Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985 Film) / Back To School (1986 Film): Original Motion Picture Scores [2 on 1] [Soundtrack]

pee wee's big adventure (1985 film) / back to school (1986 film): original motion picture scores [2 on 1] [soundtrack]

On this CD:

Pee Wee's Big Adventure, film score
Composed by Danny Elfman
Performed by National Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by John Coleman

Back to School, film score
Composed by Danny Elfman
Performed by National Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by John Coleman

Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985 Film) / Back To School (1986 Film): Original Motion Picture Scores [2 on 1],Danny Elfman,Danny Elfman,National Philharmonic Orchestra,Varese Sarabande,Film,Film Music,Pop,Soundtrack,Soundtracks & Film Scores

Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985 Film) / Back To School (1986 Film): Original Motion Picture Scores [2 on 1] [Soundtrack]

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1: Film & Television Music

Average customer rating:

Great compilation - and that's just the first half.
The best of Elfman!!!
Great Collection, A LIttle Too Eclectic
What Great Music
super

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1: Film & Television Music

Manufacturer: Fontana Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music
Serenada Schizophrana
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Beetlejuice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B000002OEB
Release Date: 1990-10-15

Tracks:

Excerpts From: Pee Wee's Big Adventure
Excerpts From: Batman
Excerpts From: Dick Tracy
Excerpts From: Beetlejuice
Excerpts From: Nightbreed
Excerpts From: Darkman
Excerpts From: Back To School
Excerpts From: Midnight Run
Excerpts From: Wisdom
Excerpts From: Hot To Trot
Excerpts From: Big Top Pee Wee
Excerpts From: The Simpsons
Excerpts From: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Jar
Excerpts From: Tales From The Crypt
Excerpts From: Face Like A Frog
Excerpts From: Forbidden Zone
Excerpts From: Scrooged

Customer Reviews:

Great compilation - and that's just the first half........2005-09-14

I first got this on cassette in the summer of '94 and listened to it every day, drawn by its thematic range and compositional depth. And that was just side-one.

Elfman pioneered the sound that drives today's movie adaptations of comic-books and darker-themed children's stories. Side-One kicks things off with a rollicking, hyper-cartoonish theme from the first Pee-Wee movie - the one where Pee-Wee searches for his beloved bike. Elfman's theme contains layers of different rides - on tightropes, highways, in the middle of a NASCAR rally - which rudely yet melodically crash into each other.

The Batman entry actually contains several pieces - the opening credits, the extended sequence in the cathedral and the climax - which show Batman's darkened extreme at its "Frank Miller" best. (Dir. Tim Burton couldn't sustain the mood in the next sequel, and the franchise took a turn towards the camp of the TV series with the next 2 movies.)

The theme for "Dick Tracy" is perhaps the most romantic on this disc, a quality that surpasses the theme's comic-book origins, but ends on an ironic note that's pure Elfman.

"Beetlejuice" (opening & closing credits) gives Elfman's childish ID a chance to stretch its legs, or in this case, slam-dance.

"Nightbreed" is an enigma wrapped in a dark mystery, and that's just Elfman's score. Elfman's work on this movie is as good as the movie wasn't, having a more powerful narrative than the script - easily the best track on the entire disc, one likely to exceed the movie in its dose of chills.

"Darkman" doesn't quite rise to the occasion, though the score may be hobbled by the movie itself, which seldom surpassed one of the many "Batman" clones of the early 1990's. "Darkman" (the movie, I mean) excelled as a parody of many comicbook staples (the wronged hero, the relentless villain, the scientific breakthrough with just one flaw), but not enough to escape being largely anonymous. Within those constraints, it's still a moving if scary piece.

When is Elfman not like Elfman? When he was in the mid-late `80's and scored "Back to School" (A Rodney Dangerfield vehicle) and "Midnight Run". Horns in "School" bring it closer to Elfman's over-the-top style, while "Run" sounds like a love-theme for the run-down, out-of-the-way parts of America that seldom appear in Elfman-movies. "Run" is a fun score for a fun movie - it's nothing like Elfman's previous work but it perfectly captures the on-the-road-without-a-map craziness of the movie.

To this day, I don't know why I never ventured to Side-two, but it's irrelevant. Even half this disc is worth it

The best of Elfman!!!.......2005-09-05

I was obsessed about getting this CD right from when I heard about it. I found it at the library and was so excited about it, and it didn't let me down. In fact, it was a lot better than I expected. It's a fun and creepy (strange mix, but it really works!) collection of Danny Elfman's film and television soundtracks. The first track, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, is probably my favorite. Also, I really like Batman and Wisdom. Batman is creepy and dark, and Wisdom is just weird, in the best possible way.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes film music, or everyone who is even the tiniest bit an Elfman fan. It's amazing!

