Explore every episode of the podcast The Goldsmith Odyssey
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Islands in the Stream (1977) and Doug Fake Memorial, with the Intrada Team and Chris Malone | 11 Mar 2025 | 02:35:51 | |
Intrada's new release of Jerry Goldsmith’s original film tracks for Islands in the Stream gave us the opportunity to not only talk about a score the composer regarded as a personal favorite, but also to share memories of Intrada’s beloved founder, Douglass Fake. On this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, the complete Odyssey team — Jens, Yavar, David, and Clark — is joined by Intrada producer Roger Feigelson, shipping manager Jeff Johnson, media consultant Joe Sikoryak, liner notes writer Frank DeWald, and mastering engineer Chris Malone. First you’ll hear a discussion of the new album, including details on the sound improvements this release makes over the original FSM presentation, the integrity of Goldsmith’s work as a complete composition, Intrada’s long history with this score, and more. Following this, the group takes some time to offer personal memories of Doug, who meant a great deal to all of us in different ways. In addition, at the program’s conclusion you'll hear a special bonus: a pair of never-before-released excerpts of past conversations with Doug, teasing the then-unreleased Intrada presentations of Goldsmith’s MacArthur and John Williams’s The Patriot. This is a meaningful one, and we hope you’ll enjoy it. Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
| Episode 44 - Thriller - Guillotine (1961) with Leigh Phillips | 22 Jan 2025 | 03:46:37 | |
Say, what's that great big thing, amidst this collection of freshly-lopped heads? Sacre bleu! I's a new regular episode! Longtime friend of the show (and Certified Thriller Expert) Leigh Phillips joins David, Yavar, and Clark to discuss Jerry Goldsmith's music for the Thriller installment "Guillotine," a score that is by turns ominous, slyly beautiful, and darkly playful. The guys examine the score's echoes of other Goldsmith works (particularly Basic Instinct), debate the degree to which the episode is intended as dark comedy, consider the possibility of this score being re-recorded for a potential third volume of Leigh's Thriller series in the future, and much more. So grab a big plate of fresh pancakes, press play, and enjoy! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Austin Symphony Conductor Peter Bay and Orchestra Librarian Ali Verderber | 22 Jan 2025 | 01:31:33 | |
In June of 2024, The Austin Symphony offered an evening of live Jerry Goldsmith music containing selections from Gremlins, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Total Recall, and other beloved scores. A few months later, Yavar and Clark — who were in attendance at the concert, along with Goldsmith Odyssey co-founder Jens — spoke to conductor Peter Bay and principal librarian Ali Verderber about the performance. You'll hear about Peter's long-time passion for Goldsmith's music, Ali's efforts to secure the rights to certain pieces, the difficulty of staging a Goldsmith concert vs. a John Williams program, the pieces that proved most challenging in rehearsals, and much more! It’s a fun and informative chat, and we hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did. | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Director Jonathan Kaplan on Sol Kaplan, Love Field, and Bad Girls | 11 Oct 2024 | 02:40:01 | |
It's always a treat to hear from filmmakers who got to work directly with Jerry, and we're thrilled that director Jonathan Kaplan took the time to share his memories with us. In this wide-ranging Odyssey Interview, Jonathan tells David and Yavar about his father Sol Kaplan's career as a film composer, the thrill of watching Isaac Hayes perform the Truck Turner score, collaborating with Goldsmith on Love Field and Bad Girls, helping James Horner craft the main theme for Unlawful Entry, the budget limitations that led to Brad Fiedel creating a solo electronic score for The Accused, and so much more! This one is a lively, entertaining chat that's loaded with great stories (and plenty of musical illustrations), so we hope you’ll give it a listen. Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
| Episode 43 - Season of Disbelief & Hail and Farewell - CBS Radio Workshop (1956) | 26 Sep 2024 | 03:37:41 | |
Our intermittent exploration of Jerry Goldsmith's early radio work continues with a 2-for-1 special: an episode of CBS Radio Workshop that offers brief dramatizations of the Ray Bradbury short stories "Season of Disbelief" and "Hail and Farewell" (both of which are introduced by Bradbury himself). Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark explore the rich, sensitive small-scale scores Goldsmith created for these stories, both of which contain memorable themes and compelling musical ideas. While all three members of the team regard "Hail and Farewell" rather warmly, "Season of Disbelief" prompts some strikingly different interpretations and spirited conversation. We've included the full presentation of both stories within the episode for your consideration, so you can form your own opinions on the matter. If you're looking for something to listen to attempting to grasp the rope of life, give this one a spin! Our hope is that it'll provide a bit of solace when the rope inevitably hisses through your fingers. | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - John Paesano on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (with Jeff Bond) | 30 Aug 2024 | 02:11:18 | |
Jerry Goldsmith's music has been present in multiple Hollywood blockbusters this year, and his musical voice is particularly prominent in John Paesano's score for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. In this Odyssey Interview, Yavar and Goldsmith biographer Jeff Bond talk with Paesano about the challenges of finding a middle ground between Goldsmith's iconic original score and the more recent sound Michael Giacchino has established for the series, director Wes Ball's passion for film music, Paesano's slow and steady path to finding success as a film composer, assisting Goldsmith on some of the legendary composer's later film scores, and much more! Whether you're one of our human listeners or an intelligent ape doing research on human musical preferences, we think you'll find this an engaging conversation. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 42 - The Early Guitar Scores (1954-1958) with Carlos Rafael Rivera | 04 Jun 2024 | 05:37:12 | |
