Hoping To Start Things Up

[mikey'sbro1985]

Hey,

I just wanted to drop in and let you know that I was contacted via pm by fellow Goonie,Karim, who has already more than proven himself an ally.. in getting one of the most coveted Goonibilia items released to the eager hands of the fans:

I'm talking about a complete release of Dave Grusin's complete filmscore to The Goonies. Imagine the score several months from now, if you will, having taken it's rightful place among your impressive- but- intimate collection of personal Rich Stuff. Nestled safely inside your six- disc cd player, to be rotated into play mode any time you'd like.' Feeling creative? Is there any music cue more inspiring than One- Eyed Willy's Theme?

OK, OK..Bottom line: We all want it, (don't we?), we all need it..and much like the extended 2- hour + cut of the film, it is a piece of Goonies history that seems lost to the neglect of time. Who doesn't want to whip their car out onto the highway on the way to work with THE REAL Fratelli Chase blaring?LOL I'm getting carried away..

For months now, I have been contacting who I feel would be the most reasonable candidate , if the project were ever to actually happen, via telephone and email. Anyone ever heard of Varese Sarabande? They recently released Grusin's own Lucas film score, and prior to that ,Elmer Bernstein's long- awaited Ghostbusters through their Soundtrack Club. They're pretty cool, but everyone needs a jump start.

Now,I've spoken with answering service agents, who seem to have a fair amount of knowledge about potential releases, though many are unwilling to divulge much.They always accept requests,and though there is no direct promise that you will see it soon, they do assure you that it will be passed on to the proper department. I have been told that they receive calls regarding a release of The Goonies from time- to- time, but that there just doesn't seem to be enough of an interest to pursue the rights.

Here's where you all come in, if you wish to help the cause:

Like they say, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.. in this case, I think the word would be yourselves. Quite simply,we need to flood the company with requests. Emails work, can easily be deleted, or relegated to the recycle bin. Snail mail is always an option, but it didn't do me much good.The company offers a toll- free line, and I'm thinking that enough calls might generate some interest.


(800) - 827- 3734


For those of you interested in pursuing them via mail:

Varese Sarabande Records
11846 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 130
Studio City, CA 91604




When I last spoke to a rep, she offered that her name was Autumn, and requested that I send her an email with my exact request to her personal address, Autumn@VareseSarabande.com

The general address for the soundtrack division is Soundtracks@VareseSarabande.com. You may also like to tryto contact them at Info@Varese Sarabande.com, which would give you access to the corporate office, if you're feeling especially ambitious.

I've written up a rough version of the letter, used both in standard mail, and email , which you may read below: Obviously, you'll want to change it up as much as needed to fit your own personal views, so feel free to use as much or as little as you wish:


Greetings, Hard- Working People Of Varese Sarabande,

My name is Chris Curts, and I wanted to simultaneously thank you for your dedication toward preserving classic film score music through the Soundtrack Club, and suggest to you a release very deserving of your time and skill.

As I've seen across the internet sound track appreciation boards, and absurdly- high Ebay bids for bootlegs of this score, there is a demand perhaps as great as any of John Williams' material, and it is only growing stronger.

I myself have enjoyed and loved the cues so much that I have attempted to make myself a version of the score from the DVD release's soundtrack, which involved removing the dialogue/sound effects through a very long, drawn- out process.. which ultimately didn't work. Please understand, I tell you this only because I had no intention of profiting from the creation financially;I only wished to listen to the music independently.

The title I am suggesting is Dave Grusin's phenomenal and hauntingly- beautiful score to The Goonies. Every day, on- line sellers make over fifty, (sometimes a hundred dollars) per copy from music that is not even legitimately licensed by Grusin, or any one else involved.Right now, Ebay features a 2- disc (obviously bootleg) "score" claiming to feature every cue from the film, plus a host of alternate "sessions". The minimal a bidder will pay is $49.99, as this is the reserve bid price.Already, consumers are bidding. Numerous warnings across the internet, most notably Amazon.com, explain the content being sold, and advise others to beware.I know that with some releases,the music has been taken from a German 2- disc release entitled The Best Of Adventure, which featured an 18- minute suite of Grusin's music, arranged by composer William Motzing. The content has been split into separate cues, and has since been sold as the score.I know this because I've researched the topic thoroughly, after I was tricked several years ago before I was aware that the music was never legitimately released.



