Back to the Future [Soundtrack, Limited Edition]

Having waited years for such an album, one which would comprise ALL the BTTF music by maestro Alan Silvestri, I am was thrilled to see its arrival [via the flux capacitor] in the year 2010! This not only gives you the beautifully remastered cues and themes from the film, but a 2nd disc with alternate takes as well - all sparkling with clarity and thumping with emotional drive. This is the score BTTF fans have been waiting for. But dont throw away your old CD, as the original soundtrack release has all the songs used in the film (The Power of Love, etc). This is purely orchestral, and will light up your living room (or Delorean) when you slip these discs into your player. To coin a phrase - this is heavy! Big 10 out of 10.

Back to the Future * * * *½
Composed by Alan Silvestri
Intrada Special Collection Volume 16
(RT Disc 1 - 49:23, Disc 2 - 39:32)

There are some releases that are worth their weight in gold and I was looking forward to this, as there was so much missing from the original releases. However, these expanded versions can be a 50/50 tarnished affair, as they sometimes don't flow as well when you listen to them.

The score starts off with 1: Logo, which was played over the Universal logo and is a nice little flourish of the main Back to the Future theme. Then we start getting into the scary stuff with 2: DeLorean Revealed and 3: Einstein Disintegrated. This is where Silvestri keeps us guessing as to what's happening at the mall, with that 6-note theme announcing the spooky DeLorean and also the Doc's theme. Then in 4: `85 Twin Peaks Mall, there is a fast-paced percussive sequence as Marty attempts to ditch the Libyans with a flourish of the main theme as he makes his escape. A great track follows next - 5: Peabody Farm, with otherworldly sounds covering Marty's arrival in the cowshed. Then, roll on a powerful use of the Main Theme as the DeLorean escapes the farmer's gun with Silvestri's dancing percussion for Marty's realisation and then the 6-note theme once more as he's now back in the past of 1955!

Particular tracks which standout for me are 7: Lorraine's Bedroom where Silvestri plays the main theme oh so gently, 9: 1.21 Jigowatts, where the Doc has a fit about how much power needs to be used, with his theme dancing away. The fast paced 12: Skateboard Chase, with Silvestri giving it all with the main theme again, with rolling drums and building horns and then the dancing piano as Biff heads in. It does make you wonder now what the original CD missed so much and that was such a poor affair in retrospect. Moving further into the disc we get a couple of source cues 15: Marvin Be-bop and 18: Goodnight Marty, which are for fans of jazzy clarinet and double bass only. One lovely track is 17: Tension; The Kiss where Silvestri adds in a drum with a ticking backing as Marty starts to fade, then a lovely warm build of the strings as he and his family are reconstituted.

We then come to the gem track, though for this release it's now in its correct order: 19: It's been Educational; Clocktower. With a noble version of the main theme we then get the 'Damn, where is that kid' ascending string and drum hit. Silvestri now adds in a drumbeat backing as the time starts to run out. With more brassy hits and percussion, we're off again, with the Doc hanging off the Clock Tower and Marty heading off in the DeLorean. Silvestri ramps up the tension with swaying drums and piano and with the main theme, adding in a lovely beat as Marty heads in. I love this bit of the score with the dancing percussion and then mad piano and strings and horn. Meanwhile, that main theme keeps reminding us that we're under a clock and Silvestri ramps the main theme yet again, coupled with a cracking alternating beat - another bit I simply adore. With a final flourish of the main theme, the DeLorean goes through and we end on a lovely wistful version as the Doc rejoices. What a brilliantly planned and fabulous track.

21: '85 Lone Pall Mall covers similar ground as before, however, backing strings die away and a flicker of tones cover the Doc's return, then a lovely statement of the main theme as Marty and Doc are reunited and a full version for the Doc's departure. 23: Doc Returns is a grand revisit to the Doc's mad theme with Silvestri adding in a lot of dancing percussion and clarinet, switching to a fast brassy motif and the main theme as the DeLorean lifts off and heads to the camera. With 24: Back to the Future, which was on the previous disc, rolling off the main theme in all its glory, that wraps off Disc 1, and what a score.

It's a shame Huey Lewis isn't here as his music is also a complement to the film. That being said, this is what should have been released all those years ago. The booklet supplied is a superb mine of information, with the story of the film and the score providing a fascinating insight to what went on.

Of course we have Disc 2, which gives us different takes on 15 tracks. These are interesting to purists only showing longer or shorter versions of each track - though 3: Peabody Farm is a damn sight more scary in this version, in fact too scary! 5 and 6: '55 Town Square and Trumpet Open or Mute give a different feel to the film. Both of these are a damn sight harsher. Indeed, 10: Skateboard Chase is also a lot beefier and in some ways too much so, ending on a brassy hit. A similar issue pervades with 11: George to the Rescue with an initially nastier edge on the brass, a dancing piano riff, and a whole more pervading ominous feel than the film. In some ways, it gives a nastier edge to the character of Biff, too.

13: Clocktower starts us off without that nice part and hits us with the Doc doing his `Damn' speech. The horns are lengthened and a lot more sweeping. The main theme playing as Marty tries to explain to the Doc is heavier and far more imposing. The descending scale used for the Doc's predicament is strange and otherworldly and the crescendo is slower and a little more ponderous. It also uses less of the main theme and it's clear why the other version was used instead of this. It's simply less fun!

The same can be said for 14: `85 Lone Pine Mall, which is deathly, creepy sound, and 15: Doc Returns, where the end sequence is more straight-laced with no main theme usage. 16: Ling Ting Ring is an unused source cue and quite a lot of fun, with a lovely lead by the trumpet, coupled with a double bass bouncing away. Add in a clarinet and you have two minutes of Jazzy heaven.

Back to the Future is one score I have always wanted to have and this release does not disappoint. The booklet is superb, the music supplied on both discs is fascinating and this is one release you cannot afford to miss out on.