Returning guest Carlos Rafael Rivera joins us for our longest episode to date! | |||
| Production Report - The Committeeman / My Dark Days / Autumn Love (2023 Leigh Phillips Recordings) | 14 Mar 2024 | 02:37:59 | |
Are you now, or have you ever been, a Jerry Goldsmith fan? If so, you won't want to miss our third and final production report on Leigh Phillips' marvelous Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater series. Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Leigh about the three latest additions: the stark and grim "My Dark Days," the cheerfully Italian-flavored "The Committeeman," and the gorgeous library music collection "Autumn Love." In addition to exploring the various challenges of bringing these scores to the finish line, Leigh reflects on the success of the GE Theater project as a whole, and takes some time to talk about what he might be tackling in the future. Along the way, you'll hear samples from each of the scores, and behind-the-scenes excerpts of Leigh working his talented ensemble of players. So grab a plate of mama's homemade spaghetti, and take a listen! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Inchon Tech Talk with Doug Fake and Chris Malone | 28 Feb 2024 | 01:45:16 | |
We know what you’re thinking: "Wait… didn't you guys already do an Inchon Soundtrack Spotlight?" Indeed we did, back in 2020, when Intrada rereleased Jerry Goldsmith's memorable score for the otherwise largely forgotten 1981 Korean War drama. Now, Intrada has released the score yet again, with improved audio and a small handful of new extras. In this follow-up Spotlight, your humble hosts David and Clark chat with Intrada's Douglass Fake and audio engineer Chris Malone about the surprising discovery that led to this new release, the ways in which this score improves on the audio quality offered by previous releases, the various engineering decisions that affect the quality of a film music recording, the thought process that goes into deciding whether or not to reissue a score, and much more. Those who have already purchased one or more of the previous editions of the score will undoubtedly have differing opinions on whether or not to upgrade, but we hope this program will prove a useful resource in helping you make an informed decision. So give it a listen, and find out why you should consider visiting Inchon againchon! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Sherri Chung on Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai | 19 Jan 2024 | 01:46:56 | |
Jerry Goldsmith's musical legacy lives on in the new animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, featuring a wonderful score by composer Sherri Chung. In this Odyssey Interview, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Sherri about the score's large collection of memorable thematic ideas, the joy of being given the opportunity take a traditionally orchestral musical approach, the wide array of distinctive ethnic instruments employed throughout, the importance of nodding to Goldsmith's iconic themes, the challenges of navigating the modern TV music landscape, what we might be able to expect musically from the second season of the show, and more! So if it's after midnight and you're struggling to fall asleep, just sit down in a brightly-lit place, pour yourself a nice glass of water, grab a snack, and give this one a listen! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - MacArthur (1977) with Doug Fake, Chris Malone and Jeff Bond | 13 Dec 2023 | 01:36:36 | |
Attention! Our final Soundtrack Spotlight of the year is here! 2023 hasn’t exactly been jam-packed with new Goldsmith releases, but it’s closing with a pretty special one: Intrada’s new 2-CD presentation of MacArthur, which offers both a restoration of the original LP re-recording and the premiere of the original film tracks. Your humble hosts Yavar and David are joined by Intrada’s Douglass Fake, liner notes writer Jeff Bond, and restoration specialist Chris Malone to discuss this thrilling new release. They discuss the surprising thematic depth and variety the full version of the score has to offer, the assorted restoration challenges posed by this project, the sonic differences between the film mix and the re-recorded album cues, and much more. Remember: old film scores never die, they just get better-sounding and more complete. Dismissed! | |||
| Episode 41 - Storm - CBS Radio Workshop (1956) | 02 Dec 2023 | 02:22:46 | |
Take shelter! Mariah is here! (No, not that one.) Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark dig into the CBS Radio Workshop episode "Storm," a meteorologically-themed docudrama featuring striking narration from William Conrad and a tense, turbulent score from Jerry Goldsmith. You'll hear discussion of the unique nature of this experimental radio series, the effectiveness of Goldsmith's decision to use music to create a dividing line between the narration and the scripted drama, the striking use of a harmonica to represent the storm, the minimal use of recurring themes, and more! While you're waiting for the skies to clear, join us in the storm cellar for an exploration of this little-known musical gem. Enjoy! | |||
| Bonus Soundtrack Spotlight - The War of the Worlds (1953) / When Worlds Collide (1951) with Chris Malone and John Takis | 16 Nov 2023 | 02:14:26 | |
