Intrada Soundtrack Forum

INTRADA Announces:



ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING
Composed and Conducted by MICHAEL KAMEN
Includes vocals by THE CRYSTALS, ALBERT COLLINS, EDWIN STARR and PERCY SLEDGE
INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 320

Composer Michael Kamen carved out a niche for himself as a premiere action composer in the late '80s, launching the musical franchises for both the Lethal Weapon and Die Hard series. His punchy action and ominous string suspense writing brought a unique sound to the budding over-the-top action genre. Composed the same year as Lethal Weapon, his score for the 1987 Touchstone Pictures film Adventures in Babysitting is a bit deceptive on screen -- during postproduction, several cues were dropped and many others truncated, reducing the amount of score in the finished film by a significant amount. In actuality, it is a a substantial work running roughly 70 minutes—with sessions for large orchestra held in both New York and Los Angeles. The score proper favors compact motivic gestures over drawn-out melodies. Its principal idea is a short theme associated with the heroine Chris (Elizabeth Shue), highlighting a falling-and-rising motif, while other recurring ideas include a breezy, pop-inflected line, a brassy flourish inspired by the mighty Thor, and a collection of motifs used to highlight moments of excitement, danger and distress.

This premiere release of the score features all of the cues Kamen recorded for the picture in their original full-length versions, plus a wealth of never-before-heard music. Four songs important to the soundtrack appear as well, including the famous hit “Then He Kissed Me" and the show-stopping “Babysitting Blues,” in which the cast members attempting to elude their dangerous pursuers suddenly find themselves smack in the middle of a blues concert—on center stage no less. The orchestral sessions were recorded on 2″ 24-track tape and preserved in that format in pristine condition in the Walt Disney vaults.

In the film, Chris agrees to a last-minute babysitting job in the Chicago suburbs. Her main responsibility is to look after Sara (Maia Brewton), a precocious 10-year-old who is obsessed with the Marvel Comics hero Thor. In the bargain, she has to deal with the clumsy advances of Sara’s love-struck older brother, Brad (Keith Coogan), and his horndog friend, Daryl (Anthony Rapp). What promises to be a relatively uneventful evening is interrupted by a desperate phone call from Chris’ best friend, Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller), who has run away from home and been stranded at a sinister downtown bus station. Chris piles the kids into the car to pick up Brenda, and the rescue attempt is derailed in short order by a series of improbable events, leading to a carjacking by an amiable young thief and their capture by the unsavory criminals behind a chopshop operation.

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 320
Retail Price: $19.99
SHIPPING NOW
For track listing and sound samples, please visit
http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.9697/.f

Wow! So pleased to get some new Kamen. Can't wait to give this one a spin. Thanks guys.

This is much appreciated. This score highlights much of what I love about Kamen's music: great suspense, great action, and some playful tongue-in-cheek moments.

I'm glad that you were able to also include the main title song. Despite owning a vast collection of 60s pop songs, I for some reason never got around to seeking out this very popular recording on disc.

In light of the tragic news today it almost seems wrong to be very happy about a new soundtrack release. But thank you very much Intrada for another Michael Kamen CD. Looks to be a great release.

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Jason Needs
Webmaster, Jerry Goldsmith Online

Exactly how I feel Jason (for your historians looking back on this thread, James Horner passed away the same day this release happened).

I went from joy at this new Kamen CD to utter despair, literally within an hour.

That aside, I'm very excited to hear this Kamen disc, and glad that the songs were
included too - their a pretty integral part of the overall feel.

-Sean

great release from a fun movie and Kamen we always want more of Thanx boys for another great release

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I´VE COME HERE TO DRINK COCONUTS AND *censour*...AND I´M ALL OUT OF COCONUTS...

I´m a dirt merchant and a figure of your imagination

It's a lot of fun to hear the suspense and action stylings of Die Hard and Lethal Weapon in this score, and of course the alluring infusion of the kind of pop elements that hallmarked numerous Kamen works. Cues like "Brenda and the Rat," "Runaway Truck" and the masterpiece that is "Tire Blow Out" are among many reasons why I so greatly admire the distinctive Kamen sound.

Very good sound, too, and even the chair/instrument setup creaks sound quite detailed.

It will be fantastic when "Nothing but Trouble," another fun and dynamic Kamen adventure-comedy score, gets an album.

Really loving an "analytical listen" to this album tonight - thanks & job well done Team Intrada. Hearing allusions to Die Hard 2 (the rumble) & Brazil (runaway truck, Awesome! !!!) so far - this is quintessential Kamen for an old favorite film, I'm ecstatic to hear it on its own terms.

-Sean