E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition
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Free Music Notes for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition
Free Music Review: Best Soundtrack Ever!!
Hit: 5 Stars
This is, quite simply, the best movie soundtrack ever. I never get tired of listening to it. It's John Williams at his absolute best, which is really saying a lot. This edition of the soundtrack is nice in that it contains music not released on the original CD, but I have to say I like the original soundtrack release the best. Self-contained orchestral tracks like "Flying" from E.T. (which is unfortunately absent from this release, as is the beautiful "Over the Moon" track, although parts of it are heard in the End Credits), have all but disappeared from more modern movie soundtracks. It's unfortunate, because these concert arrangements are often better than the edited tracks used in the films. They serve to focus the musical themes, and give us fully-fleshed out orchestral works instead of just background music. What would we do without great tracks like "Luke and Leia," "The Forest Battle," "Parade of the Ewoks," "Yoda's Theme," "The Imperial March," or "Princess Leia's Theme" from the Star Wars films? Or tracks like "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra," "Marian's Theme" and "Slave Children's Crusade" from the Indiana Jones films? Those soundtracks wouldn't be nearly as spectacular without them. Thankfully, John Williams still does this fairly often, with great compositions like "Duel of the Fates" and "Hedwig's Theme."
As a self-contained musical experience, I still think the original E.T. soundtrack is by far the best. But there is wonderful music on this CD that can't be found anywhere else. And the music is just so phenomenal that I couldn't give it anything but 5 stars. The "Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye" track (originally titled "Adventure on Earth" on the first soundtrack release) is the best 15 consecutive minutes of movie music ever written. It still gives me goose bumps every time I listen to it.
Free Music Review: Phone Home
Hit: 5 Stars
John Williams has created literally dozens of great movie scores in his time, but few have been as emotionally amazing as the one he composed for Steven Spielberg's 1982 sci-fi/fantasy masterpiece E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. The score has been expanded for the film's twentieth anniversary release this year, and the results do not fail to satisfy.This compact disc release contains excerpts (such as the witty "Frogs" cue) that had not been available on previous CD or LP versions of the soundtrack. The same familiar cues that accompany E.T. and Elliott's flight across the face of the Moon, the climactic bike ride, and E.T.'s farewell all remain, only now they have been remastered for maximum audio and emotional impact.
Even if you've had old LP or CD recordings of the score, this new version, which now probably stands as the official COMPLETE version, as did the CLOSE ENCOUNTERS score, is worth getting for your collection. It is Williams, the greatest living composer of film music today, at his very frequent best. Grab it!
Free Music Review: John Williams is the King of Film Music!
Hit: 5 Stars
E.T. is one of my all-time favorite movies ever and I think its the same for many others. But I believe we can all agree that it wouldn't be as powerful minus John Williams' dramatic, complex score. This is the first edition of the E.T. soundtrack I have purchased, so I wasn't aware that there were extra tracks at first. All the music is there in its entirety. When you listen, the whole film plays automatically in your head without knowing it. From the sublime, to the tearjerking, to the heartwarming, E.T. is an emotional roller coaster and its impact isn't lost on the CD. The one track toward the end is the bike chase, E.T. going home and saying goodbye is all one fifteen minute track that alone expresses the film's theme. I must for any film buff or music lover.Free Music Review: something still missing
Hit: 5 Stars
I actually own a 1996 digitally remastered re-issue which has everything from the 20th anniversary edition but lacks Main titles/Meeting E.T./E.T.'s new home, and may have some slight variations on the End Titles.Despite all of this, one small musical cue that is present in the film has eluded all of the E.T. soundtracks. It's short and perhaps insignificant, but it would be nice if it were there . . .
It's the few bars from John Ford's THE QUIET MAN, which is the movie E.T. is watching while Elliot kisses the pretty girl (as John Wayne kisses Maureen O'Hara).
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is not in the 20th anniversary edition either.
Free Music Review: A Musical Blockbuster...
Hit: 5 Stars
...is perhaps the only description that can encompass this inspired score for the movie that touched everyone's hearts past and present. The simple, yet moving theme for everyone's favorite alien is considered by many to be John Williams' greatest theme. It is ethereal, yet moving; simple, but majestic. With one theme, Williams single-handedly created an emotional connection that brings the story of a home sick alien vividly to life. It is hard not to get choked up as E.T. finally says goodbye to Elliot and blasts off into space while his theme swells majestically in the background before ending with a bang! Definitely in the top 10 list of Williams greats!