
The Music
For years, I have wanted to do a Deluxe Edition for ‘The Mummy Returns’. The one problem I had was that I didn�t like the score that much. You see, I bought the OST in 2002 and the CD never did it for me. Not because of music that was missing, it was because of Silvestri�s tendency to do, what I call, very scene specific �stop-and-go� scoring. Thus I never listened to any expanded version either, even though people offered them to me as soon as 2008. Then there were sound issues. The OST suffers from old fashioned, audible dynamic compression (pumping artefacts) and an overall brittle and abrasive sound, causing tracks like �My First Bus Ride� seem like a screaming mess. The complete versions are not mastered, they sound warmer at the cost of blown up upper bass / lower mids leading to a hollow sound. Not to mention that soft parts are barely audible. Additionally, some tracks either seem to be recorded at a later date or have been mixed differently. On those tracks, the male choir is mixed almost in its entirety to the center, some cheap and obnoxious reverb has been added (which, I have to be honest, could have been added by people like me in an attempt to �improve� the sound).
So I indeed did have several reasons to tackle an Edition. The most important reason however was that I was hoping to like the music after I�d be finished. I call this the �Crystal Skull� effect: working on the Edition for Williams� �Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull� (http://forums.ffshrine.org/showthread.php?t=179864&highlight=) turned a score I didn�t like into one that now is one of my favourites. I finished �The Mummy Returns� last week and though it isn�t one of my favourites yet, my Edition certainly has improved what I feel and think about the score. Another reason might be that my taste has changed over the years. Now that I�m older I seem to prefer more complex scores that I need to discover � and �The Mummy Returns� delivers on complexity� just take the orchestration! And I have to mention it: in no way should this release devalue Cody’s attempt (Thread 188041). I have not listened to his version so I don�t know how he combined pieces, if he changed something about the sound or if he did anything else. But I�m sure that it was a lot of work. So if you don�t like my version and the changes I made, why don�t you have a look at his?
The Sound
Mastering this score took unusually long. There was nothing wrong with it, I didn�t have to re-create lost frequencies or something stupid like that. But I had many short very silent passages and many short very loud passages� since I balance their respective gain manually with faders, I just had a lot to work on. Secondly, it took me quite a while to find a sound signature I was happy with. I wanted to add warmth (but not increase the hollow sound), charm, loose the abrasiveness, turn the flat stage into something more 3dimensional yet at the same time keep the crispness and impression of dynamics. In the end, I achieved everything I set out to do, I�m very happy with the result � quite something as I�m never really happy with something. It will sound very colourful, it will sound well anywhere, you will love it, I�m sure.
Even though the pieces with additional reverb still sound different I managed to match their sound as close as possible to the rest and I�m relieved that I was able to push them this far. They are: Disc 1: 16. Ancient Memories, Disc 2: 9. Sand Warriors Unleashed, 10. Everybody Fights, 11. Finale / Happy Ending, 12. End Credits. I also managed to find something of an Alternate: the album version of �Just An Oasis� is a different take and some notes seem to be altered. I bet that I�m the first one to discover this and while I usually delete those tracks for reasons of redundancy, I included it this time. Also included are the song and the End Credits Suite. Many people will disagree but I always liked the song. I also like the Suite but I�m not quite sure if it�s a piece recorded like this or if it was spliced together using other parts of the score. Still, it serves as a very nice outro to a marvellous score. And again, I need to thank Fink (http://forums.ffshrine.org/member.php?u=112417) as he complained about one track not being up to snuff and for doubting my decision to pull the "End Credits" and "The Mummy Returns" Album Suite apart 😉
Cover
Well, the cover design is my usual job. Of big help was � again � Heidl (http://forums.ffshrine.org/member.php?u=428356), who I asked for an opinion which he then graciously offered (and I then followed). You have two different front cover designs that are all based on official material. The version sporting my usual Deluxe Edition banner was the most tiresome to create and if you look closely you can see a bunch of errors I did. Late in the process, I discovered that I had almost completely discarded any material from the movie itself, opting instead for material having no relation to it at all (like generic pictures of hieroglyphs, papyrus, pyramids, sand, etc.). So I rectified this with the advantage that you can choose again which design you like best.
