VARESE SARABANDE SUPERMAN RECORDING
Conducted By John Debney
Composed By John Williams

CLICK HERE to see the track listing and covers for front and back.

Todd Kluss (23/11/98)
A recent survey of USA Today readers asked film buffs to vote for a film they felt was truly deserving of restoration and theatrical re-release.

The results overwhelmingly indicated that Superman: The Movie is the most worthy choice to undergo this kind of preservation. The Man of Steel celebrates his 60th birthday in 1998 -- a year that also marks the 20th anniversary of the film's cinematic release. Up until now, the music from the movie was only available on an out-of-print record or a sub-par CD butchered so all the material could fit on one disc.

Though Warner Brothers, the film's distributors, have chosen to ignore this masterwork, a few talented individuals are attempting to give it the treatment it truly deserves. Earlier this year, John Debney and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra assembled to pay tribute to the famous themes that make Superman the world's most famous superhero. The result: A completely new, double CD release of a score that, together with those of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, makes John Williams the greatest film composer of all time.

There are only two things wrong with this fantastic compilation -- some of the songs are played too slowly and not every piece of music from the film appears on the album. The rest is absolute perfection.

There are over 20 minutes of music that haven't been heard in any previous commercial release.Debney and his crew were faced with the difficult task of almost reworking the entire score -- it was not simply a question of remastering the old recordings or easily duplicating a few pre-arranged pieces. This is because the studio attempted to preserve these precious archives with a sophisticated restoration process called "losing the original music."

As result, every cue had to be, and was, re-orchestrated to near perfection. A few minor variations in instrumentation pop up throughout the double album, but these are unnoticeable to the untrained ear. From the very beginning, Debney doesn't fool around. The first track finally gives fans a chance to hear the famous Superman theme in a version that very closely resembles the song as it was heard in the film. It's a bit brassier than normal, but the sound quality and overall performance is stunning.

The rest of the first disc is equally fantastic, except for "The Trip to Earth" and "Growing Up" -- they're played much too slowly and there is no way they could ever hope to accompany their respective scenes in the film. This alone is not really a flaw, but it's a little disappointing because "Trip" is one of the movie's best themes. Also of note is "Jonathan's Death," one of the score's most emotional pieces, which makes its soundtrack debut on the first disc.

Disc two opens with probably the most-awaited piece of music from this movie -- "The Helicopter Sequence." The resurgence of the main theme accompanies one of the greatest scenes in film history, where Superman reveals himself to the world to save Lois Lane. The rest of the second CD is filled with even more previously unreleased tracks. Aside from these welcome additions, this release outmatches its predecessor by placing the cues in order of their appearance in the film.

Everyone involved in this restoration project deserves the highest praise. Thanks to these individuals, Superman's soundtrack can now be preserved for all time alongside Williams' other masterpieces.

Reid Mason (2/11/98)
Varese Sarabande had an extremely difficult task in re-recording John Williams' Superman score, and it shows on the album. While 20 minutes or so of previously unreleased music has been restored, some selections of music from the original album ("Superfeats," "Lex Luthor's Theme," and "Super Rescues") are absent, perhaps because the original music is missing and WB has no intentions of tracking it down. The score is still incomplete; if you're a completist you'd be smart to obtain not only this album, but the original soundtrack as well.

That said, John Debney and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra do an exceptional job on all but two pieces of music: "Growing Up" and "To The Lair." These pieces, while the display the artistry of the musicians, are played WAAAAAAAY too slowly. They should be frenetic and fast-paced, as the version is the film were. The slow tempo ruins the two tracks, especially "To The Lair." I always loved that piece of music (and I was disgusted when Ken Thorne butchered it for Superman II's abysmal "Clark Fumbles Rescue"), and to hear it played in its proper composition albeit in a slow pace is really aggrivating.

