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Home , Alberto Iglesias, Andrew Davis (director), Anthony Marinelli, Awakenings, BASEketball, Bill Conti

The Magazine of Motion Picture and Television Music

V OLUME 3, NUMBER 3

Experience CINERAMA Today! pg 18

BESTBESTof theYEARYEAR AA ReviewReview RoundupRoundup IncludingIncluding Readers’ Readers’ Picks!Picks!

TITANICTITANICTRIBUTETRIBUTE TheThe ,Film, TheThe Score,Score, TheThe ControversyControversy REMEMBERINGREMEMBERING McRITCHIEMcRITCHIE OrchestratorOrchestrator ExtraordinaireExtraordinaire NEWNEW ExclusiveExclusive ComposerComposer NewsNews inin DOWNBEATDOWNBEAT

Ht: 0.816", Wd: 1.4872", Mag: 80% BWR: 1

$3.95 U.S.A • $4.95 Canada CONTENTS M ARCH/APRIL 1998

Special Section Departments

25 The Best of the Year 2 Editor’s Page On the eve of the 70th ®, we All Hands on Deck present a special section dedicated to the winners (and losers) of 1997: 4News Mr. Kamen’s Opus; 26 Settling Scores Will success spoil Danny A year of compromises, but there’s hope on Elfman?; and more the horizon 5 By Andy Dursin Round- 30 Sound and Fury Incoming CDs March 23 may be ’s night An opinionated Top Ten list—and more 6 Concerts to remember—and we By Jeff Bond Live performances contemplate the reasons why 32 Deadlier Than the Mail around the world page 36 Results of the 1997 Reader’s Poll 8Now Playing By you, the Readers of FSM Movies and CDs in 35 Accentuate the Positive release Four good trends in film music 10 Upcoming Film By Doug Adams Assignments Who’s writing what

Features 12 Mail Bag vs. L.A. 18 Cinerama Rides Again! It’s possible to see one of the great 14 Reader Ads soundtracks of all time in a totally unique format—but you’d better act quickly 36 Downbeat He composed, arranged, By Phil Lehman Our new column of performed—and made pop in progress and culture history 36 The Ship of Dreams their at work page 21 What is it about this oft-told tale that works so well in its latest incarnation? 36 Score By Nick Redman Pocket reviews of Incognito, 38 A Score to Remember? Mrs. Dalloway, The pros and cons of ’s music— Desperate Measures, and the controversy that surrounds it. two by , By Doug Adams the spectacular King Kong, and more

Remembrance 48 Retrograde The Pleasure of 21 The Great McRitchie Their A tribute to an extraordinary orchestrator The spectacles of ’s by his friends and composers. Golden Age live on—in Ohio! By Wes Marshall page 18

ABOUT THE COVER: THE LOOKOUTS IN THE CROW’S NEST HARDLY NEED BINOCULARS TO SEE WHAT’S COMING; TITANIC PHOTO COPYRIGHT ©1997 Monthly (ISSN 1077-4289) is published monthly for $29.95 per year by Lukas Kendall, 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1500, Los /20TH CENTURY FOX; OSCAR Angeles CA 90036-4201. Application to mail at periodicals postage rate is pending at , CA and at additional mailing offices. STATUETTE © ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS POSTMASTER: Send Address changes to , 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90036-4201 AND SCIENCES®

Film Score Monthly 1 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 EDITORIAL

V OLUME 3, NUMBER 3 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 All Hands on Deck! STAFF THE SOUNDTRACK TO TITANIC IS BREAKING EDITOR & PUBLISHER MUSIC SALES RECORDS—BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN Lukas Kendall FOR THE BUSINESS (OR JAMES HORNER’S CAREER?) MANAGING EDITOR Jeff Bond DESIGN DIRECTOR ames Horner’s score to Titanic has Titanic will make Horner an even richer Joe Sikoryak become that rare soundtrack that pops man—if he makes anywhere from $1 to CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jup once or twice a generation: an $2 a record, and it sells ten million, think Doug Adams soundtrack that sells like about it—but ultimately will not make Jon Burlingame gangbusters. Past examples have been Dr. him any bigger of a pop-music footnote Jason Comerford Zhivago (), (John than Maurice Jarre is today. In fact, it Andy Dursin Williams) and Chariots of Fire (); will be amusing to see if Horner’s next Phil Lehman more recent bestselling discs include is anticipated by the media as Wes Marshall Somewhere in Time, Out of Africa and another Titanic, when it’s a clunker like Nick Redman by , Robin Deep Impact. Hood: of Thieves (, What is surprising about Titanic is that PUBLISHING CONSULTANT big-hit song by ), The Last of an instrumental score could still penetrate Digital Film & Print, Inc. the Mohicans (Trevor Jones/Randy and sell a half-million units week after week THANKS TO Edelman), The (), in today’s saturated media environment. B.A. Vimtrup and two scores by Horner himself: Legends When Zhivago was a hit, it was the closest of the Fall and . thing to a music-video you could watch, and CONTACT INFO Almost all of these are love stories which its soundtrack the only real souvenir you take place in a past—a past in which tradi- could take home. Even Chariots of Fire EDITORIAL OFFICE tional roles are reasserted, and a came before the CD age. 5455 Wilshire Blvd man rescues a woman many times, often Titanic has made people want to go home Suite 1500 with his shirt off. (Star Wars is a separate and listen to an instrumental, programmat- Los Angeles, CA phenomenon, but that too features a ic album and not a performer-based collec- 90036-4201 in distress at its heart.) tion of songs, which is essentially what PHONE 213-937-9890 The music, too, excluding Star Wars, has every rock and pop album is. Titanic does FAX 213-937-9277 similarities: a blend of traditional romantic have a killer diva in , but its E-MAIL lukas@ writing, a strong main theme, and an acces- appeal is transcending that one track—no filmscoremonthly.com sible “pop” bent, be it the throbbing syn- small feat. Will it “create” more soundtrack thesizers behind Last of the Mohicans and fans? It will probably inspire people to ADVERTISING & MARKETING OFFICE Chariots of Fire, the way in which “Lara’s search out like , but most sound- Digital Film & Print, Inc. Theme” from Zhivago so easily became track buffs cite their “early favorite scores” 5455 Wilshire Blvd mall music, or the dreamy new age quality as Star Wars, , You Only Live Twice, Suite 1500 of Celtic/ in Titanic. These movies also The Magnificent Seven, Ben-Hur, , Los Angeles, CA feature long expanses of silence in which Jurassic Park, etc.—not Dr. Zhivago, Rota’s 90036-4201 the audience, filled as it is with teenage girls Romeo and Juliet or Chariots of Fire. PHONE 213-932-5606 who buy CDs, listen to music while dream- In the short run, Titanic is owning film FAX 213-932-6111 ing of Robert Redford/Daniel Day- music discussion. As is par for that well- Lewis//Leonardo DiCaprio. (One worn course, discussion means people THE SOUNDTRACK HANDBOOK of the bestselling score-soundtracks of all thrashing about their own irrational A six-page listing of mail time is literally Romeo and Juliet, the 1968 responses. We’re proud this issue to feature order dealers, books, societies, film with music by .) two excellent essays—Nick Redman on the etc. Free upon request. Some have speculated that Titanic’s film, and Doug Adams on the score and success will propel James Horner to a Horner’s style—which are the best probings OUR WEB SITE -level of name-recognition yet of the power emanating from this film Is updated five times weekly! among the general public. More than like- and score. We hope you enjoy becoming... Point your browser at: ly, this will not be the case; Williams smarter. WWW.FILMSCOREMONTHLY.COM scored not only Star Wars but Jaws, Close Encounters, , Raiders of the © 1998 Lukas Kendall Lost Ark and E.T. to reach “name” status, and more importantly became the telegenic conductor of the Pops. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 2 Film Score Monthly Need orchestral music for film, tv or CD?

Need a demo of orchestral music to procure a film contract?

Where do many major film composers produce their demo recordings? TheThe LosLos AngelesAngeles ComposersComposers GuildGuild 310-471-9199

Many major films are using orchestral scores again. The demo recording demonstrates your best work under ideal conditions for a producer or director. The Los Angeles Composers Guild produces composers’ demos for film, tv and CD music recording.

Employ the most advanced sound and music recording technol- ogy and skilled studio in the world today. Book a session from 30 minutes to 6 hours with the 60-piece Composers Guild Studio Conduct your score or monitor your product from the booth by using the Composers Guild conductor. Showcase your talent and invite producers and directors to your session to demonstrate that you can complement any film with a magical score. Invest in your career rather than in equipment designed to become obsolete as soon as it leaves the shelf. Meet and collaborate with excellent musicians, composers and engineers. Elevate your career by signing up for the next recording session. CALL The Los Angeles Composers Guild 310-471-9199 Gloria Ching Music Supervisor and Conductor Chris Walden Conductor Robert Korda Concert Master EVENTS • CONCERTS RECORD LABEL ROUND-UP UPCOMING ASSIGNMENTS NEWS THE LATEST FILMS FUNDING bers). Call 213-525-2130.... The Film Music MR. KAMEN’S Network has been pre- senting monthly Film OPUS Music Network Nights in Los Angeles. The meet- ings take place on the ichael Kamen’s first Monday of every MMr. Holland’s month at 6:30pm at the Opus Foundation has Beverly Garland Holiday received a $100,000 Inn, 4222 Vineland allocation from the Avenue, Studio City, CA Kamen receiving his Magnum Opus and feature guest speak- Council, to procure at USC. Pictured are ers from the industry. musical instruments producer ; the ; appeared in the Sunday Admission is $10; memberships are avail- for New York City industry executive Ruth Vitale; and for able. Call 818-771-7778 for recorded infor- Public Schools. The very silly Englishman Eric Idle. March 8. mation, or 818-507-4900 for a human funds were scheduled ... being. See www.filmmusic.net. to be presented by City Council Speaker The March/April issue of American ... Peter Vallone at Kamen’s March 24th Record Guide has a film music article by The Film Music Society, formerly the Carnegie Hall concert. Mark Koldys, the first-ever survey of film Society for the Preservation of Film Kamen’s Foundation is dedicated to music by reviewers. Music, will hold a conference in Culver providing and maintaining musical ... City (L.A.) May 7-10. Events will include instruments for children. The composer The March 9 edition of screenings of film music documentaries; was recently named to the New York Task features a cutting article by Alex Ross on a Friday night concert with scores to Force for Music and Art, and in December James Horner and Titanic. This is one of short films by Elmer Bernstein (“Toy 1997 received the Magnum Opus Award the longest and most detailed articles on Train”) and (“Fancy from the University of Southern film music—and the strongest attack on Free”); a luncheon honoring Herschel School of Music, which will Horner—ever to be featured in the main- Gilbert, Jo Ann Kane and Marilee establish a music scholarship in his name. stream press. Bradford; and presentations on scoring for animation and childrens film and TV. Call 818-249-5775, see http://www.old- Film Music in the News Events of Note(s) kingcole.com/fms, or write PO Box he Women’s Entertainment Network 93536, Los Angeles CA 90093-0536. he February/March 1998 issue of Twill hold a panel discussion on “The TCivilization: The Magazine of the Business of Scoring,” March 17, 7:30PM, features an article on at the Oakwood Apartment Complex’s The Pro’s Promos film music entitled “In the Mood,” by South Clubhouse (3600 Barham Blvd). Nicolas Saada. Participants will include Disney Music’s score-only promo CD of Good Will ... Cherly Melton, composer Dan Foliart, and AHunting () has been cir- French magazine Positif has postponed agent Michael Horner. Call 818-247-0123 culating among industry personnel. This is is upcoming film music coverage to its or 818-846-9486. not being sold, so there is no real way for September/October 1998 issue. ... fans to acquire it. (Of this writing there are ... This year’s Film & TV Music no plans for a commercial release; the Ron Jones’s Emotif University contin- Conference, sponsored by the SCL entire score is less than 30 minutes.) Other ues to provide online correspondence (Society for Composers and Lyricists) and score-discs surfacing this way are My Best courses in film scoring. They recently , will take place Friend’s Wedding and As Good as It Gets. inaugurated a newsletter which includes March 28 in Los Angeles, at the Director’s Some rumored promos from Disney like an interview with FSM editor Lukas Guild of America (7920 Sunset Blvd). George of the Jungle and G.I. Jane are in Kendall. See http://emotif.com/ENews/ Panels include director/composer pairs, a fact CDRs (recordable CDs: gold on top, newsletter1.html. mock business negotiation, and an audio- usually green on bottom). Nowadays it is ... visual presentation of scoring techniques. for composers and agencies to cir- An article by Jon Burlingame on the Cost is $150 per person ($95 students and culate CDRs in lieu of cassettes; it is possi- new King Kong recording (see pg. 45) SCL, DGA, AFI, RMA and IFP West mem- ble that many “promo CDs” on fans’ want

