WAR OF THE ROSES, The/ SANDLOT, The

David Newman returns to Varese Soundtrack CD Club with not one but two often-requested scores, one from the 80s, one from the 90s. The War of the Roses (1989) was one of the earliest films to garner Newman serious acclaim. The film’s main title (a tango macabre if ever there was one!) is a showstopper right from the get-go - a perfect curtain-raiser for this descent into marital Hell.

In this blackest of comedies, a perfect 18-year marriage suddenly comes unglued and the gleefully evil Barbara (Kathleen Turner) and Oliver (Michael Douglas) Rose single-mindedly inflict as much misery as possible on each other. Rather than just get divorced, they declare war, fighting to the bitter end over their huge mansion and every possession in it. Not even the calculating guidance of Oliver's lawyer (Danny DeVito) can stop this uncompromisingly nasty twosome as their vicious battle sends them on an increasingly dark and dangerous path.

As much a must-have CD as this premiere release of The War of the Roses would have been all by itself, we add to this Newman’s much loved score for The Sandlot (1993).

It's the early 1960s and fifth-grader Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) has just moved into town with his folks (Karen Allen and Denis Leary). Kids call him a dork - he can't even throw a baseball! But that changes when the leader of the neighborhood gang recruits him to play on the nearby sandlot field. It's the beginning of a magical summer of baseball, wild adventure, first kisses, and fearsome confrontations with the dreaded beast and its owner (James Earl Jones), who live behind the left field fence. Soon nine boys have become best friends, Scotty is part of a team, and their leader has become a local legend in this hilarious and warmhearted comedy.
Newman’s score is a winning example of the composer’s mastery of orchestration.
David Newman fans rejoice! … this is the one (or two) you’ve been waiting for!

THE WAR OF THE ROSES (1989)

1. The Beginning (8:11)
2. The Middle (13:28)
3. The End (7:52)

THE SANDLOT (1993)

4. Main Title (1:44)
5. Scotty and the Guys (2:46)
6. Coaching (2:07)
7. ?Baby? Ruth (2:15)
8. Getting The Ball (Again!) (2:20)
9. Airborne Attack (2:02)
10. Erector Set (3:17)
11. Showdown with the Beast (2:50)
12. You Know Babe Ruth? (4:50)