Otherwise, Debney and company do a splendid job. The new recording of the Superman fanfare--featuring the opening prologue music--is the best version of the theme yet. After hearing the shrill, brittle, campy sounding horns and brass of the Boston Pops and the even campier muckings of Ken Thorne, it's good to hear the theme sound powerful and heroic again (the RSNO has a bit of a medieval heradlry to it that really suits Superman's King Arthur-style personality). And it's wonderful to hear the music from the helicopter sequence and the penthouse interview; Debney and the gang don't disappoint here. In fact, except for "Growing Up" and "To The Lair," Debney and the boys do the score justice, giving it the regal power and sweep that Thorne and the Boston Pops didn't. And the use of Bob Peak's teaser poster as the album jacket is a nice touch, too.

It's really too bad that the score couldn't be re-recorded in its entireity (damn you, WB!!!!), but for what it's worth, Varese Sarabande did a fine job restoring and refreshing Superman's score for the 60/20 anniversary. Varese, I salute you on a job well done.

Jon Hoyle (28/10/98)
On Tuesday, October 20, 1998, Varese Sarabande released to the world a re-recording of one of the (if not the) finest non-vocal motion picture soundtracks. This magnificent John Williams composition was conducted by John Debney and performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The recording was made on August 3 and 4, 1998 at City Halls, Glasgow.

SELECTIONS When Varese Sarabande producer Robert Townson, a long-time fan of this score, planned for this restoration soundtrack, he was beset with many problems: finding missing music from an unhelpful Warner Brothers, piecing together what was useable and what wasn't, etc. From the very beginning, it was decided that the only business case would be for a single CD, so the task of choosing what to record became a difficult one. On one hand, there was a great deal of material not available in the OST (Original Sound Track) from 1978 which could be available to Superman fans for the first time (especially extended pieces of music, and film versions that differ from OST versions). On the other hand, what kind of soundtrack could it be if it didn't include the Main and End Titles, the Love Theme, the themes of Krypton, the Fortress, the Villians, etc.? For those who will buy only one soundtrack, the major themes must be in place to put this album in consideration. So the decisions were made for a compromise between these two ideals, and the tracks you see are what were chosen. Compromise can be seen throughout, including within the "Main Title" itself.

Being overly ambitious, more music was recorded than could fit on a single CD. Rather than be forced to choose what tracks to kill a second time, Mr. Townson magnanimously chose instead to keep everything recorded, and release it on a "specially priced" two CD set. One only wishes though that this decision was reached in advance, as two CD's full of music could have been recorded and preserved.

One of the drawbacks to this CD set is the missing items. If one were to view this CD more as a companion rather than a replacement, why leave in "Trip to Earth" when "Destruction of Krypton" could be extended to include the spaceship departure? Why include "March of the Villians" when "Lex Luthor's Lair" (dropped from the CD version of the OST) could be instead? Why include the OST version of "End Title" when this is the film's "Main Title" anyway, why not simply include the film's "End Title"?

But putting the issues aside of what this soundtrack is not, what it is is a thrilling re-recording for all fans of this score. Finally hearing this fantastic soundtrack in 20-bit digital recording quality is quite invigorating. Although there are many points within this recording in which the pace is noticably slower and more deliberate, I would strongly encourage all lovers of this soundtrack to complement it with this fine piece of work.

TRACKS Prologue and Main Title (5:31) In the OST, this track begins with the strong horn fanfare opening whereas the film version begins with the prologue and creeps up. Most people (including myself) prefer the film version, although the OST version is more well-known. Debney takes a compromise position by beginning with the fanfare and then proceeding into the prologue. It's an odd compromise musically, but it plays surprisingly well (I would have imagined it being abrupt). However, I would have been happier had this simply been faithful to the film version. After the "S"-splash, this version pretty much models the OST, which is unfortunate. However, the quality of sound and overall performance is stunning. I have heard a number of other renditions of the "Main Title", and none come close to this, with the exception of John Williams' version by the Boston Pops in his "By Request..." CD. Despite its failure to meet expectations, it is still one of the best renditions of the "Main Title" ever recorded.

The Planet Krypton (4:35) The Destruction of Krypton (5:27) Trip To Earth (2:38) These tracks are the same versions as heard on the OST. "The Planet Krypton" is the one track which I didn't seem to notice or mind the slower pace, mostly because it added to the ominous nature of the theme. I had expectations that perhaps extended material from the Krypton theme would make an appearance, but alas such was not to be. However, I must underscore that despite the missing expectations, the themes were very well played (although "Trip To Earth" was at a noticably slower pace).