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 4 Film Score Monthly lists are in fact CDRs that exist just threw up their hands and in quantities of less than a Will Success Spoil Danny Elfman? said,‘Oh, what the hell—maybe dozen. This makes them more What does his double nomination mean? he does do his own work.’” rare in one way, but less rare One scenario is that younger, in that they are more akin to hile the Oscar-nomi- I’m very glad for the sake of my more open composers are mov- a slapped-out cassette than a nation announcements family and my children. I’m like ing in, while older, conservative mass-produced CD. W on Tuesday, February that hermit in the woods with a members are moving out—but Super Collector is now 10th were short on surprises, beard having somebody run up Elfman isn’t sure.“A lot of the working on promo CDs of there were two earth-shattering to them with an invitation and worst things I hear come from Wide Awake (Edmund Choi) revelations for soundtrack afi- saying you’re invited to the ball.” younger composers,”he points and a V compilation (Joe cionados: the nominations for Or maybe Elfman feels like out.“They’re picking it up as if it’s Harnell, Dennis McCarthy), Danny Elfman’s Good Will Carrie White being invited to the common knowledge, and it’s hard the latter to include the two Hunting (Best Dramatic Score) high school prom, and he’s afraid not to be disturbed by that. It’s miniseries and series. and Men in Black (Best Musical the Academy is going to drop a easier to think of some old farts In addition to Intrada and or Comedy Score). Despite bucket of pig’s blood on him? stubbornly clinging on to their Screen Archives (see below), try being one of the most popular “That’s great!” Elfman laughs. misconceptions.” Footlight Records (212-533-1572) and influential film composers to “That’s exactly how I feel!” While Elfman has had his and STAR (717-656-0121) for work in the past decade, Elfman For years, Elfman was anathe- problems with the Academy, he’s some of these rarities. has never received an Academy vocal about the good the Award nomination, although ★ annual Oscar race does many would peg his scores for for films that are off the And the Grammy Batman, Edward Scissorhands ★ ★ beaten track.“I’m happy Went to... and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure as ★ ★ for the sake of Good Will worthy of the award itself. Hunting,” he points out. he winner of this year’s No one was more surprised by ★ “It’s an underdog picture T award for Instrumental the double-nomination than ★ ★ and I’m very happy to Composition Written for a Elfman himself. ”It’s making me ★ contribute in any way to Motion Picture or for bewildered,”says the composer. ★ the success of that. I love Television is for “It’s a situation where I’m so ★ it when a movie likes The English Patient. (This is a accustomed to being excluded ★ that takes off. I’ve always 1996 film; the Grammys have from that club that that’s become been aware that the a different calendar from the my happy, accepted norm. It’s Academy has an ability Oscars.) like someone trying to get into a to take a smaller film private club for many years, and like The Sweet Hereafter at some point being very content and really bring it into Disc Has Slipped being that kind of outsider. So the public eye, and that’s os Angeles soundtrack spe- now it’s challenging my reality. a part of the Academy Lcialty shop Disc-Connection I’m neither upset nor ecstatic; I’m that I’ve always support- left its current location bewildered. ed. Anything that gets February 1st. The store may “I wasn’t even aware that the people to expand their or may not reopen for walk- nominations were happening,”he No, they’re not all gonna viewing of film is great.” in or mail order sales at explains, pointing out that he’d laugh at you, Danny... Now that Elfman has another location. All out- deliberately shut himself off from been invited, will he standing orders are being the process after having been a ma to the music-branch members actually attend the ceremonies? honored. Long live Bernie. member of the Academy’s music of the Academy.“There’s obvious- “It never occurred to me,”he board several years ago.“That’s ly been some big shift some- says.“I’ve generally shied away how far removed I got.When where,”he admits. The rejection from that kind of thing. Those Out of Richard [Kraft, his agent] called of Elfman’s work had become types of things freak me out. The oming this spring from me at six in the morning, I could- highly focused and personal; he ceremonies I like to go to are lit- CItalian producer Sergio n’t figure out what he was talking alone among his generation of tle funky ones, like the [Academy Bassetti on his labels (Legend about! I was like,‘What?’” self-taught orchestral composers of Science Fiction] Saturn and/or RCA OST) are two Mario Being nominated not once but had seemingly been singled out, awards.” Bava horror soundtracks: twice has Elfman really confused. with other musicians like Hans Whatever happens on Oscar Black Sabbath (Nicolosi) and “I suppose if it was Men in Black I Zimmer being nominated and night, Danny Elfman seems to be Hatched for the Honeymoon might have said, cynically,‘Oh, even winning the Oscar (for The grudgingly accepting the fact (S.M. Romitelli). Out now is Alle that’s because the movie did so Lion King).“The rumors about me that Oscar nominators like him... Origini Della Maffia (aka Legend well,’”Elfman admits.“But obvi- have been so vicious—people they really, really like him.“I’m of the Black Hand, Nino Rota). ously that’s not the case. Good claiming that Shirley Walker wrote skeptical and bewildered,”the Bassetti will also produce a limit- Will Hunting would have never the score to Batman, that I had ten composer repeats,“but that does- ed promotional CD (300 copies) been called that kind of hit in a composers working with me on n’t keep me from being flattered of Shampoo Girl (Claudio million years. I’ve worked on Mission: Impossible.Maybe there’s and honored.” Cimpanelli). FSM many, many popular movies, and some contingent of people who —Jeff Bond/Lukas Kendall

Film Score Monthly 5 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 RECORD LABEL ROUND-UP • CONCERTS

Record Label Round-Up Campus. July 14: Saving Private Ryan the DTS CDs of The Night Digger (Bernard (John Williams). November 13: three sepa- Herrmann), The Best Years of Our Lives New and upcoming releases rate albums for . (, expanded), and King Kong (, 1976 recording cond. Aleph This is a new label by , DRG Coming are two compilations, one CD , no relation) remastered in to showcase his film, pop, and classical apiece, in March and April, respectively: DTS 5.1 Digital Surround. They will not work. The first release is Film Classics, a The Best of Goblin, Volume 2 (1975-1980 play on regular CD players without the CD of a December 1995 concert in anthology: Profondo Rosso, Suspiria, expensive DTS decoder. Marseilles, . Due in May is Schifrin’s Contamination and more), and Volume 3 (, trumpet, Paquito (1980-1985 anthology, with Buio Omega, GNP/Crescendo Crescendo’s Godzilla D’Rivera, alto sax); due later this year is a Tenebre and more). CDs (Volume 1, films from 1954-1975, and new recording of his Jazz Mass. Schifrin Volume 2, films from 1984-1995) should will record Jazz Meets the Symphony No. 4 edel America Due late March or early April: be out. with the London Symphony in April, also The Butcher Boy (). Coming in April is : The Next for future release. Generation Volume 4 (Jay Chattaway), with The albums will be marketed directly Elektra The German division of this music from the episodes “Tin Man,” “The over the Internet: see www.alephrecords. Warner label has issued the first score-only Inner Light,” “Sub Rosa,” “A Fistful of com or www.schifrin.com. The label is CD of (), Datas” and more. being headed by Schifrin’s wife, Donna, with no dialogue or sound effects. There is Greatest Sci-Fi Hits Volume 4 (Neil and is named after the first letter of the no information on a U.S. release. Norman and His Cosmic Orchestra) is Hebrew alphabet. planned for this galaxy some time this eon. Fifth Continent Rescheduled for 1998 are Crescendo will be releasing the first offi- Arista Due April 28: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), the complete remixed Concert News Virginia John Williams score. May 19: Film Music Live Around the World March 28 Washington and Taxi Driver (1976), complete Lee Univ., Lexington; Juarez score in California Symphonic Night at : (Korngold). stereo; and Funny Lady (1975, April 5 Los Angeles Jewish Lawrence of Arabia (Jarre), April 11 New River Valley album), both s.o.; Suite from Story of Ruth (Gold), and live to film: Gone with s.o., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; produced by Didier Deutsch. (Waxman), Ruth: Elegy for Cello the Wind (Steiner), The Nino Rota Medley, Lawrence of and Orchestra (Waxman, arr. Adventures of Robin Hood Arabia (Jarre), Independence Day Brigham Young University Due , world premiere). (Korngold), Ben-Hur (Rózsa), The (Arnold), Beetlejuice (Elfman), May 1 is The Flame and the April 17 Santa Rosa s.o.; Lost Wizard of Oz. Taxi Driver (Herrmann), Taras Arrow (Max Steiner), mas- Weekend (Rózsa), Perry Mason (F. Bulba (Waxman), Titanic (Horner). tered from materials located Steiner). Pennsylvania at BYU’s Max Steiner library. April 17, 18, 19 NE Penn. s.o., Germany This will be available from Georgia Avoca; Souvenir to Perry Waltzes May 8 North German Radio Screen Archives Entertain- April 3, 4 s.o.; Lost (Waxman), French Medley (arr. Orchestra, Hanover; A Musical ment, see address below. Weekend (Rózsa), Perry Mason (F. Addison). Portrait of (Jarre). Steiner). Castle Communications Due April 4 Columbus s.o.; The Texas Titanic Everywhere May/June from this English Godfather (Rota), Perry Mason (F. March 27, 28 Garland s.o.; To Performances of a symphonic label is Get Carter (1971 Steiner), Mission: Impossible Kill a Mockingbird (Bernstein). suite of Titanic (James Horner) gangster film, (Schifrin), French Medley (arr. April 4 Midland-Odessa s.o., are scheduled for: Troy High Roy Budd), first CD release. Addison), Cinema Midland; The Alamo, Rio Bravo School, Michigan (April 1); Pacific More Budd reissues (Fear Is (Morricone), (Tiomkin). Symphony, Santa Ana, CA (April the Key, Soldier Blue) will be (Morricone), Robin Hood: Prince April 9 Dallas Sym., 17, 18); Amarillo, TX (April 24, out over the rest of the year. of Thieves (Kamen), Twilight Greenville, cond. Richard 25); and New Mexico Sym., Zone (Constant), Titanic Kaufman; Goodbye Mr.Chips Albuquerque (April 27). The Citadel Four volumes of newly (Horner), Braveheart (Horner), (Addinsell), Airplane! (Bernstein), European premiere will take recorded Shostakovich film The Magnificent Seven Man in the Moon (Howard), Gigi place at Joel McNeely’s Glasgow scores are due this year. (Bernstein). (Previn), Gone with the Wind Dances concert on May 8 (see below). (Steiner), Songs for Audrey Deutsche Grammophon Illinois (Mancini), The Robe (Newman), ’s Music for Forthcoming is Tango (Lalo April 5 Illegitimate s.o., The Raiders March (Williams), Orchestra A 1970 atonal concert Schifrin, new film). Normal (really!); all John Theme from Dallas (Immel). work by Jerry Goldsmith,“Music Williams concert. April 12 Dallas Sym., Lee for Orchestra,”(approx. 8 min.) Dreamworks Due May 19: Park, cond. Richard Kaufman; will be performed by the Los Fear and Loathing in Las Ohio Out of Africa (Barry), similar pro- Angeles Philharmonic (cond. Esa- Vegas. June 30: Dead Man on March 28 Akron s.o.; A gram as above. Pekka Salonen) on March 26 and

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 6 Film Score Monthly cial CD of (, 1987) in (new independent film). Fake is the pro- Koch Due in April is a new late summer or early fall. prietor of Intrada as well as a composer. concert album (cello and piano Coming soon are two authorized pro- concerto); due May is a new recording of Great Movie Themes Now reaching U.S. motional CDs for : chamber music (St. Clair shores (via Empire Music in New York) Murder at 1600 and Hush. These are Trio), including many film pieces. Expected from this Italian label are a variety of movie being produced for Young’s professional later in the year is a new Erich Wolfgang musicals and compilations: Two Girls and use with limited availability to collectors. Korngold film music album (Juarez, The a Sailor (Allyson/Van Johnson/De Haven), There will also be two more Laurence Sea Wolf, The Sea Hawk, Elizabeth and Lady Be Good/Four Jills in a Jeep, Rosenthal promos, titles to be announced. Essex), recorded in . On the Broadway Melody 1938/Moon Over Miami, The next recording in Intrada’s slate to be recorded are albums of Rózsa: The King of Jazz/The King of “Excalibur” series (‘98 or early ‘99 chamber music for piano and Korngold: Burlesque/Going Places/Carefree (all on one release) will be Jason and the Argonauts complete music for piano, respectively. CD), Blood and Sand/Panama Hattie/At (Bernard Herrmann, 1963), the complete War with the Army, and Dick Powell: A score conducted by . The Label X Germany Forthcoming but with- Tribute to the Singing Troubador. unusual ensemble (no strings) will be out a date is Dance of the Vampires (1967), exactly recreated; the original music aka The Fearless Vampire Killers, Hollywood Due April 21 is Les Miserables tracks from the film have long been lost. Krzysztof Komeda’s music to Roman (). May 5: The Horse Write for a free catalog of soundtrack Polanski’s horror-comedy. Whisperer (). CDs from Intrada, 1488 Vallejo St, San Francisco CA 94109. Marco Polo Bill Stromberg and John Interscope Bulworth (new Warren Beatty Morgan are recording more classic film film, rap music plus JOS Coming in June from John Scott’s label scores in : score) is due in May. are Swiss Family Robinson (new film), and Garden of Evil (Bernard Herrmann, plus repressings of Antony and Cleopatra (1972, 13-minute suite from Prince of Players) is Intrada Due late March is Douglass with new packaging and one new track) and now set for April. Fake’s own score for Holly vs. Hollywood Becoming Colette (1992). Out over the rest of 1998 are: Philip

27. Call 213-850-2000. Wolves (18 min.). McNeely in Joel mer’s film-music events at the Second half: Born Free, “All McNeely will conduct the Royal . John Williams Dead Man Waltzing There will Time High” from , Out of Scottish National Philharmonic, will be in town on two weekends, be a March 29 concert at the Africa, Body Heat, Chaplin, King Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow in a to conduct a pops concert on July Shrine Auditorium (Los Angeles) Kong,The Cotton Club, Midnight film music concert on May 8, 17 and 18, and an all-Williams hosted by Tim Robbins of artists Cowboy,The Beyondness of Things 1998. concert on August 7 and 8. featured on the Dead Man Walking (18:35, new tone poem, world pre- Williams will also conduct a non- soundtrack (, Lyle miere), and The Suite Williams and LSO Reunite John film concert on June 24, a tribute Lovett, others). The event benefits (14:30 suite of Bond theme, From Williams will conduct the London to Ernest Fleishmann. George a murder victims’ family organiza- Russia with Love, “007,” You Only Symphony Orchestra in four con- Daugherty will conduct the L.A. tion; there will also be a charity Live Twice, OHMSS, Diamonds Are certs at the Barbican Centre, Philharmonic in a concert of silent auction and reception for Forever). London, July 1-4, 1998. “Bugs Bunny on Broadway”on July VIP guests. See www.notinour- The concert will be broadcast The July 1 and 2 concerts will 1—Carl Stalling live to film! John name.com. live in on Capitol Radio. feature Sound the Bells (non-film Mauceri will conduct the HBO in a There are no present plans for a work), Far and Away, Born on the variety of film music pieces over Gonna Play Now will repeat , telecast or Fourth of July, a Star Wars suite, the course of the season, and conduct a concert of movie video. Call 171-589 8212 (prefix The Witches of Eastwick (“Devil’s additional film concerts are pend- themes with the National from U.S.: 011-44). Dance”), Close Encounters of the ing. Call 213-850-2000. Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Third Kind,The Lost World, Center,Washington D.C., on April Music and Pictures The Los Sabrina, and E.T. (“Adventures on Due to the lead time of this 17 and 18. See www.kennedy- Angeles Filmharmonic Earth”). magazine, it is possible some of center.org or call 1-800-444-1324. Philharmonic series will pre- The July 3 and 4 concerts will this information is too late to The Thursday rehearsal prior to miere on April 30 with 1001 feature Celebrate Discovery, The do any good. the concert is free to the public. Nights.This is a live performance Cowboys, Williams’s Tuba This is a list of concerts with of original music by David Concerto (soloist, Patrick film music pieces. Contact the Barry Back in Action John Barry Newman conducted by Esa- Harrild), Liberty Fanfare, JFK,The orchestra’s box office for more will conduct the 87-piece English Pekka Salonen, set to a new com- Reivers, and the Olympic Fanfare information. Thanks go to Chamber Orchestra at Albert Hall puter animated film (by and Theme. John Waxman of Themes & on April 18, his first concert Hyperion Studios) based on the All concerts are at 7:30 PM. Variations (http://tnv.net) for appearance in years. The enor- conceptual designs of Japanese Pre-concert talks on July 1 and 3 this list; he provides scores and mous program features: artist Yoshitaka Amano. Future will feature Richard MacNichol parts to the . First half: , “We Have music/film pairings will be Jerry interview LSO principal brass For a list of silent film music All the Time in the World” from Goldsmith with Paul Verhoeven, players Maurice Murphy, Eric concerts, see Tom Murray’s web OHMSS, Zulu, Somewhere in Time, and Danny Elfman with Tim Crees and Patrick Harrild. site: Moviola, Mary, Queen of Scots,The Burton. Agents Richard Kraft and http://www.cinemaweb.com/lcc. Persuaders,The Knack, Swept from Lyn Benjamin are executive pro- Hollywood Bowl Mark your cal- the Sea (11 min.), and Dances with ducers of the series. endar, L.A. residents, for this sum-

Film Score Monthly 7 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 RECORD ROUND-UP • NOW PLAYING • UPCOMING ASSIGNMENTS

