I had the great honor of meeting Jerry Goldsmith at his home back in 1979. A very kind fellow. I was starstruck and mumbled something about how I was a big fan.
SWEET JESUS, the original score is RIDICOUSLY better than what they temp!!!! What was they were thinking???? they should have taken a stroll to air their minds when those long hours were taking the best of their judgment ....
WHY HAS IT TAKEN RU-vid THIS LONG TO RECOMMEND THIS CHANNEL?!! I love how the title says "BROTH," but the dish is nothing but meat and veg, with a bit of liquid to make it damp. 😂😂😂
I always wondered about the two divergent versions I had been hearing and what the story was behind them - thank you for this analysis of what happened for this iconic movie and score...
Jerry Goldsmith is one of my favorite composers along with John Williams. I can't say one is better than the other as their styles are so different. Favorite Jerry Goldsmith scores: A Patch of Blue Planet of the Apes The Other Magic Poltergeist Psycho 2 Twilight Zone The Movie Legend (I like Tangerine Dream's score for this outside the movie, but Jerry Goldsmith's score works better for the movie) Leviathan Rudy
Excellent video, but I wholeheartedly disagree that any part of the movie was lacking musically. Of course I would probably say the same thing if Jerry had got his way in some areas, but it's just impossible to imagine a different "Alien" after it had cemented itself among the great science fiction movies of all time. It's like the Richard Donner cut of "Superman II". After seeing the original Richard Lester cut my whole life, I prefer it over the Richard Donner cut.
Ultimately it's the director's decision on how the movie will look and sound and it's hard to argue that the end result was lacking. "Alien" will go down as one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time regardless of the drama behind the scenes. Jerry and Ridley are both geniuses.
Butteries, Scottish food of the gods. Warmed in my aunt's coal fired black range oven in Johnshaven circa 1957 then out with dad to "cleet" for lobster if the tide was out. Happy days.
I think they got the lab search scene right, having no music. Music helps the story telling of a scene that needs emotional direction. That scene did not need emotional direction. The audience is already on edge. it plays perfectly as ripley is naturally hyper reactive , but to an inert dead creature. Ripley screams, but no music hints that this emotion is flat to the creature being inert. reflecting the scene perfectly.
I love the score when they find the space jockey. Others would have probably put some epic music there but the score in the movie makes it haunting, surprising and refreshing, even after 44 years.
It's hard to second guess the director and film editor's scoring choices, but Jerry Goldsmith's music is also magical and mysterious. I'm glad there's comparisons out here like this video to make us aware of these choices and their effects on the final cut.
