An American Filmscore from London

By: Randall D. Larson
Date: Thursday, March 24, 2005

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDATIONS

Silva Screen Records has released The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection (SILCD 1178), a specially priced 2CD set with over 110 minutes of some of the greatest film music in the history of cinema, including some of Bernstein's rare and unreleased music to AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. As a tribute to Bernstein, who died last year, the volume is an excellent overview of his cinematic music, newly and digitally recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra taking their turn on jazz scores like WALK ON THE WILD SIDE and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. What makes the release especially interesting beyond a nice tribute to one of film music's giants is the inclusion of four premiere recordings of material not commercially released, including the 5-minute first transformation scene from AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, a suite of music from AIRPLANE! (the label left the exclamation point off of the movie title, though), and cues from BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ (perhaps making up for the missing exclamation point, the label incorrectly added "THE" to this movie title) and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. Bernstein's sparse music for John Landis' AMERICAN WEREWOLF is a wondrous work of mysterioso and spookiness, gradually growing more dissonant carnivorous, driven by huge downswinging chords of brass and percussion. A suite of the entire, brief orchestral score is still something I hope to see one day. Too bad the movie didn't use more dynamically dramatic music like this instead of cheesy "moon" related pop songs for its later werewolf scenes. Other rare tracks include music not released on soundtrack recordings but issued on previous Silva compilations, such as the jaunty and spectacularly epic GHOSTBUSTERS, THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN, and the wonderfully theatrical theme for TV's HOLLYWOOD AND THE STARS. The performances are terrific, including such Bernstein standards as THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, as well as lesser-recognized works from THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, ZULU DAWN, and Bernstein's final score, FAR FROM HEAVEN. One only regrets that, with the opportunity to record AMERICAN WEREWOLF et al anew, that Silva didn't also record such sought-after early Bernstein gems as ROBOT MONSTER and CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON. www.silvascreen.co.uk

Danny Elfman's theme headlines the soundtrack album for the videogame FABLE, released last month by Sumthing Records (SE-2014-2), and is a fast-paced rhythmically structured action motif not unlike Elfman's SPIDER-MAN music. It's thunderous and stirring, with occasional adventurous stirring crescendos, but nothing

terribly new. What is especially notable on the release is the rest of the score, by composer/producer Russell Shaw, who demonstrates a proclivity for a very attractive and emotive composition, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra with chorale enhancement by the Pinewood Singers. Shaw's music, while lacking in systematic development of the material as is common among video game scores that need to accompany repetitive gameplay situations, retains a splendid sensibility and a variety of quite compelling musical flavorings. While Elfman provided the overarching game theme, it's Shaw's music that sets the tone for each of the game's environments, from the provocatively mischievousness Oakvale and the enchantingly spectral Witchwood to the brooding, classical ominousness of Darkwood and the ghostly echoes of Lynchfield Cemetery. Shaw's composition has a brightness and a charm that isn't often found in VG scores, and this release is a quite likable and noteworthy production. www.sumthing.com

FILM MUSIC NEWS

Varèse Sarabande Records has included a notice on its web site mourning the death of Annemarie Hoellger North, who died at her home in Pacific Palisades, Friday March 4, after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was born in Berlin in 1940 and came to America in 1967. Prior to her marriage to renowned composer Alex North, she managed the Symphonie Orchester Graunke in Munich, Germany. Mrs. North was a passionate supporter of the arts and worked exhaustively to promote the appreciation of film music as an independent art form. Anna North was truly one of the great ladies of film music and will be dearly missed. www.varesesarabande.com  

Hummie Mann reports that his latest score may be heard on March 27th in the made-for-television movie SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS, which airs on CBS on at 9pm. The film is based on the James Patterson book of the same title and stars Emmy Award winner Christina Applegate and real-life husband Johnathon Schaech. Teleplay and directing duties were handled by Richard Friedenberg. The music is a contemporary orchestral work, while Mann's bluegrass score for WOOLY BOYS, directed by Leszek Burzynski and starring Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine and Joe Mazello can be heard when the movie is released on DVD later this month by Lions Gate Films after extremely successful theatrical runs in very limited engagements over the last 2 years. (more info at www.woolyboys.com) Be sure to check out Hummie's web site, which has more than two hours of audio clips posted for your listening pleasure, including his persuasive scores for CYBERWORLD 3D, IN COLD BLOOD (recent remake), and PICTURE WINDOWS. www.hummiemann.com

