Better late than never, we offer a detailed Soundtrack Spotlight on Varese Sarabande's definitive presentation of Jerry Goldsmith’s memorably noir-tinged score for Harold Becker's City Hall! First, your humble hosts David and Clark are joined by liner notes writer Tim Greiving for a discussion of the film's modest virtues, the score's central ideas, the real-life experiences that informed the film's screenplay, the musical influence of Leonard Bernstein's On the Waterfront, and other topics. Afterwards, David and Clark explore the significant and subtle differences between the various film versions, album versions, and alternates this thorough score presentation has to offer. We hope you'll join us for a stroll down the corridors of power(ful film music)!

Here is your de-confusing City Hall Soundtrack Spotlight Track List!

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The latest Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater volume is now available, and we're thrilled to give you all the details in this Production Report with our friend, conductor/reconstructionist/renaissance man Leigh Phillips. The fifth entry in his ongoing series of re-recordings is "The Last Dance," a sensitive and emotionally complex score for an episode of television that remains lost for the time being. In addition to offering a detailed breakdown of the assorted challenges posed throughout the recording session, Leigh talks to your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark about how the success of the earlier Kickstarter campaigns led to this "bonus" recording, inviting a wider audience to view the recording sessions, the most effective approach to leading an orchestra, his ambitious plan to re-record Goldsmith's Lionheart, and much more. Give it a listen, and then click over to Leigh's website to secure your copy of the score (featuring liner notes by Yavar). Enjoy!

Edited by Wes Deckers.

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Back in October of 2021, your humble hosts Yavar and David had a conversation with esteemed art designer Joe Sikoryak about his work  for Film Score Monthly, Intrada, Percepto, and La-La Land Records. Over the course of that chat, Joe offered comments on falling in love with film music as a child, shopping at Intrada Records during the physical shop's early days, and getting a job from Lukas Kendall to redesign and help give Film Score Monthly a more professional magazine look. He mused on the evolving style of soundtrack album design, the challenging economics of releasing soundtrack albums, the Jerry Goldsmith music he enjoys most, and why (as a huge fan of both Goldsmith and Star Trek) he initially struggled to fully connect with the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture! That discussion is bookended by a more recent chat, in which Joe offers an update on a graphic novel he’s been working on, talks about his participation in both The Jerry Goldsmith Companion and Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater Kickstarter projects, and offers a great many further insights. Joe has contributed a great deal to the world of soundtrack albums and has a lot of thoughtful commentary to offer, so this is a 2-in-1 conversation you'll want to make time for. It's the interview equivalent of dry-aged brisket placed within a freshly-baked bun, and our hope is that it's comparably enjoyable!

Edited by Wes Deckers.

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Given that all members of the Odyssey team are also lifelong Star Trek enthusiasts, we were particularly thrilled and honored to welcome actor/director Jonathan Frakes to the program. Your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark, along with Film Score Monthly founder Lukas Kendall, chat with Jonathan about his experiences working with Jerry on Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection, the complex nature of Goldsmith’s relationship with the Trek franchise, the collaborative qualities that distinguished Jerry from other film composers, the warmly-received third season of Star Trek: Picard, and much more! It's a warm, lively chat filled with fond memories and memorable music. If you've got 50 minutes to spare, make this show your Number One priority!

Note: This interview was conducted on July 12th, 2023, just prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Track List - Odyssey Interviews - Jonathan Frakes

Special thanks to friend of the show Stéphane Coëdel for his lovely work on this episode's cover image.

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In this episode, we turn our attention to one of America's most memorable, witty, and insightful figures: Andy, co-host of the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score. He joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to examine the Playhouse 90 installment "The Shape of the River," which details the tragedy-filled later years of writer Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain), and offers a Goldsmith score that alternates between bustling Americana and plaintive melancholy. We take a look at why this teleplay struggles to succeed despite being written by Oscar-winner Horton Foote, try to pin down Goldsmith's unusually loose and slippery thematic ideas, and even offer some reconstructed versions of cues missing from the episode (generously provided by friend of the show Carson Cohen). So give it a listen, and allow our viewing pain to become your listening pleasure!

Your handy Shape of the River Track List! 

