Customer Reviews

Varèse Sarabande - A 25th Anniversary Celebration

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Anyone who has ever read my reviews knows that I'm a complete "film-score-buff" nut. Varese Records has come up with the best of the best in the category of soundtracks/scores. Just take a peek with their latest release "Varese Sarabande:A 25th Anniversary Celebration", featuring a 4-CD-Set with inclusive 84 cues of unforgettable scores from the leading composers of the past Century. The quality of sound, texture and substance is a film scores collectors dream. Each and every track is a self culture unto its own, bringing countries, worlds and universes under one umbrella. This is one not to be missed, so many highlights and stand outs ~ from one spectrum of comedy, romance, drama, suspense, action, adventure...to the other of westerns, horror, war, thrillers and classics that linger from decade to decade.

Much like its predecessor "In Session:A Film Music Celebration" (Varese Records 302-066-225-2), takes the listener on a musical journey that will live on as long as there is the Cinema and Music. This compilation is aimed at the "serious collector of Music", make no mistake about it. Varese and producer Robert Townson hit the mark, a perfect bulleye...not to mention the price is right ~ gotta love it!

Total:4-CD-Set ~ Varese Records 302-066-460-2 ~ (4/22/2003)

This collection is amazing. It is huge, but I never got the impression that they were "throwing" things in to fill space. I can listen to the entire set from start to finish and by the time it's done, be ready to start over at disc 1 again!

Varèse Sarabande certainly has a formidible archive to dip from--however, what I liked best about this collection is that they weren't afraid to use scores from less popular (or popularly disregarded) movies. This collection is set apart from the vast majority of other film score collections that I've encountered because is actually all about the music/composers and not the movies behind them. I may never have heard some of this music otherwise, simply because I was not interested in the movie behind it.

This will stay at the top of my playlist for a long time.

I've never seen a better variety of memorable movie themes all in one collection. This is definitely the place to begin if you are just starting out as a fan/collector of film scores.

Every major composer is represented here, from John Williams to Danny Elfman, Michael Kamen to Rachel Portman, Randy Newman to Jerry Goldsmith... A stunning collection of themes for a wonderful price.

I'll just repeat what others have said before -- this is absolutely fantastic. I am awed and impressed with the artistry and great care that Varèse Sarabande took in collecting and placing all the tracks on this 4 CD set. One track naturally blends into the next; nothing jarring, nothing out of place, and yet the collection is eclectic enough! "Old Timer" composers (long dead Bernard Herrmann, Franz Waxman, Erich Korngold) are allowed to shine alongside contemporary composers like Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, John Debney, Thomas Newman and many more. All tracks are excellent. All tracks are a delight.

I even felt compelled to order several Georges Delerue CDs after hearing such stirring and achingly gorgeous examples of his work on these CDs. I also felt the urge (it was beyond my control, I'm telling you) to order John Debney's score for "The Replacements". And I have many more film scores on my shopping list, all thanks to this collection.

I am a big film music fan (Goldsmith, Williams, Jarre, Bernstein and several other compsers being favorites -- especially Goldsmith). And this collection of film music shows off their work. But more importantly, it shows off the work of many other composers that I'm aware of and suspected were good, but just hadn't heard enough of...until now. I've been given the opportunity to sample so many wonderful composers' works, thanks to this collection of CDs.

What a rare treasure it is. And the price is beyond comprehension! What a deal for FOUR CDs!?! Snatch it up now!

This is a film music lover's delight: 84 themes/melodies from some of the greatest films in cinematic history. As the owner of twenty-eight albums from the company's catalog, I can attest that Varese-Sarabande is the premier label for contemporary and classic soundtracks.

And the price on this one is a definite STEAL!

I bought this CD as a collector's item. Being a diehard soundtrack collecter, I have most of this material on other CDs. It has music I have never been able to find (noteably: Raggedy Man and Eye Of The Needle) and is a great overview of the history of Varese. The notes and pictures in the booklet are also very nice. I appreciate Varese and what they have done for us film music lovers over the last 25 years (has it been that long?).

