Miklós Rózsa - Eye of the Needle (The Deluxe Edition) - 2-CD + Basil Poledouris + For Love of the Game (The Deluxe Edition) CD Bundle

Eye of the Needle:

Miklós Rózsa’s penultimate film score comes to a comprehensive two-disc Deluxe Edition featuring both the film recording (previously unreleased) and album version. 

Eye of the Needle was a WWII thriller based on a 1978 novel by Ken Follett, starring Donald Sutherland as a Nazi spy living in England. Stranded on a Scottish island while trying to return to Germany with vital war information, he starts a torrid romance with the unhappy and lonely wife (Kate Nelligan) of the local shepherd. Richard Marquand’s direction so impressed George Lucas that it won him the job of directing Return of the Jedi.

By the early 1980s, Miklós Rózsa was the only major Golden Age composer still alive and laudably writing the same kind of timeless symphonic score that made him a Hollywood institution. His grand, sweeping music for Eye of the Needle is unabashedly romantic—vintage Rózsa—at turns suspenseful and brooding, pastoral and uplifting. It magnificently connects the film to its period while enhancing the emotion and drama.

Rózsa recorded his music for Eye of the Needle twice: first for the film, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, and then in an album version with the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra in Germany. While the 13-track, 42-minute album (on disc two) has been released by Varèse Sarabande, this is the premiere release of the 23-track, 61-minute film version (on disc one)—making for the ultimate Eye of the Needle release, with new liner notes by Rózsa expert Frank K. DeWald.

Limited edition of 2,000.

For Love of the Game:

For Love of the Game (1999) reunited Kevin Costner with one of his most popular subjects—baseball—as he starred as an aging pitcher who throws a perfect game at Yankee Stadium while reflecting upon his long-term relationship. An unexpected choice of material for director Sam Raimi, the film was lauded for its depiction of the sport and its uplifting Americana score by Basil Poledouris.  

By the late 1990s, Poledouris was renowned for his mastery of a film scoring genre that was, in a way, coming to its end: the romantic, orchestral depiction of masculinity. From barbarians to cyborg cops, cowboys to submariners, Poledouris found the beating heart of heroic male characters who upheld virtues of honor, loyalty and duty, while allowing themselves to be vulnerable to their loved ones.

Costner’s Billy Chapel—pitching in his very last game—was an ideal protagonist, and Poledouris responded with a rich, warm, melodic score that goes from the grandeur and scope of America’s national pastime, to the romantic yearning and intimacy of its very human hero. The score navigates a range of orchestral size—from fully symphonic to heartfelt solos—as well as genre, with pop and R&B brought in for contemporary emphasis.

For Love of the Game was released as 10-track, 33-minute CD from Varèse Sarabande at the time of the time. The program has been expanded to 35 tracks and over 78 minutes for this Deluxe Edition, with Daniel Schweiger’s liner notes incorporating interview material from Raimi, Poledouris, and the composer’s agent, Richard Kraft.

Limited edition of 2,000.

Eye of the Needle Features:

Produced by: Mike Matessino and Cary E. Mansfield

Edited by: Mike Matessino

Mixed by: Eric A. Tomlinson (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Scoring Mixer), Willy Luther (Original Motion Picture Score Album Recording Mixer)

Mastered by: Mike Matessino

For Love of the Game Features:

Produced by: Basil Poledouris, Tim Boyle and Mi Kyoung Chaing

Edited by: Curtis Roush

Mixed by: Tim Boyle

Mastered by: Chas Ferry & Melinda Hurley

Eye of the Needle Track List:

Disc One: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

1. Prelude From Eye Of The Needle 1:57
2. English Wedding (Film Version) 1:27
3. The Boarding House / The Needle Strikes 1:30
4. Storm Island / The Blond Agent 2:21
5. The Bedroom 2:02
6. Blondie’s End / The Needle 3:18
7. Camouflage / Pursuit 4:28
8. Search On The Train / Confrontation 2:49
9. Escape / The Boat 2:24
10. The Meeting 1:14
11. Love Scene / No Regrets 2:37
12. Heartbreak / The Transmitter 1:49
13. The Fight (Film Version) 2:46
14. Passion (Film Version) 1:43
15. Frantic Drive (Film Version) 1:09
16. Despair / Realization 3:26
17. The Broken Heart / Revulsion (Film Version) 3:11
18. Escape (Film Version) 6:00
19. The Gun 1:20
20. The Axe / The Firebomb 2:28
21. The Hostage / The Lamp (Film Version) 3:18
22. Retribution (Film Version) 4:18
23. Finale / Epilogue From Eye Of The Needle 2:58

Disc Two: The Original Motion Picture Score (Album Recording)
Performed by The Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra

1. Prelude From Eye Of The Needle 2:13
2. English Wedding 1:56
3. The Blond Agent / Blondie’s Death 2:54
4. Camouflage 3:08
5. Love Scene 1:56
6. The Fight 3:06
7. Passion / Love Theme 4:28
8. Frantic Drive / Despair 3:05
9. The Broken Heart / Revulsion 2:54
10. Escape 4:33
11. The Hostage / The Lamp 3:21
12. Retribution 4:40
13. Finale / Epilogue From Eye Of The Needle 3:19

For Love of the Game Track List:

1. Main Theme (from For Love Of The Game) 3:35
2. New York (not in final film) 2:41
3. Billy Traded 2:22
4. Run To Park 0:55
5. Park Farewell 1:44
6. Locker Room 0:49
7. Clouds 1:47
8. Tuttle Knockdown 1:50
9. Tuttle Out 1:37
10. Cat And Mouse 1:05
11. Jane To Game 1:47
12. Jane Putdown 0:42
13. Torn Dollar Bill (not in final film) 1:20
14. Dinner (1:03) / Elevator (0:32) 1:35
15. OK, Billy Chapel 0:55
16. Birch Strikeout 3:01
17. For Love Of The Music (not in final film) 1:50
18. Hard Pitching 1:48
19. Old School 1:37
20. Heather Comes Along 0:44
21. Jane’s Home 4:59
22. Relationship Montage (Pt. 1) 3:38
23. Gus Hits It 1:18
24. Accident 3:11
25. Coming Back? 0:37
26. Lemonade 2:12
27. Doesn’t Matter Anymore 1:04
28. No Hits 4:49
29. Mickey’s Save 2:50
30. The Decision 5:19
31. Can’t Get Clear 2:42
32. Last Pitch 5:19
33. Gus Farewell 0:53
34. Apology 1:55
35. I Need You 3:09