the music on the Edge of Forever

[Mister Atoz]

I have posted a rare video I have edited I am calling, "The Music Cues on the Edge of Forever". This video is from an early VHS release, an "alternate universe" music score from "City on the Edge of Forever". Paramount refused to pay the royalties for the 1931 song, "Goodnight, Sweetheart", and created a substitute score for the area. Later, they capitulated and obtained rights to the original music for home video. These are the excerpts from the "alternate universe" version. No other score changes were made except those presented here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3hBw...ature=youtu.be

What I find particularly interesting is the sloppiness of the mixing and transitions. Obviously they went back to the original mix "stems", separating dialogue, fx, and music. The transition from the star-gazing scene with Kirk and Keeler to Spock in the bedroom with his tricorder setup is particularly rough as an audio transition -- it has become an abrupt cut. It's as if they were too lazy to get the separate elements for the Spock-with-tubes scene because it was too much trouble to remix that scene as well. For Paramount to even consider tampering with their Hugo-award-winning masterpiece is unconscionable.

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Well, that was quick. It's been blocked already. Too bad. I had the 1980 VHS release with the original soundtrack and never got to hear the substitute.

[Christopher]

Clips of the scenes with the replacement music by J. Peter Robinson (with dialogue and sound effects, not clean music) are available at the Star Trek History site here:

http://www.startrekhistory.com/DS6.html

They've also added a new bit to that page, restoring Fred Steiner's rejected cue for the "mechanical rice-picker" scene (which was replaced by a piece of library music by Joseph Mullendore in the final episode). It's interesting, but I can see why the Steiner cue was rejected; it was a bit too busy and intense and kind of stepped on the scene (although maybe that could've been ameliorated by mixing it down more).

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Christopher wrote:

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Clips of the scenes with the replacement music by J. Peter Robinson (with dialogue and sound effects, not clean music) are available at the Star Trek History site here:

http://www.startrekhistory.com/DS6.html

Thanks!

[Mister Atoz]

Sorry, CBS. This has been instructive.

~ Atoz

[HGN2001]

Yes. Thanks for that link. This is the first time I've ever heard the replacement music for "City..." I was always fortunate enough to have the original music in all purchases of the episode, and for years couldn't figure out what the fuss was all about.

Harry

[TowerPower]

Mister Atoz,
Just sent you a PM - please read.

[foxhot]

All too often classic TV series on DVD are altering or even omitting assorted songs to save licensing fees. ''WKRP in Cincinatti'' could've had more than its first year on disc if they hadn't gone the cheap route. ''Northern Exposure'' had similar changes made.
But when a HILL STREET BLUES dvd actually CUT sisx seconds of cops singing ''Mr. Sandman,'' it became the almost complete first season.

[scotpens]

Christopher wrote:

---

. . . They've also added a new bit to that page, restoring Fred Steiner's rejected cue for the "mechanical rice-picker" scene (which was replaced by a piece of library music by Joseph Mullendore in the final episode). It's interesting, but I can see why the Steiner cue was rejected; it was a bit too busy and intense and kind of stepped on the scene . . .

Agreed, the Steiner music cue for the clothes-stealing sequence is just too much -- it overpowers the scene. Just shows that even talented composers don't always know what music works best.

[Maurice]

^^^That cue was awful.

[erastus25]

I hate when they take the time to pull stuff like this. There is 0 chance that it's going to affect their bottom line. Let it stay up!

[TowerPower]

Could someone post that video somewhere else and send me a PM? It is driving me crazy not seeing it. Just a little too late and the video was gone.

[Christopher]

^As I said, you can see the same content at the Star Trek History page I linked to in post #3.

[TowerPower]

Thanks Christopher for that link. I overlooked it - thanks for the reminder.