Tracklist:
Disc One
1. The Legend Of The Scorpion King 4:54
2. Family O�Connell, Explorers 4:02
3. One Hell Of A Reincarnation 1:51
4. Scorpion Shoes / Hamunaptra 5:34
5. Imhotep Unearthed 3:16
6. Just An Oasis / Visitors 1:56
7. Bracelet Awakens 1:29
8. Siege Of O�Connell Manor 1:48
9. Evy Kidnapped 5:55
10. Imhotep Reborn 4:24
11. My First Bus Ride 7:45
12. The Mushy Part 2:43
13. A Gift And A Curse 5:48
14. On A Flying Boat 3:08
15. Train Escape 1:48
16. Ancient Memories 2:47
Disc Two
1. Evy Remembers 4:04
2. Sand Castles 3:46
3. We�re In Trouble! 2:19
4. Path Of Death 1:51
5. Haunted Jungle 1:52
6. Pygmy Attack 3:44
7. Racing The Sun 2:31
8. Come Back Evy 4:54
9. Sand Warriors Unleashed 8:42
10. Everybody Fights 5:31
11. Finale / Happy Ending 5:57
12. End Credits 2:26
13. Forever May Not Be Long Enough 3:50
14. Just An Oasis (Album Version) 1:25
15. The Mummy Returns (Album Suite) 7:44
A WARNING:
Once the links expire, I won�t upload it again, someone else has to do that (maybe by creating mirrors?)
Links:
http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/WAUWKWRF/EbertLovedIt.part1.rar_links
http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/1RL8FOLG/EbertLovedIt.part2.rar_links
http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/1NQIQOFH/EbertLovedIt.part3.rar_links
Password:
Unfinished_CGI
MEGA Links kindly provided by pat498 (http://forums.ffshrine.org/member.php?u=876155):
https://mega.nz/#!ZFMy2aAK!pIx3BcjambVv9chC2YR2M9ufnbSgX2GYO7GvPgpUPP4
A SUGGESTION:
Use JDownloader instead of a browser to download this. That way, you can circumvent ads and potentially dangerous stuff.
Though I rarely do that, I actually might in this case 😉
I’d be especially interested to see what artwork you come up with as well, to match with your cool heiroglyph design, which I far prefer to the photoshop movie poster one — yours is much classier!
I did not design it myself, someone at Universal did that for a compilation or so. And don�t get your hopes up, there isn�t any cool material for both movies available.
Really?? Didn�t I give them to you some days ago already? I thought I did… my bad.
Thank you very much.
i really appreciate the notes. other folks should take note on how to present these remastered editions.
Just for info, on a Mac and have tried Unarchiver, StuffitExpander and UnRarX. Thanks for any help!
Anybody else having problems extracting the RAR files? I’ve downloaded them 4 times, each from a different service, have used three extractors and keep getting errors claiming "it could not be extracted/RAR file is damaged."
Just for info, on a Mac and have tried Unarchiver, StuffitExpander and UnRarX. Thanks for any help!
You both need a an app that can work with RAR format 5.0. I chose this intentionally for reliability and compression reasons, it�s available since 2013 and most programs should have been updated by now.
Thanks for posting this because I was scratching my head trying to figure out what I had done wrong. I have not updated winRAR since 2012, guess it is time.
Thanks for the info! For those with a Mac, I found and used iZip Unarchiver in the app store. Worked great.
I hear a hiss/static noise in the background that I do not hear in comparison with the original release. I don’t know why.
I know the feeling… 🙂
———- Post added at 06:53 PM ———- Previous post was at 06:52 PM ———-
Thanks for the info! For those with a Mac, I found and used iZip Unarchiver in the app store. Worked great.
Great suggestion, thanks!
———- Post added at 06:54 PM ———- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ———-
Nice ‘Egyptian Sound’ in a few days with Gods of Egypt and this Return of the Mummy. I think this work by SonicAdventure is priceless. The score by Alan Silvestri is gorgeous, IMO, mantaining the same style with Goldsmith’s Mummy, who showed the way.