Growing Up (2:05) Although this cut is available on the LP and cassette versions of the OST, it was one of two tracks removed from the American CD version to conserve space. Many fans will never hear the OST version of this for this reason alone, and so it was manadatory that it be included on this album.

Jonathan's Death (4:09) This is the first unreleased piece of music on the CD. Without having an OST version for 20 years to compare it with, my ears perked up at this theme. Fans of the movie will instantly recognize the beauty and sadness in this track, as it is one of the most moving pieces of the entire CD set.

Leaving Home (4:46) Fortress of Solitude (8:22) Although John Williams will be best known for Superman in the "Main Title" and "Love Theme" themes, it's his genius for subtlety that deserves the attention, especially in these two pieces from the OST. "Leaving Home" is the most moving track from the OST, and I am glad it was preserved for this CD. As the teenaged Clark says goodbye to his mother, the touching departure in the beautiful wheatfields of Kansas is so wonderfully expressed and dutifully reproduced by Debney, that it remains my favorite. "The Fortress of Solitude" combines awe and majesty, strangeness and exciting newness. No Superman soundtrack would be complete without it.

The Helicopter Sequence (6:16) This is another big addition to the CD that was not found in the OST. Perhaps my favorite part of the entire movie, Superman's introduction to the world as he saves Lois and the helicopter is a magnificent scene, and the accompanying music is absolutely fantastic. Debney does an outstanding job and is one of the biggest selling points for the CD set.

The Penthouse (1:50) This short piece is the theme to Superman's arrival to Lois Lane's penthouse apartment for the interview (and by the way, exactly how does she afford this on a reporter's salary??). A loving soft prelude to "The Flying Sequence", not found in the OST.

The Flying Sequence (4:16) A masterpiece of work by Debney as he faithfully reproduces the first half of "The Flying Sequence & Can You Read My Mind" from the OST. The OST version includes the voice of Margot Kidder reciting the lyrics to "Can You Read My Mind", which was a bit controversial to fans of John Williams. It way my hope that the complete theme (without the lyrics) would be reproduced by Debney, but to save space for other tracks, Debney ends this piece at Superman and Lois ascend above the clouds, thereby bypassing the "Can You Read My Mind" portion altogether.

The Truck Convoy (1:54) To the Lair (3:56) These two pieces are also not found on the OST. "The Truck Convoy" is a short variation of "March of the Villians". "To the Lair" is more interesting, as it is the piece that follows Superman from the Daily Planet to Luthor's Lair for the first time. Very well done and one of my favorite pieces on the CD set.

March of the Villians (3:56) Although this theme is never found in the movie, it is the standard from which the all other variations derive. It serves as the basis to everything from describing Otis' bumbling to Lex Luthor's humorous appearances in Supermans II and IV. Faithfully reproduced by Debney.

Chasing Rockets (5:12) Pushing Boulders (2:24) Flying to Lois (2:58) Turning Back the World (2:01) These four tracks represent the music from the OST's "Chasing Rockets", "Turning Back the World" and parts of "Superfeats" except placed into their correct film order. "Chasing Rockets" is as wonderfully powerful and urgent as "Flying To Lois" is climactic and sad. Interestingly, there is no pause in music between "Pushing Boulders" and "Flying To Lois", just a longer transition between themes. "Turning Back the World" is noticably slower in pace than in the OST, especially while Superman is actually spinning the world backwards, which should be a fast tempo-ed theme.

The Prison Yard and End Title (6:27) I had initially hoped that this would be the film's "End Title", but rather it was the OST's. Although admittedly the OST's version a better tune (the film version was a bit on the soft side), much of the OST's "End Title" was actually the film version's "Main Title", and thus being faithful to the film in the "Main Title" would have made it unnecessary to duplicate here. However, the performance by the RSNO was outstanding and wonderful to listen to. In previous tracks, the slower pace was obvious in the conductor's attempt to match the sound note-for-note, whereas in "End Title", Debney seemed more relaxed by this point, making the flow easier and more natural than in the "Main Title".