Sainton’s Dick (1956); : Latin Lounge, a compilation of tracks by Beyondness of Things (new John Barry non- The Uninvited, Gulliver’s Travels (1939), jazz vibesman Gary McFarland, including soundtrack work). Bright Leaf, and The Greatest Show on his themes from the films 13 (aka Eye of the Earth; Devotion (); Devil) and Once We Loved. Prometheus Due next from this Belgian and Mr. Skeffington (Franz Waxman). label is a score album to Wild America (Joel Morgan and Stromberg are recording in Pendulum Imminent are Sophia Loren in McNeely, 1997 children/adventure film). April two long-awaited discs: They Died Rome (John Barry, 1964 television special) with Their Boots On (Max Steiner) and The and Watership Down (Angela Morley, 1978). Razor & Tie Due June 2 are What’s Up Tiger Egyptian (Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Forthcoming is a reissue of The Chase (John Lily? and You’re a Big Boy Now (two sound- Newman). The Egyptian will be approx. 60- Barry). tracks by The Loving Spoonful, on one CD) 70 minutes, with choir, and with more and a reissue of A Fistful of Dollars (Ennio Herrmann cues than on the existing album Play It Again Geoff Leonard and Pete Morricone). (a re-recording done at the time of the film). Walker’s book, Bond and Beyond: The Music of John Barry, will be published in June by RCA Victor March 24: A Price Above Rubies Milan Due April 7: Gettysburg (fifth anniver- Sansom & Company of Bristol (a subsidiary (Lesley Barber). April 7: Combo (reissue of sary deluxe 2CD Digipak reissue). July: of Redcliffe Press). It will be hard-backed, album). April 28: Stephen Polish Wedding (). slightly bigger than A4 size, and approx. 250 King’s Night Flier (Brian Keane). June 16: pp. with copious black and white photos and Victory at Sea (, remas- Motor Due April 7 from this German label is 32 pages of color photos, posters, album cov- tered, new box set). July 14: Cousin Bette (Simon Boswell). NOW PLAYING New films and their CDs currently in release Reel Sounds Due May: Wicked City FILM TITLE COMPOSER LABEL (Orange 9mm, Swift and Civ). June: Love The Apostle David Mansfield Rising Tide/October* God (hard rock plus score by Stuart Gray, As Good as It Gets Columbia of Lubricated Goat). July: Somewhere in Brothers 2000 Paul Shaffer Universal* the City (John Cale). The Big Lebowski Mercury** Michael Penn Capitol** Restless Coming this spring is a new The Borrowers Harry Gregson-Williams Universal expanded/restored edition of Ennio Burn Hollywood Burn Gary G-Wiz, Priority Morricone’s masterpiece Once Upon a Time Caught Up Marc Bonilla Noo Trybe* in America (1984), produced by Nick Dangerous Beauty Restless Redman, with newly discovered alternates Dark City Trevor Jones TVT** and outtakes. Desperate Measures Trevor Jones Velvel/Reel Sounds Four Days in September Milan Rhino Due March 17: Mario Lanza at M-G- RCA Victor M. Forthcoming is a 4CD compilation cele- The Gingerbread Man brating Warner Bros.’ 75th anniversary, Danny Elfman Capitol** with tracks culled from the Warner Bros. Her Majesty Mrs. Brown catalog. This will feature many Hush Christopher Young songs, but also score tracks from long out-of- I Love You, Don’t Touch Me Jane Ford print Warner Bros. LPs. Kissing a Fool Joseph Vitarelli Varèse Sarabande Volume 2 of The Simpsons: Songs in the Krippendorf’s Tribe Bruce Broughton Key of Springfield () will be out Kundun Philip Nonesuch in May or June. See www.rhino.com. L.A. Confidential Jerry Goldsmith Restless, Varèse Live Flesh Alberto Iglesias RCA Victor Rykodisc Upcoming in The Deluxe MGM Love Walked In Wendy Blackstone Soundtrack Series: Mrs. Dalloway Ilona Sekacz Milan April 7: After the Fox (, Palmetto Klaus Doldinger BMG** 1966), The Knack... And How to Get It (John Primary Colors Barry, 1965), (John Barry, The Real Blonde Jim Farmer Milan** 1967), Thomas Crown Affair (Michel The Replacement Killers Harry Gregson-Williams Varèse Sarabande Legrand, 1968), Here We Go Round the Sphere Elliot Goldenthal Varèse Sarabande ers, etc. Tentative retail Mulberry Bush (various rock, 1968). Spice World Paul Hardcastle Virgin* price is £24.95. See April 28: Ulee’s Gold (Charlie Engstrom). The Sweet Hereafter Virgin www.auracle.com/pia. May 19: Best of the West, a compilation Titanic James Horner Sony Classical with selections from The Big Country, Twilight Elmer Bernstein edel America PolyGram Due March 17 Return of the Seven, Return of a Man Called U.S. Marshals Jerry Goldsmith Varèse Sarabande is Michael Kamen’s Opus Horse, Wonderful Country and more. Wag the Dog Mercury (newly recorded compila- June 9: Never on Sunday (Manos The Wedding Teddy Castellucci * tion). March 24: The Hadjidakis, 1960), Judgment at Nuremburg The Wings of the Dove Milan Proposition (Stephen (, 1961), Last Tango in *song compilation **combination songs and score Endelman). April: The (Gato Barbieri, 1972), The Living Daylights

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 8 Film Score Monthly (John Barry, 1987). July 14: Equus (, Jonathan Frakes). 1977), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Upcoming Film Assignments Joel Goldsmith Reasonable Doubt (d. to the Forum (, 1966), What’s next for our favorite composers Randall Kleiser, Melanie Griffith). How to Succeed in Business Without Really Harry Gregson-Williams The Trying (, 1967), Irma la Douce John Williams recorded his score for youth comedy). Entrapment (Sean Connery). (, 1963), Man of La Mancha Saving Private Ryan at Boston’s Alf Clausen Gabriella. Guy Gross . (Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion, 1972). Symphony Hall with the Boston Colcord Heartwood (Jason Robards). Larry Groupé of the Heart, Sinners By popular demand, Rykodisc will not be Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Michel Colombier Woo (comedy). (w/ Kenneth Branagh), Sleeping with adding separately indexed dialogue to Festival Chorus the week of February Eric Colvin Setting Son (d. Lisa Satriano), the Lion, Making Contact, Raven’s Blood albums following the April 7 releases, and 20th. Director and star Flight from Dhaharan (Showtime). (d. Molly Smith), Defiance (Showtime). will attempt to add unreleased music to were in attendance; it’s the Bill Conti The Real Macaw, Hope Floats (Sandra selected discs instead. Stay tuned! third Williams score to be recorded in Wrongfully Accused. Bullock). Boston, following the Special Edition cue Michael Convertino Shut Up and Dance. Chris Hajian Chairman of the Board Scannán Film Classics Newly recorded by for Close Encounters and portions of Stewart Copeland Little Boy Blue, Very (Carrot Top). this Irish label (City of Prague Philharmonic Schindler’s List. The score reportedly fea- Bad Things. Richard Hartley Victory, Curtain Call Orchestra, cond. ) for release tures a trumpet for Tim Morrison The Red Violin (Samuel (U.K.), All the Little Creatures (U.K. inde- in late April or early May is The Flame and and Thomas Rolfs and an end credit L. Jackson). pendent), Meteor. the Arrow: Classic Film Music by Max elegy titled “Hymn to the Fallen.” Mychael Danna 8 Millimeter (d. Joel Captain Jack (Bob Steiner, with selections from Spencer’s The Boston Herald reported that Carly Schumacher), Regeneration, To Live On Hoskins), The Last Governor. Mountain, The Flame and the Arrow, Dark Simon refused to score Primary Colors (Ang Lee, Civil War film, Jewel). Todd Hayen Waking Up Horton. at the Top of the Stairs, Mildred Pierce, Ice unless scenes of the Hilary character Polly: A Parrot’s Tale Family Plan (Leslie Palace, Now Voyager, The FBI Story, Life cavorting around were cut. Director Mike (Dreamworks), My Favorite Martian. Nielsen), The Secret of NIMH 2 (animat- with Father, Sergeant York, The Hanging Nichols refused to do it, so Simon left the The Revengers ed, MGM), No Other Country. Tree, Parrish and Johnny Belinda. project. Ry Cooder is now the composer. Comedies (based on Alan Aykbourn play) A Perfect Due to the volume of material, this list Gary DeMichele Ship of Fools (d. Stanley Murder (, Gwyneth Screen Archives Entertainment Imminent is only covers feature scores and selected Tucci, Campbell Scott). Paltrow, remake , d. a reissue of The Proud Rebel (Jerome high-profile television and cable projects. Quest for Andrew Davis), Snow Falling on Cedars Moross), with the original poster art. This Composers, your updates are appreciat- (Warner Bros. animated), Stepmom (d. Scott Hicks). will be available by mail order only; write PO ed: call 213-937-9890, or e-mail (Julia Roberts). James Horner The Mark of Zorro (d. Box 5636, Washington DC 20016-1236 or e- Lukas@film scoremonthly.com Anne Dudley American History X ), Mighty Joe Young, mail [email protected] for a free catalog. (New Line). Deep Impact. Mark Adler Ernest Joins the Army, The Dust Bros. . Søren Hyldgaard Island of Darkness Silva Screen Due April in the U.K. is Romeo Stanley and Livingston (Hallmark), John Du Prez Labor Pains. (Denmark-Norway), Skyggen and Juliet (Nino Rota), a reissue of the orig- The Rat Pack (HBO). 6 Days/7 Nights (d. Ivan (Denmark), The Other Side (d. Peter inal soundtrack with better sound, adding a Godzilla (Emmerich/Devlin, Reitman, /Anne Heche). Flinth), The Boy and the Lynx newly recorded 8-min. “Overture.” also co-writing and producing song with Danny Elfman Superman (d. ), (/U.S.), Help I’m a Fish Newly recorded compilations for U.S. Sneaker Pimps). American (film of Bret Easton (with songs). release in April are Cinema Choral Classics Luis Bacalov Polish Wedding, B. Monkey. Ellis novel), Instinct (). Mark Isham Blade (New Line), 2, and compilations based on the films of Mel The Blood Oranges Stephen Endelman The Proposition, At First Sight. Gibson, Sean Connery and . (October Films, d. Philip Hass). Finding Graceland. Adrian Johnston I Want You, Due May/June: Superheroes and Godzilla Lesley Barber A Price Above Rubies. George Fenton The Object of My Divorcing Jack. Screen Monsters. Danny Barnes The Newton Boys (d. Affections (Jennifer Aniston) Trevor Jones The Mighty (d. Peter Linklater, with music by Barnes’s band, Frank Fitzpatrick Players Club (Ice Cube). Chelsom, , collaborating with Sonic Images Forthcoming from Christopher The Bad Livers). Mick Fleetwood 14 Palms. ), Talk of Angels Franke’s label: April 7: Stories from My Steve Bartek Meet the Deedles (Disney). Robert Folk Major League 3, Jungle Book (Miramax), Frederic Wilde (Fox, d. Childhood (PBS animated series, various). Tyler Bates Denial. 2 (Disney). Richard Loncraine), Plunkett & MacLaine Postponed are The Blood Oranges Roger Bellon The Last Don 2 (CBS mini- David Michael Frank A Kid in Aladdin’s (PolyGram, d. Jake Scott—Ridley’s (Angelo Badalamenti) and Scene of the series). Court, The Prince, Perfect Target, The son), Titanic Town (d. Roger Michel), Crime (Jeff Rona, music from Homocide The Florentine. Family Bloom (Penelope Ann Miller), Merlin (Isabella Rosselini). and High Incident). Richard Rodney Bennett The Tale of The Staircase. Jan A.P. Kaczmarek Aimee and the Sweeney Todd (d. John Schlesinger). Jane Austen’s Mafia (Jim Jaguar (Germany, d. Max Sony Due April 21 are two soundtrack Elmer Bernstein Deep End of the Ocean Abrahams). Faerberboeck). albums to He Got Game (new bas- (Michelle Pfeiffer). Music from Another Room, Michael Kamen The Avengers (Uma ketball movie), a rap album and a compila- Chris Boardman Payback (Mel Gibson, d. Doctor Dolittle (, Fox), Thurman), . tion of music used for the Brian Helgeland, remake Point Blank). Dirty Work. Brian Keane New York (Ric Burns, epic basketball scenes. Simon Boswell Photographing Fairies, (Jim documentary). Titanic, Vol. 2 will coincide with the American Perfekt, Dad Savage, Carrey). Slums of Beverly Hills (Alan movie’s release on video, most likely to con- Perdita Durango. Elliot Goldenthal The Butcher Boy (d. Neil Arkin, Marisa Tomei),Us Begins with You tain source music from the movie—Gaelic Bruce Broughton , It’s Tough Jordan, ‘60s Irish setting), Blue Vision (Anthony Edwards). Storm’s Irish songs as well as I Salonisti’s to Be a Bug (), One Tough Cop (d. (Dreamworks, horror, d. ). William Kidd The King and I (Morgan quartet music—and a newly arranged and Bruno Barretto), Fantasia Continues Jerry Goldsmith Mulan (Disney animat- Creek, animated). recorded suite of music by James Horner. (transitions). ed; songs by , music, Philipp Fabian Kölmel Cascadeur: The There are also tentative plans for a traveling Carter Burwell Gods and Monsters. and , lyrics), Small Soldier Amber Chamber (Germany, action- Titanic concert and television special. Edmund Choi Wide Awake (Miramax, (d. Joe Dante), Star Trek 9 (d. adventure).

Film Score Monthly 9 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 RECORD LABEL ROUND-UP • UPCOMING ASSIGNMENTS

