THE Eiger SANCTION
Music Composed and Conducted by JOHN WILLIAMS
ISC 465
The first disc features his complete 75-minute score, offering substantially more music than was represented on the MCA LP, a re-recording that also included tracks often substantially reworked by Williams. While the original scoring sessions were in three-track split-mono, ace producer Mike Matessino has mixed the tracks into a satisfying stereo experience, similar to his prior work on Williams' Earthquake. For the MCA album, Universal Music Group unearthed the original 2″ unmixed multitrack tapes, not only allowing for a state of the art new mix to showcase more detail than ever heard before, but also revealing several additional tracks WIlliams recorded for the album but which were not ultimately included on the LP release.
In The Eiger Sanction, university professor, art collector and former assassin Jonathan Hemlock (Clint Eastwood) is called out of retirement to perform a “sanction" (“killing") in Zurich, in return for $20,000 and a letter indemnifying him from tax troubles. En route home, he meets a stewardess who promptly seduces him and steals his money. It turns out she’s been sent to convince him to undertake a second assassination during a perilous climb of the Eiger. Hemlock flies to Arizona to get back into shape for the dangerous climb. He reunites with old friend Ben Bowman (George Kennedy); Bowman introduces him to a Native American trainer, who puts Hemlock through his paces. Once in Switzerland, Hemlock and Bowman join three other members of the climbing team. One of Hemlock’s fellow climbers is the target, but he cannot ascertain which before they leave to attempt climbing the north face of the Eiger. Falling rocks kill one and the other two fall to their deaths, leaving Hemlock the sole survivor—and only then does he discover the real killer’s identity.
INTRADA ISC 465
Barcode: 720258546500
Retail Price: $29.99
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For track listing and sound samples, please visit the The Eiger Sanction soundtrack page.
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