We know what you're thinking: why is The Goldsmith Odyssey covering Leith Stevens? Well, for one thing, War of the Worlds (1953) is a personal favorite film and score of Odyssey co-host and editor W. David Lichty. For another, it's a good excuse to spend time with friends of the show Chris Malone (who co-produced the new expanded album for La-La Land) and John Takis (who wrote the liner notes), both of whom once again have marvelous musical insights to offer. And for more reasons, just listen to the show itself, in which you'll hear discussion of where this score sits within Stevens' body of work, the surprising ways in which the score functions dramatically, the crucial improvements this album makes to the previous release, the qualities of the companion score When Worlds Collide, the wildly different versions of this classic story that have been offered over the years, and much more! Don't worry, we aren't planning to start wandering off-mission on a regular basis, but this new release was too exciting a conversation topic to pass up. Despite the relative absence of our pal Jerry, we hope you'll enjoy this affectionate celebration of an underappreciated composer's most significant work. | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - City Hall (1996) with Tim Greiving | 14 Nov 2023 | 01:10:31 | |
Better late than never, we offer a detailed Soundtrack Spotlight on Varese Sarabande's definitive presentation of Jerry Goldsmith’s memorably noir-tinged score for Harold Becker's City Hall! First, your humble hosts David and Clark are joined by liner notes writer Tim Greiving for a discussion of the film's modest virtues, the score's central ideas, the real-life experiences that informed the film's screenplay, the musical influence of Leonard Bernstein's On the Waterfront, and other topics. Afterwards, David and Clark explore the significant and subtle differences between the various film versions, album versions, and alternates this thorough score presentation has to offer. We hope you'll join us for a stroll down the corridors of power(ful film music)! | |||
| Production Report - The Last Dance (2023 Leigh Phillips Recording) | 02 Oct 2023 | 02:03:31 | |
The latest Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater volume is now available, and we're thrilled to give you all the details in this Production Report with our friend, conductor/reconstructionist/renaissance man Leigh Phillips. The fifth entry in his ongoing series of re-recordings is "The Last Dance," a sensitive and emotionally complex score for an episode of television that remains lost for the time being. In addition to offering a detailed breakdown of the assorted challenges posed throughout the recording session, Leigh talks to your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark about how the success of the earlier Kickstarter campaigns led to this "bonus" recording, inviting a wider audience to view the recording sessions, the most effective approach to leading an orchestra, his ambitious plan to re-record Goldsmith's Lionheart, and much more. Give it a listen, and then click over to Leigh's website to secure your copy of the score (featuring liner notes by Yavar). Enjoy! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Joe Sikoryak | 09 Sep 2023 | 02:24:46 | |
Back in October of 2021, your humble hosts Yavar and David had a conversation with esteemed art designer Joe Sikoryak about his work for Film Score Monthly, Intrada, Percepto, and La-La Land Records. Over the course of that chat, Joe offered comments on falling in love with film music as a child, shopping at Intrada Records during the physical shop's early days, and getting a job from Lukas Kendall to redesign and help give Film Score Monthly a more professional magazine look. He mused on the evolving style of soundtrack album design, the challenging economics of releasing soundtrack albums, the Jerry Goldsmith music he enjoys most, and why (as a huge fan of both Goldsmith and Star Trek) he initially struggled to fully connect with the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture! That discussion is bookended by a more recent chat, in which Joe offers an update on a graphic novel he’s been working on, talks about his participation in both The Jerry Goldsmith Companion and Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater Kickstarter projects, and offers a great many further insights. Joe has contributed a great deal to the world of soundtrack albums and has a lot of thoughtful commentary to offer, so this is a 2-in-1 conversation you'll want to make time for. It's the interview equivalent of dry-aged brisket placed within a freshly-baked bun, and our hope is that it's comparably enjoyable! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Jonathan Frakes (and Lukas Kendall joins us as an interviewer) | 19 Aug 2023 | 00:49:54 | |
Given that all members of the Odyssey team are also lifelong Star Trek enthusiasts, we were particularly thrilled and honored to welcome actor/director Jonathan Frakes to the program. Your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark, along with Film Score Monthly founder Lukas Kendall, chat with Jonathan about his experiences working with Jerry on Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection, the complex nature of Goldsmith’s relationship with the Trek franchise, the collaborative qualities that distinguished Jerry from other film composers, the warmly-received third season of Star Trek: Picard, and much more! It's a warm, lively chat filled with fond memories and memorable music. If you've got 50 minutes to spare, make this show your Number One priority! | |||
| Episode 40 - The Shape of the River - Playhouse 90 (1960) with Andy from the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score | 26 Jul 2023 | 03:18:25 | |
In this episode, we turn our attention to one of America's most memorable, witty, and insightful figures: Andy, co-host of the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score. He joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to examine the Playhouse 90 installment "The Shape of the River," which details the tragedy-filled later years of writer Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain), and offers a Goldsmith score that alternates between bustling Americana and plaintive melancholy. We take a look at why this teleplay struggles to succeed despite being written by Oscar-winner Horton Foote, try to pin down Goldsmith's unusually loose and slippery thematic ideas, and even offer some reconstructed versions of cues missing from the episode (generously provided by friend of the show Carson Cohen). So give it a listen, and allow our viewing pain to become your listening pleasure! | |||