Love Theme from Superman (5:01) Placed in its film appearance (it occurs in the middle of the OST), this theme is the standard bearer for all Love theme variations throughout the movie. This is perhaps the loviest Love theme I've ever heard, and I thought the RSNO performed magnificently.

George Noriega Jr (28/10/98)
First, we start with the Prologue and Main Title. The Prologue is done very nicely, mixing both elements of '1938' and some of the music from the opening of 'Superman II', specifically when we see Lara carrying baby Kal-El. We move into the Main Title, and it is done impressively, sounding very close to the original John Williams' score. The only thing I found different from the original is the last 1/4 of the song, which sounds more like Ken Thorne's version from 'II'. On the whole, though, the instrumentation is superb and the feel is there.

Planet Krypton is done beautifully, starting slow and building up. Again, Mr. Debney hits the nail right on the head. We move from this to the Destruction of Krypton. Again, done well and as an added bonus contains music at the end from the extended version, when Jor-El places the green crystal into the ship. Unfortunately, the track ends when the ship breaks through the ceiling and we do not get any music from the actual destruction of the planet.

The Trip to Earth, while a litle on the slow side, still captures the essence of the original, and contains all the music heard in the extended version. Growing Up, similarly, while a little on the slow side is nonetheless impressive.

Jonathan's Death is among my favorite renditions on this CD. Someone on the website said it did not contain the actual music when Jonathan died; they should go back and listen to it because it is there, as well as the track when Clark finds the green crystal.

Leaving Home is done well, but for some reason even though the technology is there, it does not have that big, epic sound that William's original had. The Fortress of Solitude is done nicely and Mr. Debney hits more than he misses. One of the best parts in the track is the scene where Clark inserts the crytsal and sees Jor-El. In this part, the music has a 'spacey' feel to it and is very moody. Kudos to Debney for pulling this track off, probably one of the more difficult to do.

The Helicopter Sequence does not disappoint, and actually has some well placed stops in the music as a build-up; again, Debney hits more than he misses. The only part of the track that wasn't that great is the ending, where Superman is flying over Metropolis after rescuing Lois.

The Penthouse and the Flying Sequence are faithful renditions of the originals, and as a (maybe) added bonus there is no narration by Margot Kidder. The Truck Convoy is an OK track, but instead of this maybe we could have had 'Lex Luthor's Lair' as the better track.

To the Lair is my absolute favorite (after the Main Title, of course), and while a little on the slow side, it is nonetheless right on the money (while listening to this track I could not help wonder if it was done slower purposely or because the orchestra just could not keep up with the LSO...). I also love this track because it has the extended music from the scene where Superman 'swirls' underground . March of the Villains is OK; again, 'Lex Luthor's Lair' would have been a better selection.

Chasing Rockets, Pushing Boulders and Flying to Lois is all done well, with music from the extended version finding its way into the tracks; once more, Debney hits more than he misses. The Prison Yard and ending music is OK, lacking a little bit on the Prison Yard side. The ending track is reproduced faithfully and again with tremendous feel; Mr. Debney does not disappoint and this segues into Love Theme from Superman, done very beautifully and almost another note-for-note rendition.

All in all, this was a very ambitious project and Mr. Debney and the orchestra's love for the music shows through. While not meant as a replacement for the original, this new soundtrack handles the material very nicely, and is probably as good as you can get without actually having John Williams and the LSO up there. Hopefully, the sales from this CD will spur the WB to action, but I wouldn't hold my breath. This CD, however, is not a bad pick and I must say I have not been able to stop listening to it yet...

Tom Kirby (26/10/98)
Shortly after my father passed away a year ago, I watched "Superman the Movie" again and was in tears over the death of Jonathan Kent. Martha's sadness and Clark's frustration really hit home and the music really got to me. I was so relieved that it would be restored on the Varese edition. As I type these words, my eyes are all teared up again because the music is so touching. The Kent farm scenes were always my favorite in the entire movie. I of course enjoyed everything, but they always seemed the most personal to me. The music seemed the most intimate and touching. In a major blockbuster full of special effects and huge performances, that small part of the movie was the most human and was something special.
The music keeps all of its grandeur and scope. It is a little slow in spots, but it more than makes up for that by virtue of the extra music itself. My thanks to Robert Townson, Varese Saraband and John Debney for being so faithful to the fans' wishes!

