The Champions Original Soundtrack by Robert Farnon, Edwin Astley, Albert Elms and Tony Hatch (TV series soundtrack CD review).
I’ve known about Network’s TV series CD collections for some years. They were also limited editions and expensive, double what I paid last month. Even so, when I saw ‘The Champions Original Soundtrack’ had dropped in price, it was too good an opportunity to miss. I should point out that not all the others in these ITC series soundtracks have dropped so drastically in price yet and from the looks of things, the compilation collection has fewer copies available now.
I think the biggest surprise when it arrived was that the three CDs are in a DVD sized box and not a CD square box. Undoubtedly, this helped a lot with giving space to the massive 40 page booklet, written by Andrew Pixley with assorted photos of the main cast explaining where the music clips came from. The first two CDs cover 6 episodes and the third CD miscellaneous cues, although there are 2 more episodes and then various assortments.
OK, a rundown of detail:-
Disk # 1: Tracks 1-26: The Beginning. Tracks 27-51: The Dark Island. Tracks 52-74: The Search.
Disk # 2: Tracks 1-21: The Invisible Man. Tracks 22-30: The Iron Man. Tracks 52-75: The Experiment.
Disk # 3: Tracks 1-30: Miscellaneous cues. Tracks 31-33: Reply Box No. 666. Tracks 34-46: The Shadow Of The Panther. Tracks 47-51: Robert Farnon Theme Variations. Tracks 52-30: Tony Hatch Theme Variations. Tracks 61-69: Unknown And Alternative Takes. Tracks 70-74: Sound Effects.
A lot of these tracks are a few seconds long contrasting with some that are several minutes. The biggest disappointment was not hearing the pretty noise they trio hear when there are communicating with each other. It isn’t as though they didn’t have any space for it. There is a little of it used in track 48 of the third CD but I wish it had its own place.
Of particular significance is the voodoo beat from ‘Shadow Of The Panther’ and the computer access clips from ‘The Nutcracker’ on disk # 3. Oh and yes, with ‘The Invisible Man’ on disk # 2, you do hear the noise that drives (sic) some of the victims mad.
Hearing the music away from the show doesn’t diminish it because the music carried a lot of the weight of the show. If you’re a fan of ‘The Champions’ TV series than you’ll want to add this boxset to your collection.
GF Willmetts
November 2017
(pub: Network, 2009. 3 CDs, Disk # 1: 74 tracks 68 minutes. Disk # 2: 75 tracks 60 minutes. Disk # 3: 74 tracks 57 minutes with a 40 page booklet. Price: about £10.28 (UK) if you look around right now. ASIN: 7959007)
check out website: www.networkonair.com
