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Soundtrack Review


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The Iron Giant
The Deluxe Edition 2-LP Set
Original Motion Picture Score

 

Composer: Michael Kamen
Performed by: Czech Philharmonic
Label: Varèse Sarabande
varesesarabande.com
RRP: £TBC
Click here to buy - varesesarabande.com
888072419001
Release Date: 30 September 2022


Varèse Sarabande release a 2-LP set of The Iron Giant original motion picture score with music by Michael Kamen. The Iron Giant (1999) is a modern classic, an animated film directed by Brad Bird about a young boy who befriends a giant alien robot during the Sputnik era of the Cold War. Based on the 1968 book The Iron Man by poet Ted Hughes, the film is a marvel of heartfelt storytelling, with timeless themes of friendship, caring and self-determination...

This 2-LP package not only includes 64 minutes of score, but also 13 minutes of alternates, outtakes and rare demos including a piano-and-guitar attempt at an unrealized song, 'Souls Don’t Die', based on Michael Kamen’s theme, performed by Kamen and Eric Clapton Even the packaging taps into the ethos of the film, with a pull tab opening the Giant’s die-cut eyes on the front jacket. Depending on which inner sleeve has been slotted in the first position directly behind the cover, the reveal is different. Open the eyes in normal or defence mode.

The album contains 37 tracks (1 hr, 17 min, 02 sec), with way too many highlights to mention individually. However I was reminded of other movie scores on a handful of occasions. 'Creepy Music / Hogarth Investigates' reminded me of Dave Grusin's work on The Goonies, 'Souls Don't Die' brought to mind James Horner's score for The Land Before Time, while 'He's a Weapon' has elements of Kamen's score for the James Bond movie Licence to Kill.

This is one of Kamen's finest scores and Varèse Sarabande does it proud with this new LP release.

10

Darren Rea

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