I hear a hiss/static noise in the background that I do not hear in comparison with the original release. I don’t know why.
There might be some hiss revealed now since I changed the frequency response. I don�t find it disturbing as the sound still is clear and crisp. The noise was already there on the OST, it just was buried.
I think I heard they’re remaking this series again.
And Sonic, humble as always, credits me for that one lazy ass comment.
Man!
I think I heard they’re remaking this series again.
Yeah, upon reading about that, my cynicism went full throttle 🙂
BTW, a few seconds ago I noticed your Location in your profile for the first time. It�s funny: today I bought all first four Batman movies on Bluray. I really can�t wait to see the fourth again, the colours will probably blow up the TV.
———- Post added at 11:02 PM ———- Previous post was at 10:53 PM ———-
I just want to clarify that my only contribution to this truly magnificent(!) Deluxe Edition was a facebook note � la "Make that shit brighter, warmer colours!".
😀 Actually, you said something like "There�s a halo around the characters heads – and that halo is blue. And then there�s the background of the other one, it has very cool colours compared to the key inside." – Then I said: "Yeah, that halo… but it�s grey with all my screens. And that�s a cool background?�$!?&%?!? IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE COPPER!!" Little did I know that you were suffering from work-related "bad-screen-illness" 😉 😉
Which is good – cause I never see bad screens *arrogance mode on* mine are all calibrated *arrogance mode off*
But dear, your major contribution is the font. Without you, I would have used Trajan – again! Now thanks to you I have a very small Star Wars reference within both covers. Which, incidentally, can also be found within the sound. Fortuitousness? Purpose? Who knows? "The Shadow knows… hahahaha"
BTW, a few seconds ago I noticed your Location in your profile for the first time. It�s funny: today I bought all first four Batman movies on Bluray. I really can�t wait to see the fourth again, the colours will probably blow up the TV.
It’s not grand or epic, but it’s got its aesthetic values and charms.
If you ever get a chance, get a pair of ChromaDepth 3D glasses to watch it.
The neon highlights for some of the scenes are perfect for CD3D.
But, the general color design of the movie also helps CD3D perception.
I remember there was a 3rd movie with some cheesy yetis in it. The movie kinda suck in my memories but how was the score?
A handful of criticisms, if I may… failing to credit the orchestra – London’s premiere session orchestra of the time – is unforgiveable. I do very much like the artwork, but find a number of aspects including that omission that grate more than perhaps they should! Offering the orchestrators’ credit as "M. MCKENZIE", etc is odd and takes on an air of disrespectfulness when everybody else – even the music editor – is credited by their full names. Finally, why do we need fake barcodes, nebulous "record labels" (WrG records isn’t an imprint of Deutsche Grammophon, I’m guessing) and bizarre copyright declarations? That’s the kind of thing I used to do when I was ten and selling little pouches of washing up liquid to my neighbours and making big, important sounding labels filled with crap like "DAN’S INTERNATIONAL TRADING CONSORTIUM PLC, LTD, PTY GmBH" and "OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF WASHING UP LIQUID TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II, (C) (R) 1993 TM A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF DANCORP PLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED"… 😉
SA: I owe you an email… I’m so sorry about just vanishing as I did. I hope you’ll forgive me. I committed the perennial sin of planning a grandiose response and not sending it until it was done, but never having enough time to perfect it and therefore never sending it. We talked about that early on. My sincerest apologies.)
Someone mentioned iZip:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/izip-unarchiver-rar-7z-zip/id717545828?mt=12
The problem with using any RAR version of 2.9 or greater is that not a lot of software developers took any care into what extracting library they used:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAR_%28file_format%29#Extracting_RAR_files
An older version of the unrar source was the basis for an obsolete free software unarchiving library called "unrarlib", licensed under the GPL, but it could only decompress archives created by RAR versions prior to 2.9. Archives created by RAR 2.9 and later use different formats not supported by this library.
JDownloader probably uses that crap. I frequently get extraction errors and have to go in manually with official WinRAR (on Windows) to extract without error.