Great Collection, A LIttle Too Eclectic.......2003-08-19

You should be able to tell from the movies and TV shows listed here whether or not you'd be interested in this collection. It's a little too eclectic for my tastes (hence only 4 stars) but better than volume 2. I think thatthe miscellaneous collected ites here along with the previously unreleased stuff should make this worth buying. Especially if you're a fan of Elfman's movie soundtrack work.

What Great Music.......2003-05-11

I fell in love with the music of Danny Elfman when Beetlejuice came out. There was something different about the music that he made. When Edward Scissorhands, and then Nightmare Before Christmas - I knew this man was a musical master. Its the verbal form of surrealism.

super.......2003-04-17

What a great CD. Danny's music is so original and inventive. this CD contains his pre 90's quirky, gothic music. it's all very well written and beautifully orchestrated. batman and darkman contain some really excellent long, dark, gothic cues that really take u away from reality. in my opinion no one, apart from howard shore, is as inventive and original as danny in the world of filmmusic. he far surpasses the repetitive works of williams or horner. buy this, and volume two, and keep supporting one of the greatest film composers of all time.ohh...and buy fellowship of the ring and two towers by howard shore....amazing work!

Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration

Average customer rating:

A good value
The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann
Good mix of film music
A mixed collection of movie music
Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens

Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
In Session: Film Music Celebration
The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
Jerry Goldsmith: 40 Years of Film Music
Music In Film (National Public Radio Milestones Of The Millennium)

ASIN: B00008WI90
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

The Man from Snowy River (Bruce Rowland)
The Winds of War (Bob Cobert)
Blue Velvet (Angelo Badalamenti)
Witness (Maurice Jarre)
Raising Arizona (Carter Burwell)
Pee Wees Big Adventure (Danny Elfman)
Halloween (John Carpenter)
A Nightmare On Elm Street (Charles Bernstein)
The Fly (Howard Shore)
RoboCop (Basil Poledouris)
The Empire Strikes Back (John Williams)
The Right Stuff (Bill Conti)
The Final Conflict (Jerry Goldsmith)
The Abyss (Alan Silvestri)
Brainstorm (James Horner)
Peggy Sue Got Married (John Barry)
My Left Foot (Elmer Bernstein)
The Dead (Alex North)
Stanley & Iris (John Williams)
The Milagro Beanfield War (Dave Grusin)
Driving Miss Daisy (Hans Zimmer)

Tracks:

Steel Magnolias (Georges Delerue)
Unforgiven (Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood)
Raggedy Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
The Grifters (Elmer Bernstein)
Green Card (Hans Zimmer)
City Slickers (Marc Shaiman)
Father Of The Bride (Alan Silvestri)
While You Were Sleeping (Randy Edelman)
Babe (Nigel Westlake)
The Adventures Of The Great Mouse Detective (Henry Mancini)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Laurence Rosenthal)
The Secret Garden (Zbigniew Preisner)
A Little Princess (Patrick Doyle)
Rudy (Jerry Goldsmith)
Iron Will (Joel McNeely)
Memphis Belle (George Fenton)
Eye Of The Needle (Mikl)
Total Recall (Jerry Goldsmith)
Back To The Future Part III (Alan Silvestri)

Tracks:

To Die For (Danny Elfman)
The Player (Thomas Newman)
Black Robe (Georges Delerue)
Medicine Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
2001 (Alex North)
Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (Joel McNeely)
The Crow (Graeme Revell)
Blade (Mark Isham)
The Omen (Jerry Goldsmith)
Vertigo (Bernard Herrmann)
Scream (Marco Beltrami)
The Sixth Sense (James Newton Howard)
Xena: Warrior Princess (Joseph LoDuca)
Air Force One (Jerry Goldsmith)
Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris)
The Matrix (Don Davis)
The Iron Giant (Michael Kamen)
Youve Got Mail (George Fenton)
A Little Romance (Georges Delerue)
Pleasantville (Randy Newman)

Tracks:

Sunset Boulevard (Franz Waxman)
L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith)
Rounders (Christopher Young)
The Score (Howard Shore)
The Replacements (John Debney)
Gone In 60 Seconds (Trevor Rabin)
The Bourne Identity (John Powell)
Rush Hour 2 (Lalo Schifrin)
XXX (Randy Edelman)
Die Hard (Michael Kamen)
The Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones)
Moby Dick (Christopher Gordon)
The Mists Of Avalon (Lee Holdridge)
Cleopatra (Alex North)
Life As A House (Mark Isham)
Emma (Rachel Portman)
In The Bedroom (Thomas Newman)
Cast Away (Alan Silvestri)
One True Thing (Cliff Eidelman)
Unfaithful (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek)
Far From Heaven (Elmer Bernstein)
Ice Age (David Newman)
Shrek (Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell)

Customer Reviews:

A good value.......2007-05-17

I wasn't expecting to have 4 discs for this price, and the music is a quality selection of film music, giving a good scope of the genre, and a very listenable transfer.

