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UK
New Expanded Edition Original Film Soundtrack
Music composed and performed by John Carpenter in association with Alan Howarth
Label: Silva Screen
Release Date: April 28, 2000
01. Main Title (3:53)
02. Bank Robbery ' (3:30)
03. "Prison Introduction" (0:20)
04. Over The Wall/Airforce One (2:22)
05. He's Still Alive/Romero ' (2:12)
06. "Snake' Plissken" (1:41)
07. Orientation (1:47)
08. "Tell Him" (1:46)
09. Engulfed Cathedral (Debussy) + (3:31)
10. Across The Roof ' (1:14)
11. Descent Into New York ' (3:37)
12. Back To The Pod - Version #1 ' (1:34)
13. Everyone's Coming To New York " (2:24)
14. "Don't Go Down There!" (0:19)
15. Back To The Pod - Version #2/The Crazies Come Out (2:09)
16. "I Heard You Were Dead!" (0:09)
17. Arrival At The Library (1:06)
18. "You Are The Duke Of New York" (0:16)
19. Duke Arrives/Barricade ++ (3:35)
20. President At The Train (2:28)
21. "Who Are You?" (0:27)
22. Police Action (2:27)
23. Romero And The President (1:43)
24. President Is Gone (1:53)
25. 69th Street Bridge (2:43)
26. Over The Wall (3:42)
27. "The Name Is Plissken" (0:25)
28. Snake Shake ' (3:58)
Previously unreleased '
Pamela Smith, keyboard +
Written by Nick Castle "
Tommy Wallace, guitar ++
Purchase it here (MP3)
US
New Expanded Edition Original Film Soundtrack
Music composed and performed by John Carpenter in association with Alan Howarth
Label: Silva America
Release Date: April 25, 2000/October 04, 2005
01. Main Title (3:53)
02. Bank Robbery ' (3:30)
03. "Prison Introduction" (0:20)
04. Over The Wall/Airforce One (2:22)
05. He's Still Alive/Romero ' (2:12)
06. "Snake' Plissken" (1:41)
07. Orientation (1:47)
08. "Tell Him" (1:46)
09. Engulfed Cathedral (Debussy) + (3:31)
10. Across The Roof ' (1:14)
11. Descent Into New York ' (3:37)
12. Back To The Pod - Version #1 ' (1:34)
13. Everyone's Coming To New York " (2:24)
14. "Don't Go Down There!" (0:19)
15. Back To The Pod - Version #2/The Crazies Come Out (2:09)
16. "I Heard You Were Dead!" (0:09)
17. Arrival At The Library (1:06)
18. "You Are The Duke Of New York" (0:16)
19. Duke Arrives/Barricade ++ (3:35)
20. President At The Train (2:28)
21. "Who Are You?" (0:27)
22. Police Action (2:27)
23. Romero And The President (1:43)
24. President Is Gone (1:53)
25. 69th Street Bridge (2:43)
26. Over The Wall (3:42)
27. "The Name Is Plissken" (0:25)
28. Snake Shake ' (3:58)
Previously unreleased '
Pamela Smith, keyboard +
Written by Nick Castle "
Tommy Wallace, guitar ++
A Note From the Producer
It was 1980, and I had just finished my first sound design assignment for the feature film Star Trek - The Motion Picture. The film's editor was Todd Ramsey, who then went on to edit Escape From New York for John Carpenter. Todd introduced me to John and advised him that I was a musician as well as a sound designer. John came over to my home, checked out what I was up to and said to me, "OK, let's do it." This meant that he would score Escape From New York in my home studio and that was it! We had the latest technology of the day, an ARP Quadra, ARP Avatar with 16 step sequencer, a Prophet 5 programmable analog synthesizer, and a Linn LM-1 drum machine. Everything was recorded to the analog 24 & 8 track tape. This was before we had synchronization with video, so I recorded a track with dialogue from the scene, and we used that as a guide for timing the cues. The whole process was primitive by today's standards, it was about creating music for film, and John said, "There's only one rule to follow, there are no rules." There was no intention to make a soundtrack record while we were composing the score. The whole idea was only brought up after the film came out. John had me edit the record (no CDs back then), which was for released on vinyl, so there was a 22 to 25 minute limit to each side, due to the physical restraints of the medium. Now it's 20 years later, and I am going back into the original tracks to make a CD. As I went through the cues, all the memories of the sessions returned. It was a wonderful experience to learn from John about music for films. The tracks themselves were clean, but the original mixes were created before there was console automation that we take for granted today. For this pass, the analog tapes were transferred to a Soundscape RED digital workstation, and all the clean up and mixing was done within the computer, which did editing as well as the mix. I took more advantage of stereo separation as well as cutting out all the analog noise of tracks that are not playing any material. Dialogue was included in the CD to help tell the story as you listen. The film still holds up as well as the music we created for it.