Other Mac apps that "supposedly" support RAR5:
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/5169-winrar-for-mac.html
https://macitbetter.com/downloads/
The only time I experience extraction issues with third-party products (JDownloader, especially).
I have not really tried 7zip or offiical WinZip on any archives using RAR2.9 or greater.
Try Winrar 5.20. Works fine! 😉
Because they use garbage unrar library.
Go into the downloaded folder and extract manually as I mentioned above and use official WinRAR as mentioned below.
Try Winrar 5.20. Works fine! 😉
I can remember a great many things about the movie. I still loved Rachel Weisz, thought Brendan Fraser looked fat and that you could see his wig, found that Patricia Velazquez had diminished her beauty in just two years by looking a bit more artificial and that the movie was bit tedious to watch – but not as much as Van Helsing 3 years later. I pondered watching it again after years… but instead, I ordered Final Fantasy on Bluray (to replace my DVD) and watched it yesterday 😀
———- Post added at 08:54 AM ———- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ———-
If you ever get a chance, get a pair of ChromaDepth 3D glasses to watch it.
The neon highlights for some of the scenes are perfect for CD3D.
But, the general color design of the movie also helps CD3D perception.
You�re kidding, that works with the fourth? I actually hesitate watching it again… it was made for Kids (and to sell merchandise) and feels so tame/tepid compared to the others. And George Clooney as Batman is… no, I can�t, I really can�t.
———- Post added at 08:55 AM ———- Previous post was at 08:54 AM ———-
thank you for that. These 2 mummy scores are quite something.
I remember there was a 3rd movie with some cheesy yetis in it. The movie kinda suck in my memories but how was the score?
I never bought it, nor did I listen to it aside from within the movie. I remember being surprised by its quality but then I read that Edelman got sick during production and that someone rescored the end. Or did I read that wrong?
———- Post added at 08:56 AM ———- Previous post was at 08:55 AM ———-
Someone mentioned iZip:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/izip-unarchiver-rar-7z-zip/id717545828?mt=12
The problem with using any RAR version of 2.9 or greater is that not a lot of software developers took any care into what extracting library they used:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAR_%28file_format%29#Extracting_RAR_files
JDownloader probably uses that crap. I frequently get extraction errors and have to go in manually with official WinRAR (on Windows) to extract without error.
Other Mac apps that "supposedly" support RAR5:
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/5169-winrar-for-mac.html
https://macitbetter.com/downloads/
The only time I experience extraction issues with third-party products (JDownloader, especially).
I have not really tried 7zip or offiical WinZip on any archives using RAR2.9 or greater.
Great suggestions, thank you! 🙂
———- Post added at 08:59 AM ———- Previous post was at 08:56 AM ———-
Haven’t had a chance to listen to this yet (I will though!), but I wanted to explain something about the score…it WAS recorded and mixed in 2 different places. The last part of the score (once they get to the temple of the scorpion king), was recorded in LA, not London. It’s why nothing from that part of the score is on the soundtrack. They were a hurry to finish the movie (also explains why the CGI is so poor).
It was recorded in LA?? That partly explaines the different sound. So far I�ve thought that they recorded it at Lyndhurst or so… I�ve heard about how Stephen Sommers complained two or three years ago about the unfinished CGI (hence the password) and that they didn�t have time to get it done and that he still doesn�t like it to this day.
———- Post added at 09:51 AM ———- Previous post was at 08:59 AM ———-
A handful of criticisms, if I may… failing to credit the orchestra – London’s premiere session orchestra of the time – is unforgiveable. I do very much like the artwork, but find a number of aspects including that omission that grate more than perhaps they should! Offering the orchestrators’ credit as "M. MCKENZIE", etc is odd and takes on an air of disrespectfulness when everybody else – even the music editor – is credited by their full names.
😀 Valid criticism! I actually included the orchestra and the full names of all orchestrators in initial drafts – but erased the orchestra and shortened first names because I couldn�t make it work on the cover. So it was just done for reasons of having not enough available space.
