Why no HMH Soundtrack?


s8ntmark

Member
Sometime at the beginning of the year I read that Disney would NEVER be releasing a soundtrack to Haunted Mansion Holiday. What I dont understand is WHY? Im sure that there are release issues and contracts were signed, but is there a clause somewhere that says it can never be released on disc to the public?

Is Elfman asking for too much, certainly Disney doesnt think it wont sell.

Does anyone know whats going on?

Randy, ANYONE?


Mark
 
The first year HMH was an original composer, I forgot whom. Thought there was some fracas that went with Danny Elfman concerning his soundtrack. Then the next time round, they use his music. I would hazard to guess a composer friction of some kind.

This would be different from the reason for not releasing the DCA Paradise Pier BGM as each song is owned by their individual copyright holders and I donyt think they took the time to get all the rights for selling the medley (durn shame, too)
 
Disney saying "never" to a possible money maker is hard to believe. I imagine that they are just waiting for a few years. Try to milk it for all they can. They seem to wait a while before releasing audio tracks from popular parts of the park. Yeah, it would have a much bigger market than most of the other attractions in the park, (both HM mansion fans and Nightmare fans) but most audio stuff (cd's,lp's etc) seems to come out a while afterwards. With the exception of the old lp's, and random theme tracks that come out on the various official park albums, the regular HM and Pirate didn't even have cd's released until a major anniversary. So hopefully for like the 5th or 10th anniversary of the makeover, (I can't seem them stopping it anytime soon) they will come out with a cd. Jus my two cents.
 

s8ntmark

Member
Well this was on the Doombuggies.com message board. I havent heard it anywhere else. I just seems like there is such a markey for a soundtrack that not releasing it would be a waste. Especially in the Pressler era (which is "sadly" now past ;) During that time revenue was king.

But i think its happened before where things that werent supposed to come out did a while later. Maybe this is the year. Or mabe they are waitng for the other HMH's to open in WDW and TDL (when ever that is)
 
That would be cool. Only problem with a HMH at WDW and TDL is that wdwcaretaker on doombuggies board has said that it isn't in the budget for at least like 2 years. Something about how the aa's are different and would require new designs, and that the budget for the next two years is already set.
I can definately see them releasing a cd with different tracks from all 3 (if they ever do more than one HMH)
However, in addition to what caretaker said, I can't see Disney doing the HMH at WDW any time in the near future. It all ties into how DL is becoming more of a local's park, and such an attraction brings both them, and vacationers. But WDW is a long term vacation spot, and doesn't need to bring in any more tourists at christmas.
Now that this has little to do with Disney music,
we want the CD!!!! ; ) At least I do.
 

X-S Tech

Active Member
The Small World Holiday soundtrack was released with the attractions first run, so it can be done. But I don't think this is the sort of thing that needs a precedent, like what other attractions had albums released and when. HMH is widely successful and they know that just about anything will sell. I wonder if they think that sales will be undercut by all the bootleg versions floating around out there. I doubt Disney is deliberately withholding a CD, but I wouldn't doubt that they are sitting on their thumbs until mid August, when they suddenly start getting ideas for HMH. By that late in the year I'm sure that it's too short of notice to get any legal problems hammered out.
Perhaps they'll wait till the 5th anniversary of DL's version and they can release the CD with all those other parks versions. Though I can't help but wonder what percentage of average tourists would really be interested after seeing the HMH several years in a row. There's something to be said about the newness of the attraction. I don't think HMH has the longstanding appeal of the original HM. Two more cents for ya.
 

Gurgitoy2

Active Member
I wouldn't be surprised if Tokyo got HMH. After all, this year they are getting It's a Small World Holiday. Since Tokyo has such a huge local fanbase, it makes sense. Plus Nightmare Before Christmas is hugely popular over there.

As for WDW...I doubt it. They can't really pull off It's a Small World Holiday without the facade, and I agree that they don't really need to focus on temporary attractions since the local base is not as large as the other parks.
 
Ben, I posted this a few months ago, that I heard(in December) from my local Walt Disney Classics Collection dealer, who in turn heard it from one of his connections, that HMH was coming to WDW this fall--not so, anyone? You certainly would think some information would have surfaced by this time.

Also--are any of the HMH(2002 version) CD's floating around ebay worth looking into?

Mike.
 

s8ntmark

Member
Mike (and everyone else)~

Dont waste you money on those. a friend of a friend bought this and gave me a copy. Its basically the scarol excepts that are floating around, the 2001 version of HMH, the isloated music tracks that are floating around, the 13th track from the HM 30th cd (odd), the music box from PM, and maybe somthig else. But NOTHING on it is unique. Everything can either be gotten by exchance or mIRC.

Im sorry to break confidence about this but Im serious, this disc is a total rip off and most of us have eveything on it anyway. And the quality is bad as well. Like a copy of a copy of a copy of...you get the point.

As far as I know, HMH 2002 isnt floating around yet and probably wont be "available" until this christmas. Dont waste your time on the BS some guy (probably a rogue trader, I hate those guys ;) ) on ebay is trying to hock.

All attempts I made to contact his guy went unanswered, suspicious?

Mark!
 

Dirk

Member
Hey there, Hi there, Ho there,

what really surprised me last season was not the non-release of a soundtrack of the ride but the non-release of the scarols.

Yes, I know that they were available online as free MP3-downloads (so all the fans got them), but I really had expected that they would release them on a CD. Well, maybe they add some more scarols this year and release it then.

