Lawrence Glavin writes:

>...as I flipped to the news, the credits for the movie "Alien" that
>they had just aired were running.  The music accompanying the credits
>was Howard Hanson's Second Symphony ("The Romantic").  ...

I remember seeing "Alien" in its Summer 1979 theatrical release.  The
soundtrack music (Gerry Goldsmith?  I would need to check IMDB to confirm)
was very much in keeping with the nature of the film: Edgy, nervous,
creepy, all that stuff.

The Hanson "Romantic" trailer was just that: A rolling credits trailer
that began after Ripley had finally blasted the alien out of her ship.
It provided, shall we say, a calming effect after two hours of a MOST
unusual film (if you had seen it in '79).  Though it was totally unlike
the soundtrack, it worked marvelously as trailer music.

I've often wondered, after the fact, just how many people came by their
first (and perhaps only) exposure to the Hanson "Romantic" as a result
of "Alien." Quite probably, 95%+ of everyone who ever heard the work at
all.  Such a shame!  I love the work.

Bob Zeidler