, or the ROBOBCOP end credits.

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Actually, the re-recording plays "Riders of Doom" and "Gift of Fury" together without pause (though there is a track index point between them) connected by a timpani roll. "Wheel of Pain" is definitely separated.

This probably won't help much but I would love to hear the 3 tracks segued together as they are in the film but having separated tracks does make more sense for an album presentation.

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I would think with all the 'manipulation' we do to records these days, it
would be better to have them broken into separate tracks, meaning Ipods
ripping to PC, etc.

I'm going with separate. It's easy enough to merge them if you want to, but it's impossible to separate them if they are already merged.

All together as one track (the film assembly), please!

We already have the tracks separated on the Milan/Varese editions - and I'd love to hear everything stitched together as one to experience that powerful effect it all brings, as you say.

This is a rare treat to partake in the production of one of your album releases. What about combining all the cues together, but indexing them for easy tracking. I know you normally don't do that but, that's just a thought I'd chime in.

It's an exciting year. Thanks Guys!

Another vote for keeping them separate. I agree with all of Sarge's points.

That being said, it wouldn't bother me terribly if crossfades were utilized, I would just prefer it the way I'm used to.

Either way, I'm incredibly excited about these releases.

Thanks for the open discussion, Doug!

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Josh Mitchell