Russ Landau One Hell of a Guy, Telling You. Hutton, cond. Elmer Bernstein). (Jonathan Demme). (Showtime). Simon LeBon/Nick Wood Love Kills (d. Mario A Cool Dry Place (Vince Vaughn, Dancing at Lughnasa Rick Silanskas Hoover (d. Rick Pamplan, Van Peebles). Joey Lauren Adams, with new song from (Meryl Streep), Dreaming of Joseph Leeds Ernest Borgnine, about J. Edgar Hoover). Madeline (Frances Mills’s band, R.E.M.). (d. Eric Styles), Jacob the Lion (Robin Alan Silvestri Holy Man (comedy), The Odd McDormand). Paul Mills Still Breathing (d. Jim Robinson, Williams, WWII drama). Couple 2. Chris Lennertz The Art House (), Brendan Fraser). Home Grown (Billy Bob Marty Simon Captured. Lured Innocence (, Talia Sheldon Mirowitz Say You’ll Be Mine (Justine Thornton), Armageddon (d. ), Michael Small Elements (Rob Morrow), Poodle Shire). Bateman). Frost (Warner Bros.). Springs (d. Bob Rafaelson). John Lurie Clay Pigeons (prod. ). Fred Mollin The Fall. The Negotiator (Kevin Spacey), Neil Smolar The Silent Cradle, Harper’s Ferry, Mader Little City (Miramax), The Wonderful Ice Ennio Morricone The Legend of the Pianist on Eaters of the Dead (d. John McTiernan), Bride Treasure Island, Valentime’s Day, A Question Cream Suit (Disney), Too Tired to Die. the Ocean (Giuseppe Tornatore), Bulworth of Chuckie, Hairy Bird, Lulu on the Bridge, of Privilege, Tour the Promised . Mark Mancina Tarzan: The Animated Movie (Warren Beatty). Dennis the Menace 2. The X-Files: Fight the Future, (Disney, songs by ). Mark Mothersbaugh Best Men, Breaking Up, Jonathan Richman There’s Something About Disturbing Behavior. The Rescuers Part II Rugrats: The Movie, Dead Man on Campus Mary (Farrelly Bros., also singing on-screen). Mark Suozzo The Last Days of (d. Whit (Paramount), The Unknown Cyclist (Lea (Paramount, prod. Gale Ann Hurd). J. Peter Robinson Mr. Nice Guy (Jackie Chan), Stilman). Thompson), Broke Down Place (d. Jonathan Roger Neill Welcome to Kern Country (w/ Dust Waterproof (Lightmotive). Tim Truman Boogie Boy. Kaplan), Black Cat Run (HBO). Brothers), White Flight. Peter Rodgers Melnick The Only Thrill (Sam The Fantastics (based on David Mansfield The Gospel of Wonders Baseketball (d. ) Shepherd, Diane Keaton). Broadway show, d. Michael Ritchie). (Mexico, d. Arturo Ripstein). Pleasantville. Laurence Rosenthal Echo of Thunder Nerida Tyson-Chew Fern Gully 2. Anthony Marinelli God Said Ha! (Julia Thomas Newman The Horse Whisperer. (Hallmark telefilm). C.J. Vanston Almost Heroes. Sweeney), Hacks. The Apt Pupil (d. , Craig Safan Splitsville (comedy). Mervyn Warren The Kiss (Jersey Films, Danny Jeff Marsh Burning Down the House, Wind Ottman also editor), Goodbye Lover (replac- Snake Eyes (, Devito/Queen Latifah). River (Karen Allen). ing John Barry). d. ). Wendy and Lisa Hav Plenty (independent). Phil Marshall Rupert’s Land. Barney: The Movie, Shadrach Lalo Schifrin Something to Believe In (love Alan Williams Princess and the Pea (animated, Brice Martin Depths of Grace, Eating L.A. (d. Susanna Styron, October Films), Trigger story), Tango. song and score with lyrics by David David May Shaking All Over (d. Dominique Happy (HBO musical about gun control). Gaili Schoen Déjà Vu (independent). Pomeranz), Angels in the Attic. Forma). Shawn Patterson The Angry Man. John Scott Swiss Family Robinson. John Williams Saving Private Ryan (Spielberg). Dennis McCarthy Letters from a Killer (d. Jean-Claude Petit Messieurs les enfants, Le My Giant (Billy Crystal), The Out Debbie Wiseman Tom’s Midnight Garden. David Carson). Complot d’Aristotle, Sarabo, Desire, Sucre of Towners, A Small Miracle. Peter Wolf Widows (German, animated). Joel McNeely Virus, Zack and Reba (indepen- Amer. Edward Shearmur The Governess, Species 2. Christopher Young Hush (Gynneth Paltrow). dent), Soldier (Val Kilmer). Michael Richard Plowman Laser Hawk (Mark XistenZe (d. David Hans Zimmer Prince of Egypt (Dreamworks, Gigi Meroni The Good Life (Stallone, Hopper), Hamill, Canada). Cronenberg), Chinese Coffee (d. ). animated musical), The Thin Red Line (d. The Others, The Last Big Attractions. Basil Poledouris Les Miserables. Lawrence Shragge Valentine’s Day (HBO), The Terrence Malick). Cynthia Millar Digging to China (d. Timothy Home Fries, Beloved Sweetest Gift (Showtime), Running Wild FSM

(Record Roundup continued) (, Jerry Goldsmith cond. Royal original film soundtracks, not the re-record- The Red Violin (John Corigliano; Joshua Scottish National Orchestra), Xena: The ings) and two compilations: Bernard Bell, violin) will be out at the end of 1998. Bitter Suite: A Musical Odyssey (Joseph Herrmann at 20th Century Fox, and Jerry Still forthcoming for summer is Sony LoDuca, episode score), Moby Dick (TV Goldsmith at 20th Century Fox, both loaded Legacy’s expanded 65-minute issue of Star miniseries with Patrick Stewart and with previously unreleased material. Prince Trek: The Motion Picture (Jerry Goldsmith), Gregory Peck, music by Australian compos- Valiant (Franz Waxman) has been postponed. a 2CD set with an expanded edition of Inside er Christopher Gordon), Kissing a Fool (new Forthcoming in Robert Townson’s Film Star Trek (Gene Roddenberry-narrated ‘70s David Schwimmer film, Joseph Vitarelli and Classics series (Royal Scottish National documentary) on disc two. songs). April 7: Wild Things (George S. Orchestra, conducted by the composer Clinton), Private Lives of Elizabeth and unless noted) are Torn Curtain (Bernard SouthEast Imminent from this Dutch label Essex (Erich Wolfgang Korngold, same Herrmann, cond. Joel McNeely), The is Within the Rock (Rod Gammons and recording as Bay Cities CD, new cover). Magnificent Seven (Elmer Bernstein), The Tony Fennell, enhanced CD), followed by April 21: Mercury Rising (John Barry). Great Escape (Bernstein), Citizen Kane Fear No Evil (Frank Laloggia, David Spear, Forthcoming from producer Bruce (Herrmann, cond. McNeely) and The Agony enhanced CD). Kimmel are two newly recorded compila- and the Ecstasy (Alex North, cond. Jerry tions, conducted by Randy Miller: Godzilla Goldsmith). Super Tracks Due in March or April is a 2CD (50 years of themes, due May 5), and Varèse will reportedly issue a score CD of limited edition of the complete score to Krull Titanic (due April 23). This latter disc will / (Marco Beltrami) in June, (James Horner, 1983), 93 minutes total. mostly feature the new James Horner to coincide with the video of the sequel. score, but will also include selections from TVT Due April 7 is Lost in Space (Bruce An Affair to Remember (1958, William and Fantasia will Broughton). Due end of April are La Alwyn), the 1953 Titanic (Sol Kaplan), two be out in repackaged editions next July or Femme Nikita (various) and The Big Hit orchestral pieces from the Broadway musi- August, as well as the first release of the (Graeme Revell). cal, and source music. soundtrack to the 1973 animated Robin Coming in the Fox Classics series is Our Hood. FSM Varèse Sarabande March 24: Viva Zapata! Man Flint/In Like Flint (Jerry Goldsmith,

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 10 Film Score Monthly READER RANTS & release intended to be defini- tive? FEEDBACK As if this blunder wasn’t MAIL BAG bad enough, a sequencing error on the new Jedi set Open Season on Open Letters Marc, like so many other well- went wrong with this particu- almost destroys the impact of London vs. Los Angeles: A response to James known composers (John lar release. The Special Williams’s new, much-bally- McLean’s letter from FSM Vol. 2, No. 9: Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Edition releases of Star Wars hooed “Victory Celebration.” James Newton Howard, and The Empire Strikes Back First of all, the take used on ver 120,000 professional Danny Elfman, , were absolutely without the CD differs from the one Omusicians in the U.S. and Alan Silvestri, Randy flaw—sound quality, sequenc- used in the film, adding extra Canada are members of the Newman, Elliot Goldenthal, ing, and packaging all uni- ethnic Ewok accents where American Federation of etc.) could record their scores formly excellent. they clearly don’t belong (in Musicians (AFM) and support anywhere in the world, but Unfortunately, Return of the the “spanning-the-galaxy cele- organizations like the 1500- they consistently choose Jedi only matches the first brations”). Secondly, the cue member Recording Musicians Hollywood for the majority of two releases in the latter cate- on the CD doesn’t properly Association (RMA), and the their work. This is what we gory. Of the other two areas, lead into the “End Title” as it Theater Musicians Association do. We love it, and we are sound quality is definitely the does in the film, instead crash- (TMA). We join because we damn good at it. In the real biggest . In a recent ing to a stop and leaving dead choose to be associated with world, James, you get what FSM article (Vol. 2, No. 1), air between the two cues. the pre-eminent musicians in you pay for. album assembly supervisor After such perfect sequencing our own field. In addition, we The majority of the world’s Michael Matessino identifies on the Star Wars and Empire also understand the financial major film scoring work is the new Jedi source tapes as sets I find it incredible that necessity of aligning ourselves done here in Hollywood “...3-track tape reels that were such an obvious error was with the only professional because: (1) We consistently not used on the boxed set even allowed to stand unchanged. organizations dedicated to pro- produce a world class product though they were available at What happened? tecting musicians rights, our that is very financially compet- the time.” John Stroud families’ future, and our itive; (2) We have the largest After listening to the new 1607 Gracy Farms Lane future employment. concentration of outstanding Jedi set, I can see why these Austin TX 78758 Motion picture studios, tele- musicians capable of record- tapes weren’t used previous- vision networks, record com- ing, at a moment’s notice, any Readers, FSM is the place panies and advertising agen- type of music with and where we cater to your obsessive cies are in some cases billion style, quickly and within bud- whims. Michael Matessino dollar organizations. An indi- get; (3) We have the most responds: vidual recording extensive and professional alone trying to negotiate a support system (scoring ’m sorry that you decent salary, pension, or stages, music preparation, Ifound the Return of health care wouldn’t stand a post-production, etc.) in the the Jedi 2CD sound- chance. world. In the film industry, track so disappointing. Regarding your comments flexibility is synonymous with We who worked on it about recording fees: creativity. also wished that the The AFM negotiates with Jay A. Rosen quality of the source the film industry motion pic- studio musician, Executive Board material was better, but ture scoring sales that are Professional Musicians Local 47 after very careful com- applied nationally. The base Sheldon Sanov parisons to other scale for a standard six-hour studio musician, Executive Board ly! The sound quality is sources, we concluded that day of scoring by professional L.A. Recording Musicians awful—dull, flat, lifeless and this was the best one to use musicians of a big budget Association (RMA) compressed. The Jedi tapes for most of the album. Overall, movie in Hollywood, New Los Angeles, California used for the Arista box set there seemed to be a bit more York, Nashville and the rest of were superior in every way presence and stereo separation the U.S. and Canada is less Having watched Los Angeles session except for completeness. But than other available sources, than 1/5 of the ridiculous musicians at work, Jeff and I can vouch for I find myself willing to sacri- but a considerable portion of $2500.00 (we wish it were their incredible skill and passion. You can fice the latter for the sake of the set did utilize the same true) incorrectly quoted by reach the Professional Musicians Local 47 enjoying a pleasant listening master reels that were used you. And the wage scale for a union on the Web at www.promusic47.org experience (for example, com- for the Arista anthology. Jedi low budget film is far lower and the Recording Musicians Association at pare the tracks “Fight in the was recorded with a different, still. (Check out our web sites, members.aol.com/musikat/rma. Dungeon,”“Heroic Ewok/The less desirable aesthetic quality James, the scales are posted.) Fleet Goes Into Hyperspace” from Star Wars and The Marc Shaiman’s comments Revenge of the Jedi? and “First Ewok Battle/Fight Empire Strikes Back, and this about scoring outside of o the Producers of the with the Fighters” to their was further compromised by Hollywood reflect his complete TReturn of the Jedi Special counterparts on the new Jedi the use of inferior tape stock and intimate knowledge of the Edition Soundtrack: set). Why were these inferior- which did not age well. entire film scoring process. I’m writing to find out what sounding tapes used for a Unfortunately, the difference

Film Score Monthly 11 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 MAIL BAG albums, our job was to preserve having read his biography, that the integrity of Mr. Williams’s he treated everyone this way. work, not desecrate it, so our An angry, bitter, hateful old is all the more noticeable when policy is to not violate basic man. To this day I’ve never lis- compared to Star Wars and musical principles just to slav- tened to his music the same Empire, since we had newly dis- ishly adhere to the whims of way. By contrast, that same covered multi-track sources on sound editors who are simply summer, Barry could not have these, both of which were trying to “make it work” to the been nicer. recorded better in the first satisfaction of often non-musi- Gary Helland place. cal producers and directors. [email protected] With regard to “Victory Michael Matessino Visit our our web site at Celebration,” what we used was Glendale, California It’s funny how composers’ personalities the track as recorded, mixed, www.filmscoremonthly.com, can be so independent of their music. Bernard and handed to us by John Pro Poll Proposal Herrmann is a legend to film music buffs, but Williams and his recording he results of your recent poll for the latest breaking news, imagine a cantankerous, disheveled New engineer, Shawn Murphy. We T(Vol. 3, No. 1) were interest- rumors, and innuendo Yorker with ill-fitting clothes chomping on a could only assume that this was ing. Although 127 people is not cigarette and yelling at everybody. It’s too how the composer wanted it to an enormous sampling, it’s clear 5 times a week! bad that this has affected Gary’s feelings sound, and so that’s how we that your readership has differ- towards his music, because ideally, a man’s presented it. It is, in fact, the ent opinions of what makes a personality should not make a difference. same “take” as what is used in great score than composers do. writers might lean towards Randy Newman (Fortunately enough composers have yelled the film. That the filmmakers Based on my personal experi- and Dave Grusin, etc. I disagree when it at me that I can enjoy or not enjoy their music felt the need to edit it further ence, I would guess that a comes to John Williams—most composers I regardless of their personality.) and to mix out some of the polling of working film com- have met are in awe of his technique. overlays after Williams deliv- posers would place Bernard Saluting Williams ered it to them was a decision Herrmann at the top with Barry Beats Benny his most recent summer I they did not share with the Ennio Morricone a close second. hank you for your comments Tfound a job a Tanglewood, composer or with us. In fact, Although Jerry Goldsmith is Tabout John Barry in your the summer home for the our CD master had to be deliv- highly regarded, I doubt he recent Film Score Daily articles Boston Symphony Orchestra ered by mid-January 1997, a would dominate so completely. [on www.filmscoremonthly.com]. in Lenox, MA. It’s an interest- full month before work on the Also, Maurice Jarre, Franz Barry has written some of the ing place to meet talented film was completed. Waxman, and Henry Mancini most beautiful music for film; musicians, composers and fans As to the placement of the would surely fare better. of special note are Frances, of classical music—plus John track against the “End Title,” Of “‘90s” composers, there Dances with Wolves, and Williams drops by from time to again the filmmakers gave us is closer agreement—Elfman Chaplin. No, these scores aren’t time. I was eating lunch with no indication as to what they would score highly as full of “thrills and excitement”; my girlfriend and fellow were doing, and were under no would Goldenthal. I suspect but then neither is the prelude employees and who walks out obligation to do so. John Zimmer and Horner might slip to Wagner’s Parsifal or the slow of the cafeteria and sits down Williams was concerned, howev- a bit. movement to Beethoven’s 3rd one table over from me: er, that “Victory Celebration” John Williams is an interest- symphony. Bernard Herrmann! Just kid- ends on a B-flat major chord ing case. Everyone knows he is On a personal note, Barry is ding. Actually it was Johnny and the “End Title” begins in immensely talented, but the and has always been a gentle- Williams. Great Scott! Five E-flat major. Obviously his con- sheer weight of his mass popu- man. Back in 1972 I had the feet away from me was a living cerns were justified, since what larity makes him suspect (no pleasure of meeting him in legend. is heard in the film is down- doubt a smidgen of jealousy London while on vacation. I My girlfriend, Bridget, start- right sloppy. Guessing that this there). Also, he is such a devot- was only 15 years old and Barry ed pushing me over towards Mr. is how it would be, we tried this ed historian that his work often treated me with great respect. Williams, all the while saying, same timing for the CD at first. has the feel of “what would During a break in a recording “Come on. Go talk to him. He is As predicted, it was a jarringly Holst have done here?” Or session we had a wonderful talk right there and you’re not even unmotivated modulation. But Stravinsky. Or Debussy. Or about the “Bond” scores. going to say hi to him?” I allowing the B-flat major chord Wagner. And so on. On a contrasting note, I argued that he probably didn’t to resolve before coming in on Personally, I find Carter attempted to contact Bernard want to be disturbed while he the E-flat chord two beats later Burwell to be underrated, and Herrmann that same summer was eating. But the truth was made it musically palatable Mason Daring and Mark in London. Herrmann was list- that I didn’t want to appear because the tonic of the B-flat Suozzo unjustly ignored. ed in the phone book and being star-struck and walk over shak- chord is the dominant in E-flat, Michael Levine a young, naive kid, I thought it ing, fumbling my words, “M-M- and therefore one’s ear can New York, New York would be neat to call him up Mr. Wi-w-w-illiams? Y-Y-You’re expect this as a logical chord and tell him how much I loved c-c-c-ool.” progression. At some point we hope to poll composers his music. Big mistake. I guess Instead, however, I decided to John Williams’s scores are on their preferences. Since many film com- Herrmann either hated every- get his attention by doing some- but one element that draws posers are themselves not fans of film music, one, or just didn’t realize he thing unique that only myself viewers to the Star Wars their favorites tend to skew towards the lead- was shouting at a 15-year-old and a handful of people in the Trilogy, but their soundtrack ers in their particular genre of music. For fan. He screamed at me and world can do. Some people can albums are an Empire of his example, -based composers might actually left me in tears. I was twist their tongue; others can own. As producers of the name Ry Cooder and Mark Knopfler, song- stunned. I’ve since learned, do the splits or make fart noises