| Episode 39 - The Security Agent - CBS Suspense (1956) & Fifth Anniversary Celebration (with Jens!) | 24 May 2023 | 03:12:13 | |
The whole band is back together for a very special kinda-sorta anniversary show! Your humble hosts David, Yavar, Clark, and Jens dig into Goldsmith’s memorable radio score for the 1956 CBS Suspense episode "The Security Agent," a political thriller about two friends attempting to flee Communist Poland. You'll hear discussion of the surprising musical origins of Goldsmith's main theme, the composer's early instincts for knowing when to hold back, the surprisingly nuanced characterizations this tale has to offer, and much more! Afterwards, stick around for a bonus trip down memory lane, as we look back on some of our favorite episodes and discoveries of the Odyssey's first five years. Whether you've been along for the whole ride or have just discovered the show, we thank you for listening, and hope you'll pardon the self-indulgence. Enjoy! | |||
| Production Report - The Jerry Goldsmith Companion, by Jeff Bond | 10 May 2023 | 02:40:47 | |
After decades of writing about Jerry Goldsmith, author and film music historian Jeff Bond is preparing to deliver his definitive work on the subject: The Jerry Goldsmith Companion, a massive, two-volume set offering a thorough examination of the legendary composer's full career. In this Production Report, your humble hosts Yavar and David chat with Jeff about the process of creating the book, the degree to which the Goldsmith-themed liner notes he's written over the years informed the project, surprising discoveries made throughout the process, the different eras and defining traits of Goldsmith's career, and much more! It's a lively, music-filled conversation that we hope serves as a satisfying appetizer for the grandiose main course that lies ahead. Enjoy! | |||
| Production Report - The Legend That Walks Like a Man / Hitler's Secret (2023 Leigh Phillips Recording) | 09 Apr 2023 | 01:53:12 | |
Another pair of Jerry Goldsmith re-recordings are right around the corner, and we're pleased to offer all of the exciting details in our latest Production Report. This time, Leigh Phillips is presenting two strikingly different Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: the bright, chipper “The Legend That Walks Like a Man” (previously covered by The Goldsmith Odyssey back in Episode 25) and the grim, militaristic "Hitler's Secret." Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark talk with Leigh about how those scores were chosen, the work that was involved in preparing them for recording, which passages in "The Legend That Walks Like a Man" required virtuosic soloists, the thought process behind making minor modifications to the "Hitler's Secret" sheet music, what we can expect from the next round of Kickstarter recordings, and much more! Additionally, this episode is loaded with exclusive behind-the-scenes excerpts from the recording sessions, giving you the opportunity to be a fly on the wall for a variety of key moments in the creation of these new recordings. Unlike certain notorious historical figures, we keep no secrets on this show, so give it a listen and get the inside scoop! | |||
| Mike Matessino on Robert Wise and the Director's Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture | 17 Mar 2023 | 04:06:36 | |
In the summer of 2022, your humble hosts David and Yavar had a conversation with Mike Matessino about his work on the Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (both the original DVD presentation and the dazzling new 4K restoration). While some of the revelations Mike offered prevented us from releasing this show until now, we are pleased to finally share this extraordinary interview. Over the course of this bountiful conversation, Mike talks about the years he spent working alongside director Robert Wise, the circumstances that led to the creation of the Director’s Edition, the challenging aspects of the restoration process, the ways in which the many changes enhance the film’s storytelling, his discussions with Jerry Goldsmith about the project, and so much more. This is our longest show to date, but one we feel is well worth the time. It’s an essential supplement to The Director’s Edition, loaded with insights from a man who knows the film as well as anyone. It will startle your senses, challenge your intellect, and alter your perception of the future… or at the very least, provide an absorbing listen. Enjoy! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - The 'Burbs (1989), with Joe Dante, Marshall Harvey, Bruce Botnick, Neil S. Bulk and Dan Goldwasser | 14 Feb 2023 | 02:33:58 | |
A lot of unusual noises have been heard in Jerry Goldsmith’s score for The ‘Burbs, so we gathered all of the neighbors together to discuss them. In this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Jens, and Clark are pleased to welcome director Joe Dante, editor Marshall Harvey, recording engineer Bruce Botnick, album co-producer Neil S. Bulk, and album art designer Dan Goldwasser. You’ll hear stories about the creation of the film, discussion of the wide array of colorful elements in Goldsmith’s witty score, insights on the creation of the Morricone-heavy temp track, details on the improved sound and additional music offered by the new La-La Land release, and much more! In addition, we also take a little time to discuss the group’s memories of Goldsmith’s collaboration with Dante on the comparably spirited and eclectic Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which turned out to be the final score of the composer’s remarkable career. It’s a joyful, tuneful show with lots of music and memories, so open the trunk and see what you find! | |||
| Episode 38 - Project Immortality - Playhouse 90 (1959) | 08 Jan 2023 | 02:49:13 | |