Due in Late February from Belgium's Prometheus Records is a 2-CD expanded soundtrack of CUTTHROAT ISLAND, John Debney's thrilling swashbuckling adventure score. The release will include the entire score, which runs about 120 minutes (only

about 70 minutes appeared on the original CD soundtrack from the now-defunct Millennia Records ). The Prometheus release will also include alternate takes, a few cues without the choir, and as an extra special bonus track it will have the synth demo version of the first two cues ("Morgan's Ride" and "The Rescue") that won Debney the gig in the first place. It's an amazing look into the creative process to hear how these pieces started and ended up sounding for full orchestra and choir. Perseverance Records has secured the rights to Trevor Jones' score to LOCH NESS (1996), starring Ted Danson and Joely Richardson, which should be released on June 15th, coinciding with the DVD debut of the movie (reportedly in pan-and-scan and not the widescreen version, shame. Must be a Disney release... L)

Perseverance will also release Dennis Dreith's score to THE PUNISHER - not the recent Carlo Silliotto score for the recent Thomas Jane/John Travolta film but the original movie with Dolph Lundgren in the title role. The label has have located the 2" masters and are currently in the process of re-mixing them for better sound quality. Also on the CD will be an interview with Dennis Dreith and Mark Goldblatt, the director; similar to what they did with Denny Zeitlin on their INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS release.

Film Music Journal, the only film music magazine published in German, has given Joe Hisashi's score to HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE their 2004 Score of the Year award. The runners up were FINDING NEVERLAND (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek), GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (Alexandre Desplat), I RAGAZZI DELLA VIA PAL (Franco Piersanti), and THE VILLAGE (James Newton Howard). - http://www.filmmusicjournal.de

MovieGrooves, wonderful pervayors of 60s &70s soundtrack music, announces: Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie? a splendid and collection of "Killer Groovy and Funky 60s & 70s Soundtrack Mixes," performed by Paul Nice, to be released on March 25th. The CD is packed to the gills with killer cuts from classic 60s and 70s soundtracks with the occasional bit of cool dialogue from the movies thrown in too.

Titles include DIRTY HARRY and its sequels (Lalo Schifrin), THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE (David Shire), GATOR (Charles Bernstein), THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER (Henry Mancini), ROLLERBALL (Andre Previn), 3 DAYS OF THE CONDOR (Dave Grusin), ENTER THE DRAGON (Lalo Schifrin), DEATH WISH (Herbie Hancock), LA PLANÈTE SAUVAGE (Alain Goraguer), DIAMONDS (Roy Budd), CHARIOTS OF THE GODS (Peter Thomas), BLACK BELT JONES (Dennis Coffey), THE CROSS AND THE SWTICHBLADE (Ralph Carmichael), ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES (Jerry Goldsmith), THE HOT ROCK (Quincy Jones), BLACULA (Gene Page) and much more more than 40 cool retro grooves in all. www.moviegrooves.com

CAM in Italy announces a new edition

of Fiorenzo Carpi De Resmini's score for PINOCCHIO'S STORYBOOK ADVENTURES (LE AVVENTURE DI PINOCCHIO), the 1971 film directed by Luigi Comencini. The score was conducted by Bruno Nicolai, and this recording includes a previously unreleased bonus track and new colorful booklet graphics!! The bonus track, entitled "Suite," is an enchanting medley of alternate takes of the main themes from the original soundtrack composed by Fiorenzo Carpi.

FILM MUSIC BOOKS

Announced many years ago by a different publisher but now it seems finally coming from McFarland: James Bernard, Composer to Count Dracula A Critical Biography by David Huckvale. Scheduled for Fall/Winter 2005, the 208 page critical biography details Bernard's life from struggle to success. More than just a biography, however, it is also a meticulous examination of his music, including its intricate mechanisms and the many sources of Bernard's inspiration. Movie scores examined include THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT, THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA and THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. Reviews of Bernard's work and reminiscences of the composer himself add depth and personal feeling to the biography. A music glossary and a filmography complete the work. www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?isbn=0-7864-2302-1

Recommended Soundtrack sources:
www.buysoundtrax.com  
Soundtrax@cinescape.com