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 12 Film Score Monthly with their armpits, but I can he did something that I ed in the first place? When I “I” like them. And of course do something only a mother thought he would never do. No, rattled off a few titles they just Halloween, which I was could love. I make realistic not the : he spoke to laughed. So I had to remind banned from playing if my trumpet sounds with my me! He said, “Bravo! That’s them that this was music that flatmate was around because mouth. Even my music great. Perhaps you could tune “I” liked... not them. it scared her. Wimp. teacher requested that I per- up with us later, ha ha ha!” I What film music affects you So take a break from bag- form a solo in one of the col- could only smile back and say the most emotionally? This ging those composers you lege musicals because it thank you. I knew I had let him might make another interest- love to hate and tell us what sounds so real—seriously! I know that I was a fan and at ing list for FSM. I was born in the films are whose music has can’t walk down the corridors the same time kept my dis- the ‘60s, I started noticing film affected you the most—the of my college without someone tance. Almost classy, or should I music in 1975 when I went to music that just sent you into asking me to perform a little say, “Brassy.” True story! see They Call Me Trinity. The a spin. It doesn’t matter what fanfare or blast out a heroic William N. Zarvis music blew me away, then someone else thinks; it’s what theme. Not to brag but it 103 West St came Dirty Harry, Bullitt you like... sounds really good. Lenox MA 01240 (both on TV), Jaws, Irma la Wayne Forbes So here I was sitting ner- Douce (TV). Then came a Corrimal, vously at one table and there For the Love of Music! week when the three was John Williams eating at uring the Desert Island lists Eastwood westerns were What I would like is if people could sepa- another table. I cleared my Dsome years ago, readers of screened, but it was The Good, rate those scores that they are emotionally throat, smacked my lips and different ages noted the follow- the Bad and the Ugly which connected with from those scores that are began to play the trumpet solo ing films as the ones which got really stunned me. So did Once worth arguing about. We all like some weird from the “J.F.K theme” with them interested in film music: Upon a Time in the West, but I stuff, and our shared love of it is part of the regal passion. Almost all of a The Tall T, Exodus and The was frustrated with the LPs fun of being into film music. But talking sudden he stopped eating and Poseidon Adventure, all because they weren’t the same about our favorites and how they affect only quickly shot his head around to because of the era in which as the versions in the films. us becomes ironically exclusive, not inclusive. identify the source of the music. they grew up. The key word for Paris, Texas, Who Framed His eyes fixed on me and then two of them was “emotion.” Roger Rabbit?, Basic Instinct Let’s Give Baxter a Break narrowed in on my invisible I was asked once what films and Speed are the more recent ould you please give tribute trumpet. He took another puz- affected me the most emotional- titles that got the emotions Csometime to Les Baxter? zled look and then leaned back ly when it came to their music going. They may not be the I’m especially curious to know and gave me a big smile. Then and what film got me interest- best scores ever written but why he never worked again

DISCOPHILIA 10153 1/2 Riverside Dr #299 Wind and the Lion, The LPs 10” & 12” for Auction Toluca Lake CA 91602 Jerry Goldsmith Intrada $50.00 Best Offer Over Min. Bid Please... send your orders, want lists or bids. 10” Long John Silver David Buttolph Please include an I.R.C or SASE for payment EPs & 45s w/ Pix Covers for Auction (selections from ST rare/poor cond.) $50.00 instructions and answers to your inquiries... Best Offer Over Min. Bid 10” Return to Paradise The AUCTION will close on May 1 at 10PM P.S.T. EP Bonne Soupe, La (fair cond.) $75.00 WRITE to BID—Include: Name, Phone # and Raymond Le Senchal (fair cond.) $15.00 12” *Anne of the Thousand Days Full Address. FREE SEARCH for any wants! 45 Dances with Wolves (hole in cover) $25.00 Thanks for choosing DISCOPHILIA! John Barry (U.K. pressing) $15.00 12” L’Adolescente EP Flame and the Flesh Philippe Sarde French pressing/rare $199.00 * Denotes a factory sealed item Nicolas Brodsky (fair cond.) $60.00 12” Barbarella EP Gout de la Violence, Le Bob Crewe & rare LP $199.00 CDs for Auction André Hossein $35.00 12” Bullitt Best Offer Over Min. Bid 45 Leonard Part 6 Love Theme (vocal Peabo Lalo Schifrin (fair cond., as is) $30.00 Accidental Tourist, The Bryson/) $15.00 12” *Copacabana John Williams (box notched) $85.00 EP Naked Sea Laurindo Almeida/Geo. Fields Barry Manilow CBS TV movie - rare LP $199.00 *Alive James N. Howard $50.00 (record fair/cover tear) $20.00 12” David Copperfield Black Robe Georges Delerue (1991) $75.00 EP Nuit Americane, La (Day for Night) NBC TV special - rare $199.00 *Boy Who Could Fly, The Georges Delerue $50.00 12” Deaf Smith and Johnny Ears Bruce Broughton (1986) $100.00 EP Star Is Born, A Daniele Patucchi 1973 $199.00 *Cable Guy, The $25.00 12” Dennis the Menace John Ottman (promo) $50.00 EP Ten Thousand Bedrooms CBS original voices TV ST Stories $199.00 *Comme un Boomerang Dean Martin (U.K. pressing) $85.00 12” Gloria Georges Delerue (box notched) $40.00 45 L’Ultimo Aerco per Venezia Bernard Gerard EMI France $75.00 *Frozen Assets Armando Trovajoli (Italian TV) $15.00 12” *Eight Men Out Michael Tavera (1992, box notched) $50.00 Mason Daring 1988 $25.00 *Guarding Tess 45s & EPs w/o Pix Covers for Auction 12” *Glory James Horner Michael Convertino (box notched) $30.00 Best Offer Over Min. Bid rare/audiophile pressing $199.00 *Hunchback of Notre Dame, The EP Band of Thieves Acker Bilk/jazz band - 12” Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The (Disney, 2-song promo) $10.00 theme/U.K. pressing (fair cond.) $15.00 Elmer Bernstein cond. FMC-4 $199.00 In the Line of Fire 45 Big Circus, The 2/songs 12” Girl Most Likely, The Ennio Morricone $25.00 (fair cond.) $10.00 Martin & Blanc/ $99.00 Kafka 45 Comanche, The (one song from film ST, The 12” Hammerhead David Whitaker 1968 (1992) $60.00 Lancers) (fair cond.) $15.00 (vocals Madeline Bell) $25.00 Man Without a Face, The 45 Delicate Delinquent, The theme/Buddy 12” Heavy Metal: The Score James Horner $35.00 Bregman (fair cond.) $25.00 Elmer Bernstein 1981 $25.00 Mandela 45 Helga and Michael theme/H. Hatcher 12” L’Homme en Colére special issue promo w/ sealed book $35.00 vocal/Jerry Naylor (fair cond.) $25.00 Claude Bolling RCA France 1979 $49.00 My Life 45 Mackintosh Man, The 12” Kelly’s Heroes John Barry $25.00 Maurice Jarre (theme/rare promo) $50.00 Lalo Schifrin MGM $49.00 Poirot 45 Question of Adultery, A 12” Lady Oscar , LWT Series TV ST $45.00 Bobby Troup (vocal/Julie London) $20.00 Michel Legrand pressing on Kitty $75.00 Promised Land 45 Saddle the Wind 12” Logan’s Run James N. Howard (1987) $50.00 theme/sung by Julie London (fair cond.) $10.00 Jerry Goldsmith MGM 1976 $35.00 Que C’est Ce Garcon? 45 Simba 12” *Manhunter various artists/compilation Philippe Sarde (1987, box notched) $50.00 Les Baxter (one-sided wht/label promo) $40.00 Paramount 1976 $35.00 Rosary Murders, The 45 Ski on the Wild Side Billy Allen 12” Bobby Laurel & $50.00 (2 versions m.t.) (fair cond.) $15.00 Paramount 1976 $39.00 Shadow, The 45 Woman of the River 2/tracks from film/ 12” Story of So Dear to My Heart, The Jerry Goldsmith $25.00 rare vocal/Sophia Loren $50.00 Disney 1964 (7 songs) $49.00 Under Fire 45 Youngblood Hawke, The 12” Under African Skies BBC-TV series Jerry Goldsmith Warner/Japan $100.00 themes 1 & 2, prod: Mitch Miller$15.00 (2LP set) $25.00

Film Score Monthly 13 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 READER ADS MAIL BAG use fees and that movie scores still have a select audience, but WANTED Newman) $15; Regarding Henry (Zimmer) it is a shame that Big Bill Powell (2007 Gerda Terr, Orlando $15; Class Action (Horner) $15. after The Beast Within. I Wednesday, White Fang, and FL 32804-5443) wants on CD: Tales of Richard F. Miller (10478 Stark Rd, always hoped that he would are not (John Lanchbery), The Battle Livonia MI 48150; ph: 313-522-3631) has but he never did and that’s a available on compact disc. Why of Britain (Ron Goodwin/William Walton), for sale: The Air Up There ($5, sealed), shame because he was a bril- is a score like Alien Eye of the Needle (Miklós Rózsa), Fall of ($5, sealed), Addams liant composer. I think the Resurrection released but the Roman Empire (Dimitri Tiomkin, Varèse Family Values ($5, sealed), Angels in the world of his scores for the Breakdown is left unavailable? only) and 55 Days at Peking (Tiomkin). Will Outfield (Edelman, $5, sealed), Balto Mario Bava films, especially I don’t mean to trash John pay top dollar for mint discs. (Horner, $6), Batman: Mask of the Black Sabbath, one of the best Frizzell, I am just trying to Marcos Schwarts (4405 NW 73rd Ave Phantasm (Walker, sealed, $6), Class #20-10541, Miami FL 33166-6400) wants Action (Horner, sealed, $10), Cool World horror films ever made. make a point. I would love to scores on CD: Bent (Philip (Isham, $6), Criminal Law (Goldsmith, $7), Baxter’s music made it even own a copy of Flesh + Blood Glass), When Night Is Falling (Leslie Critters (Newman, $6), Crossover Dream more so. Baxter’s music was and Cherry 2000 but I can’t Barber), Between the Devil and the Deep ($5, sealed), Crossing the Line ($9, every bit as good as what afford to pay the kind of money Blue Sea/Li (Wim Mertens), Les Voleurs Morricone), The Dark Half (Young, $9, Bernard Herrmann wrote for that people are asking for those (Philippe Sarde), The Pillow Book (directed sealed), Darkman (Elfman, $7), Dick Tracy his horror films (not to dimin- titles. I believe in America and by Peter Greenaway). (Elfman, $5 sealed), Doctor ish Herrmann—I think the making a profit, but $2,500.00 Alex Zambra (5644 Lawndale, Houston Faustus/Francis of Assisi (Nascimbene, world of his work as well). is a little steep. I just want to TX 77023-3840; ph: 713-921-1110; fax: $6), For Love or Money (Broughton, sealed I’m glad that Baxter’s work listen to the music! 713-921-5082) wants: Black Rain $5), Godfather Part III (Coppola, $6), Full is now coming out on CD. He My hat is off to Rykodisc on (Zimmer, CD); Moby Dick (Sainton, LP), The Circle (Towns, $8), Hider in the House ($6). Victors (Kaplan, LP) and Dreamstone was a great talent and I feel their recent re-release of (Batt, CD). WANTED AND bad that he’s gone. I guess Octopussy. A great John Barry FOR SALE/TRADE Hollywood turned its back on score that the average person FOR SALE/TRADE Robert Knaus (320 Fisher St, Walpole him and he died of neglect. can now buy and enjoy. Adam Harris (PO Box 1131, Sheffield MA 02081; ph: 508-668-9398) has for I’m thankful for Tony Thomas Scott Freeman MA 01257; ph: 412-229-3647) has CDs for sale on CD: Streetfighter (Revell, $10), and Randall Larson for their 2720 Hazel sale: Apollo 13 (legit. MCA promo, $200), Hider in the House (Young), The Clan of championing of Baxter’s work Texarkana TX 75503 The War at Home ($150), Dracula: Dead the Cave Bear (Silvestri), Pacific Heights in their writings. Otherwise, I and Loving It ($50), Warriors of Virtue (Zimmer), (Kamen), suspect that I would’ve Warm Wishes Welcomed (promo, $20), My Best Friend’s Wedding E.T. (original issue, Williams), $5 each. ignored Baxter too, like so ongratulations! I give FSM (score, $75), Welcome to Sarajevo ($75), Wanted on CD: StarGate (Arnold), The G.I. Jane (Trevor Jones, no artwork, 45 Client (Shore), Quigley Down Under many other people seem to do. Cfive stars as the best maga- min., $50), George of the Jungle (Shaiman, (Poledouris), Lassie (Poledouris). Sean McDonald zine! Liked the John Williams no artwork, 34 min., $75), A Thousand Michael Mueller (701 S University Detroit, Michigan Buyers Guide. Hope to see the Acres (Richard Hartley, no artwork, 42 Blvd, Apt K354, Mobile AL 36609; ph: 334- same for Jerry Goldsmith. min., $25), The People Under the Stairs 414-1417) has the following CDs for Les Baxter (1922-1996) scored around Question: Where can I find ($10), House/House 2 ($20), The Seventh sale/trade: Logan’s Run (Bay Cities) $70; 150 films between 1953 and 1982; he was the best audio quality—movie Sign ($25), Hoffa ($12), Excessive Force The Reivers (Masters Film Music) $50; 60 when he scored The Beast Within in ‘82, theater, CD, video or laser? ($25), Beastmaster 2 ($10). LPs for sale Steel Magnolias (Polygram) $60; The which was not an unusual age to retire at Carl Silverman (all opened but mint): The Island ($25), Witches of Eastwick (Warner) $200. that time. Maybe he was just sick of scoring 655 E 14 St The Project ($20), Lassiter Wanted on CD (buy/trade): SPFM Tribute to low-budget horror movies. New York NY 10009 ($15), Cat’s Eye ($25), 10 to Midnight Jerry Goldsmith. ($20). Add $3 to cover postage. There are dozens of great composers Kevin McDonald (75 Kristin Circle worthy of tributes in FSM. We try to get to We plan on doing many more buyers #604, Schaumburg IL 60195; ph: 847- Fee Info: Free: Up to five items. After them as we can. guides—Williams Part 3 will run next issue. 781-8237; [email protected]) has the five items, it’s $5 for up to 10 items; $10 It's just a matter of time until we get to following CDs for sale. All titles shipped for up to 20 items; $20 for up to 30 items, Fandom’s Not Fair them. COD; $2 for the first CD, $1 for each addi- and add $10 for each additional (up to) 10 et me congratulate you on I'm not a sound buff and tend to think tional. Body Heat (Barry) $225; Waterworld more items. Lyour wonderful magazine most digital sound today is pretty good. (Howard) $15; Babylon 5 (Franke, Send U.S. funds only to Film Score and thank you for making our Perhaps some large corporations can spend signed/numbered) $50; Midnight Run Monthly, 5455 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1500, Los beloved film composers readily thousands of dollars on ad space here in (Elfman) $25; (various) $20; Angeles CA 90036-4201. No bootleg titles! available. I love your video FSM to argue the merits of each system with Where the River Runs Black (Horner) $20; You can send your ad by e-mail: Lukas@ Warlock (Goldsmith) $20; The Phantom (D. filmscoremonthly.com documentary you did on Basil vivid illustrations and catchy slogans. Poledouris. I hope that you are Thanks as always for listening; drop by able to release a CD of the the message board on our web site, piano tracks that he played on www.filmscoremonthly.com, to hear from Soundtrack Merchandisers! the video. If you do, reserve other fans of this crazy music we love. me a copy! I think he is the FSM has big plans for the coming year— most underrated film compos- Got something to say, or share? Don’t miss an issue! er working today. He is so Send your comments to: diverse and has written many FSM Mail Bag To advertise contact truly fantastic scores: Farewell 5455 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1500 to the King, It’s My Party, Los Angeles CA 90036, Digital Film & Print, Inc. Starship Troopers, not to men- or to mailbag@ phone 213.932.5606 fax 213.932.6111 tion RoboCop and Conan. filmscoremonthly.com I know it boils down to re-