My point to all of this is, a legitimate release could please so many eager fans of the music,while making a profit for the deserving party who was actually responsible for the magic of Grusin's original compositions. While Warner Bros owned the rights to the film's score at one time, I was since informed that Geffen Records may have acquired the rights, which, as I understand, is affiliated with your company.This might make licensing a bit easier, if this is true.

Please consider following the excellent trend you have begun with releasing highly- coveted scores to quality films, as you have done with Bernstein's Ghostbusters, and Grusin's Lucas. For many fans like myself, The Goonies represents a nostalgic childhood dream, driven by the touching music score. For others, it remains a glaringly- obvious missing addition to their film score collection.Please consider giving The Goonies the star treatment with a full release with any possible extras, (deleted scene cues, etc).


Lastly, I realize the high volume of messages you receive daily, but I would greatly appreciate even a small reply, to confim that someone received the email. I am very passionate about seeing that Grusin's finest work, (in my opinion) gets a fitting release, and would like to know if it is being considered.


Thank you so much , I appreciate your taking the time to listen to my request

Sincerely, Chris Curts

If this proves unsuccessful, we have decided to create a petition for the release of the score. We realize that petitions have mixed results, but figure it's worth a shot, if all else fails.Please let me know what you think, whether you're behind the release or not, and, most importantly, if you have any experience with this sort of thing. I certainly don't, so help would be much appreciated. It's something I've been investing considerable time in lately, and as a Goonie, I'm interested in what you guys think on the subject.

Thanks for letting me clog up the boards for a few, I'm very grateful. If you'd like my email to discuss things, pm me.



C.

[mikey'sbro1985]

Karim and I just wanted to thank everyone for stopping in to read the post.We noticed that it has had over a hundred hits in only a few days, and hope this leads to great things for Grusin's unreleased work.As we speak , these links are circulating around various soundtrack/film forums across the web; hopefully coupled with genuine interest by a reputable label by like Varese, we will at last see the complete original motion picture score.Remember to drop them a line through any method you choose if you are interested in seeing a release, it only takes a minute.Thanks for your support.


C.

[merk]

Emailed.

[mikey'sbro1985]

Thanks for the support, merk!I'll be sending a brief email to Varese to explain what will hopefully be transpiring across the web forums. Happy Valentine's to you all.



C.

[Gouchi]

Thank you very much, good to see some feedback

By the way, I have opened a group in last.fm.

[mikey'sbro1985]

Hey,

I just wanted to let you guys know that I just got off the phone with a Varese rep, (Donna), on the subject of the score. According to her, the office has been flooded with Goonies request emails lately, (for that,I thank you again!), and there seems to be some consideration going into a release. She did say that she would not be allowed to tell me for sure when, (or, I have to face it- if) there will be a release,but she did say that they are aware of the large fan- base for both the film, and its music.She went on to say that she loves the movie herself, and would really like to see the score get released,then assured me that the messages are being passed on to the higher- ups as quickly as she's getting them.


According to her, the rights are complicated, and would involve serious business negotiation, if we were ever to see the complete masterpiece... but generated interest seems to be helping that, so keep those emails/calls comin'!! With Grusin's own M.I.A. score, Lucas having just been released, (and equally- popular Ghostbusters before that), it seems inevitable. Anyway, just letting you know. I'm trying not to freak out, but it's the first verbal acknowledgement I've received from them that it could be a possibility.Thanks!



C.

[Gouchi]

Great news
Thanks for everyone who tries to make it happen

[mikey'sbro1985]

Heeeyyy Youuu Guuuuyyys!!!