Daniel (26/10/98)
I write this as the new recording of the Superman soundtrack is fresh on my mind, and plays through my Sony "Digital" headphones. As with most music, it is always a little dangerous to record first impression reactions without time for reflection and analysis. However, as with most fans, John Williams' music (as it is heard in the movie and as it exists on record and CD) is as familiar to me as the "Happy Birthday' song. It would be a mistake to directly compare Mr. Debney's arrangement and conducting to that of Williams', given the material constraints that Mr. Debney was forced to deal with (i.e., lost music, lost arrangements). However, such comparisons are (unfortunately warranted) in several key pieces, namely, music never before released on record such as "Prologue," "Jonathan's Death," and "Helicopter Rescue." (Some of this music is in fact on record in Ken Thorne's Superman II score, but that is a whole other matter.) It is my belief that the missing music should be the key focus on the merits of this release, since the original soundtrack is readily available through Warner Bros records (albeit in truncated form).


Keeping in mind that I my grateful for Mr. Debney and Varese Sarabande for giving the fans what we have been clamoring for over 20 years, with no thanks to the WB for their laziness, I offer my overwhelming impression of the "new" previously unreleased tracks: the tempo is just too damn slow....and I don't just mean too slow in certain places, but too slow overall. One could excuse this as artistic license on the part of the conductor, but I don't think that is the case here, because nothing could warrant it. I mean, this is a soundtrack to a film, and the tempo of the music should correspond to the action on the screen. I have heard reports that Mr. Debney did not have access to the film for guidance, but surely he could have simply rented the WB home video, played it on a hi-fi VCR the night before the recording, and noted the original tempos accordingly.

As a result of the slower music, the aural experience is frustrated because the experienced listener (i.e., Superman movie fan-geek) can tell immediately that the sound (when compared to the film's original soundtrack) is slightly off kilter. I don't mean to suggest that the cues should match Williams' original timing note for note. However, the overall tempos should be more consistent with visuals of the scene. The three most important tracks, "Growing Up," "Helicopter Rescue" and "To the Lair" suffer considerably under the seemingly slow-motion speed of the music. "Helicopter Rescue" should be frenetic and tension-filled, but instead just sounds slightly anemic. "To the Lair" should have been kinetic and bouncy to correspond with Superman's searching flight over Metropolis, but instead just sounds lazy. In that respect, I almost prefer Ken Thorne's arrangement from the Superman II disc, re-written as "Clark Fumbles Rescue." Someone previously wrote that "Growing Up" sounds like young Clark Kent is walking with the train, and that is an accurate assessment of this piece.

The more I listened to these tracks, the more I had the urge to speed them up in some way, like playing a 33-1/3 LP at 45 speed. Had it not been for the tempos of those tracks, I would be far less critical of this release. Of course, I also have some reservations against the combination of the opening "concert" horn arrangement with the "Prologue;" I would have preferred that we hear the original film version in its glory. I also miss the timpani and presence of the pizzicatos in "The Flying Sequence." However, "Jonathan's Death" while not as sweeping as William's version, is a welcome track as is "The Penthouse," "Pushing Boulders," and "The truck Convoy." For any collector, these tracks alone are worth the overall asking price, and Varese is to be commended for putting out this score for long-awaiting fans.

Having heard this two-disc in its entirety twice-over as I write this, my hope is that Warner Bros will eventually get off their fat corporate ass and do something about resurrecting Williams' masterpiece. In the meantime, this double disc set will whet our appetites for that day when Superman The Movie is restored and remastered.

Kevin Skinner
Well, I called Best Buy this morning and asked if the Superman soundtrack had come in today. The person I talked to sounded rather ignorant and said, "No." I frowned in frustration, but went there anyway. Lo and behold, there was only one left. Actually, there was only one in the first place. I felt like shoving into the face of the man I talked to and saying, "See?!" but I didn't. I hauled outta there after paying and popped in the first CD. My eyes welled up. They actually welled up! That's never happened to me before when listening to anything. It was beautiful. The opening track was perfectly done. The rest of the soundtrack, well, it's pretty damned good. It's sometimes dramatically slower than the original soundtrack and in some places there are more, louder instruments, but nevertheless, it's still excellent. The Helicopter sequence could have stayed closer to the film's version, but under the circumstances I'm very happy with it. I've waited so long for this thing, and finally I got it.

