Search - Alan Howarth, John Carpenter :: Escape From New York (1981 Film)

Superior to the original release

Robert Buchanan | Wisconsin | 06/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you're familiar with John Carpenter's early, spare analog synth scores, you have a basic idea of what this is like. The music for "Escape from New York" is undoubtedly one of his best scores for one of his best films; it's an infectious blend of simple, ingenious melodies and rhythms that can induce even the heaviest, most reluctant toes to tap along. While some of the themes are almost overused in their repetition, the score is never boring. It's a cold, exciting and sometimes creepy aural supplement to a film that's as violent and desperate as this music implies.



One of the score's highlights is a condensed, synth-rendered version of "Engulfed Cathedral" from Debussy's first book of Préludes. In the film, this track accompanies a sequence wherein Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) navigates a glider through the penal colony of 1997 New York, ultimately landing atop one of two decaying World Trade Towers. Both the production of this track and the composition itself perfectly complement the theme and character of this scene.



Carpenter's influence as both a film director and a composer of his own film scores has been fairly widespread. One of the most notable instances of this is Robert Rodriguez's recent score for his "Planet Terror" contribution to "Grindhouse," which implements quite a bit of analog kitsch in the vein of Carpenter's scores. In fact, a scene in the film utilizes an extract from this disc's "Back To The Pod Version No. 2 / The Crazies Come Out." What an homage!



Unlike the abridged 1981 Varèse Sarabande LP or its 1989 CD reissue, this disc contains the complete score, capably remastered by Alan Howarth himself. At least five tracks from the film's soundtrack are restored, as are "The Bank Robbery" (tense music composed for a mediocre outtake), "Snake Shake" (a rather funky track originally intended to score the movie's end credits) and "Everyone's Coming To New York" (Nick Castle's jolly, apocalyptic convict folk song). Extracted audio from the film comprised of some of its more memorable dialogue is also included. As with Silva Screen's reissued album of the score for "The Fog," their release isn't just better than the Varèse predecessor; it also renders the prior album obsolete."

"re-issue has more impact and driving force ~ Escape from Ne

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 10/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Silva Screen Records brings forth their latest release in cult-sci-fi score for you the listener and fan of John Carpenter's - "Escape From New York" [New Expanded Edtion], original film soundtrack music composed and performed by John Carpenter in association with Alan Howarth...Carpenter has composed most of the music for his films and this one is no exception. The majority of the score is electronic, which serves very well for the film content.



The film was brilliant starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Season Hubley, Harry Dean Stanton as "Brain" and Adrienne Barbeau as "Maggie"...the score follows the lead with originality and vision. Those of you who enjoyed the film, will certainly want to have this in your vast collection of film music.



Total Time: 57:31 on 28 Tracks ~ Silva Screen Records ~ SIL-CD 3016 (10/04/2005)"