- Alan Howarth, March 12, 2000
About This Release
For this expanded CD release, Silva Screen Records went back to the original multi-track music masters and commissioned Alan Howarth to create a newly remastered stereo mix that would bring this landmark score into the 21st Century.
Howarth had made extensive edits to the score for its original album release. However, for this new presentation on CD it was decided to restore the music to its original film version. This disc contains all of the music from the original album release, as well as a number of previously unreleased cues such as He's Still Alive/Romero, Across the Roof, Decent into New York and Back to the Pod - Version #1.
This release also features for the first time two sequences that were never used in the final version of the film. The first is The Bank Robbery, a tense underscore for a deleted bank robbery sequence that is only mentioned later in the story. 'Snake' Plissken's participation in the Atlanta heist leads to his arrest and sentencing to the New York Maximum Security Prison, and was intended to open the film. This prologue was deleted after several preview audiences indicated that it diminished the introduction of the character by seeing him captured so early in the film.
The second is Snake Shake which was intended to play under the end credits for the film. Director and composer John Carpenter felt that it was to light in tone and at odds with the film's darkly ironic ending. This was eventually replaced by a reprise of the Ennio Morricone-flavored main theme that became musically synonymous with the anti-hero, 'Snake' Plissken.
Alterations (Amazon)
Being a huge fan of the music of John Carpenter I was very excited when I saw this disc, having already purchased the original version years ago. Having said that I must tell you that this new remastered version may seem great to some but for others, you may find yourself somewhat irritated. I decided to listen to the original album and following each track, listen to the remastered version to see what the differences were. The sound quality is much better, yes, on the newer version but it seems to me that some sounds have changed and have been remixed.
Take the Main Title for example. After the drumbeat intro and the first backing sounds we should hear the synth playing the Main Title Theme. In the newer version, it has been changed to a piano, quite possibly an electric one. Other sounds seem to be added to this track that were not there before which begs the question: Is this a remastered CD or a remix CD? Also, anyone hoping for the complete version of the Main Title will be very disappointed to learn that it is not included (the extended end credits version would run longer). I made a copy off of my laserdisc, connecting the opening and end credits together to have this version, since it is only available by another composer (Daniel Caine) who pays homage to Mr. Carpenter (see: Halloween The Best of John Carpenter).
Another major note is that the track, President at the Train has been shortened from 2:55 to 2:28, deleting the last 27 seconds off of the track, which for me is the best part (the shrieking noise as a body jumps in front of Plissken and what follow are lost). The best part is the inclusion of 6 previously unreleased tracks, although The Bank Robbery, which was used for the original opening sequence that was later deleted, was available on promotional copies of Big Trouble in Little China. For this reason as well as the sound quality, this disc is worth getting. But in my opinion, not all the tracks came out very well.
Arrival at the Library (1:06), which has been switched, speaker wise (the sounds from the left on the original version are now switched to the right on the newer version) and 69th Street Bridge (2:43) both sound a little muddled as if they couldn't decide what the main instrument would be throughout the piece. The dialogue added is a nice touch but does interfere at times with the beginnings or endings of the tracks before or after them.