Neil Bulk:
To start off, it sounds fantastic. It's a very clear and accurate recording. The performance overall is quite good, though there are some exceptions. The Main Title is very exciting (and it has June 1938, reason enough to buy this album!).

The Destruction of Krypton is the same as the soundtrack album, meaning there is none of the music when Kal-El's spaceship breaks through the glass. Trip to Earth is taken a little slower than what we are accustomed to, but it is still worthwhile. Growing Up is a bit of a disappointment. Though it sounds very nice, it's played very slowly. It almost sounds as if Clark is out-walking the train. But it's nice to have it on CD, making it far more accessible to those without turntables and the Japanese import. The first new track, one that was never available until now, is Jonathan's Death. It's very well handled, and it's nice to finally have this music. Leaving Home and The Fortress of Solitude round out Disc one, and they are fantastic. Leaving Home's performance is practically identical to the original recording, except for this album's superior sonics. The Fortress of Solitude was a very ambitious track to re-record, and I'm glad to say that Debney and the RSNO do not embarrass themselves here. It's beautifully done.

Disc Two begins with what is probably the most requested bit of Superman music, the stunning Helicopter Sequence. This is very well performed, with a few new arrangements and sections. It sounds more like a concert arrangement than the original, but dramatically some of the new pauses work, such as the introduction to the Love Theme, when Superman catches Lois. The Penthouse and the Flying Sequence are next and both take place when Lois interviews Superman at her apartment. Both are well played, particularly the Flying Sequence. After the Flying Sequence comes The Truck Convoy. It consists of music depicting the Military transporting the missiles and the March of the Villains theme. To The Lair is next and is another highly sought after track. It's performance is nice though a bit on the slow side, but it does contain the music from the extended cut, when Superman burrows into the ground. The music of him arriving at Lex's door is also included, but that is played a little faster here than in the film.

March of the Villains is next and again is played slower than the original. It's nice, but it is not very march like. My favourite track is next, Chasing Rockets. This track is varied. Most of the action music is incredibly well played and dynamic, in some ways better than the original, but, and this is a big but, it sounds like the orchestra ran out of steam at my favourite spot. The blunder occurs when the Hackensack bound missile flies around Superman (as seen in the extended cut). To me it sounds like a flurry of mis-notes and poor timing. Oh well, I'll live. Pushing Boulders segues into the next track, Flying to Lois. Pushing Boulders is previously un-released while Flying to Lois is the second part to Chasing Rockets from the original album. Pushing Boulders contained a surprise for me, the music used when Lois' car was being buried. I didn't expect that, and it was a welcome surprise. Flying to Lois is a very good track, though sad, as Superman realises he was able to save California, but not the one person he truly loves. Turning Back the World is another track that I found to be very ambitious, and frankly I didn't expect to see it here. But like The Fortress of Solitude, this album does not disappoint. The Prison Yard and End Title are next, and are quite faithful to the film, except some parts of the Prison Yard sequence were removed. Remember, this was only supposed to be a single disc set, so some alterations are expected. Finally, the beautiful Love Theme makes it's full appearance, and like Leaving Home, is the most faithful to the original. This track is extremely well played.

Any disappointments? Well some tracks are played a little slower than I would've liked, but remember this album isn't tied to any sort of visual, and they are the interpretation of conductor John Debney and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, so that makes this a perfectly valid Superman score. My only other complaint, and this is really nit-picking, but the Main Title and End Title contain extra cymbal crashes that weren't in the original score. They have appeared in all the other recordings of the theme, including Superman II's main title. For reference, they can be heard in Superman II during the credit's, when footage from the first movie shows Superman saving the train, by making himself part of the tracks. But this is only the Superman geek in me speaking.

Go out and buy this album! It has music that was never before available, a very good performance, and above average sonics. It will make an excellent addition to any soundtrack collection.