ASM 051
im Vertrieb von / distributed by:
Indigo
LP 22228-1
CD 22228-2
Peter Thomas Sound Orchester
Steiner - Cross of Iron II
Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz, Teil 2 (aka: Breakthrough) is
a German-British movie from 1979.
Cast: Richard Burton, Robert
Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Curd Jürgens, Klaus Löwitsch, Michael Parks, Werner
Pochath, Horst Janson, Helmut Griem, Christoph Waltz (uncredited) and many
more.
Following the immensely successful and profitable School Girl Report movies producer Wolf C. Hartwig could afford a much bigger international production: Steiner – Cross of Iron, based on a World War II novel, should be directed by none other than Sam Peckinpah. The music was supposed to come from the pen of Peter Thomas. Unfortunately, the two did not get along (interview with Peter Thomas in “Der Filmkomponist Peter Thomas” by Gerd Naumann, 2009 ibidem Verlag). In the end, the American composer Ernest Gold wrote the music. Despite several financial squabbles the film became a great international success in 1977.
A sequel followed quickly. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and the score was now written by Peter Thomas. The new director and the composer hit it off right away. The title melody by Peter Thomas was released as a single by Ariola shortly after the film premiere in 1979. The film Steiner – Cross of Iron II, however, was unable to match the success of the previous part, despite the top-class cast. An already considered LP release of the soundtrack was therefore no longer pursued.
The present album is the vinyl premiere of the film music, supplemented by a
previously unreleased track that was not included on a long out-of-print CD
release from 1993.
Following Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra - Bruce Lee: The Big Boss (CD/LP ASM 048, Allscore 2020) and Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra - Winnetou and his friend Old Firehand (CD/LP ASM 049, Allscore 2021), this is the third LP/CD release in a series dedicated to composer Peter Thomas.
Gatefold inside
Once again Adrian Keindorf is responsible for the illustrations on the gatefold cover of the LP as well as the digipack of the CD. The LP is released on translucent orange 180g vinyl in a limited edition of 500 pcs.
MINT Magazine [March 2023]: "Peter Thomas, who died in 2020, succeeded in creating a score that is remarkable in its breadth. It is a mixture of the large orchestral film music of those days, newly arranged pieces by classical composers, echoes of vaudeville, good-time jazz, but also dark musical abstractions à la Ennio Morricone."
Cinema Retro [March 2023]: "Allscore’s new revised release marks the vinyl premiere of the film music, supplemented by a previously unreleased track (...) presented in a very limited edition it comes in an orange translucent vinyl with a super gatefold sleeve featuring brand new artwork by the talented artist Adrian Keindorf. The audio quality is remarkably clean and wide in its delivery, suggesting that the masters have survived and been kept very well."
Movie Music International [March 2023]: "Thomas fashioned a eclectic array of sounds and styles for the movie, which resulted in a varied and powerful work. The soundtrack is available from All Score Media, on both CD in a digipak and LP which is a gatefold cover presentation with vibrant and colourful artwork by Adrian Keindorf. The LP is in translucent orange colour and is a limited run of just 500, hurry before it goes."
Colonne Sonore [May 2023]: "Nel Main Title ”The Iron Cross” ed in brani come “Conspiration”, “The Iron Cross - Fight”, o “Tank Attack“ Thomas espone il tema principale del film, quello più epico e drammatico, che accompagna soprattutto scene di combattimento, appostamento e strategia, nelle sue diverse variazioni di organico e mood che l’ensemble può esprimere, con in evidenza il violino di Charly Tabor ed il pianoforte dello stesso leader."
