DAMNATION ALLEY

Important Jerry Goldsmith sci-fi action score from 1977 gets royal treatment! Jack Smight directs Jan-Michael Vincent, George Peppard, Paul Winfield, Dominique Sanda in expensive 20th Century Fox filming of Roger Zelazny post-nuclear holocaust thriller with gigantic scorpions, killer cockroaches and violent weather conditions rendering the planet barren and treacherous. Enter a half dozen survivors, two massive “Landmaster” vehicles and the extraordinary adventure begins! Highly troubled production happened alongside development of “smaller” Fox picture humbly known as Star Wars. The rest is history. Goldsmith saw inspiration in imaginative (if not entirely successful) special effects, creating incredibly ferocious action score for large 90-piece orchestra with extra brass and woodwinds (violins intentionally taceting) plus complex array of electronics. Unique, dry and often brazen sound results in cues that are aggressive, intense, powerful! Trademark rhythms abound, especially in dynamic low brass figures. The late 70’s saw Goldsmith in his most fertile period with one masterful score after another: The Omen, Capricorn One, Islands In The Stream, Logan’s Run, The Cassandra Crossing, The Boys From Brazil, Alien, Star Trek-The Motion Picture, others. Damnation Alley has previously seen only compromised selections released on album due to missing electronic elements, damaged orchestral masters. Elusive music becomes a legendary “holy grail” for many. Enter dream of Roger Feigelson with Douglass Fake in tow and Intrada rights this musical wrong. Under guidance of Producer Nick Redman and Fox team, search deep into vaults unearths complete multi-channel orchestral session masters. Co-producer Mike Matessino next performs restoration and stunning new stereo mix of entire orchestral score. Locating Goldsmith’s printed sketches and score follows, allowing commissioning of synthesizer wizard Leigh Phillips to accurately re-perform vintage electronic parts. Combined efforts of many results in Goldsmith’s relatively brief but unquestionably powerful, knockout action masterpiece to see complete release on CD with stunning stereo audio at long last! What’s more, several previously unreleased cues now appear, including dynamic action-infused  “Signals”, “The Wrong Order”, plus resounding “Refueling Stop” with triumphant full brass offering ringing fortissimo respite from the gritty action. Terrific highlight: never-before-heard action cue, “The Voyage Begins (Alternate)”, scored for early scene dropped from finished production offers exciting, jagged brass rhythms unique to this deleted sequence. Other highlights in this score abound as well: Wild tour-de-force action cue “Don’t Bug Me” is surely one of the maestro’s most genuinely fierce and frenzied compositions of all time and warm trumpet solo-led closing theme in optimistic major key (tracked into film twice at end) is surely one of his richest! Stylish booklet essay by Julie Kirgo plus colorful “flipper-style” booklet design by Kay Marshall compliment Goldsmith’s work. Recorded in January/February 1977 at 20th Century Fox Scoring Stage. Arthur Morton orchestrates, Lionel Newman conducts. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!