The 1976 Dino De Laurentiis remake of King Kong (starring Jeff Bridges and Jesssica Lange) was one of the first scores John Barry composed after settling in Los Angeles from his native England. Although the composer was forced to write quickly due to production delays, he provided a powerful score that reflects both the film’s exotic adventure setting and the love story at its emotional center.
An unusual variety of melodic ideas to characterize Kong and a strong romantic theme endow the score with a lush sensuality and emotional poignancy that balances the harsher and more horrific elements. Barry’s music ranges from the primitive dances of island natives to the soft saxophone strains of contemporary romance without missing a beat.
FSM released the 1976 Reprise Records album master of King Kong in 2005 when no additional material was available. But now, with the cooperation of Paramount Pictures, we are able to premiere John Barry’s complete score newly mixed and mastered from the 2" 24- and 16-track masters on the first disc of this 2CD Deluxe Edition. We again present the album master on disc 2, augmenting it with several film alternates to make this the most complete possible representation of Barry’s effort.
Informative notes by John Takis, numerous film stills and dynamic original poster art comprise FSM’s colorful 20-page booklet.
If viewers of King Kong care about the hulking creature, it is in no small part because Barry makes them care. Through his art, painstakingly preserved and lovingly presented on this 2CD set, listeners are able to see past the mask of the monster to the infinitely lonely soul locked within.
DISC ONE - The Film Score
1. Main Title (2:19)
2. Ship at Sea / Strange Tale / Hey Look (3:11)
3. Montage (1:58)
4. Fog Bank (1:34)
5. The Island (2:46)
6. Day Wall (3:35)
7. Dwan Alone / Jack & Dwan (3:20)
8. Night Wall Part 1 (4:47)
9. Night Wall Part 2 (2:07)
10. Celebration (0:46)
11. Jungle / The Hole / Camp Site / Dwan Scared (2:50)
12. Prisoner (2:06)
13. Waterfall (2:20)
14. Ravine (2:23)
15. Acknowledge / Crater / Snake Fight (4:57)
16. Chase / Trap (4:16)
17. Capture (1:01)
18. Super Tanker (1:29)
19. Dwan Falls (2:56)
20. Petrox Marching Band (1:37)
21. Presentation (2:35)
22. Kong Escapes (2:02)
23. Into a Bar (1:29)
24. Get Smashed / Alone in a Bar (2:18)
25. Kong's Hand (0:37)
26. Church Organ (0:41)
27. World Trade Center (2:30)
28. Jack in Pursuit (1:46)
29. Kong's Heart Beat / End Title (4:28)
DISC TWO - The 1976 Soundtrack Album
1. The Opening (2:18)
2. Maybe My Luck Has Changed (1:52)
3. Arrival on the Island (2:49)
4. Sacrifice Hail to the King (7:10)
5. Arthusa (2:20)
6. Full Moon Domain, Beauty Is a Beast (4:24)
7. Breakout to Captivity (4:08)
8. Incomprehensible Captivity (2:58)
9. Kong Hits the Big Apple (2:36)
10. Blackout in New York How About Buying Me a Drink (3:24)
11. Climb to Skull Island (2:31)
12. The End Is at Hand (1:45)
13. The End (4:27)
BONUS TRACKS
14. Main Title (alternate) (2:21)
15. Fog Bank (alternate) (1:35)
16. Day Wall (alternate) (3:17)
17. Night Wall Part 1 (alternate) (5:08)
18. Night Wall Part 2 (alternate) (2:07)
19. Trap (alternate) (3:09)
20. Presentation (alternate #1) (2:37)
21. Presentation (alternate #2) (3:17)
22. End Title (alternate) (3:31)