I could do an infomercial for this boxed set. The selection of music is incredible. The volume of music is amazing and the price is unbelievable. For the price of one CD you get four CD's packed with great movie themes from some of the most well known movies to the obscure. From Brianstorm to The Empire Strikes Back, from Pee Wee's Big Adventure to Halloween, it's all here. It features all of my favorite composers like John Williams, James Horner and Hans Zimmer as well as some I've never heard of and would not have it not for this wonderful collection. I can honestly say I would have paid this price for the first CD alone, but you get four! If you love music from the movies, this is a must.

Over 4 discs and 84 tracks this box set presents the signature themes for 84 different movies. They have a range between classical, rare, contemporary, post-modern and a couple have no business being included (why is xXx on this???). Where else can you find cues from Nightmare on Elm Street, Ice Age, Back To The Future and Xena: Warrior Princess all in the same collection.

I never knew Varese Sarabande had so many movies in their catalogue. But I'm upset there are no Friday The 13th cues or tracks from more popular movies. I mean I'm a movie buff and I've never heard of The Man From Snowy River or seen The Milagro Beanfield War. But if you love movies then you won't find a more cosy collection of themes than on this CD (unless you buy Volume 2, which actually looks a little bit better).

Like I said, Varese Sarabande own the soundtrack rights to loads of movies so I'm kind of upset that there a few too many generic tracks here. I personally don't find anything special about Alan Silvestri's score to Father of the Bride or George Fenton's You've Got Mail. There are plenty of scores out there that deserved attention in a box set like this but don't let the presence of a few dull tracks put you off buying this. Keep a lookout for Volume 2, available only from Varese Sarabande themselves.

This product is excellent. You can't hardly ask for a better collection of film music as far as diversity goes. From the smooth beauty of the "Steel Magnolias" theme to the electronic frenzy of "Gone In 60 Seconds", this collection has something for everyone who's ever thought to themself, "The music in this movie is really good!" A must have for film music collectors!

Released several years ago for the 25th Anniversary of Varese Sarabande, the entreprising label devoted almost exclusively to film scores, this inexpensive compilation is good way to sample many compelling scores from the last few decades of movies. I will run down through some highlights.

The first disc contains much of the best music on this collection. Angelo Badalamenti's theme from David Lynch's "Blue Velvet". Also a selection from Maurice Jarre's score to "Witness". John Carpenter's simplistic yet creepy theme from his classic "Halloween". Charles Bernstein's sinister opening credits music to "A Nightmare on Elm Street". Howard Shore's beautiful and dramatic end theme to the Cronenberg film, "The Fly". One of my absolute favorites on this disc is undoubtedly the "Robocop" theme by the late, great Basil Poledouris which is one of the most inspiring action themes from the 1980s. Then we get the familiar march from "The Empire Strikes Back" by John Williams. I also love the all American score by Bill Conti composed for the film "The Right Stuff". Alan Silvestri contributes a selection from his score to James Cameron's "The Abyss", mixing orchestra with a grand choral contribution. It's strange that most of the best music at least to my ears is contained here on the first disc. The other three CDs have much less interesting material but how can one forget Poledouris again in the big march from "Starship Troopers" as well as a selection from Don Davis' score to the sci-fi blockbuster "The Matrix".

It's clear that Varese Sarabande intended for this compilation to be more of a sampler to whet your appetite for the full scores instead of giving you much in the way of musical substance. Most tracks don't run much longer than four minutes but it's plenty enough to hold all the famous themes and melodies from these movies. Varese Sarabande has also released a 30th Anniversary Celebration recently with no overlap with this set whatsoever. I get a bang of having these themes in my library as most of the full scores aren't exactly great classics, so it's a great idea to have a compilation of all the winning and recognizable numbers together in one place. The very low asking price also helps greatly indeed.