633 Squadron/Submarine
X-1 (Limited Edition CD Soundtrack
Set)
Sound: C+ (633)/B-
Music: B
In time for their separate DVD releases, MGM has licensed
the music scores by Ron Goodwin of both 633 Squadron (1964) and Submarine
X-1 (1968) to Film Score Monthly’s FSM soundtrack label. The result is a limited edition CD
soundtrack set featuring a slightly expanded version of the former and the
premiere of the latter for the first time anywhere outside of the film itself.
Both are staccato-type War scores of the patriotic,
rousing variety, very listenable and well done enough to make you want to see
the films if you missed them. While 633
Squadron is a somewhat influential film for its fight scenes, Submarine
X-1 seems to be haunted a bit by the James Bond film Thunderball
(1965) and the famous John Barry score from it. The booklet notes that the climactic Death Star Sequence from the
original 1977 Star Wars was inspired by that of 633 Squadron and
Michael Anderson’s 1954 war flick The Dam Busters, but whether that
influence was mutilated by any reediting is something worth examining for a
later date.
Submarine X-1 is not in Panavision like 633
Squadron or Thunderball, but it has the kind of then-hot and new
underwater sequences that were not quite as exciting until that Bond film came
around and became what is still the most successful box office Bond in the U.S.
to date, plus a huge international success to boot. Because the color and film stocks, plus the techniques to shoot
such sequences had a new fidelity, how could filmmakers resist? Thus, music as good had to match. In these cases, Goodwin’s scores are not a
plain as Operation Crossbow or overly drummed-in as Where Eagles Dare,
working better with the images than on its own.
The PCM 2.0 sound varies from stereo to mono and in
quality in either configuration throughout.
The main twelve tracks of 633 Squadron originally appeared on
vinyl and the album master was never anything to celebrate. Here, the sound is just too harsh in its
peaks, which are often. The bonus final
track is from Goodwin’s monaural copy of the album, with less depth, but less
harshness. Submarine X-1 comes
totally from Goodwin’s ¼” stereo tape, the only surviving copy of the score
left outside of what is on the film. It
sounds better overall, but has some background noise and limits, though purists
would properly argue that this is better than trying to reprocess it. There is also the impressive, fact-filled,
illustrated booklet on par with FSM’s best.
Goodwin work for Where Eagles Dare (sounding good too on Warner’s
5.1 DVD of the film) and Operation Crossbow have already been issued by
FSM and reviewed elsewhere on this site, but like that edition, this set is
limited to only 3,000 pressings. To
order, hear sound clips and get more information on these and other vital films
soundtrack releases, visit www.filmscoremonthly.com
for more details.
Despite the sonic difficulties noted, the music is worth
hearing independently and shores up Goodwin’s reputation as an underrated
composer/conductor, film music or otherwise.
Movie and music fans will really appreciate this set. We hope Warner might allow a double feature
of Goodwin’s mid-1960s Agatha Christie theatrical features (Murder Most Foul
and The Alphabet Murders) as an FSM release.
In one last irony, MGM had not leased any titled to FSM
for a spell. Now that Sony has taken
over the company, we only hope that this is not the end of this arrangement,
but this is likely the last greenlit release under the old MGM. Though Sony owns Columbia Records and with
BMG has RCA, we would like to see more obscure Columbia and TriStar soundtracks
join the pool of limited editions FSM gets to issue.
- Nicholas Sheffo