Finally, why do we need fake barcodes, nebulous "record labels" (WrG records isn’t an imprint of Deutsche Grammophon, I’m guessing) and bizarre copyright declarations? That’s the kind of thing I used to do when I was ten and selling little pouches of washing up liquid to my neighbours and making big, important sounding labels filled with crap like "DAN’S INTERNATIONAL TRADING CONSORTIUM PLC, LTD, PTY GmBH" and "OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF WASHING UP LIQUID TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II, (C) (R) 1993 TM A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF DANCORP PLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED"… 😉
Because I think no cover design is complete without logos and barcodes. I started doing this solely for optical reasons. With many fanmade covers, the lack of those symbols always strikes me as odd, as if the design isn�t complete or half finished. My attempt has always been to design a cover that would look exactly like a cover on a CD you could buy, something that looks like the real thing despite being a fake. That�s why I added all those symbols. On this cover, I even had a DECCA CLASSICS symbol included at first – but again, I couldn�t figure out how to properly place it so it was gone.
And of course, WrG records isn�t an imprint of DG. I just thought "If I�m copying Vareses’ Deluxe Edition banner I need to copy something else, too" And so it was the DG logo as I�ve always thought it looked quite beautiful (it actually was the other way around, as you will see below). And when it comes to looks, the bright yellow colour adds some sort of a highlight. At first, many years ago, I used a different logo:
This is a cover I made for a compilation 8 years ago for some sort of competition. Please note that I attempted to use the Telarc logo first. Apart from the tepid and really ugly design (which I liked back then) I didn�t like the looks of this CD. I didn�t like the altered Telarc logo and so I abandoned this idea. Because I had so much fun with this compilation, I entered a second into that competition, of course, not to showcase logos. I just took the opportunity to try for another logo option:
Since it was a compilation containing remixes of score pieces, I decided to copy the design of the first two ‘Deutsche Grammophon ReComposed’ releases which I loved. For that I had to copy their logos, of course. And since both releases were for a small and private sharing group called "White Rabbit Group" I decided to call it "WrG Records" (again, the lower case "r" is just for optical reasons) to elicit a chuckle out of group members. That�s how those logos were born. None of them were born out of vanity. Only because not one design – to my eyes – is complete without logos and copyright texts. The Deluxe Edition banner was either added for an edition of Goldsmiths’ ‘Chain Reaction’ or for a remastered edition of Horners’ ‘Casper’, can�t remember.
SA: I owe you an email… I’m so sorry about just vanishing as I did. I hope you’ll forgive me. I committed the perennial sin of planning a grandiose response and not sending it until it was done, but never having enough time to perfect it and therefore never sending it. We talked about that early on. My sincerest apologies.)
Yes, you do owe me a message 😀
When you didn�t answer my last post (nor my last message) I thought "well, I must have done something bad" – and I will forgive you if you answer your messages 😉
And stop planning a grandiose response, just do it! I�m not expecting you to display some 115% literate genius here, I only want a conversation. So, just write something that pops up and press "Submit Reply" 🙂
How about:
… you can shave my head, wax my legs, and use me for a surfboard
😀
I’ve never particularly loved the score (hate the film) but am looking forward to see if your version can make a change.
I also had issues extracting the files. I use 7zip usually and, usually, have no problems. However, before I downloaded something like winrar which i didn’t want to since it’s trial only I thought I would check my 7zip version. I was using version 9.something. On checking the web I found the latest version was 15.something. Installed that and everything worked fine, so for anyone having problems with 7zip, try updating that first.
… you can shave my head, wax my legs, and use me for a surfboard
😀
Ok, that�s a bit off in a period movie. But I chuckled nonetheless 😉
———- Post added at 10:52 PM ———- Previous post was at 10:51 PM ———-
I also had issues extracting the files. I use 7zip usually and, usually, have no problems. However, before I downloaded something like winrar which i didn’t want to since it’s trial only I thought I would check my 7zip version. I was using version 9.something. On checking the web I found the latest version was 15.something. Installed that and everything worked fine, so for anyone having problems with 7zip, try updating that first.