How is everyone? I thought some of you might be interested in knowing that I spoke to another reperesentative of Varese Sarabande moments after sending this letter. Please take the time to read, if a release of the full score interests you in the slightest:





Hello,



I heard a rumor that a full score edition of Dave Grusin's amazing score to The Goonies may be a future release, if right issues are resolved.A forum on www.thegoonies.org titled "Hoping To Start Things Up" has brought a lot of much- deserved attention to the fact that we as fans have been denied this music for over twenty years.

I have included a few of the reviews of The Goonies original soundtrack (pop songs, obviously, not the film score) that is sold on Amazon.com. I feel that these may help you get a feel for the sort of demand that exists for the score album. Please take a few moments read:


Reviewer: Mr Ghostface (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
Don't get me wrong, I love The Goonies. I really love it. But, this soundtrack is very disappointing. I bought it because I love the film so much, but it's really not very good. Of course the Cyndi Lauper track Goonies Are Good Enough is great, and the one track from the score by Dave Grusin is very nice, but there needs to be mo
re of it. Most of the other songs in the film are fairly unmemborable. I wish they had released the whole score.


Reviewer: the_goonies_attic "the_goonies_attic" (The Goondocks) - See all my reviews

To address the film score controversy.. There is some debate to whether or not the entire film score was ever released the UNITED STATES. Many say it was simply a bootleg that got around in small circles. (Go to soundtrack.com to learn more about the film score.) That said, I DO know, however, that the film score WAS recorded as a 'world premier recording' on the CD, "The Best Of Adventure". I have this cd, and the Goonies score on it is, quite simply, AMAZING! I'm not kidding, when I played it for the first time, I actually teared up. So nostalgic and beautiful. The recording on this CD is almost 19 minutes long; it was recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic. This is the ONLY legitimate cd that the entire Goonies film score was ever released on; the booklet in this CD, "Best of Adventure" also confirms that the recording is a 'world premier' for the Dave Grusin Goonies film score.

There are bootlegs being circulated with The Goonies film score on it on eBay. Some of these pirated CD's have so called 'previously unreleased' tracks from the film. These eBay sellers blatantly lie and trick and try to pass these cd's off as original 'imports' from Japan etc. Some people will believe anything, so I am here to set the record straight and tell you the truth. I have even found that one eBay seller from California has gone as far as changing his user ID three times to try to get away with selling a slick looking bootleg. This particular pirated CD is a 2 'gold' CD Goonies Dave Grusin film score that also has a so called gold coin prop replica and two bumper sticker decals along with the pirated music. I am keeping a record of what he has been up to. As an AVID official Goonies collector, eBay seller and also a professional Graphic Designer, I hate to see people getting ripped off by greedy liars who know Photoshop too well and who visit Knikos too often. I could go on about exactly how these bootlegs were constructed and believe me I could whip up an exact repliac within a day.. yup, even down to the printed on gold discs, 'high quality' decals, 'unreleased tracks', photo booklet and the gold coin replica. Anyways, consider this information as a buyer beware, word to the wise, warning. All cd's other than Best of Adventure with The Goonies film score are pirated. So there is no confusion, there IS a legitimate Japanese POP soundtrack import, which you can see from the Amazon picture above, but there is NO such thing as a Japanese film score CD or any other film score CD other than "Best Of Adventure".

Who knows if the entire score will ever officially be released in the USA as well, but, in my opinion, to have found the "Best Of Adventure" cd is even better than finding One Eyed Willie's rich stuff.

Reviewer: D. Storm (Alabama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
I am film score buff, and this is the thing about soundtracks that gripes me the most. To me the film score is what gives the film its soul, its personality. I hate when I have gone to see a movie and just absolutely fallen in love with the score, then go to buy the soundtrack only to find out that it is a blasted soundtrack album of pop songs that weren't even in the movie to begin with!!! There are so many beautiful scores out there that haven't even had a soundtrack release to speak of.

