I don't know how many of you subscribe to FILM SCORE MONTHLY, but I've been a reader for quite some time now. Hell, I remember when all the guys behind it were Newsgroupies like myself, and we were all just... "tayaa in de wind" as Nell would say. But when Lukas Kendall and Jeff Bond started hammering away at FILM SCORE MONTHLY, I had no idea that they were going to start something that I just completely love.

Now... There are a few very good Film Score Websites out there that report alot of the same news. And... They even have their own website that is quite awesome. I enjoy film score news. I'm a film score collecting junkie... I just can't help myself. I pour over the music like an addict craving smack. And it's that side of FSM that really really gets me going.

I remember the first score that I noticed they produced was combo soundtrack of STAGECOACH and THE LONER by Jerry Goldsmith. Now while I had always preferred the older John Ford STAGECOACH as a film, the remake had a wonderful Jerry Goldsmith score.... and the LONER was a lost film... in the sense that... most filmgoers have no idea about the movie. Quite honestly I never thought I'd see these scores on anything. There was wonderful linear notes in a colorful little booklet in the CD as well as... Excellent music. However, I was worried that by choosing such an odd choice for their first SOUNDTRACK release that... well it wouldn't be all that successful.

The next month's issue carried an ad for their dual soundtrack of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and THE PAPER CHASE. I just about died. Poseidon Adventure was the second film that I had ever seen in my life, and I've worn through a couple of tapes watching it. THE PAPER CHASE had classic music and .... man, unreleased John Williams music is just a must. I simply had to have it.

Then they released a special through FSM cd of the Complete Unreleased Score to FANTASTIC VOYAGE... holy creation... too friggin cool. They were really doing a great bang up job. I put the disc in the second it arrived and just shut my eyes and saw Raquel in that... ahem... wetsuit swimming into the hearts of more than just the President.

Then they released a compilation disc with unreleased music to: THE RETURN OF DRACULA, I BURY THE LIVING, THE CABINET OF CALIGARI and MARK OF THE VAMPIRE. Holy Shit! Where on earth would you get this music? At this point I was just hooked... Whatever they released... I wanted. Monthly crack.

Over the course of the next few months I collected up the amazing 100 RIFLES cd, the PATTON/FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX scores, MONTE WALSH which was Barry's first western score, THE FLIM-FLAM MAN/A GIRL NAMED SOONER and the amazing music too ALL ABOUT EVE/LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN music from Alfred Newman... pure classic scores. Then there were a pair of cool John Wayne scores, RIO CONCHOS and even better... THE COMANCHEROS from Elmer Bernstein... I own this film in 16mm. And it's score is wonnnnderful. Then there was TAKE A HARD RIDE, which if you've never seen... You are missing out. The movie kicks and shoots ass hard.

However, a few months back... PRINCE VALIANT become available. Now... for all you people that are unfamiliar with PRINCE VALIANT then I'm really truly sorry. One the score is one of my all time favorites from Franz Waxman (same guy responsible for that great BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN music). The movie stars ol Wagner looking an awful lot like Richard Linklater, and ol Precious Bodily Fluids man as Sir Gawain.... Then there is Janet Leigh... ohmigod... she is sooooooo utterly gorgeous in the film as to make you swoon. The music is... epic. Purely brilliant score. Main themes that just scream greatness.

Then the score that got me all up to write this article came in today.... THE OMEGA MAN! The film came out the year I was born. It's Charlton Heston in his gun-toting best. The music is very much a product of it's time. More of an easy going bop u wamp type of sound. But this is one of the scores that along with PRINCE VALIANT, I've been wanting my entire life.

The work that Lukas Kendall and Jeff Bond do at Film Score Monthly is really adding something out there for us geeks. Releasing unreleased music that fans have wanted forever. If you haven't heard of them before, if you don't get these soundtracks or haven't had the opportunity... by all means, check em out at FilmScoreMonthly.Com and let your ears dance a bit. Great music, packaging and it requires your support. I love these guys!