Great, thanks! And what I always say: update your software, guys 😉 (another reason for saything this: LAME MP3 versions as old as 13 years).
Haha, fair do’s! I would’ve said it was more important to know that the Sinfonia of London actually performed (most of) the score rather than that the good people at Joann Kane Music Service was in charge of photocopying the sheet music at the recording sessions. 😉
Because I think no cover design is complete without logos and barcodes. I started doing this solely for optical reasons. With many fanmade covers, the lack of those symbols always strikes me as odd, as if the design isn�t complete or half finished. My attempt has always been to design a cover that would look exactly like a cover on a CD you could buy, something that looks like the real thing despite being a fake.
I can understand that – I think you’re underselling yourself, though. You don’t have to kid people into thinking they’re getting a professionally-made product because they ARE getting a professionally-made product. Actually, they’re getting something somewhat better than your average professionally-made product.
And of course, WrG records isn�t an imprint of DG.
I know, I was joking. 😀
…the DG logo as I�ve always thought it looked quite beautiful
It does indeed. 🙂
None of them were born out of vanity.
I would never expect something as shallow from you. 🙂
And stop planning a grandiose response, just do it!
Message received. 😀
Thank you. If it wouldn�t be better than the original it came from I wouldn�t even bother releasing it. I mean, if I cannot offer an improvement, what�s the point? And don�t forget: optics are one thing I need to do for myself. So that when I grab a CD from the shelf it will look like the real thing. I hate self-made CDs with a vengeance, usually they look like shit, like… well, self-made. All for the effect that I can mix them with real ones and they won�t stick out like a sore thumb.
I would never expect something as shallow from you. 🙂
Oh, I can have my vain moments. The logos aren�t but the fact that I�m releasing stuff first and foremost meant only for me, tells you everything. I�ve said it often, I like the attention, it boosts my ego. So there you have vanity 😉
Look at this post: Thread 201475
You have to admit it though… both of the first two Mummy movies made excellent choices when it came to composers. And they kept the music in style. Some movies (historical and fantasy and such) use far to contemporary music. I have a hard time accepting electric guitars in those kind of movies for example. I’m not saying the music is bad, it just doesn’t… fit.
I did but apparently didn’t try all them. BetterZip worked for me. Thanks!
There�s nothing comparable to the sound of electric guitars and power anthems, nothing else that causes the balls of male adolescents to swell just like that 😉 Music from Goldsmith, Silvestri and the like is for whiney pussies.
No, I will say that the music is bad. Bad in the sense of regurgitating the same style all over and over and over and over and over again. I�ve really tried to listen to Terminator:Genisys, Mad Max: Fury Road or Clash of the Titans. But I couldn�t bear it, the same all over again, miniscule changes in orchestration combined with a big sound trying to hide the lack of character or genuine ideas. I guess, I�m getting old.
Thank you very much!
Thank you….
https://mega.nz/#!ZFMy2aAK!pIx3BcjambVv9chC2YR2M9ufnbSgX2GYO7GvPgpUPP4
https://mega.nz/#!ZFMy2aAK!pIx3BcjambVv9chC2YR2M9ufnbSgX2GYO7GvPgpUPP4
Fantastic! 🙂
Oh… Many thanks pat498 for Mega link!!!…
I had not realized and already I downloaded!!! …
When was this and what was the model of the player? I ask because in case it was a portable CD player, the thief indeed was quite dumb since portable players had already been replaced by smaller and more convenient portables (like iPod) 10 years ago 🙂
https://mega.nz/#!ZFMy2aAK!pIx3BcjambVv9chC2YR2M9ufnbSgX2GYO7GvPgpUPP4
Thanks!!!!!
You’re right, I’m loving it. I can’t compare it with the OST, as I accidentally wiped out most of the Silvestri albums (along with Goldsmith, Horner and others… that was a sad day!), but this feels good, and has passed the almost-asleep test: it was an intermitent dreamy pleasure to have it playing in those conditions. 🙂
Thanks for another Deluxe, Sonic, and also for the information. I agree with ostgems and tangotreats on the appreciation of the notes. And thanks to pat498 too, for the new link.