The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann.......2006-07-25

This collection is bound to capture your heart and evoke a tin ear on successive tracks. I found much to like and some duds - easy to skip over.
Very good value.

Good mix of film music.......2006-07-02

Good mix of films!
I'm a big fan of this soundtrack music and will be looking for more CD's like this.

A mixed collection of movie music.......2006-02-23

For the price, this CD is a great bargain. The musical selections, as you might expect, are mixed in quality ranging from extraordinary to so so, the balance being worthwhile and interesting. Sonically the CD is excellent.

Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens.......2006-01-06

I have been listening to great scores for many years and this collection is truly inspirational in so far as the choice of different scores takes you on a journey of listening pleasure matched by only a few collections.The price is incredibly reasonable for hours of listening pleasure. Don't pass this one up

Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985 Film) / Back To School (1986 Film): Original Motion Picture Scores [2 on 1]

Average customer rating:

Disappointing! It's Not Even The Original Pee-Wee Score Used In The Movie!
It's Okay But There Isn't Enough Of The Music From The Pee Wee Movie!
The DVD does have the original score
Not enough Elfman!
Can't go wrong with Elfman

Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985 Film) / Back To School (1986 Film): Original Motion Picture Scores [2 on 1]

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beetlejuice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Pee-wee's Big Adventure (Widescreen)
Dick Tracy
Batman: Original Motion Picture Score
Edward Scissorhands: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B000001546
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Overture/The Big Race
Breakfast Machine
Park Ride
Stolen Bike
Hitchhike
Dinosaur Dream
Simone's Theme
Clown Dream
Studio Chase
The Drive-In
Finale
Overture
Do Not Go Gently...
The Brawl
Action Medley
Classroom Secretary
Triple Lindy
Love Suite
Study Montage

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing! It's Not Even The Original Pee-Wee Score Used In The Movie!.......2005-12-22

Peee-Wee's Big Adventure is a good movie that is very funny and I loved the music used in the movie but this CD is disappointing. I'm very disappointed that this isn't even the original score used in the movie but is instead an imitation performance. A Reinactment!

It's Okay But There Isn't Enough Of The Music From The Pee Wee Movie!.......2005-10-15

I like Danny Elfman, he writes movie scores that are always great and one of his best is the score for Pee Wee's Big Adventure and while the Pee Wee tracks with the National Philharmonic Orchestra are great it would have been even greater if they had used the original master tracks and the scores on this CD are just too short. I have never watched the movie Back to School and that score does seem to overshadow the Pee Wee's Big Adventure score. Now I do recommend this CD but be prepared to be a little disappointed with the Pee Wee score getting the short end of the stick!

The DVD does have the original score.......2004-07-19

"Thank you" to all the previous reviewers who pointed out the limitations of this re-scored music. I thought I'd chime in with a discovery. The DVD of the movie has the isolated original score! Yeah!

If you buy or rent the DVD, just go into the menu options and there's a way to play the movie with only the music score isolated. (There's commentary by Danny Elfman too, but he doesn't talk over the music.)

Not enough Elfman!.......2002-05-25

The score to Tim Burton's PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE is one Danny Elfman greatest achievements. And for those who are upset about the lack of the film's music on this album [not that I blame you], I have some info. The original masters used to score the film were recorded w/an L.A. union orchestra, an orchestra that would have to be paid an enormous amount of money [and I am talking hundreds of thousands of dollar$] for the masters' release. Given this, 20+ mins of the score was re-recorded w/The National Philharmonic Orchestra [a Lodon orchestra]. Why only 20+ mins? You'll have to ask Danny Elfman or the record label, Varese Sarabande, about that.

I do not have this album, but I do have Danny Elfman's Music For A Darkened Theater Vol 1. which contains excerpts of this score. Since it is re-recorded, one might think that it doesn't sound as good as the original master tapes. Actually, some of the tracks sound identical those in the film, and some are somewhat similar.

Anyway, unless you really REALLY want this score, I suggest you wait for an expanded album, which I have no doubt [given its popularity] will eventually pop up. However this CD is not a total loss. After all, it has some of the best cues: "Main Title", "Breakfast", and "Clown Dream".

Can't go wrong with Elfman.......2000-01-27

The music from Back to School and Pee Wee is classic Elfman. It's a great CD to listen to when you're feeling down right silly. Unfortunately, the rights fell into the EVIL hands of Varese Sarabande. I don't know how they managed to cut so much out that they fit TWO scores into one half hour. Other than the fact that I loathe Varese Sarabande with a passion for time and time again depriving me of so much music, this CD is still a good buy.

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