One fateful evening, your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark gathered together to record a new installment of The Goldsmith Odyssey, focusing on the Playhouse 90 drama “Project Immortality”. The episode is a character-driven story with just a splash of sci-fi intrigue, starring Lee J. Cobb as a dying scientist who has agreed to let a team of researchers attempt to reproduce his brain using an advanced computer program. The accompanying Jerry Goldsmith score is frequently somber and sensitive, though it also contains some dazzling bursts of energy and color. If we're permitted to say so, it's a good conversation about a good episode of television. The only problem — and it's a sizable problem, to be honest — is that Clark's mic was having issues, and his audio sounds rather dismal as a result. An unfortunate turn of events, but we hope the conversation and analysis proves compelling enough to overcome this issue. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy the show! | |||
| Episode 37 - Thriller - What Beckoning Ghost? (1961) with Amin Maltaqa and Panu Aaltio | 23 Dec 2022 | 02:28:57 | |
What's that mysterious sound coming from the room upstairs? Could it be the ghost of a murdered composer, playing a distinctly Goldsmithian melody on the piano? Mercifully, no. Upon closer inspection, it was just an audio clip featured in the latest installment of The Goldsmith Odyssey, which focuses on the Ida Lupino-directed Thriller episode "What Beckoning Ghost?" Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark are joined by two special guests: director Amin Maltaqa and composer Panu Aaltio, both of whom have a wide variety of insights to offer on Goldsmith's playfully mysterious score. Also, if you want to get to know Amin and Panu a bit better and hear more about their Goldsmith fandom, be sure to check out our recent Odyssey Interview with them. Enjoy the show, and happy holidays! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Amin Matalqa and Panu Aaltio | 12 Dec 2022 | 01:07:05 | |
While we've been honored to have both composers and directors appear on The Goldsmith Odyssey, it was a particular treat to welcome our first director-composer team to the program: filmmaker Amin Maltaqa and composer Panu Aaltio, whose new film 5000 Blankets is playing in theaters December 12 & 13 (and will be streamable in the months ahead). In this Odyssey Interview, Amin and Panu tell your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark about their deep and abiding film music fandom, their love of Jerry Goldsmith, their collaborative process, and much more! Naturally you'll hear plenty of excerpts from Panu's new score: a melodic, emotional work marked by memorable themes, striking orchestrations, and a welcome sense of old-fashioned romanticism. And stay tuned for our next regular episode, in which Amin and Panu will join us for an examination of Jerry's score for the Thriller installment “What Beckoning Ghost?” Enjoy! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - L.A. Confidential (1997) with Tim Greiving | 23 Nov 2022 | 00:35:32 | |
On the record, off the QT, and not even remotely hush hush: it's a new Soundtrack Spotlight! Yavar is joined by liner notes writer and film music journalist Tim Greiving for a conversation about Varese Sarabande's new Deluxe Edition of Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated score for L.A. Confidential. You'll hear about how this score represents the culmination of Goldsmith's noir-themed work, why Tim didn't connect with the film, Tim's approach to the liner notes, the balance between source music and score in the film, Goldsmith's conservative approach to spotting, and more! Along the way, you'll hear plenty of excerpts from the new album, which adds over 15 minutes of previously unreleased music. So give it a listen! Life is good on The Goldsmith Odyssey... it's paradise on earth. Ha ha ha ha. That's what they tell you, anyway. | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Paul Verhoeven | 12 Nov 2022 | 01:09:51 | |
Want to hear some great Jerry Goldsmith stories? You could pay a major corporation to remember them for you wholesale... or you could listen to one of Jerry's most important collaborators remember them for free. In this Odyssey Interview, your humble hosts David, Jens, Yavar, and Clark are joined by a very special guest: legendary filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. Over the course of this conversation, you'll hear Paul talk about the pleasure of hearing Jerry's memorable music for Total Recall, the challenging (and ultimately rewarding) process of finding the right sound for Basic Instinct, why he was moved to tears by Jerry's music for Hollow Man, his admiration of Jerry's music for other movies, his attempt to reunite with Goldsmith and Arnold Schwarzenegger on the unrealized blockbuster Crusade, the classical composers who influenced the musical sound of his movies, and much more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a lively hour of memories and music! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Hollow Man (2000) with Doug Fake, Roger Feigelson, Jeff Bond, Bruce Botnick and Nick Vidar | 27 Oct 2022 | 02:15:07 | |
One of Jerry's longest scores gets an appropriately substantial Soundtrack Spotlight! In celebration of Intrada's new two disc complete release of Jerry's alternately suspenseful, cerebral, and thrilling score for Paul Verhoeven's Hollow Man, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Clark, and Jens are pleased to welcome a quintet of special guests. Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records share details of how this album was assembled. Liner notes writer and film music historian Jeff Bond adds insightful commentary on the score and where it fits in Goldsmith's larger body of work. Plus we welcome two close Goldsmith collaborators who participated in the creation of this score: Recording engineer Bruce Botnick and synth programmer Nick Vidar join us to share their memories of the recording sessions and shed light on Jerry's approach to employing synths! You may not be able to see any of the participants, but we hope you'll enjoy hearing this wide-ranging, illuminating chat on one of the standout scores of Goldsmith's later years. This episode contains clips from a radio program produced and hosted by Michael Moricz in January of 1988, The Audio Works Studio WDUQ. It's one of the ones where Jerry really was forthcoming! Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
| Odyssey Field Report - Rudy in Concert (2022) with Justin Freer, Jens Dietrich and Ron Burbella | 06 Oct 2022 | 02:59:11 | |
