The great thread of electronic/synthesizer soundtracks

[iProg]

Just watched Flash Gordon (1980) today for the first time. Queen sounds great on this, as do the orchestral cues from Howard Blake. Am I hearing Prophet 5 all over this or an Oberheim?

Any anecdotes on this one, Micke?

Well, they definitely used Oberheim. I know I'm not Micke, but I recall reading that the OB-Xa was one synthesizer in their arsenal. Don't know about any other models.

OB-X, I think. At least on "The Game"

[tomorrowstops]

Yup, you guys are right....

How awesome is that ^ anyways? I've always wanted to perform a score live to video!

[Micke]

Yes, the OB-X is all over the "Flash Gordon" soundtrack.

[Micke]

I recently discovered this great piano/synth score by Colin Towns. I've never heard of this composer before but after some googling I found out he was Ian Gillan's keyboardist from 1976 to 1982. The music is very beautiful and haunting.

Here are a few tracks from the horror/mystery flick FULL CIRCLE (aka The Haunting of Julia, 1977):



I'm not sure what keys were used in the making of this soundtrack but based on concert footage and photos
from 1977 and 1978, Colin's setup appears to have consisted of a Yamaha YC-45D combo organ, ARP 2600,
ARP/Solina strings, Rhodes, Hohner clavinet and grand piano.

I've been searching high and low for this CD but it seem's next to impossible to get hold of.
So if anyone here happens to have it, please PM me.

[Micke]

Colin Towns' just confirmed to me that his FULL CIRCLE soundtrack (see above) was recorded
with an ARP 2600, solina string ensemble and a grand piano.

[tomorrowstops]

man, that was a pretty great listen...I just spent a half hour myself looking for a copy of this CD. Nadda. There's one on ebay for $100. In my search I did find this little excerpt from the liner notes:

'The port of entry to the world of film composing can often appear out of nowhere; for Colin Towns, that sudden opportunity presented itself one day in 1976. A young producer, Peter Fetterman, struggling to find finance for his low budget feature Full Circle hit on an intriguing idea. What if a composer was hired to record a demo of the soundtrack before the film was shot? The tape could be sent along with the screenplay to potential backers who could then "hear" the film as well as read it.'

What a cool story. I recently kind of did that myself. I spent most of 2011 working on a score for a movie idea I conjured up. I doubt it'll make it to film. But I suppose that's what Colin thought? You never know....

Micke, if someone gets you copy of Full Circle - share please! (vice versa here;))

[Micke]

Yes, quite a wonderful score indeed. I'm not totally sure but I think Towns re-recorded the music specifically for the LP release back in '77-'78.

You can watch the full movie here:


And good good luck with your own film score, I hope it'll make it to film someday. As you said, you never know...

[tomorrowstops]

Basil Poledouris - No Man's Land (1987)

I discovered this one after watching Cherry 2000 (1987). I bought the soundtrack which actually turned out to have this bonus score of No Man's Land. Apparently this was Poledouris' first all-electronic (or at least, non-orchestral) score. There was some great electronic cues used in the Cherry 2000 movie as well, but alas, weren't included on the disc....

[MrFrodo]

How long has it been since anybody mentioned Wendy Carlos' score from Tron? Does that date back to the start of this thread?

[Micke]

It's a good thing that you mention Carlos' score for "Tron" because I don't think it's been mentioned in this thread yet (correct
me if I'm wrong).

[bbvideo][bbvideo 425,350][/bbvideo]

And while we are at it, here's the title music from "A Clockwork Orange" (1971):

[iProg]

I thought Daft Punk made the music to Tron? Or am I mixing it up with another movie?

[Micke]

No you're right, Daft Punk did score the new film from 2011. The original film from 1982 was scored by Wendy Carlos.

[iProg]

No you're right, Daft Punk did score the new film from 2011. The original film from 1982 was scored by Wendy Carlos.

Well, that makes sense...

[Micke]

More classic stuff....

Ghostbusters theme song (music composed and performed by Ray Parker Jr.):


synths used: Korg poly 61 (main synth) and Jupiter-6 (bass).

Here's the opening music from Elmer Bernstein's instrumental underscore:


synths(keys: Yamaha DX-7 plus Ondes Martenot.

[MrFrodo]

I thought his name was Ray.