Intrada Soundtrack Forum

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"If music doesn`t sing, or dance, or have an interesting harmonic concept, then it shouldn`t be there at all. A film score should burn with its own fire, not merely glow in the dark like a pretty charcoal." – John Barry, 1972

Alexander - Vangelis

Do I really even need to explain?

I'll also have to agree that Dragonslayer and Ladyhawke don't really fit.

My wife and I watched The Caine Mutiny for the first time and were floored by how Max Steiner's giddy but weak music destroyed any semblance of drama every 5 minutes or so. Bogey was great though. I suppose that's why I was so upset. The film deserved so much better. Was Ernest Gold scoring at that time? Steiner's done some fine work like Kong, Now Voyager, Sierra Madre. This one surprised me though, especially considering it's status among record collectors.

I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I'd like to suggest that Hook is a masterful work for a very weak film. I can't recall a filmscore so chock full of great themes.

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"Now I don't wanna kill you and you don't wanna be dead!"

There is a quote from the philosopher Alfred North Whitehead that I am fond of: "We think in generalities, but we live in detail." A similar kind of logic applies to the way we hear film scores, I think. Our memories recall the score in generalities, when we often should be listening more deeply to the scoring of specific sequences. Too often I see judgements of film scores being mediated by a response to a particular cue, rather than a holistic view of the complete score. I think this mistake is being made in Doug's "misfire" reading of BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL.

Doug's comment on the score that "Elmer keeps playing with an upbeat marimba zylophone and woodwind melody that misses by a country mile." I think this is a little misleading, as the "travelling theme" associated with Henry's (Steve McQueen) wife (Lee Remick) does not "keep playing" in the score proper. My memory is that it bookends the bulk of the score, as opening and closing titles, both associated with a bus trip, one to establish regional attitudes towards convicts, and the other to establish the wife and daughter's escape from Henry's irresponsibilitiy and trauma.

The score itself has poignant moments of Bernstein dramatic scoring. Doug does acknowledge this when he gives a nod to the song (actually there are three songs, in the score, all penned by Bernstein, and suited to the bar musician culture that Henry inhabits. It's a case of the songs being very much part of the story.) and "some outstanding music dotted about." "Dotted about" is probably fair, as Elmer's scoring is sparse, but when it is there you notice it. There is a harrowing sequence where Henry's terror at being in the family home where he was abused as a child (The camera highlights the leather strap used to beat him as a child) is effectively scored by the composer. It reminded me of Frank de Vol's scoring in CHARLOTTE. It is effective introspective scoring. Henry is a post-traumatic stress survivor with unfininshed and unresolved personal issues. When his flight response erupts, in the climax of the film, the orchestra also erupts with powerful staccato violence, mixed loud. You notice it.

No, I cannot accept that this score is a misfire, so much as a layered score in its reading of the social alienation in America off the interstates. In my books, it is a minor Bernstein classic. It is worthy of a legitimate score release beyond the pop readings on the Mainstream release.

b.

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WE HAVE COME TO VISIT YOU IN PEACE AND WITH GOOD WILL.

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WE HAVE COME TO VISIT YOU IN PEACE AND WITH GOOD WILL.

Once again, a great topic.
And in my own humble opinion, Never Say Never Again should get the prize for #1 inappropriate turkey for a major film (let alone, a Bond film), followed somewhat closely by Serra's Goldeneye. And I would have to place the score for Ladyhawke right alongside.
Perhaps this particular selection doesn't belong here (because it's totally comprised of vocals), but my all-time absolute worst of the W O R S T goes to the horrible piece of garbage that Sam Peckinpah used to track the otherwise masterful and perhaps semi-classic (had he used somebody who actually had some musical ability in scoring a film!) , "Pat Garret & Billy the Kid". I cannot ,and I suppose will not, ever understand what drove him to use that mumbling idiot (sorry if that is a bit too strong for some) Bob Dylan to provide musical (???) underscore for what might have been viewed as one of his own masterworks. What a horrible missed opportunity for a great Jerry Fielding, Jerry Goldsmith, John Scott, Alex North score to elevate this film just enough to become perhaps just a bit more than a minor classic, at best. And this comes from a big Peckinpah fan. The Misfire of misfires. How sad. Would love to hear other views on this particular film (in regards to it's "score" ) . --Rich