Good evening, and welcome to Odyssey World News. Our top story tonight: in September of 2022, Jerry Goldsmith's iconic score for Rudy was performed live-to-picture by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Justin Freer. We sent two of our reporters, Jens Dietrich and W. David Lichty, to produce our very first Field Report. They had the opportunity to talk with Freer, who spoke at length about his love of Goldsmith, the process of preparing for a live-to-picture performance, which Goldsmith scores he'd most like to conduct next, and a host of other topics. The group was joined by noted film music enthusiast Ron Burbella, who had some fun and surprising anecdotes of his own to share. Additionally, David and Jens take a little time to share details of their own wonderful experiences surrounding the Rudy performance. Here's their report. | |||
| Episode 36 - A Dead Ringer - Westinghouse Studio One (1958) | 30 Sep 2022 | 02:32:14 | |
Confession: we meant to record this episode back in April, but failed to do so. If this were happening to some other show, a lesser podcast perhaps, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark suppose they might find this amusing. One expects ordinary podcasts to fail, to be betrayed by their own incompetence. We suppose we might even find a grotesque humor in our predicament if our failure were due to any lack of logic or skill on our part. But to be betrayed by this clumsy intrusion of scheduling... if one can call busy lives, varied work weeks, and unfinished prep work scheduling... well, no matter, we did the best we could, which is all any podcast of sensitivity and intelligence can do. What's it about, you ask? Why, it's about the Studio One episode "A Dead Ringer", which stars Gig Young as a man plotting the murder of his wealthy wife. It's a knotty hour of television featuring a compelling, Herrmannesque Goldsmith score, which features a variety of striking ideas and is largely built around a rising-and-falling ostinato. We're glad that we finally managed to get the recording done, and we hope you enjoy it. Still, all things considered, it does seem ironic that what was planned and eventually executed with such perfection, even artistry, should now be reduced to just another episode. | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Rudy (1993) with Tim Greiving | 18 Sep 2022 | 00:31:12 | |
Our latest Soundtrack Spotlight may be smaller than most, but it's got a lot of heart! Liner notes writer and film music journalist Tim Greiving joins your humble host Yavar to talk about Varese Sarabande's new Deluxe Edition of Jerry Goldsmith's beloved score for Rudy. Among the topics of conversation: Tim's personal connection to the score, why he took a less analytical approach to the liner notes, standout moments from the previously unreleased music on the album, Goldsmith's personal affection for this project, and more. Enjoy the show, and stay tuned for another Rudy-themed program in the near future! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Goldsmith at 20th Vol. V - Music for Television (1968-1975) with Mike Matessino and Chris Malone | 12 Sep 2022 | 01:43:13 | |
La-La Land's Goldsmith at 20th series continues with the most exciting volume yet, and we have a new Soundtrack Spotlight to commemorate the occasion! Film music restoration experts Mike Matessino and Chris Malone join your humble hosts Yavar and David to discuss the varied challenges of working on seven different Goldsmith television projects composed between 1968 and 1975: Anna and the King, A Girl Named Sooner, Nick Quarry, Only in America, Prudence and the Chief, Room 222, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. You'll hear excerpts from all of these scores, along with discussion of where certain elements were found, which projects required the greatest degree of restoration work, how Goldsmith's work fits within the musical conventions of the era, and much more! This is one of the most exciting Goldsmith releases in some time (boasting two premieres and two significant expansions), so tune in and get a taste while waiting for your copy to arrive! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Sally Stevens | 29 Aug 2022 | 03:07:43 | |
The Sound of Music. Dirty Harry. Airplane! The Simpsons. Edward Scissorhands. Rudy. The Sixth Sense. Finding Nemo. Deadpool 2. If you’ve seen any of these, you’ve heard the voice of Sally Stevens. Hey, we recorded this almost a year ago, and, you know, things change. Sally's memoir is now titled “I SANG THAT…From Sound of Music to The Simpsons, to South Park and Beyond - a Memoir from Hollywood” | |||
| Production Report - The Bar Mitzvah of Major Orlovsky / Sarah's Laughter (2022 Leigh Phillips Recording) | 22 Jul 2022 | 01:46:08 | |
New Goldsmith music is just around the corner, and we have a new production report to fill you in on all the details! With the aid of his Kickstarter backers, Leigh Phillips has created two new recordings of previously unreleased Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: “The Bar Mitzvah of Major Orlovsky” (which foreshadows such Jewish-themed Goldsmith works as QBVII and Masada) and “Sarah’s Laughter” (a tender, yet surprisingly complex, score marked by striking harmonica passages). Leigh joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to talk about the origins of the project, the fundraising process, the challenges of reconstructing “Major Orlovsky”, recording the music with members of the City of Prague Philharmonic, mixing the music, and much more! Naturally, you’ll be treated to some choice excerpts of the new music along the way. Whether you’re a Kickstarter backer who’s eager for more details on the project or simply a casually curious listener, we think there’s much to enjoy here. So give the show a listen, and get ready for the arrival of two wonderful television scores! | |||
| Gold Shavings - Shop Talk with Chris Malone | 01 Jul 2022 | 00:44:51 | |
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| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Seconds (1966) with Chris Malone and John Takis | 24 Jun 2022 | 01:55:10 | |
