Days Of Heaven

I was lucky enough to see Terence Malick's "Days Of Heaven" in 70mm while visiting Hollywood way back in the '70's. One of the most beautiful movies ever made, it's on Criterion blu-ray and looks amazing. But the incredible soundtrack by Ennio Morricone hasn't been afforded the same respect until now. It was released on vinyl back in the day, then a truncated version was released on an Italian two-fer CD, pairing "Days" with Morricone's "Two Mules For Sister Sara" music (!). I like the Two Mules soundtrack, but the transition from cool Morricone Western music to the lyrical, delicate music for "Days" is, well, jarring. To say the lease.

But no more! The fine folks at Screen Archives have just released a super-swank double CD edition of the soundtrack. One disc is the original release, the second is additional movie done for the movie. I'm no expert but it seems remastered to me, and the sound is impeccable.

Here's their info on the release:

Days of Heaven (1978)
Music Composed and Conducted by Ennio Morricone
With Contributions by Leo Kottke & Doug Kershaw

DISC ONE
1978 Soundtrack Album

Aquarium [Le Carnaval des Animaux] (Camille Saint-Saëns) 2:05
We Used to Do Things (Linda Manz) 0:49
Enderlin (Written & Performed by Leo Kottke) 3:14
Harvest 2:59
Threshing 2:05
Happiness 2:13
The Honeymoon 1:26
Swamp Dance (Performed by Doug Kershaw. Words & Music by Doug Kershaw.) 3:32
The Return 2:31
The Chase 2:00
The Fire 7:48
Ashes & Dust 2:17
Days of Heaven 3:26

Total Time: 36:52

Ennio Morricone Cues Used in Picture

Main Theme (7M1 tk 8) 1:02
The Farmer and the Girl (Theme 18—piano version) 1:53
In the Field (Theme 5 long version, cf. Harvest) 2:59
Bad News (3M1 tk 3) 2:35
Non-Stop Work (2M1 2nd part) 0:36
Main Theme (2M1 1st part) 1:18
Bad News (4M3) 0:36
After Wedding (5M2 2nd part) 0:56
Empty House (5M3, cf. The Honeymoon) 1:24
On the Road (1M2 for 5M4) 1:41
They Should Leave (6M1, cf. Ashes & Dust) 2:16
On the Road (8M1 long version, cf. Happiness) 2:13
Bill Returns (8M2, cf. The Return) 2:30
The Locusts and Fire (9M1, cf. The Fire) 7:29
The Farmer and the Girl (11M3 2nd version) 2:26
His Death (5M2 1st part) 1:27
The Farmer and the Girl (10M3, cf. Days of Heaven) 2:46

Total Time: 36:34
Total Disc Time: 73:33

DISC TWO
Extended Score Program

1M1 (Main Title) 2:00
1M2 (Train Ride) 1:44
1M3 (Main Theme) 1:47
Theme 18 (Love Theme, long version) 1:22
2M1 1st part (Main Theme, alternate take) 1:20
2M2 (Main Theme) 0:53
2M3 (Threshing, alternate mix) 2:05
3M1 (Bad News, longer version) 2:42
3M2 (Work Theme) 1:46
3M3 (Love Theme) 1:00
4M1 (Intro to Love Theme, 2 versions) 0:39
5M1 (Love Theme) 1:17
5M2 (Insect Noises With Main Theme) 1:45
5M3 (The Honeymoon, with piano) 1:26
6M1 (Intro to Love Theme/Ashes to Dust) 2:42
6M2/7M2/7M3 (Suspense Theme/Main Theme, 2 versions/Suspense Theme) 2:27
8M1 long version (Happiness) 2:16
8M2 (The Return, piano version) 2:33
Ghost Voices 2:33
9M1 (The Fire) 7:31
10M1 (Pursuit Theme) 1:26
10M2 (The Killing) 1:06
10M3 (Days of Heaven) 2:47
11M1 version 1 (The Chase) 2:01
11M1 version 2 (Love Theme) 2:06
11M2 (Main Theme) 1:03
11M3 version 2 (Main Theme) 2:36
11M3 version 1 (Love Theme) 2:29

Total Time: 57:35

Bonus Tracks

4M2 (Intro to Love Theme) 0:22
5M2 1st track (Insect Noises With Main Theme, alternate) 1:51
5M2 2nd track (Main Theme, 1st mix) 1:23
5M2 2nd track (Main Theme, 2nd mix) 1:22
Theme 18 (Love Theme, short version) 0:49

Time: 5:43
Total Disc Time: 63:26

Needless to say, this is as complete a release as we're probably ever going to see! Ordering info is available at:

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/15798/DAYS-OF-HEAVEN/