Miles - Ascenseur pour l'échafaud

[Bluesnik]

i'd recommend the latest European remaster from the Uni France Heritage series. it features all 26 tracks, that is the recorded session and the edited version for the soundtrack, echo and echoless. it's a nice digipack with beatiful pictures of a very young Jeanne Moureau fooling around with Miles and his trumpet in the studio and it's midprice. i would say this is available in the US, so what need for an expensive Japanese release? oh yes, the LP sleeve, i see

but honestly, this reissue is good enough for me. the sound is good, you get both versions of the program, original cover and some nice pictures. needless to say the music on this cd is superb. completely moody and full noir. even the solo bass passages are great, generating some really cinematic tension.

some claim this as their favourite Miles.

[Bluesnik]

I've read about other SHM CDs that they use existing mastering already released before.

yes, AFAIK the only difference is the disc material. this time i'm not buying into the hype (much as i love the Japanese). i'm not planning on getting any of those SHM discs.

[medjuck]

I don't have the DVD right now (my son took it to college with him) so I can't check: Is the echo on he soundtrack of the film or just on the Lp/cd?

[Shawn]

I don't have the DVD right now (my son took it to college with him) so I can't check: Is the echo on he soundtrack of the film or just on the Lp/cd?

I'm almost positive that the echo is in the film. I actually prefer the version with echo on the Fontana CD, the alternate takes are great, but the original sequence is mighty fine.

[korowa]

. . .What you also get is a mechanical "whirling noise" that is at the beginnings and continues throughout all silent passages on each and every cut. The noise is completely "seperate", so to speak, from the actual music. Strange. This is not the echo or some other revelation in the music but a faulty mastering that should be steered clear of! It is obvious to me that it is not in the master tape or whatever they used for this re-issue but lies in the actual mastering of the disc itself.

Lets hope it doesn't have the mechanical '"whirling noise;" I'll report back after I listen to it.

I just listened to the complete album, and the "SHM-CD" version —UCCU9457— does not have the "whirling noise."

[korowa]

. . . it's a nice digipack with beatiful pictures of a very young Jeanne Moureau fooling around with Miles and his trumpet in the studio. . .

Yes thats a great pic I would like a poster of it.

http://www.seahorse-design.com/wordpress/i...s/ascensor1.jpg

Edited May 31, 2008 by korowa

[korowa]

yes, AFAIK the only difference is the disc material. this time i'm not buying into the hype (much as i love the Japanese). i'm not planning on getting any of those SHM discs.

An ex-girlfriend "permanently borrowed" the 1988 Polygram CD release.

So, I had to replace it.

As for "SHM," I agree its probably a whole lot of hype..

[sportblazer350]

is the 10" lp on French Fontana 660.213MR green label an original first pressing? is there a value for such a disc?

[brownie]

The Fontana ten incher was quite a hit in its time. It went through a couple of further pressings and is not really that rare!

What to look for on this 10" is the front cover.

The original 1957 release which is more difficult to find looked like this:

Later French Fontana releases added 'Prix Louis Delluc 1957' and later 'Prix Louis Delluc 1957 - Grand Prix du Disque 1958 - Académie Ch. Cros' between the black top and the film title as the film and its soundtrack gathered recognition.

[sportblazer350]

Hi, thank you for this informative reply. My record is exactly as the one you pictured, with the writing on the cover as you described. Is my copy a 1958 edition? I ask as i wish to use this for trading, and wish to know a fair market value for trade use. thank you again for any and all help with identifying my record.

[brownie]

If your copy is exactly like the one I posted, it is a 1957 release. And a pretty rare item!

[sportblazer350]

Hi, my copy is as yours pictured and with the additional wording as you also listed, so i take it that it is an early second issue?

[brownie]

That 10incher with the added wording is more common even if one does not run on a good copy very often these days!

[brownie]

Auction of a first pressing edition of Ascenseur has just been ended on ebay!

Edited July 19, 2010 by brownie

[Teasing the Korean]

I'm confused by all these reissues. I have a 26-track Fontana/Phonogram CD, 836 305-2, from 1988. Does this sound any better or worse than the others?

Also, has anyone ever attempted to recreate the 10" album running order using the bonus tracks that don't have the reverb? I've always wanted to try and never got around to it. I don't know if it's pretty easy, or if there was too much editing involved.

EDIT: I just found that rear case insert which explains which of the dry tracks were used. I had the disc and cover art in a flat sleeve.

Edited February 19, 2011 by Teasing the Korean

[Stereojack]

I just want to say that I never "got" this session until I saw the movie some ten years after first hearing the soundtrack album. The music works brilliantly in the film, especially in the final scene.

[king ubu]

I just want to say that I never "got" this session until I saw the movie some ten years after first hearing the soundtrack album. The music works brilliantly in the film, especially in the final scene.

Yes - both is "good" - the film and the music - neither outstanding, I'd say. But both together is definitely outstanding! It just works perfectly well - one of the most naturally integrated of all jazz soundtracks!

[Big Beat Steve]

I just want to say that I never "got" this session until I saw the movie some ten years after first hearing the soundtrack album. The music works brilliantly in the film, especially in the final scene.

Yes - both is "good" - the film and the music - neither outstanding, I'd say. But both together is definitely outstanding! It just works perfectly well - one of the most naturally integrated of all jazz soundtracks!

Sorry to disagree. But if you listen to the music even while NOT watching the film but AFTER having it watched (no matter how long ago) the music - even on its own - works perfectly well and, considering what musical scores of movies were able to achieve back then at all, at least from a jazz angle, really is outstanding. The fact that the music does manage to bring up certain images (no matter how imprecise) makes all the diffrence.

[Stereojack]

But if you listen to the music even while NOT watching the film but AFTER having it watched (no matter how long ago) the music - even on its own - works perfectly well and, considering what musical scores of movies were able to achieve back then at all, at least from a jazz angle, really is outstanding. The fact that the music does manage to bring up certain images (no matter how imprecise) makes all the diffrence.

I agree. After having seen the film, I do enjoy the soundtrack music on its own. The mournful piece that accompanies the final scene is Miles at his best! And, for what it's worth, I think the film is a masterpiece.

[jazzbo]

Saw the film once. . . not really my cup of tea, didn't impress me much. Love the music though!

[king ubu]

@Big Beat Steve: we don't disagree at all - the music is good. But it's not great, nowhere near Miles' dozen or so best albums. That's all I'm saying. But then it's one of the finest soundtracks, working perfectly well WITH the film.