Customer Reviews

The Music From U.N.C.L.E.: The Original Soundtrack Affair

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Open Channel D...

I echo some of the thoughtful comments of those who precede me here. I also originally listened to these tunes first on LP records, and would have preferred to see all the music contained in "Music From the Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "More Music From the Man from U.N.C.L.E " LP's put onto a single CD. I suppose it was assumed that the audience for this kind of music would be rather small, and not justify a complete effort. Total run time is disappointing, only about 33 minutes.

While it is doubtful that much of the music from these tracks actually appeared on the "Man from U.N.C.L.E." TV program, it hardly seems to matter because the musical content is so outstanding. Each track is unique, there is no recurring musical theme, like a "Bond" soundtrack. If you're looking for "cool" upbeat instrumental music from the mid-Sixties, this is it at its best. Play this stuff and get energized! This is definitely not music to relax to. Favorite tracks are "Wild Bike", "Off And Running" and "Dance of the Flaming Swords". Aside from the brevity, I don't think you will be disappointed.

The real gem among the "U.N.C.L.E." recordings however, is sadly absent. "Music from the Girl from U.N.C.L.E." is my personal favorite among the three "U.N.C.L.E." LP's. There are many outstanding tracks on this recording, one which truly deserves to be on CD. One track was recently used as background music clip in a national TV commercial.

Does anyone besides me think the "Golden Age" of TV music is the 60's? Has anything in the last 20 years been as memorable, even without the shows to go with it? While fans had to wait decades for the scores of STAR TREK, OUTER LIMITS and LOST IN SPACE, the tongue-in-cheek spy thriller MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. had 2 albums released back then, and a 3rd from its spin-off show, GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E.! Unlike most soundtracks, this features music written by a variety of composers, including Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Stevens, Gerald Fried & Lalo Schifrin!! While I managed to find battered, used copies for my collection years ago, it's a charge to be able to hear this cool music without scratching and hisses. Somebody at work where I played this once complained it was "too powerful"! I'll take that over the dull, meandering stuff you mostly hear these days (and cannot remember even while hearing it-- can you say "Star Trek: The Next Generation"?). If there's a complaint, it's that this CD compiles what someone decided was the "best" of BOTH previous LPs-- when clearly, there would have been room for ALL of the tracks, plus. (At least with the MISSION: IMNPOSSIBLE reissue, they included the entire 1st album.)

As for the theme song, there's been several arrangements on the show, some good, some not so, and at least the one here's better than what turned up on TELEVISION'S GREATEST HITS some years ago. For anyone with initiative, seek out the 7" EP by England's TV21, "To Protect...And Surf", which features the most powerful, hard-driving redo of the U.N.C.L.E. theme I've heard yet!

I acquired the german version of this soundtracks, wich have all the songs from both volume one and volume two. That's why I rated the us version only 3 stars. All the soft tracks were excluded from the us version. The smooth and lounged orchestral tracks contributed as well as the fast tracks to the mystic of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When I buy a cd that brings back memories, I want to have it all and so I recommend the european version from BMG. Great Sound in both but more complete in the german release I also find the german booklet and picture disc design more appealing and more creative to my personnal taste. What we really miss in fact is the original second years main's theme of the TV series, that (I think Lalo Schifrin arranged, like a blue print of his famous original Mission Impossible Theme ) have this famous flute and bongos dominant instruments. But we can't blame RCA for this missing version. It's probably in Turner's vault and was to my knowledge and according to opinion of the experts from the best Man From UNCLE websites never commercially released in any audio format. We can only find it on the video releases. Like another reviewer I miss the soundtrack of The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. and that is RCA's business to release one day soon I hope. It was a genuine RCA release. Best buy is definetly the RCA german cd release. In both cases though the sound is just great. Now, in the same vein, what about the original Capitol I Spy release yet to be released on cd. That was a pretty good album too. Come'on Capitol, please release that truely fantastic album and come'on RCA get The Girl From U.N.C.L..E. on cd before we're all gone :-)

I agree with a previous reviewer that this is better than nothing, but it is only a compilation from the two original albums.

The theme is the major disappointment. What I would really like to see is the cd issue of "The Girl From UNCLE" which has the authentic version of the original theme and a release of a double album in lieu of this abreviated selection.

If you're going to do something. Do it right.

The quality of scores in this CD is far below the level of original ones actually used in the show. What's worse it totally ignores scores adopted in the third and fourth season of the series. I wish Turner would release the all the original scores from the master tapes from MGM library including the film version.

This so-called soundtrack is better than nothing, and a couple of tracks are pleasing to the ear, but much of the show's memorable music from its 4-year run is ignored. Worst of all, the great theme song, whether its different incarnation from each of the four seasons, sounds terrible here. Can't wait for an authentic soundtrack boxed-set to be released. This one is better than nothing, but not much better.

While this CD doesn't reflect the music from the original show (i.e. "exact copy from the TV soundtrack"), it IS a compilation of 2 LP vinyl records from the 60's, "Music from the Man From U.N.C.L.E.", and "More Music From the Man From U.N.C.L.E.", of which I grew up with (and still have in my possesion). Many memories come flooding back while listening to this CD. To William Michael Porter (Illya to my Napoleon), Shelley Dawn Milam (my first true love, although we never met), and countless THRUSH agents who met their demise from my Walther P-38 (but only from sleep darts, mind you), I dedicate this CD to you! Any true afficiando of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. would do well to purchase this recording, if not for the "original" music, then the memories that will surface.

Joseph Michael Motes

Although this did bring back memories of a truly entertaining series, it could have been better. The tracks were short, but the quality was clear. If you'd like to hear a 'blast from the past' then this album is for you. It just needed to be longer, that's all.

If you want to see just how much effort was gone through to somewhat rip the 007 music of John Barry, you will find a fine example here. The orchestra is conducted by none other than the same man who did a far better job with his takes on the Sergio Leone Clint Eastwood spaghetti western trilogy. A nice take to capitalize on a doomed-to-die copycat. For a saner appreciation of spy music, stick with an original which can't be copied...Bond by Barry.