The Great Escape (Score) [Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

Elmer Bernstein (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Elmer Bernstein
• Audio CD (June 15, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• Run Time: 32 minutes
• ASIN: B00028HBVG
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,679 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Main Title - Elmer Bernstein

2. Premature Plans

3. Cooler And Mole

4. Blythe

5. Discovery

6. Various Troubles

7. On The Road

8. Betrayal

9. Hendley's Risk

10. Road's End

11. More Action

12. The Chase

13. Finale

Editorial Reviews

Music by Elmer Bernstein

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent, but Even Better is Coming, August 30, 2004

By 

AH-1Z - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Escape (Score) (Audio CD)

This is a magnificent score. But, you should be aware that master tapes of the complete orignal score were found in the MGM library earlier this year. These were thought to no longer exist. These are to be released (and may have been already in Europe) on a two-CD set with at least 42 cues.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cherished and Essential Soundtrack, July 15, 2004

By 

gobirds2 (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Escape (Score) (Audio CD)

Many thanks go to Rykodisc for reissuing this soundtrack on CD back in 1998. Now, minus the dialogue tracks, it is back on compact disc again thanks to Varese Records. It now has a new cover featuring Steve McQueen instead of the original poster art. That aside, THE GREAT ESCAPE left us with indelible images, characters, dialogue and music. This film contains one of Elmer Bernstein's most recognizable themes in cinema history: the main title or "The Great Escape March" as it is often referred to. To say that THE GREAT ESCAPE has such a distinction is an understatement. His main title theme is as much a tribute to the Allied prisoners in the film as it is to all men who must overcome the odds through their own perseverance and unwillingness to bend to defeat to whatever noble end they strive for. Bernstein's complex score complements the theme by giving us passages and statements on the diversity of the individuals as well as their singular overall objective. Once the Allied escapees are on the road, the music reaches exhilarating proportions unlike that of traditional action Hollywood scoring. Bernstein wants to put the audience through the same suspense and anticipation that the escapees feel and then unleashes our pent up emotions in a crescendo of rousing orchestrations that has us cheering them on. That was the same brilliant technique he employed in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. I don't think many people give Elmer Berstein the credit for being the musical innovator that he was back in this period of his prestigious career. Composer Bernstein was able to control our emotions giving us moments of reflective tranquility, then despair and in the next moment lifting our spirits again knowing that actions were not taken in vain and good will eventually prevail. This is an excellent recording.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Among the Best Scores, August 26, 2004

By 

D. A Wend (Arlington Heights, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Great Escape (Score) (Audio CD)

The Great Escape is among the best and most memorable soundtracks. This CD is the original soundtrack, re-mastered and issued in 2004. The booklet cover is taken from the video game version of the Great Escape (not a bad likeness of Steve McQueen) but inside contains many stills from the movie and cast photographs. The booklet includes the story behind the making of the film, including the obstacles (such as Steve McQueen coming close to quitting) that almost doomed it to failure. There is a nice discussion of Elmer Bernstein's involvement and the writing of the score.

The music Elmer Bernstein wrote fit the film beautifully and is a joy to listen to by itself. The individual tracks are not described in the booklet but have descriptive titles that place the action so that nobody who has seen the film will be lost. The only problem is that the CD is short (32 minutes) on music and some of the cues were not included. Until someone comes up with the entire score (like Turner/Rhino did for North By Northwest) this is the best we have. Anyone who has enjoyed this movie will still want to have this soundtrack.