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 14 Film Score Monthly By Jeff Bond DOWNBEAT A Whole Lotta Scorin’ Going On

HIS IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT

OF DOWNBEAT, FSM’SMONTHLY TROUNDUP OF FILMS AND THEIR COMPOSERS. THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE

WORKING RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE, AND

DOWNBEAT WILL PROVIDE A REGULAR INTEL-

LIGENCE REPORT ON JUST WHAT THE HECK Michael Kamen discusses THEY’RE DOING. SOME OF THESE FILMS the a-Peeling proscpect of scoring The Avengers, HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED, SOME ARE with are imminent, and some are due for sum- roll background. “At first, I thought the the film’s broad, cartoony nature doesn’t mer, so our discussions with these com- score would be straight-ahead surf music,” seem to merit the risk. But The Deedles on- posers range anywhere from nebulous pre- says Bartek, then adding that the produc- screen will have something giving it an scoring thoughts to post-mortems. ers of the film wanted a more ska-like extra push—Steve Bartek’s fusion of rock approach. For a luau scene in the film, and orchestra. Bartek actually brought in members of the —Jason Comerford STEVE BARTEK defunct band to perform on The Deedles the soundtrack. teve Bartek used to think having a solo Bartek was still interested in “under- STEPHEN ENDELMAN Scareer would be too much. He’s worked pinning the characters” with more tradi- The Proposition with Danny Elfman as orchestrator of tional orchestral elements, so in the end, et in 1935 Boston, The Proposition is choice since Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure he settled on crossing over. For the bad Sthe story of a wealthy couple (William (1985), and never gave much thought to guy, he wrote music for light orchestra Hurt and Madeliene Stowe) who can’t writing his own music: “Too much pres- and then tempered it with ska-band have children and involve a surrogate sure,” he says. effects. But for the children, the film’s father (Neil Patrick Harris) with the help But when he did his first film (Cabin protagonists, he also shook up the mix, of a local priest (Kenneth Branagh). Boy), it all clicked. Says Bartek, “There’s adding orchestral touches to a primarily That’s the TV Guide description of this something about hearing your own compo- rock-based structure. story; in fact, composer Stephen sition being played by an orchestra that Asked if it was hard for him as a solo Endelman spent roughly ten minutes out- gets you to thinking, ‘Well, maybe it would- artist to stay out from under lining the labyrinthine plot, n’t be so bad after all.’” Bartek’s newest Danny Elfman’s shadow, which also involves Robert film is the Disney comedy The Deedles (for- Bartek remarks, “It’s hard to Welcome to Loggia and Blythe Danner, merly Meet the Deedles), slated for a March consciously choose between and enough twists and turns release. The film is about two teen kids styles. Because so much of my Downbeat, for five Coen brothers films. who get thrown out of their Hawaiian work involves Danny’s materi- “The biggest challenge was home, and end up being mistaken for al I have to make a conscious our new not falling into the trap of rangers at Yellowstone National Park, get- effort to avoid Dannyisms in being sentimental with the ting in the way of an evil eco-fiend in the my own work.” Regardless of roundup of music,” Endelman explains. process (played by Dennis Hopper). his connections with Elfman, “That was definitely a require- Bartek got involved with the project, his approaches for The Deedles scores in ment of the movie. The plot, if ironically, on the power of his work with are intriguing. For inquiring not treated delicately, could Oingo Boingo. “The director, Steve Boyum, minds, Bartek has prepared a progress become heavy-handed. The was a fan of Oingo Boingo, and interviewed four-minute, “more songlike” other challenge was the char- me. And he didn’t interview anyone else, score cue for the film’s sound- and their acter of Arthur (Hurt), who is so... I got the job.” Bartek’s approach, track release. An all-score composers a very powerful, rich, thought- therefore, was tempered with his rock-and- release isn’t likely, seeing as ful, well-read, educated, bril-

Film Score Monthly 15 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 DOWNBEAT Lethal liant person, who’s allowing his wife to remembers no longer exists. had songs in the film by some become pregnant with another man in “They wanted a dramatic Weapon groups that are really cool: a order for her to be fulfilled. Musically, what score, but it was pretty much is more like group called Morphine, a I wanted to do with him was to create a up to me, and it was my idea to group called Kate’s Choice and theme that would cover all those elements marry a dramatic score to a an infrequent a group called Smash Mouth. and put across from the beginning of the kind of traditional Memphis I’ve always wanted to be able movie that here was a man with tremen- guitar sound. In certain places reunion with to use musicians from these dous strength. He’s not being manipulated in the score you will hear some old buddies groups as cameo musicians in by his wife; he’s doing it out of pure Memphis guitar, just a hint of the score. So I was able to get strength of character.” that.” While you’d expect an (Clapton and the singer from Kate’s Choice, Director Lesli Linka Glatter and the rest Elvis-oriented film to be chock- Sarah Bentins, to do all the of the film’s creative staff wanted a the- full of songs, Endelman insists Sanborn) ooh and aah vocal work, and matically driven score. “They wanted that the final musical balance than a job sort of be the voice of the themes that would be memorable and that doesn’t sacrifice the score. “I swamp. And Dana Coley and would play through the movie,” says think it’ll be a real mix, Mark Sandsman from Endelman. “I was able to write themes because there is 45 minutes of score, and Morphine, the sax and the slide that could not just be developed within there’s a lot of Elvis and other songs; it’ll bass player, are on the score, and the guitar themselves, but they would come out of be a real mixture of stuff.” player Greg Cam from Smash Mouth.” something else. A good example is, the first While the rock musicians bring a hip time we see the first surrogate, there’s the ambiance to the score, Clinton largely hint of a musical idea, and when the two GEORGE S. CLINTON refrained from linking the rock material to first make love, it’s not a happy event, it’s Wild Things his music in an overt way. “A couple of the destruction of innocence, and the next ith co-stars Matt Dillon, Generation times I have the slide bass player play a time you hear that theme is when Arthur WX goddess , and tune from a song that they play at the end says ‘I will never give you up,’ when Stowe Denise Richards, Wild Things promises to called ‘Murder for Money.’ Generally they is asking for a divorce; it’s all related to the take the Kevin Williamson twenty-some- performed the score as I wrote it.” fact that they’ve destroyed this young thing psycho-angst genre a step further. Clinton is confident that Wild Things man, and it’s not resolved until after the Since everyone hated Denise Richards in will out-strip the Kevin Williamson children are born. So I very much struc- Starship Troopers, she seems well-cast as a franchise recently represented by I tured the score from the very first note to bad vixen here. Director John Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream 2. “It’s a step beyond; it’s got a lot more happening. It was a lot of fun to go even farther out than what they were looking for. They’re very music-savvy, both McNaughton and the producer, .”

MICHAEL KAMEN The Avengers modern-day rendition of the classic Atongue-in-cheek British adventure series from... the director of Benny & Joon ABOVE and National Lampoon’s Christmas Stephen Endelman Vacation? Well, Jeremiah Chechik’s genre contemplates credentials aren’t entirely suspect. He has The Proposition, the very last note.” McNaughton (Henry: Portrait of a Serial made the special-effects-filled Pecos Bill his latest work A thematically driven, Killer and Mad Dog and Glory) mounts movie Tall Tale for Disney, and handled in progress. intelligently structured this twisted story of an ill-fated love trian- another highly anticipated remake last RIGHT score? That’s an idea that’s gle that takes place in a modern suburb in year with the suspenser George S. Clinton, just nutty enough to work. Miami. Diabolique. And the trailer for the new now scoring George S. Clinton snagged the gig on the Avengers film is so perfect I even believed Wild Things. Finding Graceland strength of a demo tape he sent to the Uma Thurman as Emma Peel (and that’s Directed by David Winkler, director. “It’s a non-traditional approach coming from someone who believes that if Finding Graceland is about a guy (Harvey because it’s such a bizarre story,” says God had a wife, She would be Diana Rigg). Keitel) who is either a) , b) the Clinton, a veteran of Showtime’s skin-fest The big question is, will Michael Kamen angel of Elvis Presley, or c) thinks he’s Red Shoe Diaries. “Instrumentation is make any references to Laurie Johnson’s Elvis Presley, and is on his way to baritone sax, hammer dulcimer, bongo famous Avengers TV theme. Says Kamen: Graceland when he rescues a man whose drums and female voice.” Clinton took “I better not!” Maybe the real question is, wife has been killed in a car accident. Elvis advantage of a standard curse of contem- is Johnson’s original theme really all that takes him along on the journey, “rekindles porary films, high-synergy rock songs: “I famous? “The Avengers is a very popular his love for life,” as Endelman explains, was able to do something I’ve always want- show and a very well-known film,” Kamen but finds himself that the Graceland he ed to do. The music supervisor, Budd Carr, explains. “When I ask people, in my com-

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 16 Film Score Monthly pletely scientific way, if they know The So what surprises will be in store this Next Issue Avengers, they always say, ‘Oh yeah, yeah!’ time around? “It’s not rocket science to do Christopher Young on Hard Rain and And I ask if they can hum the tune and one; we know how those films go,” states Hush, Nick Glennie-Smith on Man in the invariably they hum something from The Kamen. “I get out of the way when things Iron Mask, Brian Keane on Illtown and Saint or Bonanza or a Winston cigarette blow up and I’ll lead you up to it, and I’ll Nightfliers, Harry Gregson-Williams on TV commercial. Whatever it is, they’ve make it seductive and warm and rich, and The Replacement Killers, Deceiver and The revealed that it’s not an incredibly well- I’ll try as much as possible within the Borrowers—and more! FSM known theme. It’s a great vibe, it’s a well- framework of the movie to let known feeling, and at the time it was kind be Eric Clapton and be Special thanks to Ray Bennett at of in the style of Peter Gunn, in the style of David Sanborn, and I’ll be the pivot The Hollywood Reporter, whose idea The Saint, in the style of James Bond.” between the two.” we are stealing for this column. So what approach is Kamen taking? “Jeremiah’s advice to me is, don’t score this movie, score this world,” says the com- poser. “You don’t have to give me their tunes; we’re not doing a bigger version of the TV show, we’re doing a movie. All of that wonderful ‘60s kitschy flavor is part of the world that we’re in now, as indeed it’s part of the real world now. The qualities in the original Avengers, Steed’s prim and properness and Emma Peel’s incredible seductiveness, are very much there, and I’m really having a good time.” While Sean Connery’s villain appears to be a full- blown Scot in the film (kilt included), Kamen insists that’s not the case, nor will he be overtly referencing the character’s Scottish qualities with his music. “He’s a snake, and I’ll probably provide him with fitting snake-like attributes.” With Marius (Romeo + Juliet) DeVries collaborating with Kamen to mix plenty of songs into the movie, we can look forward to two Avengers albums, one featuring Kamen’s score. “A lot of the songs will be written in tandem with the score, so it’s not exactly an opera, but there will hopefully be a lot 1/2 Page Island Ad of orchestral elements within the songs that show up in the score.” Virgin Lethal Weapon 4 While Michael Kamen largely swore off action movies after 3, Lethal Weapon is one action franchise from which the composer doesn’t seem prepared to walk away. For Kamen, the Lethal Weapon series seems to be more like an infrequent reunion with old buddies than a job: he will continue collaborating not only with direc- tor and producer Joel Silver, but with soloists Eric Clapton (gui- tar) and David Sanborn (). “A side from making music together we’re friends, so we have a good time,” Kamen explains. “And it’s very rare that you get to revisit a theme; they’re not going to make Don Juan DeMarco 2, as much as I wish they would. Or Robin Hood; I can’t recir- culate those themes without getting bust- ed. The Lethal Weapon series does have a wonderful melody that Eric Clapton and I came up with for the original.”

