Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perchance to dream ......., October 30, 2001
Kudos to whoever at Varese Sarabande had the inspiration to release this disc. Here are all those wonderful snippets of background "mood music" that graced so many early television shows including, of course, the first season of "The Adventures of Superman." This music is so deeply embedded in my brain that the shows themselves are less well remembered. But, surely, others must remember a syndicated Western series "Stories of the Century" (starring Jim Davis)as well as a kazillion other early TV thrillers and B and C rated movies. As a matter of fact, check out my Amazon.com review of "Superman and the Mole Men" where I pan that movie's home videotape release because it does not contain this music. (The music heard on this CD was added later when the film was re-mixed as a two-part episode for the TV series; how pale and amateurish the film is without this glorious music!) Buy without delay and, if you're 45 or older, you will be astonished at how many buried yet vivid memories this CD dredges up!
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"The Man of Steel as we remember those early days of TV", November 22, 2000
Varese Sarabande presents this major event, long awaited from the early days of television and one of the most familiar background music ever written - "The Adventures of Superman", starring George Reeves as the "Man of Steel". To baby boomers, this awesome soundtrack is imbedded in a collective consciousness, as Superman saved Americans from crooks, spies, mad scientists and monsters, and oh yes...Mole Men. It all started in July 1951 as a pilot of sorts "Superman and the Mole Men", shot in 12 days at RKO-Path Studios, with Kellogg's Cereals as a sponsor, as you will hear on hidden track 36. Of Superman's 104 episodes, the first 26 black & white have taken on a mythical status, and a bold orchestral sound virtually unheard of in TV underscoring before or since, this was ground-breaking composing for a half-hour series. Before Superman, canned TV music was a dreary affair, suddenly with this "new series", a groundswell of dynamic music burst on the scene with ballistic force, big-orchestra chases, heavy tension pieces and slashing action themes with a huge cinematic sound. Every week kids and yes, their parents watched and saw what no other series of its day could do, deliver the promise of a super-hero we could believe in, made possible by a gifted actor (George Reeves) whom many of us felt we actually knew intimately...and we proudly dedicate this album to the memory of George Reeves, and all the keepers of the flame...thank you Varese Sarabande for the memories of those wonderful days of yester-year! Total Time: 72:16 on 36 Tracks...Varese Sarabande 066093...(2000)
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most important TV soundtracks ever released, March 18, 2000
The medium of filmed episodic television was still in its infancy when "The Adventures of Superman" began production in 1951. Producers Luber and Maxwell were pioneers faced with the task of creating compelling half-hour "movies" featuring a character already well-known to juvenile (and adult)audiences from comic books, newspaper strips, theatrical cartoons, radio, and movie serials. Luber and Maxwell's excellent choices in terms of casting, direction, cinematography, and scripting were complemented by the powerful Mutel music library cues that punctuated this remarkable television series, a show that has been in constant distribution ever since. Its success encouraged later Superman projects, including one of the most successful motion-picture series ever made. Strongly influenced by the serial and film noir heritage of its production team, and by the newspaper and pulp fiction training of its writers, the first two seasons of "The Adventures of Superman" depicted a vivid mid-20th Century Metropolis where evil forces struggled constantly with the public good. Underscoring the vivid black & white cinematography and exceptional performances of superb character actors was the music heard in "The Adventures of Superman." Still powerful and compelling so many years later, this music set a standard for television to follow in subsequent years. Listening to this new release on CD reminds us of the energy and originality in television back then, of the mastery these creative talents had over their medium, and of the power music has to establish moods in visual entertainment. The music in this new CD serves as an archetype for dramatic television soundtracks, and as such is one of the most important such discs ever released. And if you saw this program on TV as a child, the music has the added ability to evoke moods and memories you may not have felt or thought of in decades. I only hope this is just the first volume to be released from "The Adventures of Superman." From both an historical and emotional perspective, this CD is one of the most important such discs ever released. I highly recommend it.
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See all 36 tracks on this disc
- the new music site from IMDb and Amazon.