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The whole band is back together for a very special kinda-sorta anniversary show! Your humble hosts David, Yavar, Clark, and Jens dig into Goldsmith’s memorable radio score for the 1956 CBS Suspense episode "The Security Agent," a political thriller about two friends attempting to flee Communist Poland. You'll hear discussion of the surprising musical origins of Goldsmith's main theme, the composer's early instincts for knowing when to hold back, the surprisingly nuanced characterizations this tale has to offer, and much more! Afterwards, stick around for a bonus trip down memory lane, as we look back on some of our favorite episodes and discoveries of the Odyssey's first five years. Whether you've been along for the whole ride or have just discovered the show, we thank you for listening, and hope you'll pardon the self-indulgence. Enjoy!

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After decades of writing about Jerry Goldsmith, author and film music historian Jeff Bond is preparing to deliver his definitive work on the subject: The Jerry Goldsmith Companion, a massive, two-volume set offering a thorough examination of the legendary composer's full career. In this Production Report, your humble hosts Yavar and David chat with Jeff about the process of creating the book, the degree to which the Goldsmith-themed liner notes he's written over the years informed the project, surprising discoveries made throughout the process, the different eras and defining traits of Goldsmith's career, and much more! It's a lively, music-filled conversation that we hope serves as a satisfying appetizer for the grandiose main course that lies ahead. Enjoy!

Here's your Jerry Goldsmith Companion with Jeff Bond Production Report Track List! 

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Another pair of Jerry Goldsmith re-recordings are right around the corner, and we're pleased to offer all of the exciting details in our latest Production Report. This time, Leigh Phillips is presenting two strikingly different Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: the bright, chipper “The Legend That Walks Like a Man” (previously covered by The Goldsmith Odyssey back in Episode 25) and the grim, militaristic "Hitler's Secret." Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark talk with Leigh about how those scores were chosen, the work that was involved in preparing them for recording, which passages in "The Legend That Walks Like a Man" required virtuosic soloists, the thought process behind making minor modifications to the "Hitler's Secret" sheet music, what we can expect from the next round of Kickstarter recordings, and much more! Additionally, this episode is loaded with exclusive behind-the-scenes excerpts from the recording sessions, giving you the opportunity to be a fly on the wall for a variety of key moments in the creation of these new recordings. Unlike certain notorious historical figures, we keep no secrets on this show, so give it a listen and get the inside scoop!

Your The Legend That Walks Like a Man & Hitler's Secret Track List!

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In the summer of 2022, your humble hosts David and Yavar had a conversation with Mike Matessino about his work on the Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (both the original DVD presentation and the dazzling new 4K restoration). While some of the revelations Mike offered prevented us from releasing this show until now, we are pleased to finally share this extraordinary interview. Over the course of this bountiful conversation, Mike talks about the years he spent working alongside director Robert Wise, the circumstances that led to the creation of the Director’s Edition, the challenging aspects of the restoration process, the ways in which the many changes enhance the film’s storytelling, his discussions with Jerry Goldsmith about the project, and so much more. This is our longest show to date, but one we feel is well worth the time. It’s an essential supplement to The Director’s Edition, loaded with insights from a man who knows the film as well as anyone. It will startle your senses, challenge your intellect, and alter your perception of the future… or at the very least, provide an absorbing listen. Enjoy!

Here is your handy track list! 

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A lot of unusual noises have been heard in Jerry Goldsmith’s score for The ‘Burbs, so we gathered all of the neighbors together to discuss them. In this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Jens, and Clark are pleased to welcome director Joe Dante, editor Marshall Harvey, recording engineer Bruce Botnick, album co-producer Neil S. Bulk, and album art designer Dan Goldwasser. You’ll hear stories about the creation of the film, discussion of the wide array of colorful elements in Goldsmith’s witty score, insights on the creation of the Morricone-heavy temp track, details on the improved sound and additional music offered by the new La-La Land release, and much more! In addition, we also take a little time to discuss the group’s memories of Goldsmith’s collaboration with Dante on the comparably spirited and eclectic Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which turned out to be the final score of the composer’s remarkable career. It’s a joyful, tuneful show with lots of music and memories, so open the trunk and see what you find!

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