| The Great Escape (Elmer Bernstein) | |||
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Orchestrated by Leo Shunken & Jack Hayes Conducted by Elmer Bernstein Release Date: February 24, 1998
Orchestrated by Leo Shunken & Jack Hayes Conducted by Elmer Bernstein Produced by Robert Townson Release Date: June 8, 2004
Orchestrated by Leo Shunken & Jack Hayes Conducted by Elmer Bernstein Produced by Robert Townson Release Date: September 7, 2004
One of the greatest World War II films ever made, The Great Escape left its indelible mark on me since I first saw it so many years ago as an impressionable youngster. What is essentially a character drama set against the backdrop of a German prison camp, the film still contains more than its fair share of thrilling moments and set pieces. Additionally, sharp dialogue, well-rounded characterizations, and the rousing patriotism all belie a film whose process never really had any kind of cohesive script. And the performances from such screen icons as Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, and a whole host of others make this a true gem from this period in Hollywood. The visuals are also first rate, thanks in part to an impressive reproduction of the actual prison camp and the beautiful photography by cinematographer Daniel Fapp. But while all of those pluses are what, in part, served to sear this film so warmly in my mind, the one aspect that cannot be overlooked, and is indeed just as crucial, is Elmer Bernstein's terrific score. From the opening refrains of his militaristic march that heralds the main theme, to the carefully crafted selections involving the individual characters, their intentions, and their escape, this score has been one of the most beloved to ever come out of that era, and definitely one of the Bernstein's best works ever.
When The Great Escape was released in 1963, it was a time when the final sound mix often did justice to the scores they accompanied. To be fair, this was long before the advent of digital surround sound formats, which increased the total field of sound that could be thrown at an audience. While many scores are lost under the busy sound mixes of today, the mix for The Great Escape was quite generous to the score, and thus, while the original album releases were quite short, fans of the music had long known their favorite cues by heart. The gist of the score is quite simple really, with Bernstein rarely shooting for lengthy cues. Short and simple it is, but with so many things in life, simple isn't synonymous with fluffiness or laziness. The heroic refrains of the main title march, the romantic quality of Blythe's underscore, the terrorizing refrains of the Nazi oppression at the end which gives way to the hopeful, pastoral version of the march, and finally on to it again in full force demonstrate the deftness with which Bernstein married his music with the storyline. This is what made The Great Escape adhere to the minds of soundtrack fans everywhere. So much so that, like Star Wars, it's hard to exactly talk about this score in a breakdown of specifics. It just is good, and melds so perfectly with the film that the two are inseparable while the music succeeds in maintaining an enjoyable experience on its on terms.
As was often the case back then, the soundtrack release was a re-recording as opposed to the actual performance in the film. Thus, all the LP, cassette, and CD releases of that score up until now consisted of this re-recording (with one release even consisting of yet another re-recording by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra). While adequate, the performances on the official soundtrack album didn't quite match the power and the size of the original orchestra that Bernstein had utilized for the film. The first CD release was on the Rykodisc label and consisted of the material from the original LP and dialogue snippets from the film. It was also an "enhanced" disc that contained the trailer for the film. When the special 2-disc edition of the film was released on DVD earlier this year, the title transferred over to Varese Sarabande, where it received a remastering job and was released with artwork to match the new DVD cover.
But it was during this process that the discovery was made of tapes containing the complete original score. A veritable gold mine for Varese. While not possessing the same quality as the re-recording, this new 2 CD release of the film has generally excellent sound (there are a few areas of distortion) and one can't be picky with something as cherished as having the full original score. Really, regardless of the hefty liner notes or any sound nicks this album may possess, the fact that it is the full original score should be enough to warrant a purchase for fans. And given the sad passing of Maestro Bernstein just a short time ago, it serves as a fitting eulogy that one of his most beloved scores should finally see the light of day in such a complete release as this. So stop reading and purchase your copy, because at a 3000 limited number pressing, they are going fast. |
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| Track Listing | |||
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Original Rykodisc Release 1 - Main Title (2:07) 2 - Premature Plans (2:08) 3 - Give Up (0:14) Original incidental dialogue from the film 4 - Cooler and Mole (2:27) 5 - Blythe (2:13) 6 - Discovery (2:55) 7 - Various Troubles (2:42) 8 - Big X (0:09) Original incidental dialogue from the film 9 - On the Road (2:57) 10 - Meanwhile, We Dig (0:14) Original incidental dialogue from the film 11 - Betrayal (2:07) 12 - Hendley's Risk (2:25) 13 - Road's End (2:01) 14 - More Action (1:58) 15 - The Chase (2:50) 16 - Finale (3:17) |
Remastered Varese 2004 Release 1 - Main Title
(2:07)
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| Total Running Time: 32:44 | Total Running Time: 31:50 | ||
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Deluxe Edition CD 1 1 - Main Title (2:28) 2 - At First Glance (3:09) 3 - Premature Plans (2:27) 4 - If At Once (2:30) 5 - Forked (1:26) 6 - Cooler (1:57) 7 - Mole (1:27) 8 - X (0:54) 9 - Tonight We X ((0:36) 10 - The Scrounger (0:28) 11 - Blythe (3:20) 12 - Water Faucet (1:22) 13 - Interruptus (1:32) 14 - The Plan (0:41) 15 - The Sad Ives (1:00) 16 - Green Thumbs (2:26) 17 - Hilts and Ives (0:36) 18 - Cave In (1:59) 19 - Restless Men (1:54) 20 - Booze (1:46) 21 - Discovery (3:37) 22 - Various Troubles (3:52) |
Deluxe Edition CD 2 1 - Panic (2:04) 2 - Pin Trick (0:59) 3 - Hendley's Risk (1:43) 4 - Released Again (1:10) 5 - Escape Time (4:14) 6 - 20 Feet Short (3:04) 7 - Foul Up (2:36) 8 - At the Station (1:32) 9 - On the Road (3:25) 10 - The Chase (4:13) 11 - First Casualty (2:34) 12 - Flight Plan (2:11) 13 - More Action (3:10) 14 - Hilts Captured (2:57) 15 - Road's End (2:07) 16 - Betrayal (2:19) 17 - Three Gone (1:44) 18 - Home Again (1:30) 19 - Finale (1:28) 20 - The Cast (1:17) |
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Total Running Time: 44:28 |
Total Running Time: 48:14 |
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This is simply an excellent score, and while the Varese release from
earlier this year will suffice for some, true fans must, repeat must,
get their hands on the excellent 2-disc set. It's a tad hefty in price,
but well worth it.