Film Score Monthly 17 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 It’s possible to see one of the great soundtracks of all time in a totally

f many film music collectors were asked to identify world around a theater seat and its occupant. A single their favorite scores, How the West Was Won (1962) shutter, rotating in front of the lens at a point where all Iwould rank near the top—’s rousing three images crossed, assured simultaneous exposure. work is one of his best. Today fans can enjoy the music Because Cinerama carried its soundtrack on a com- on the beautiful Rhino/Turner 2CD set released a year pletely separate magnetic film reel, the entire width of ago (Rhino R2-72458) and appreciate the film on TV via film could be used for the picture. The total available laserdisc or videotape. What could be better? image area was 3.24 square inches, nearly twice that of The answer is to be able to watch and hear How the 65mm, with an aspect ratio of 2.66 to 1. Photographing West Was Won in its original Cinerama splendor with all through the 27mm lens recorded a greater depth of seven channels of stereo sound. The last true Cinerama field (18 inches to infinity) and created 25 times the

ABOVE The Original theater closed its doors in 1964, so how does one get to clarity of even today’s modern film. MIDDLE Promotional art experience this classic film and score as it was produced Even the screen itself was unique: It was discovered that’s almost as hyperbolic and should be seen? Before answering this question, it is that the deep curvature, a radius of 25 feet, caused the as the the film important to explain what the Cinerama process is (or left and right images to reflect onto each other. FAR RIGHT Adiagram of the was) and why you cannot go to your local cineplex mall, Redesigning the screen as narrow vertical strips called projection process from or even to an IMAX theater, and experience Cinerama. ribbons, similar to vertical blinds, solved the problem. a souvenir booklet for Cinerama employed seven channels of stereophonic How the West Was Won Listen Up, Youngsters... sound. There were five speakers of sound dispersed The concept of Cinerama began in the 1930s, the idea behind the screen; one left and one right of the audi- being to create the illusion of reality on the motion pic- ence; and one at the back of the theater for a “total sur- ture screen. After years of experimentation, three round sound” sensation. The entire soundtrack resided 27mm cameras mounted as one covered a field 146 on a separate 35mm magnetic reel, state-of-the-art in degrees wide by 55 degrees high. These dimensions its time, and it still out-performs most digital, sur- approximated the scope of the human eye, and were round, SDDS, and THX sound systems (mostly 4 or 6 ideal for projecting an image that would be viewed in track). The stereo presentation revolutionized sound full dimension by an audience in a theater. There were recording and actually introduced the concept of stereo three synchronized movements, three separate 1000- to the public in 1952.

foot film magazines, and three separate lenses. Each CO. TURNER ENTERTAINMENT COPYRIGHT ©1962 ARTWORK camera was set at a 48-degree angle to the next, so the The End Came Too Soon center movement photographed straight ahead, the There were only seven films made in the three-projec- right movement captured the left portion, and the left tor Cinerama format: This Is Cinerama (1952), was aimed to the right. These three cameras, mounted Cinerama Holiday (1955), Seven Wonders of the World as one mechanism, weighed over 800 pounds. (1955), Search for Paradise (1957), Cinerama South When projected, the three images blended into one, Seas Adventure (1958), The Wonderful World of the

creating a gigantic image that figuratively wrapped the Brothers Grimm (1962), and How the West Was Won HOW THE WEST WAS WON

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 18 Film Score Monthly Rides Again!

unique format—but you’d better act quickly By Phil Lehman

(1962). Each successive feature became more expensive duction itself. At the time when the average film cost to produce. The major conversion of theaters necessary less than $3 million, How the West Was Won’s nearly to adapt to the three-projector format spread very slow- $15 million was the third largest cost for a film (in ly, reaching a world wide peak of only 260 theaters in adjusted dollars) in MGM’s history, behind Gone with 1964 (compared with today’s 20,000+ flat screens). The the Wind and Ben-Hur. Today, it would cost over $200 final Cinerama film, How the West Was Won, was the million to make. (The film grossed over $45 million dur- biggest, best, and most successful of them all. With its ing its initial release.) Locations ranged nationwide: the cast of 24 top Hollywood stars, three legendary direc- Ohio River Valley, the Black Hills of South Dakota, sev- tors (John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall), eral areas in the Colorado Rockies, the and and a beautiful musical score, How the West Was Won’s McKenzie Rivers in Oregon, and Monument Valley,

story covered 50 years of America’s most col- orful period: the journey westward. Although the “Cinerama” name continued after How the West Was Won, the company was financially forced to drop the three-pro- jector format, and instead released films in single projector, flat-screen 70mm format. This compromised format was less expensive and could play in more theaters. Examples of Cinerama films released in this format were: It’s a Utah. After one year of pre-production work, 107 con- Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Ice Station Zebra and estoga wagons and 77 sets were built. With 24 stars and 2001: A Space Odyssey. 12,617 extras, thousands of period machine-sewn cos- tumes were re-sewn by hand because of the incredible The Second Expansion sharpness of the Cinerama lenses. Over 2300 pairs of How the West Was Won literally “thundered” into U.S. authentic shoes and moccasins were handcrafted from theaters on February 21, 1963 (it premiered in the U.K. thousands of photographs gathered for the film. The the year before, on November 1). It followed three gen- Native American cast was drawn from five tribes, erations of the Prescott family through 50 years of including survivors of Wounded Knee and Little Big westward expansion beginning in 1839 with the open- Horn massacres. Every seven and a half minutes of ing of the Erie Canal. The story is told in five parts, con- filming used 3,000 feet of film (four times the normal), nected by a narration spoken by Spencer Tracy, and is keeping armies of loaders frantically trying to keep film based on a series of articles that originally appeared in in the massive cameras. Life magazine in April of 1959. Behind the spectacular sight and sound of the actual A Musical Monument film, there were many fascinating highlights of the pro- Of course, legendary Alfred Newman wrote the music,

Film Score Monthly 19 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 along with the added talents of as long as there is a demand. , , and And there is a demand. The Neon Movie Theater in . Newman com- downtown Dayton, Ohio proudly displays an original posed one of his finest works, an “CINERAMA” red-white-blue lighted logo sign high exquisitely melancholy blend of above the theater’s marquee. This tells people that they original compositions and peri- can still experience a technological miracle. Since the od songs which perfectly cap- summer of 1996, thousands of filmgoers have seen How tured the bittersweet nature of the West Was Won and the other surviving Cinerama the story. The score was record- films, many of whom were not even born when ed in 125 studio hours over a Cinerama was available. Film enthusiasts have attend- period of a year and a half, with ed from around the world, including actors, directors, an orchestra of around 75 pieces and others who made Cinerama movies in the 1950s plus solo instrumentalists. The and ‘60s. Many of these celebrities, including Leonard famous Ken Darby chorus con- Maltin, have contributed to the success of the Neon sisted of 31 talented singers; the Movie Theater’s run of Cinerama by making the public Whiskeyhill Quartet provided aware of its existence. the “folk” atmosphere. Debbie Reynolds rounded out the musi- It’s Fun, and Educational! cal experience by singing vari- It is not only the movies themselves which make the ous melodies with newly sup- trip to Dayton worthwhile, but the rest of the events This Is Cinerama! Schedule plied lyrics. as well. John Harvey and his staff do an hour-long Various soundtrack album presentation about Cinerama, including the history The Neon Movie Theater is committed releases have been available and technology. After the film, there is a question and to showing Cinerama through the end of since the release of the film, answer period, which extends until people run out of this summer. After that time, Cinerama from the original LP with the questions and comments. Cinerama memorabilia is could again be a phenomenon of the past, “cut” version of the main title, a displayed, and visitors are allowed to inspect the actu- never to return. Cinerama screenings release with much added dia- al equipment which runs the film. There are occur once a month, on the third weekend logue from the film, and the Cinerama souvenirs sold in the lobby, such as T-shirts of the month. The theater opens at 11:30 recent Rhino/Turner double- and original or reproduced items related to Cinerama AM, the oral presentation begins at noon, CD. Even with pieces missing films. The theater even sells fresh-baked goods, sand- and the film starts at 1:00 PM. The sched- and pieces not actually used in wiches, gourmet coffee, and pizza during the inter- ule through May is as follows: the film, this last soundtrack mission. The staff can provide flyers about day-tour CD is clearly the definitive edi- packages, hotels, restaurants, unique sites, private Saturday, March 21: tion. The quality is excellent, screenings and film-buff parties. Seven Wonders of the World * and the packaging is well-done. The question now becomes one of quality: Is it worth Sunday, March 22: How the West Was Won The problem is that no sound- the time and expense to go to Dayton to see this movie? Saturday, April 18: This Is Cinerama track album could prepare a lis- The answer is yes-yes-yes, and here is what you will see: Sunday, April 19: How the West Was Won tener for the experience of hear- The print has been assembled from segments found all Saturday, May 16: Cinerama Holiday * ing the music while seeing How over the world. It is 100% complete, missing no footage. Sunday, May 17: How the West Was Won the West Was Won in Cinerama. This is a phenomena in itself because every frame of a * These films, unfortunately, are faded to The question now becomes, Cinerama print is really three frames. If one panel is “Eastman rose”—the print projects as pink in can How the West Was Won be missing, that frame would be 1/3 blank as it is project- color because the other colors have faded.This is viewed in a way other than ed. This print is not only completely intact, but it is as not the situation for How the West Was Won VHS or laserdisc? More impor- beautiful as the day it was produced. The Technicolor You can now experience Cinerama! tantly, can we go back in time colors in the 1960s used dyes not even available today, The Neon Movie Theater is located at to 1963 and experience How and the vivid colors in this film can no longer be creat- 130 E. 5th Street in downtown Dayton. the West Was Won in its full ed. Because both the film projection and magnetic Phone: 937-222-8452 Cinerama spectacular beauty? sound equipment is cleaned after each screening, there e-mail: [email protected]; We cannot go backward, but we has been no deterioration of the actual film and mag- web site: www.erinet.com/newneon. can go forward. Borrowed time, netic soundtrack. One other significant reason for see- yes, but there is still time to see ing How the West Was Won in its original version is that Cinerama and How the West Was Won. it was recently named to the of the Library of Congress, which recognizes films for out- We Have a Second Chance standing achievement. There is one theater in the world capable of showing It is appropriate to close with a quote from Leonard How the West Was Won, and it screens it once a month. Maltin’s Movie & VideoGuide. After seeing How the A projectionist in the 1950s and ‘60s, John Harvey, West Was Won in Dayton, he updated his entry. In learned everything there was to know about Cinerama. addition to giving the film a three-and-a-half-star rat- When this format disappeared after How the West Was ing, he said: “Blockbuster epic about three genera- Won, he kept the knowledge and key equipment for pro- tions of Western pioneers isn’t same experience on TV jecting Cinerama films. The four surviving Cinerama it was on the Cinerama screen, but great cast, first- films consist of only a single print of each. His arrange- rate photography and lovely Alfred Newman score ment with the theater is to continue to show these films still make it top entertainment.” FSM

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 20 Film Score Monthly THE GREAT any people tionship differs— responded to but rather is instru- our request MCRITCHIE mental (pardon the Mfor recollec- pun) in balancing tions of film score orchestrator the subtleties and nuances of the Greig McRitchie. Three men wept. orchestra to bring out the compos- Seven laughed out loud at wonderful er’s vision on a budget and sched- memories. One called him the great- ule. (Think of the composer and est orchestrator since Maurice orchestrator as being like the pen- Ravel. And all paid homage. Those ciler and inker on a comic book.) were the results of discussions with Greig McRitchie’s Hollywood various composers, orchestrators career began in 1955, at age 41, and copyists about Greig McRitchie. when he moved with his wife More importantly, everyone wel- Barbara (by all reports, an excellent comed his great sense of humor, his singer) from the San Francisco Bay unflappable nature and his all-con- area. Soon Greig was orchestrating, suming love of music. arranging and composing for the When Greig McRitchie passed live TV show You Asked for It. It away, just before Christmas, he left a was here that he learned how to legacy of excellence in his field deal with the pressure cooker of unmatched in recent times. ridiculous deadlines. Composers as varied and famous as In the early 1960s, Greig worked John Barry, Randy Edelman, Lee with Alfred Newman on How the Holdridge, and Basil Poledouris West Was Won. Later in the decade, won’t forget Greig’s skillful collabo- he began a collaboration with Jerry rations with them. Greig helped Fielding which lasted through with Barry’s Oscar-winning Dances many films, including The Wild with Wolves as well as Poledouris’s Emmy-winning Lonesome Bunch, Straw Dogs and Gray Lady Down. It was during the Dove. In addition to a nearly endless list of movies, he worked recording of Gray Lady Down that Basil Poledouris first met in television and the advertising world. Greig. Fielding was and he kept giving instruc- Greig (pronounced “Greg”) had a long and fascinating career. tions to someone in the booth such as “Greig, give me more Although he tried movie composition, and did substantial work trumpets,” or “make the trumpets bigger.” But Poledouris in advertising (see below), he didn’t couldn’t see anyone. Finally, he seem to enjoy the business aspects of found this man who appeared to dealing with producers and direc- be having enormous fun just work- tors. He made his mark in orches- AND ing with the music and giving trating, an incredibly complex job instructions to Fielding. Basil says which is vastly misunderstood. that Greig “was smiling and Simply put, an orchestrator trans- THE MANHIS laughing and occasionally looking lates the detailed musical sketches perplexed, because Fielding wasn’t of the composer into fully fleshed- the easiest guy to work with.” out orchestral manuscripts. An Basil introduced himself and orchestrator does not literally decide asked Greig what he did. “I’m an which instrument will play which MUSIC orchestrator,” said Greig. note—usually that is indicated by Poledouris, being a young, some- the composer, although every rela- REMEMBERED what inexperienced composer, had By Wes Marshall

Film Score Monthly 21 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 no idea what an orchestrator was. He As a composer, he wrote music for soon learned. Greig McRitchie 1914-1997 TV’s You Asked for It in the 1950s and later wrote incidental music for a num- bout six months later, I got the Greig McRitchie, one of the busiest ber of ‘70s and ‘80s TV series including call to do Big Wednesday, and most respected orchestrators for Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty, , which was the first big orches- movies and TV, died of a heart attack Starsky and Hutch, The Love Boat and tral film I’d ever done. I origi- December 23 at his home in Studio City. Fantasy Island. He also penned music nally talked to Gus Levine He was 83. for commercials including Shasta Cola. who“A had been Dimitri Tiomkin’s orchestra- McRitchie orchestrated—that is, cre- He won a 1986 BMI award for his tor. John Milius wanted that Tiomkin kind ated the finished orchestral scores television music and last year was pre- of sound. Unfortunately, at that time, Gus based on detailed musical sketches— sented with a career achievement was rather ill and would have to wait a few for many well-known film composers award by the American Society of Music months. So Greig popped into mind. When including Jerry Fielding, John Barry, Arrangers and Composers. I called him, he got excited about the pro- James Horner, Basil Poledouris, Dave McRitchie was born September 28, ject. He had a feel for surfing because his Grusin, Bill Conti and Randy Edelman. 1914, in Alameda, California, and grad- son was involved in it. And that’s how we Among the scores he orchestrated uated from the University of California started our almost 20-year-long associa- were Dances with Wolves, The Wild at Berkeley. A trumpet player for bands tion.” That was 1978. Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Gambler, in the San Francisco area, he joined the Also, during that time, Greig was work- Broadcast News, Conan the Barbarian, staff of NBC Radio in San Francisco in ing on Aaron Spelling’s Charlie’s Angels. The Hunt for Red October, Free Willy, the 1940s as an arranger and moved to He was invited to help out by Jack Elliott Glory, Aliens, Last of the Mohicans, The Los Angeles in 1955 to pursue studio and Allyn Ferguson. Jack Elliott: “I met Color and Starship Troopers. His work. Greig through Jerry Fielding. Greig had an television included He is survived by his wife of 53 years, unusual ability to deal with material. What Lonesome Dove, the miniseries Amerika the former Barbara Weidner; a son, Ferg [Allyn Ferguson] and I would do is and North and South and the long- Greig Jr., and two grandsons. compose the beginning show ourselves and running series McMillan and Wife. —Jon Burlingame then we would divvy up who would write how much stuff on the following shows, and then we would call Greig and get him to Of course, Charlie’s Angels was a phe- What I was really referring to was the use come over. He had an incredible ability to nomenal hit. The scoring style became so of a small, jazz-based orchestra, but he was use material and to develop it in a seamless popular that it was hard to get away from. such a gracious person that he took no way. Today, the way they get seamlessness Young Poledouris, while working on his offense at it. I only found out about all this is through constant drums. But, that does- first big movie, approached Greig: “I told years later!” n’t seem as valid to me. Greig took motivic him that, no matter what, I didn’t want Another young man, Scott Smalley, was material and just made it seamless. You this to sound like Charlie’s Angels and as a also learning from McRitchie at this time. know, orchestrator is a terrible word. testament to Greig, he never told me that “One thing I learned from Greig was that it Collaborator is a much better word.” he was the guy writing a lot of that music. didn’t matter how bad Charlie’s Angels was, or, in a movie, it didn’t mat- ter how bad an actor or the story was... our goal was always to get the greatest sound out of the orchestra. Greig had a big impact on all of us orchestrating in the movies in that Greig pulled all of us along into that bigger sound. In a certain sense he created that template for the industry with that incredible orchestral sound he could get. I consider it an honor to try to continue his tradition. I know that I’ve tried to develop my own sound and I must admit that deep down, it’s derivative of Greig. I’m always working off of his template.” McRitchie seemed always McRitchie FAR LEFT, enjoys an available to help young com- Italian treat with John Milius posers. Randy Edelman had his and the Poledouris family in first big picture with Rome during the recording of Ghostbusters 2 (1989). He real- Conan the Barbarian in 1981 ized the importance of a success- ful score to his career. “My music

