Composed and Conducted by MICHAEL SMALL
In 1987, Universal Pictures presented the fourth and final installment in the Jaws series — Jaws the Revenge — this time with Michael Small along to provide the musical thrills. MCA Records announced a soundtrack LP at the time of the film’s opening, but after the box office proved disappointing the LP was canceled. Now Intrada has rectified the score’s absence on CD with this premiere release of the complete score. Small blended the original shark theme by John Williams with a considerable amount of newly composed music. Small begins his Jaws The Revenge score with his own adaptation of Williams’ classic Jaws theme, a particularly fierce rendition adding a musical sound effect like a monstrous roar. Ellen Brody is the principal character now, and Small gives her a strong, emotional main theme, played in more delicate versions early in the score but heard in a forceful rendition at the story’s turning point, when she heads out to take on the shark by herself. Small also supplies a taunting, repetitive motif to suggest Ellen’s growing obsession with the shark, suggesting an unseen, menacing force just out of view. He closes the score on an end title featuring a vigorous version of the Williams theme, which brings the Jaws scores full circle.
Much of the new music by Small ended up on the cutting room floor and several cues were dialed out before completion. Still others were simply re-tracked into scenes for which they weren’t originally intended. Intrada was given access to the complete ¼″ 15 ips two-track stereo session mixes vaulted by Universal Pictures in pristine condition. These master elements not only allowed Intrada to present every cue in the manner recorded by Small but also to include alternate print takes of several cues.
Jaws the Revenge begins with Ellen Brody still living on Amity Island following the death of her husband. She blames his fatal heart attack on the stress from his battles with the sharks that plagued their island a decade earlier. Her youngest son, Sean, has followed his father into Amity’s police department, but after he is brutally killed by another shark, Ellen flies to the Bahamas to recover from the trauma and visit her other son, Michael. Ellen begins to believe that the shark that killed her son has followed the family to the Bahamas and Ellen soon sets off to go mano a mano with the predator.
Michael Small’s oft-requested musical support for fourth Jaws installment finally makes premiere release! Entire score appears in dynamic stereo from original session mixes, courtesy Universal. Small makes use of famous John Williams shark motif but surrounds with considerable original material of his own. As Ellen Brody becomes convinced shark is on vendetta to wipe out her remaining family members, she fights back with vengeance of her own. Composer Small fights for survival right alongside her. Action abounds! Another asset: Bahamas setting provides rich new environment for composer – and shark – to play in. Significant post-production editing of film relegated sections of score to cutting room floor. Intrada now presents every sequence as Small intended, including the segments edited out of finished production. Alternates also appear as “extras”. When composer has his say, he wraps final credits with superb rendition of Williams complete “Jaws” theme then offers brief final coda of his own. Exciting music! Michael Small conducts.
INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 307
TRACKLIST
01. Jaws The Revenge – Main Title (2:30)
02. Sean Attacked (1:31)
03. Identification (0:42)
04. Run – Funeral (1:19)
05. Flight To The Bahamas (1:38)
06. Ellen Warns (0:37)
07. Ellen’s Dream (1:05)
08. Tagging The Conchs (1:33)
09. Ellen Plays With Leah (1:07)
10. Jaws The Revenge (0:30)
11. Ellen Flies Plane (1:31)
12. Shark Attacks Jake In Sled (0:57)
13. Don’t Tell Mother (0:29)
14. Saying Goodnight (0:46)
15. Shark Takes Bait (1:44)
16. Runaway Bay (4:11)
17. Alright Mr. Fish (0:38)
18. Michael’s Dream (0:44
19. Peek-A-Boo (1:25)
20. Picking Up Signals (0:42)
21. Michael Attacked By Shark (2:32)
22. Michael At Mirror (0:52)
23. Moray Eel (1:03)
24. Banana Boat (Revised Ending) (1:27)
25. Ellen Goes Out To Sea (1:14)
26. Michael Runs For Help (1:01)
27. Plane Buzzes Shark (1:28)
28. Is Hoagie Dead? (0:58)
29. Killing Of Jake (1:39)
30. Shocked Shark – The Finish (5:44)
31. Jaws The Revenge – End Credits (2:22)
The Extras
32. Flight To The Bahamas (Alternate Take) (1:36)
33. Shark Attacks Jake In Sled (Alternate Take) (0:55)
34. Banana Boat (Original Ending) (1:29)