Reviewer: MATT (ARIZONA) - See all my reviews
i MUST agree with all of you. they really should have added much more of the film score to this cd. it is pathetic!
i gotta tell ya'.......I WOULD RATHER OWN THE FILM SCORE!!
THESE ROCK SONGS ARE DISPOSABLE AND WORTHLESS COMPARED TO THE FILM SCORE!!! PLEASE RELEASE DAVE GRUSIN'S MUSIC!!!!!!!!


Reviewer: "knightwish" (Orangeville, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
I have listened to this soundtrack and it is pretty cool,but the score is even better.If they did bring the score out I would buy it.


Reviewer: "dale32" (Leander, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
I do not have this CD, but like so many soundtrack albums, the producers include a lot of the pop songs but only a tidbit of the orchestral score. I would like to see a full score of The Goonies released. Dave Grusin did a fine job with the music here, and I'm not sure what all is included in the one track "Theme From The Goonies".



As you can see, these are actual reviews, from disgruntled users whom have been clamoring for the complete score for years.I edited out some of the unrelated discussion so that you wouldn't have to wade through it to get to the score- oriented content, but aside from that, nothing has been altered. We're tired of seeing sellers on eBay making money off of music that isn't legitimate.You know that this title would make money,and if it were to become a release through the Soundtrack Club, you wouldn't be able to fill all of the orders.

Please consider giving this score the respect it deserves.It is never too late to right a wrong.


Sincerely, Chris Curts



According to her, Varese is a much smaller corporation than most believe- around eight people total work in the office area. She pointed out that she has been receiving even more letters regarding the release than ever, some detailed, while stating facts, others straight- to- the- point: "I Want The Goonies Score". She said that with the knowledge that there is a high demand to warrant the release, they now must look closely at rights isues, and, most importantly, cost. She said that a title like The Goonies would obviously be an expensive one to release. I pointed out that The Ghostbusters, (and, on a smaller scale, Grusin's own Lucas) had recently been offered, to which she said, "Good point, I hadn't thought of that. I guess the main thing here is getting the studio to actually release the right, but at a reasonable enough price."


It is no longer an issue of whether they want to release it,only if and when they can. Some studios flatly refuse to sell music score rights, no matter how profitable a release could be,(intelligent, I know), so maybe all of the worthless bootleg- sellers will continue to make money illegally on music that isn't legitimate. I just know that continuing to flood them with letters will only serve as a constant reminder of the want for this music. Call, write.. whatever. If you love Grusin's score, and want the real version in your very own treasure-seeking little mitts.. keep doing what you're doing.


LOL At least Karim and I have our own little thread to hi- jack, here, so if you don't want to read these, don't feel like you have to.


Thanks, Guys.


C.

[Gouchi]

Hi everyone,

Chris has made a petition to convince Varese Sarabande To Release Dave Grusin's Film Score To The Goonies

Please sign the petition and digg it

Thank you all.

[mikey'sbro1985]

'Petition's got twenty- seven signatures so far.. if any of you signed-thank you. Varese Sarabande is releasing another of Grusin's scores, (Author Author!), so hopefully this will pave the way for the eventual release of his finest work, as his second- best (Lucas) is already out.

I'm trying to get the petition filled so that I can submit it asap, so please- the more signatures, the better the chances of the full release we want.As always, I appreciate your time and effort.



C.

[imdbst]

Hi everyone,

Chris has made a petition to convince Varese Sarabande To Release Dave Grusin's Film Score To The Goonies

Please sign the petition and digg it

Thank you all.

I did it.

Click on the link below
petition to convince Varese Sarabande To Release Dave Grusin's Film Score To The Goonies

[Julian]

Signed!

[mikey'sbro1985]

Have any of you seen the latest score cd claiming to have the "complete" collection of movie cues on eBay?

(Are you reading this, astoria_attic,you con artist?)

I can't wait til' Varese gives us the real score, and blows these boot- legging mothers out of the water. The inserts are so obviously a home -print job, and the tracks are curiously similar to those of the long- available "Best Of Adventure " rip...

