December 3, 2019
Intrada’s Premiere Release of Lalo Schifrin’s Science Fiction Fantasy Soundtrack RETURN FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN
This exciting Lalo Schifrin fantasy score gets its world premiere CD release via Intrada Records later this month. The 1978 Walt Disney Productions stars Bette Davis and Christopher Lee, with Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann returning as the extraterrestrial siblings from the previous film (ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN). Davis and Lee conspire to harness children’s magical abilities with a nefarious intent in this action-filled second film in Disney’s Witch Mountain franchise (a third, 2009’s RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN, is a remake of ESCAPE).
Lalo Schifrin’s score focuses on action and suspense, anchoring this family-oriented tale with mysterioso motif underlining the kids’ extraordinary gifts, with evil material underscoring the central storyline focusing on Lee and Davis provoking their plot against them. Schifrin scores rousing set-pieces for urban gang pursuits, bus chases, stagecoach romps and one highly intrepid goat. Bookending it all is soaring major-key title theme for French horn, highlighted by swirling violins that propel melody forward. The story’s inner-city setting allows Schifrin to write music with urban flavor, melding his signature orchestral action motifs with a rhythmic DIRTY HARRY-flavor overtones.
The film was presented in mono and no soundtrack album was originally issued at time of release; happily, Disney maintained the 2” 24-track session masters in beautiful condition in their vaults, allowing Intrada to premiere entire score in vibrant, detailed stereo audio.
Intrada’s release provides two CDs – the first houses the entire 73-minute score in chronological sequence and a 2nd “bonus” CD of thematic highlights and stronger set-pieces fashioned for those desiring an “album” presentation playing for 49-minutes.
For details, to order, or sample tracks, see Intrada.
