Psycho (1998)

Composer (Adapted by): Bernard Herrmann (Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek)
Lable (Release Year): Virgin Records (1998)
Availability: ****
Rating: ****

Wow! I thought this score would never hit the market. In fact, this CD came out a while after the movie left the theaters. For a long time, the best version available of this classic score is a 1975 re-recording issued by Unicorn-Kanchana Records, which could not be found easily. Although the re-recording states that it was conducted by Bernard Herrmann himself, it is evident from various sources that it was actually conducted by Laurie Johnson. The 1975 re-recording suffers from a slow tempo problem, which is corrected in a 1998 re-recording conducted by Joel McNeely and released by Varèse Sarabande. However, I don't own the Varèse Sarabande re-recording. So I will compare this release with the 1975 re-recording. I don't know how Mr. Elfman persuaded Virgin records to release this CD but I think it is a very positive thing.

Although Gus Van Sant's (almost) shot by shot remake of Hitchcock's masterpiece is very sorry, Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek's (almost) note by note adaptation of Herrmann's masterpiece is probably the only positive thing about the movie. "Herrmann was my idol" says Elfman in the liner notes. Some of the honest Elfman fans should know that Herrmann is partly responsible for Elfman's film scoring career. Adapting the score is truly a thrill for him. Judging just from this CD, Elfman and Bartek are being very faithful and loyal to the original score. No other instruments but strings are used even though it is a color movie. "Intro/Logos" is the only newly created cue based on Herrmann's score. I like it very much and it blends well with the original music. I compared the score track by track. "The Discovery" is the only track that is very different from the original. The original one has a different motif while the new one is developed from "The Murder" cue. I like both of them. I heard from a friend that the murder scene is longer than the original. As a result, the new "The Murder" cue has more those high string notes. The extra notes should be obvious for those who have heard the original. The adaptations focus mainly on the tempo. There may be some slight differences in the arrangements but they are not obvious. The one thing I like about this recording is that it is performed with more energy. The 1975 re-recording sounds a bit dragging. Of course, the sound quality is crisper and fuller also.

The disc runs only 31 minutes. Herrmann's original score runs much longer than that. I don't know if the score is being utilized the same way in the remake as in the original film. I certainly would like to hear the rest if there is more. If you only have the 1975 re-recording, it won't be a bad idea to pick up this version. If you don't have it in any form. I would suggest you both the Varèse Sarabande re-recording or this one. Of course, the Varèse Sarabande version contains more complete music. Nonetheless, I think this CD is crucial to any one's Elfman collection.



    Track Listing:
  1. Intro/Logos (0:43)
  2. Prelude (1:54)
  3. The City (1:36)
  4. Marion and Sam (1:21)
  5. Temptation (1:50)
  6. The Rainstorm (2:55)
  7. The Peephole (3:07)
  8. The Murder (1:08)
  9. The Clean Up (1:41)
  10. The Car (0:37)
  11. The Swamp (1:44)
  12. The Curtain (1:04)
  13. The Search (0:32)
  14. The Stairs (2:17)
  15. The Knife (0:25)
  16. The 1st Floor (1:56)
  17. The Search B (1:31)
  18. The Hill (0:53)
  19. The Bedroom (1:06)
  20. The Cellar Pt. 1 (1:10)
  21. The Discovery (0:40)
  22. The Finale (1:23)
    Total Time: 31:33


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