Trapped in a life that doesn't fulfill you? Struggling with the feeling that too many years have been wasted? Uncomfortable with being forced to confront your own mortality? If so, why not trade in your increasingly fragile body for a gloriously youthful one? With your vitality restored, you'll be able to participate in a host of high-energy activities, like painting, socializing, grape-stomping, and - best of all - listening to The Goldsmith Odyssey! This time around, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark place the Soundtrack Spotlight on Quartet's new release of Jerry's Goldsmith's haunting score for John Frankenheimer's Seconds! They're joined by returning guests Chris Malone, who restored and produced this new album, and John Takis, who wrote the liner notes. You'll hear about Goldsmith's assorted thematic ideas, the challenges of removing dialogue from certain cues, the key differences between this release and the previous one, the different ways the film strikes certain viewers, and more! Lots of good stuff here, so contact The Company at your earliest convenience, settle into your thrilling new life, and press play! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Matinee (1993) with Joe Dante, Marshall Harvey, Doug Fake, Roger Feigelson and John Takis | 30 May 2022 | 02:58:25 | |
Yes, the atomic podcast is terrible. But more terrible still are the effects of atomic podcast mutation. Hello, we’re your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark, and we want to warn you about something that could happen… something that does happen in our latest podcast. Observe the Soundtrack Spotlight: a miniature marvel of focused conversation on a single CD release. But if a Soundtrack Spotlight and a large group of guests were exposed to radiation simultaneously, the result would be terrible indeed. What began life as a simple chat about Intrada’s expanded release of Jerry Goldsmith’s charming, intuitive score for Joe Dante’s “Matinee” was shockingly transformed into a wide-ranging conversation on the entire Goldsmith-Dante oeuvre. For this very special show, we’re joined by none other than director Joe Dante himself, along with Dante’s longtime editor Marshall Harvey, liner notes writer John Takis, and Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records. Suffice it to say this is a can’t-miss production. Presented in AtomoSound: the new podcasting miracle that puts you in the action! | |||
| Episode 35 - The Desperate Age - Westinghouse Studio One (1958) | 30 Apr 2022 | 01:57:08 | |
Your friends want you to go out with them, but you keep turning them down. Your mother wants you to go out on a date with one of your old high school classmates, but the idea doesn’t interest you. Everyone’s worried that if you don’t get more proactive, you’re going to end up alone. What they don’t know is that you’re already seeing someone. Three people, in fact: David, Yavar, and Clark, the humble hosts of The Goldsmith Odyssey. Every Tuesday and Thursday, you steal away to a secluded spot to listen for a little while, keeping the volume low. Their latest installment spotlights the Studio One episode “The Desperate Age,” starring Barbara Bel Geddes as a young woman whose situation mirrors your own. The melancholy Jerry Goldsmith score seems straightforward and simple, but contains surprising subtleties and complexities. So double-check to be sure no one is watching, and press play! | |||
| Golden Opportunities: Create a Goldsmith-Filled Future on Kickstarter | 28 Apr 2022 | 00:08:38 | |
We’ll be back to our regular scheduled program momentarily. But first, a word from our sponsor! | |||
| Episode 34 - Wagon Train - The Ah Chong Story (1961) | 01 Apr 2022 | 02:59:49 | |
Hyah! Hyah! Odyssey Ho! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Mike Davis | 01 Mar 2022 | 02:57:35 | |
We realize that we've been interrupting our Odyssey with a lot of Soundtrack Spotlights lately. To make up for that, this month we're interrupting the Odyssey with a new Odyssey Interview! Back in October of 2021, Yavar had an in-depth conversation with Retired Chief Master Sergeant Mike Davis, who served as chief arranger for the U.S. Air Force band for many years. Among Davis's numerous musical endeavors was a reconstruction of Jerry Goldsmith's "The Thunder of Imperial Names" (originally written for the 1957 radio production 1489 Words), which in turn inspired Goldsmith himself to re-examine his original piece. Over the course of this wide-ranging interview, Davis talks about his personal and professional encounters with Goldsmith, his own efforts as a composer and sole experience writing for film, his work with the U.S. Air Force Band, his role in the creation of Goldsmith's now-iconic "The Generals" Suite, the experience of working in Hollywood on a '70s Goldsmith recording, encounters with other legendary film composers such as Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, and Richard Rodney Bennett... and much more! Lots of great stories and great music in this one, so do your patriotic duty and give it a listen! | |||
| Production Report - Black Patch / The Man (2021 Intrada Recording) with William Stromberg, Doug Fake, Roger Feigelson, Leigh Phillips and Jeff Johnson | 01 Feb 2022 | 03:15:06 | |
Intrada's Kickstarter-funded re-recording of Jerry Goldsmith's Black Patch and The Man is almost here, and we've got something special for you to enjoy while you wait: the Odyssey's very first Production Report! | |||
| Episode 33 - Thriller - The Grim Reaper (1961) with Leigh Phillips | 29 Dec 2021 | 02:26:12 | |
Centuries (or possibly just a few weeks) ago, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark joined forces with returning guest and Tadlow Thriller reconstructionist Leigh Phillips to create a haunting work of art: a podcast examination of the Thriller episode "The Grim Reaper" and the moody, threatening Jerry Goldsmith score that accompanies it. In the decades (or was it days?) since, the episode has been passed down from listener to listener, and legend has it that nearly all of them have been horribly, gruesomely, violently entertained. Press play if you must, but be warned... if you don't turn back now, you might be entertained, too.
