It's A Wonderful Life

Description

Frank Capra's film, It's a Wonderful Life, is not only the most beloved holiday movie of all time. It is also undoubtedly the most typically American film ever made. Its populist message, ordinary hero, patriotism, and sentimentality have proven to be a powerful mix for generations. So many scenes from this film are woven into the collective consciousness of our country; and much of the stitching that holds these scenes together has been provided by Dimitri Tiomkin's indelible score. But what you hear in the film is only part of what Tiomkin wrote. Director Capra cut several pieces (for example, "Death Telegram"), leaving those scenes to unfold without music and rearranged where certain cues appeared; he removed sections of dialogue and even recorded music written for other films. However, by working with Tiomkin's original acetates, soundtrack collectors were able to reconstruct Tiomkin's score as it was originally written for release on CD about a decade ago. Rarely has a film swung so wildly from romance to reflection, from dark obscurity to playful fantasy... This is why we love it so much. Now, fans of It's a Wonderful Life could finally hear how Tiomkin's original music cleverly underscored and commented on the emotional peaks and deep valleys of the film. Indeed, there is really only one last step to cement Tiomkin's legacy and, by extension, Capra's as well. For the score of It's a Wonderful Life has never been released on LP in any form, neither in its complete form nor even in Capra's truncated version. Today, at Real Gone Music, we are very, very proud to present It's a Wonderful Life on vinyl for the very first time, in its complete and restored form with a two-page insert featuring photos, credits, and the image of the promotional poster of Jimmy Stewart exuberantly lifting Donna Reed.