My question to this seller is this: If the score is complete, where are the "Somebody Else's Wishes", "Playing The Bones", "Fratellis On Their Heels", and "Bye, Willy" (just my own names for unavailable cues) tracks?

I see that this post is getting plenty of exposure-over 1,000 times read, yet the petition remains firmly locked at.. 57?? C'mon guys, support a fellow Goonie!

Anyway, if you feel inclined to do so ,check out the latest "score" travesty importing from Shaz's very own UK, (not to worry, Shaz..plenty of awful rip- offs available on our home turf as well.)


C.

[mikey'sbro1985]

Whoo- hoo! We're at an even 60 on signatures now..

The very- talented, (and endlessly- patient) Karim and I are preparing to launch the little G- mail Score Campaign page that we've been working on throughout the past couple of weeks. We hope it'll help to get the message out on a larger scale...
Feel free to drop by at

http://gooniesnvrsaydie.googlepages.com/index.html

to check it out.If it's not yet up and running, it will be very soon.

In the meantime, we want to extend another big THANK YOU to all those who have been kind enough,(and those who still plan to) to sign the petition.It is our perseverance, alongside your willingness to help, that will get the complete score released, as it was intended to be.

We'll keep you posted.


C.

[Gouchi]

In the meantime, we want to extend another big THANK YOU to all those who have been kind enough,(and those who still plan to) to sign the petition.It is our perseverance, alongside your willingness to help, that will get the complete score released, as it was intended to be.

Sure !
We can make it , there is about 1146 people who has read this thread so come on let's make it happen
Moreover, you have now a great website (even it's not fully w3c compliant) hearts:^)

Again, thank you all.

[Gouchi]

Now, you can post to the shoutbox, please leave some feedback ;-)

[mikey'sbro1985]

Hey,


To all who have attempted to sign the petition lately, I apologize in advance if your signatures aren't showing up.. for some reason, the count has been stuck at 132 signatures for days now, and Karim and I have emailed the site with the problem, (we've yet to hear any feedback, however). Please keep trying from time- to- time. We hope to have the matter resolved very soon.



C.

[mikey'sbro1985]

Hey, Goons.


After what seems like forever, the petition is back up and running. For some reason, the actual link seems a bit sketchy, but the signatures are showing over 150 and counting..Thanks to all who have helped.


C.

[Gouchi]

Hey Goonies,

Some update, we have contacted Mr Grusin and he has replied

Grusin's reply

[Gouchi]

You can now subscribe to our feed RSS

[Gouchi]

We've reached 500 signatures, great ! Now let's go to 1000

[Gouchi]

After Steven Spielberg FanSite news, we are now on imdb.com homepage (IMDB Hit List)

Archive

[Julian]

Great! That could be a definitive move towards fruition!



(is that a correct English sentence!? Well, anyway, you know what I want to say)

[mikey'sbro1985]

Hey you guys! I just wanted to let everyone know that the petition for the score release is still going strong , as we're two signatures away from 1,000!Varese Sarabande just released their newest batch of Soundtrack Club releases, and though I prayed The Goonies would be one of them, a part of me believed it to be a little soon, since the petition only began in March.I got a tip the other day that head-honcho at Varese, Robert Townson, does occasionally accept personal request telephone calls, and tho' the man hasn't yet replied to my emails, I have a feeling he may take interest when he sees the love that has been injected into this project.

Karim and I want to thank everyone for signing and supporting the campaign,but the greatest thanks goes to my Goonie girl Andy, who has made several much-appreciated posts/links regarding the petition/our coverage at the Spielberg forums..Also to be acknowledged is Ali's constant sunny optimism toward the endeavor, which always makes me smile.It really means a lot, ladies.To anyone else who might have helped out by linking to your site, etc, we thank you.


C.

[theoriginalgoonie]

You are more than welcome, hon!!!

I still think you should set up that Facebook group dedicated to it!!!

xxxxx