On the other hand those scarols to me seem perfect to flesh out a soundtrack CD of the actual ride so that "normal" guests and not only fans are interested in buying the CD.


Yours
Dirk
 
Voice differences on "Walt" era LPS(Re:Why no HMH Soundtrack?)

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Wow, Steve--Eleanor Audley as Cruella(at least this gets us back on the Haunted Mansion track)--I've got to have that LP! I was referring to R. Michael Murray's book, trying to figure out which one you're referring to--I think I have an idea, but could you give me the catalogue number of the LP so I can officially begin the hunt? Thanks, Mike.

P. S. Here's another significant cast change for an LP that comes to mind--none other than my favorite, Thurl Ravenscroft, replacing Ray Bolger as Barnaby on the Babes in Toyland DQ 1219 LP, thanks to Brian Jacob's wonderful All Things Thurl site: http://members.aol.com/allthurl/thurl2.htm
 

s8ntmark

Member
you know Steve you bring up an interesting point in terms of Paul Frees doing disney Records. In the way that Thur did them. Practically every other Disney album has Thur RavenScroft doing SOMETHING on it but did Paul Frees ever do that kind of stuff?

I cant think of anything. I know he did some isloated tracks (Like one of my favorites of all time All About Recording, the Ludwig Von Drake track he did for Mouse Factory) But I dont think he ever did the narration or any extended (or even any Non Von Drake) recording for DL records.

Can anyone denie or confim this?

Of course I only just heard about the Orange Bird yesterday (what the heck IS that?? :) )

Mark!
 
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bill, but I'm not even going to try to straighten out all the voice credits here (I'll save that for the book). However, I can tell you that the DUMBO storyteller LP was released in October 1957, and according to Leonard Maltin, Ed Brophy was still in perfetly good health to have done Timothy Mouse again at that time.

On the LADY/TRAMP LP, Dal McKennon was not only Tramp but virtually all the other male voices (except Billy Bletcher as Trusty). He was the beaver as well, not Howard Morris. In fact, Dal claims to be the beaver in the movie itself. The voice does sound more like him than Freberg, so who knows? There might have been some faulty credits floating around. As far as the songs on the LP, Teri York performed all the female solos except the Siamese Cat Song, which was Robie Lester harmonizing with herself.

Oh, and for the other question... the Ludwig/All About Recording clip originally came from the longer "Ludwig Von Drake" LP from 1961. It is hilarious, as Frees ad-libs much of his dialogue and really goes crazy with it. Rumor has it that there is a tape of his outtakes from that session circulating out there somewhere, but I haven't heard it.

This could go on forever... and in the book, it will!
 
W

wondergreg

Paul Frees also starred on the Disneyland LP SONGS OF THE SHAGGY DOG, portions of which were released on the later ABSENT MINDED PROFESSOR / SHAGGY DOG LP and Side Two of THE UGLY DACHSHUND LP. He also performed on the story LP of BIG RED, and several cuts on the great LP TINPANORAMA.

Regarding the "replacement" voices between film/TV casts and records, sometimes the reason is financial, but quite often it's also due to the availability and scheduling of the actors. Also it may be due to the fact that the record company, Imagineering, television and movies are all different divisions with different agreements and relationships with performers.

Sometimes the "second cast" is better than the original... compare John Davidson's version of "Dakota" to Gene Merlino's uncredited performance and you may agree!
 

s8ntmark

Member
Thanks Wondergreg, Its good to know there is more of his work out there.

TOM!! There is a whole ALBUM LENGTH Ludwig von Drake ALBUM out there??!! I had no idea! WOW, This is somthing to look for, To spend my days searching for and obssessing over. I LOVE Ludwig Von Drake ( Hes my favorite Non Ratigan Disney Character) and to think that there is a whole record out there of his stuff makes me very happy.

I imagine that was where the "Spectrum Song" and "I Am Professor Ludwig Von Drake" came from.

Mark!
 
As Greg Ehrbar has pointed out, the 1961 Ludwig Von Drake LP is very much in the vein of the "spoken word" comedy albums that were so popular at the time (think Bob Newhart and Vaughn Meader). Other than the songs, it is basically one long monologue by Frees as Ludwig. You will love it when you hear it.

QUOTE: "Der Vunnderful Vurld of Color vass originally a TV show... mit some fellow named Valt Fisby or someting like dat... he vass some sort of duck or someting..."
 
Thanks for elaborating on the contents of the Ludwig LP, Tim--I recently noticed it in Murray's book, which I frequently just flip through, looking for new interesting titles--I wondered what was on that one. Definitely a must-have--sounds reminiscent of Paul's crazy outtakes on the Haunted Mansion CD.

And thanks for reminding me about the "Tinpanorama" LP, Greg--I have a sealed copy of it, and am always hesitant about opening these gems, so I haven't heard it as of yet--except for Paul's Jolsen-esque "Although I Dropped $100,000 in the Market, Baby(I Found a Million Dollars in Your Smile)," which is included on the Classic Disney Vol. IV CD. Paul also does one other number, "Rutabaga Rag." It'll have to get moved up on my CD-R waiting list......

Mike

P. S. Unfortunately(for me, anyway!), I remember those "spoken word" comedy albums you refer to; one of my childhood friends had a Bob Newhart one, where I first heard of Mr. Newhart.......hate to admit it.......
 
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