Please understand my rating is not aimed at the music (I love Mr. Carpenter's work and own every score he has done from Dark Star to the present), it is for the technical aspect, which, to me, seems flawed, that my rating is centered towards. When I go see a movie and I hear the music for the film and like it I want to go and buy the soundtrack (or score) with the idea that it will sound exactly the same. When it doesn't sound the same it is a huge disappointment. As I said, for most people, it may make little difference. But to purists, like myself, it matters a great deal.
Soundtrack.Net By Messrob Torikian (Extract)
The other problem with this CD is the bad remixing of a few tracks. While most of the remixing is fine, there are a couple of tracks that suffer from it. One is Engulfed Cathedral. The original version as heard in the film had the low notes, which serve as the backbone of the piece, flow into one another. This piece accompanies Snake's flight into the prison at night. It's a beautiful piece now marred by the new version which has these low notes clipped. The other track that suffers is Over the Wall, which now sounds like cheesy B movie synth music borrowed from a video game. I suppose an apt comparison would be hearing your favorite piece of music conducted by someone other than the original conductor. Sure, the notes are the same, but the pacing and the feel of it are simply different and it rubs you the wrong way.
Purchase it here (MP3)
Limited Edition Artist Release (2xCD)
Description: Escape From New York - Limited Edition Artist Release - This digitally remastered original score from EFNY is a double CD package that contains the original 1981 release of the score by John Carpenter in association with Alan Howarth and the 1995 remixed version with dialogue inserts between tracks. Sounding better than ever by utilizing the latest digital sound technology, every fan and collector is excited to get this limited product. Each copy shipped from our web store will be personally signed by Alan Howarth.
Music composed and performed by John Carpenter in association with Alan Howarth
Label: Unknown
Release Date: February 08, 2018
CD 1
01. Main Title (3:52)
02. Up The Wall/Airforce #1 (2:29)
03. Orientation # 2 (1:48)
04. Engulfed Cathedral (Debussy) + (3:33)
05. Back To The Pod/The Crazies Come Out (3:00)
06. Arrival At The Library (1:06)
07. Everyone's Coming To New York " (2:54)
08. The Duke Arrives/The Barricade ++ (3:35)
09. Police State/Romero And The President (3:21)
10. The President At The Train (2:55)
11. The President Is Gone (2:30)
12. Chase Across The 69th Street Bridge (2:33)
13. Over The Wall (3:43)
Pamela Smith, keyboard +
Written by Nick Castle "
Tommy Wallace, guitar ++
CD 2
01. Main Title (3:53)
02. Bank Robbery ' (3:30)
03. "Prison Introduction" (0:20)
04. Over The Wall/Airforce One (2:22)
05. He's Still Alive/Romero ' (2:12)
06. "Snake' Plissken" (1:41)
07. Orientation (1:47)
08. "Tell Him" (1:46)
09. Engulfed Cathedral (Debussy) + (3:31)
10. Across The Roof ' (1:14)
11. Descent Into New York ' (3:37)
12. Back To The Pod - Version #1 ' (1:34)
13. Everyone's Coming To New York " (2:24)
14. "Don't Go Down There!" (0:19)
15. Back To The Pod - Version #2/The Crazies Come Out (2:09)
16. "I Heard You Were Dead!" (0:09)
17. Arrival At The Library (1:06)
18. "You Are The Duke Of New York" (0:16)
19. Duke Arrives/Barricade ++ (3:35)
20. President At The Train (2:28)
21. "Who Are You?" (0:27)
22. Police Action (2:27)
23. Romero And The President (1:43)
24. President Is Gone (1:53)
25. 69th Street Bridge (2:43)
26. Over The Wall (3:42)
27. "The Name Is Plissken" (0:25)
28. Snake Shake ' (3:58)
Previously unreleased '
Pamela Smith, keyboard +
Written by Nick Castle "
Tommy Wallace, guitar ++
Purchase it here