Greetings! ScoreKeeper here with a fresh harvest of Varése Sarabande CD Club titles announced earlier this morning.

One of the premier soundtrack labels in the land, Varése Sarabande has been releasing extremely limited CDs of cherished scores through their Soundtrack Club division. The majority of these titles were previously out of print or unreleased.

In the past they have been responsible for pressing such gems as the complete scores for GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ (1962) and THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) by Elmer Bernstein, RUNAWAY (1984), MAGIC (1978) and the rejected scores for ALIEN NATION (1988) and TIMELINE (2003) by Jerry Goldsmith, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY (1965) by Alex North, PIRANHA (1978) by Pino Donaggio, COMMANDO (1985) by James Horner, BIG (1988) by Howard Shore, DIE HARD (1988) by Michael Kamen, PREDATOR (1987) by Alan Silvestri, and many more!

I’ve long been a fan of their CD Club releases and usually try to pick up a few titles from each wave. The scores are typically complete as much as possible with the tracks presented in the order which they appear in the film. These limited edition CDs sold exclusively through the Varése Sarabande web site are coveted by so many film music fans that titles often sell out months, weeks or sometimes days after the soundtrack is announced.

This month there is an unequivocally cool release that soundtrack fans are sure to horde for their collections; a 4-CD set of music from THE KARATE KID (1984) accompanied by the scores for its three sequels all composed by the great Bill Conti. I myself will soon be among the proud owners of this sumptuous set featuring a seminal score from my youth.

The other three soundtrack CDs that were announced in this round are THE VANSHING (1993) by Jerry Goldsmith, AUTHOR! AUTHOR! (1982) by Dave Grusin, and 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD (1987) by George Fenton.

Information regarding THE KARATE KID set is posted below. For more information on this and other Soundtrack Club titles check out http://www.varesesarabande.com.

The Karate Kid
By Bill Conti

CDs will begin shipping on March 26.

Limited Edition of 2500 copies

Also includes:
THE KARATE KID, Part II
THE KARATE KID, Part III
THE NEXT KARATE KID

4 CD Set!

Music Composed and Conducted by Bill Conti

To kick off our CD Club releases for 2007 we offer one of the biggest releases to yet come from our Club. Bill Conti’s score for 1984’s The Karate Kid is another of the quintessential scores from the 80s that everyone remembers. It is also a score that left film music fans of the time absolutely bewildered that such a famous score for such a successful film could go unreleased. Conti’s score is, at turns, charming, beautiful, pensive and powerful. It hits all the right notes and features none other than Zamfir himself on pan flute, representing the mystic side of Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi. The Karate Kid was directed by Conti’s long-time friend and frequent collaborator John G. Avildsen. Along with Ralph Macchio, who played karate kid Daniel Larusso in the first three films, The Karate Kid starred the ever-adorable Elizabeth Shue.

Conti returned for The Karate Kid, Part II with an even bigger score, expanding on his original themes and creating new ones. Even though Macchio and director Avildsen left the series after the third film, Conti returned to conclude his work on the franchise in 1994 with The Next Karate Kid, which now starred Hilary Swank as the new marshal arts expert in training.

Conti’s music for the series is absolutely stunning. Unbelievably, not one of the four scores has ever been released before. In the spirit of “in for a penny, in for a pound” we decided to rescue not just Conti’s original classic but to prepare the definitive Karate Kid box set to redress the entire situation. For Conti’s fans, this one is nirvana!

For the first time ever … four premiere releases … Bill Conti’s The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid, Part II, The Karate Kid, Part III and The Next Karate Kid are now available!

Disc One (35:38)

The Karate Kid (1984)

1. Main Title (3:30)
2. Fite Nite (2:01)
3. Bumpy Ride (1:37)
4. Dan Ducks Out (:55)
5. Bonsai Tree (:43)
6. Decorate The Gym (:39)
7. Miyagi Rattles Bones (2:21)
8. Miyagi Intercedes (1:28)
9. On To Miyagi’s (1:33)
10. The Pact (2:12)
11. Feel The Night (Demo) (Bill Conti and Baxter Robinson) Performed by Baxter Robinson (1:56)
12. Troubled Lovers (:33)
13. Japanese Sander (1:26)
14. Paint The Fence (3:11)
15. Daniel Sees The Bird (2:38)
16. Fish & Train (2:28)
17. Training Hard (2:29)
18. The Kiss (1:02)
19. Japanese Hand Clap (:40)
20. No Mercy (:23)
21. Daniel’s Moment Of Truth (1:52)

Disc Two (48:29)

The Karate Kid, Part II (1986)

1. Main Title (5:32)
2. No Mercy (1:17)
3. Six Months Later (1:10)
4. Breathing / Daniel Nails It (1:27)
5. Okinawa (:49)
6. Honor Very Serious (2:02)
7. Time Flies (1:50)
8. Enter Sato (1:46)
9. Miyagi’s Home (4:11)
10. No Choice (1:14)
11. The Funeral (5:14)
12. Their Song (1:45)
13. Rekindled Love (1:35)
14. Miyagi (2:02)
15. Miyagi’s Attack (1:00)
16. Daniel And Kumiko (3:15)
17. Daniel Leaves (4:45)
18. Old Friends (4:47)
19. Moon Spots (1:07)
20. Daniel’s Triumph (1:41)

Disc Three (41:56)

The Karate Kid, Part III (1989)

1. Main Title (5:38)
2. Terry Silver (1:14)
3. The Last Tree (1:55)
4. Terry’s Next Move (2:56)
5. The Hidden Tree (3:26)
6. Terry Sneaks In (2:14)
7. Mike States His Case (1:06)
8. Getting The Tree (4:33)
9. Jessica’s Slip (1:07)
10. Daniel Signs Up (3:08)
11. Miyagi’s Prayer (1:01)
12. Daniel Submits (1:22)
13. Miyagi’s Shut Out (:36)
14. Terry Owns Daniel (:37)
15. Jessica’s Kiss (:48)
16. Daniel’s Resolution (1:44)
17. Miyagi Kicks Butt (1:57)
18. Kata Training (1:54)
19. Bonsai Prayer (:36)
20. The Final Blow (4:05)

Disc Four (50:02)

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

1. The Next Karate Kid (:24)
2. Regiment of Heroes (1:24)
3. Julie Storms Out (3:15)
4. Cops Chase Julie (1:09)
5. Trainyard Emotions (2:15)
6. 3M1 (2:10)
7. The Pizza Guy (:31)
8. Julie and Miyagi (3:03)
9. Julie’s Fight (3:50)
10. Monk Headquarters (1:26)
11. Dining With Monks (2:51)
12. Julie-san Satori (2:25)
13. Training Montage (2:10)
14. Zen Archery (1:44)
15. Welcome Home, Julie (:43)
16. Rooftop Fight (1:04)
17. Angel Flies (3:18)
18. The Monks Arrive (1:48)
19. Miyagi Tears (1:33)
20. Bowling For Monks (1:04)
21. The Alphas Drop In (:54)
22. The Alphas Clobber Eric (3:14)
23. Julie Fights (3:42)
24. Miyagi’s Big Fight (3:35)

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