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Legend (1985) with Paul MacLean and Jeff Bond | 18 Nov 2021 | 02:15:49 | |
Yet another Soundtrack Spotlight! Our forces have been spread thin, our rations have been depleted, and we are so sleep-deprived that none of us can remember which day of the week it is. We remember the year, though: it's the Year of Goldsmith, which continues apace with the new Music Box release of Jerry Goldsmith's brilliant score for Ridley Scott’s Legend. Your humble hosts David and Yavar are joined by two insightful film music historians: Paul MacLean, who wrote the liner notes for the original Silva Screen expansion, and Jeff Bond, who wrote the liner notes for this new edition. They discuss the fascinating and messy history of the project, each writer's approach to tackling the liner notes, the differences between the way Goldsmith's music is used in the director's cut of the film vs. the European cut, and much more! This one digs a little deeper than your average Spotlight, but we think the material deserves it (and as usual, there are a host of illustrative excerpts from the new album along the way). So ringle-rangle your device of choice and give it a listen! | |||
| The Music of Poltergeist with Leanna Primiani | 27 Oct 2021 | 01:48:11 | |
Hey, nice costume! Here's a little treat for you: the second and final part of David's Odyssey Interview with composer Leanna Primiani. After discussing the benefits of studying sheet music and Goldsmith's deep understanding of how to use an orchestra, David and Leanna dig into an wide-ranging examination of Poltergeist: the specificity with which the characters are drawn, the ways in which Goldsmith's compositional approach mirrors that of John Williams, the benefits of having a substantial amount of time to write a film score, Goldsmith's ability to find musical beauty in horror films, and much more! Numerous fascinating, under-appreciated aspects of one of Goldsmith's most iconic horror scores are examined here... it's a conversation you don't want to miss. Okay, kids, be safe out there, look both ways when you cross the street! | |||
| Odyssey Interviews - Leanna Primiani | 20 Oct 2021 | 01:00:26 | |
It's time for a new Odyssey Interview! David sits down for a conversation with composer Leanna Primiani, who previously appeared alongside members of the Odyssey team on Score Masters: Celebrating John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith. In the first installment of this two-part interview, Leanna tells us all about her score for the new short film Ivory Wave, which is being performed live to picture this week at the Nightmares Film Festival. Additionally, Leanna talks about getting her start in the world of film music, why she's drawn to the horror genre, the surprising virtues of temp tracks, the creative use of electronics in her music, the importance of musical training, and more! Much more, in fact: join us later on this month for part two of David and Leanna's conversation, which digs into the marvels of Jerry Goldsmith's score for Poltergeist. Enjoy! Leanna's IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11451908/ Her website: https://leannaprimianifilm.com/ The festival: https://nightmaresfest.com/ Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Goldsmith at 20th Vol. IV - Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies (1973) / Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) with Jeff Bond and Chris Malone | 16 Oct 2021 | 01:11:28 | |
La-La Land's wonderful Goldsmith at 20th series keeps rolling along and so do our Soundtrack Spotlights! This time, we're taking a look at Volume 4, which pairs Goldsmith's strikingly different scores for the aviation-themed films Tora! Tora! Tora! and Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies. Your humble hosts David and Yavar are joined by special guests Jeff Bond (who wrote the liner notes) and Chris Malone (who performed the substantial restoration on Ace Eli), both of whom offer plenty of juicy behind-the-scenes info. You'll hear about the considerable audio quality upgrade Ace Eli has received, Ace Eli's unusual path to the big screen, the musical diversity and dramatic effectiveness of Goldsmith's eclectic Ace Eli score, and more. Yessir, if it's Ace Eli details you want, you'll get plenty of 'em here! Spielberg Completist: ACE ELI AND RODGER OF THE SKIES (1973) The Making of THE OTHER (1972) | |||
| Episode 32 - Thriller - Dark Legacy (1961) | 01 Oct 2021 | 02:11:23 | |
Suppose a dying man should choose just one podcast as his gift to the living. What sort of a podcast would it be? Well, that of course would depend upon the man himself. If he's a very good man, he might leave a very good podcast. A very evil man... well, his gift might be called... The TMZ Podcast. And a genial, slightly playful, music-loving man who simply wants everyone to have a pretty good time for a couple of hours? There's a chance he might serve up this episode of The Goldsmith Odyssey, in which your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark examine Jerry Goldsmith's moody, suspenseful score for the occult-themed Thriller episode "Dark Legacy." We think you'll like it. Did we make a deal with the notorious demon Asteroth in order to ensure that you'll like it? You'll have to listen to find out! | |||
| Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Love Field (1992) with Tim Greiving | 07 Sep 2021 | 00:43:58 | |
One day, new Goldsmith album releases will slow to a steady trickle, and these Soundtrack Spotlights will follow suit. However: today is not that day! Varèse Sarabande has released a new Deluxe Edition presentation of Jerry's under-appreciated score for Love Field, and we've got all the details (and lots of album clips) for you in this brief but informative show. Your humble hosts Yavar and David are joined by film music journalist Tim Greiving, who wrote the liner notes for this release. The guys discuss how this new album allows the listener to better understand the architecture of Goldsmith's score, other scores from the era that belong to the same musical sound world as this one, the production struggles that caused portions of Goldsmith's score to be replaced by blues piano compositions from Bill Payne, and more! So give it a listen and we’ll have another 1, 2, or 39 Spotlights headed your way soon. Enjoy! | |||