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 22 Film Score Monthly The Great McRitchie contractor put the two of us together. She right before heading to the studio. That’s were the composers and he was the orches- told me I had to have the best, and that how close we came. I have to say that he trator. He was at the service of the music. It would be Greig McRitchie. He came over was a phenomenal orchestrator. You could wasn’t a subservient thing because he and it was great. We just burned together give him a full sketch and he would orches- knew more about music than any ten of us for a long time. After Ghostbusters 2 we did trate it and it would be fantastic.” combined, including Fielding.” Come See the Paradise, Last of the Stan Sheldone didn’t mince words about When the rolled around, Greig, Mohicans, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Greig McRitchie’s talent. He said who was 76 years old, was still going like and Kindergarten Cop. We did a lot of real- McRitchie belongs in the same category as blazes. He was working with Poledouris on ly good things. He was truly experienced Maurice Ravel, widely considered one of such pieces as Quigley Down Under, Free and knowledgeable and yet such a sweet- the greatest orchestrators in the history of Willy, On Deadly Ground and Starship heart of a person. He didn’t talk a lot about music. “Ask ten different people who know Troopers. He worked with Randy Edelman himself or what he’d done. He was just Greig’s work. They’ll all tell you the same on Last of the Mohicans and Dragon. He always so right on.” thing. A great man, a great talent. Greig worked with Horner on Casper. Some of his During the , McRitchie orchestrat- was the master colorist.” best orchestrating was to begin in this ed 19 movies with Basil Poledouris, includ- To composers, Greig represented the per- decade, when he worked with John Barry. ing classics such as Conan the Barbarian and The Hunt for Red October and the Emmy-winning Lonesome Dove. He also worked on many of James Horner’s best scores such as Krull, Aliens, Willow and GREIG worked in advertising Glory. Additionally, he was still working during the 1950s and ’60s. with Spelling, which now had another number-one TV show with Dynasty. Stan Sheldone, music preparation supervisor, said the readers of n 1982, Greig worked with Lee Holdridge on Beastmaster. Holdridge, FSM had to know about who has an animated nature, was one piece of McRitchie’s enthusiastic about Greig: “Beastmaster was the one and only composing past, the little ditty timeI we worked together. I was faced with at left. Even if you can’t read getting the assignment of writing 85 min- utes of music in two weeks. After I picked music, you can probably sing it... myself up off the floor, I called Stan Sheldone who is my longtime copyist and friend and guru and priest and rabbi and I asked him what he thought I should do. I fect collaborator. Composers feel the pres- arry spoke of Greig with great used to do all my own . But sure for the quality of the finished product. respect and fondness. “We first Stan said I should write out full sketches The music that is finally heard in a movie worked together on Dances with and get one or two people to help me do the or TV show is their responsibility. To them, Wolves. My previous orchestrator final orchestrations. He said he knew one of an orchestrator who understands team- had passed away and my orchestral the all-time masters. That’s what he called work is a rare and valuable commodity. managerB recommended Greig. He intro- Greig. He said that Greig had backed up Basil Poledouris, who probably worked duced me to Greig. I liked him a lot. We got more composers than you could ever imag- with Greig more than anyone, truly valued on fine together. It might sound strange to ine, and had sometimes even written the Greig’s talents. “He had the uncanny abili- say, but I appreciated that he didn’t try to scores for them! ty to get to the heart of a piece of music and make contributions. He respected what was “Greig was just back from Rome and a that’s what he orchestrated. If you listen to written and what was necessary and treat- project with Basil Poledouris [Conan the my stuff, you listen to Horner’s stuff, you ed it the way I wanted. Some orchestrators Barbarian] and said he would be glad to listen to Jerry Fielding, we all retain our tend to try to make contributions. I don’t help me. I was just knocked out by his mas- identities even though we have Greig who write anything I don’t want on the screen tery of the orchestra and his quickness. His is a very powerful orchestrator. We all and I don’t want anybody else to write what understanding of the orchestra was phe- sound like us. Greig never imposed his own I don’t want on the screen.” They went on nomenal. I would write sketches with 12-14 musical personality on the music. He found to work together on Ruby Cairo, Indecent lines and he would orchestrate it to full the intent of the music and made it as full Proposal, My Life, and The Specialist. score. Toward the end of it as we got really and rich as it could be. Given his enormous number of movie panicky, some of my sketches got down to “Now there are other orchestrators that, and television credits, you might wonder six lines. I did some of the orchestrations when I listen to a film score, I know they what Greig liked to do in his spare time. He myself and my friend Alf Clausen helped as orchestrated it and it doesn’t matter who worked with the Ice Capades, the Roger well. My system was, I would have three wrote the damn thing, because they either Wagner Chorale and the Atlanta Olympic cues ready and then each of us, Greig, Alf insist on or don’t have the skill not to games. But almost everyone interviewed and I, would do one. We finished on Sunday impose their own style. Maybe some com- made a special point to mention Greig’s night in Rome just before the Monday posers like to have orchestrators dominate work with the Jack Daniels Silver Cornet morning recording sessions. We were the sound, but Greig never wanted to work Band. Apparently, this was Greig’s secret orchestrating the last cue for the movie for that kind of composer. He always felt we passion. The band did 1890s-style band-

Film Score Monthly 23 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 The Great McRitchie stand music. McRitchie wrote more than man radiated style and grace through his He always saw the funny side of things. 100 folk song for them. He actions. I know that, deep down, I owe When something would go wrong, he would didn’t talk much about it—not even to his everything in my career to Greig.” just sit there and say, ‘Well, it’s always friend, Basil Poledouris. The composers all praised Greig’s calm something.’ [laughs] It was simple wisdom. One time, Poledouris was talking to Greig at the eye of the storm. Poledouris said that But it was right. He was never fazed. He about a recording he and John Milius had in film after film, while he was physically always had the best uplifting attitude about been listening to. They were both avid folk and mentally drained from deadlines, Greig everything. He was a great friendly pres- music lovers. Milius and Poledouris both would call up sounding buoyant and ener- ence when we were in the booth during loved a Jack Daniels Silver Cornet Band getic and encourage him to keep at it. This recording. He’ll be sadly missed.” record of “Lonesome Traveler” that they calm seemed to radiate from a man who had received as a promotion from the clearly knew what was important in his everal people also mentioned Greig’s whiskey company. But there was a bridge in own life, a man who had his priorities sense of humor. Greig had a stutter, the song that neither of them had ever heard straight. Basil gave an example: “There but his response was to have a before. So one day, Basil cornered Greig and were so many times when he would ask license plate made that said G-G-G- played him the record. “Listen to this, listen me how things were going and I would tell Greig. He was invited by the him, ‘You can’t believe SNashville Symphony Orchestra to compose what the director wants a work. But he told his friends, with me to do! He wants me to extreme modesty, that he couldn’t do it... no MCRITCHIE wanted have a dialogue change this...’ And Greig cue sheet! Jack Elliott once asked Greig with the music. He knew what he was doing— would just laugh and how he liked working with a composer and he did it on an incredible range of films smile and say, ‘I don’t who shall remain nameless. In the most know how you put up diplomatic, yet ironic way, Greig responded: “Well, he was a nice guy. But you have to contribute a lot.” When McRitchie passed away, he requested that there not be a funeral ser- vice. This tells a lot about the man. Self- effacing, secure in to this, they found this bridge that’s been with that stuff.’ But it wasn’t that he did- himself. It speaks well of him that so lost and no one’s ever heard it before. It’s n’t know how to put up with it, he was many people went out of their way to dis- fabulous, just listen to it.” Greig smiled and just beyond it. He really wanted to sit in cuss Greig. For instance, John Barry, in said, “Well, I know it. That’s my band.” his room and have dialogue with the the middle of a project, called from music. He could care less about what the London. He wanted the world to know of hile everyone praised Greig’s producer or director thought. He knew his respect for Greig. Lee Holdridge, who work, discussions were even what he was doing.” only did one film with Greig, similarly more energized when it came Randy Edelman was always happy about went out of his way to tell his story. Randy to his personality. Over and working with Greig, especially in stressful Edelman, under the gun with a deadline, over, people referred to his situations. “It was always great to see him, called from the studio on a break. Quincy humor,W his grace under pressure, his ener- but when the pressure was on, you knew Jones was unfortunately unavailable for gy and his generosity of spirit. When peo- you could count on Greig 120%. He was an our deadline but also said he would hon- ple described Greig, virtually everyone absolute joy to be around, so easy-going. ored to add his remembrances. Jack called him a gentleman. With all his experience he could have had a Elliott, Scott Smalley, Jack Smalley and John Barry considered Greig a true ally: dominant personality but he didn’t. Like Stan Sheldone took time to tell stories, “They really don’t make them like him any there’s directors you work with; you want sometimes bringing up their own grief more. They truly don’t. He was a spectacu- to say, ‘Hey, do you know if you would just over the loss. lar friend. I don’t have a lot of musician work with me in a certain way, you’re Basil Poledouris called the night before friends in the business; I never have had. I gonna get so much more out of me because he left home for three months to score Les think out of all the people I’ve ever worked I want to give my best to add on to what Miserables in England. As you might imag- with in the business, I was closer to him on you’ve done on this movie?’ Greig ine, he was busy packing and making last- a personal basis than anyone else.” McRitchie was always soothing to be minute arrangements, yet he took almost Scott Smalley, an orchestrator with an around and he always made you want to an hour to talk about Greig. His wife, impressive résumé of films, feels Greig’s give your very best. He was always compli- Bobbie Poledouris, located the pictures to generosity keenly: “I got my first break into mentary. There was never a time when he add to this article. At the end of the inter- the movie business due to him. I felt that showed up that I didn’t just want to throw view, I told him how much I had enjoyed his working with larger orchestras was more my arms around him.” music over the years. Basil immediately artistically rewarding and so he helped me John Barry appreciated Greig’s calm choked up. It was over the phone, so I can’t move toward those opportunities. My work encouragement: “He was a big, easy-going be sure. I think he was fighting back tears. has given me so much more reward in my man. He always struck me as a He whispered, “My music owes a lot to life than I ever could have imagined. The Steinbeckian character. Very tall, rugged. Greig McRitchie.” FSM

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 24 Film Score Monthly THE

(ANDBEST THE WORST, WEIRDEST, MOST WONDERFUL AND WOEBEGONE...) OF THE

n this, the eve of the 70th Annual YEARAcademy Awards, we’ve decided to take a look at the past year and put our opin- ions forth. Andy Dursin examines and picks his favorites. OManaging Editor Jeff Bond weighs in with some pithy comments, and we share the results of the Readers’ annual picks and comments. Finally, Doug Adams reminds us of four positive trends in 1997. Enjoy. And the nominees are, from top to bottom: For ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE Amistad John Williams Good Will Hunting Danny Elfman Kundun Philip Glass L.A. Confidential Jerry Goldsmith Titanic James Horner

For ORIGINAL MUSICAL OR COMEDY SCORE Anastasia (Orchestral Score) * As Good as it Gets Hans Zimmer The Full Monty Anne Dudley My Best Friend’s Wedding James Newton Howard Men in Black Danny Elfman *with Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens

Film Score Monthly 25 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 THE BEST OF THE YEAR SETTLING

WHILE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF SOUNDTRACKS APPEAR TO BE COMPROMISED SCORESANDY DURSIN SEES GLIMMERS OF HOPE ON THE HORIZON

elcome to 1998, and it’s a good cues, Williams’s music is enthralling because, aside thing that the end of the year from bursts of emotion one way or the other, it remains contained some major surprises, planted on a firm musical foundation—a vision. When since prior to that—it didn’t. I you listen to Seven Years in Tibet, Rosewood, or The do not want to sound overly crit- Lost World, Williams gives you—as Doug Adams point- ical, snobbish, or subjective, but ed out earlier this year—a musical understanding of a Wif the quality of film scores was like this when FSM world that comes out of his own compositional talent. began seven years ago, I probably would have never This is made all the more amazing by the fact that started writing about it in the first place. none of Williams’s ‘97 films were exceptional; When watching movies today, I sometimes choose to Rosewood was a well-directed but one-dimensional ignore the score since there’s little to talk about; drama filled with stereotypes instead of real people. The indeed, a decent new score is one that doesn’t rub you Lost World was arguably Steven Spielberg’s biggest dis- the wrong way. There are some talented composers, but appointment ever. Seven Years in Tibet had beautiful for whatever reason—temp-tracks, more studio inter- scenery and a compelling concept but dramatic defi- ference, less creative control—the distinct “voices” in ciencies. Yet, in those three cases, Williams wrote music the industry are disappearing. What separates a John more complicated and enriching than the films. At a Debney score from a Joel McNeely work? How can we time when we frequently let composers off the hook for pick out a James Newton Howard score from John scoring movies that are less than stellar, Williams has Frizzell? (Actually, that’s easy—Dante’s Peak had a brilliantly scored movies that are not entirely success- theme, Alien Resurrection didn’t.) If you closed your ful. (We’ll forgive him and Spielberg for the excellent eyes and tried to guess who the composer was on a though overscored Amistad.) movie ten years ago, it would have been easy: John There were a few surprises from others in 1997. Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Basil Poledouris, James David Arnold continues to illustrate why he’s the Horner, and many others were able to service the film brightest in the young batch of composers, while while retaining their personality. It’s almost impossible Michael Nyman wrote a warm score for a movie that to do the same with the current crop of seemingly few saw. Following in the footsteps of Danny Elfman, unidentifiable composers. Graeme Revell carried on with a superb, musical retro- In putting this list together, it is obvious that the revamp of a ‘60s TV show (The Saint), while John majority of the “best” film music today is still being Powell composed a thrilling score for one of the best written by distinguished maestros who have enough action movies of the ‘90s. While there were regrettable pull to write what they want, composers like James missteps, and many nondescript efforts, at least there is Horner (whose productivity over the last few years has promise on the horizon. been as substantial as any in his career) and John Williams, who has gone in new directions and produced The Best of 1997 a small but memorable collection of film scores. If it is 1. Titanic (James Horner, Sony Classical) because Williams and Horner have the freedom to write Complain all you want about the synthesized chorus what they want, so be it. But their scores not only work (the only element that doesn’t quite work), but this is effectively in films, but also outside of their dramatic one of James Horner’s most focused works to date, a context. Williams especially is able to write music that gorgeous score that conveys the haunting, romantic, exists in its own, three-dimensional universe; unlike and mournful elements of the real-life tragedy and the most film scores with their cut-and-dry, “happy or sad” movie’s emotional, effective love story. More than just a

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 26 Film Score Monthly rehash of Braveheart, Horner’s delicate melodies enrich score in the vein of Sleepers, but with a romanticism ’s remarkable accomplishment through and haunting delicacy all its own, Williams’s music for poignant orchestrations that center on the characters this unappreciated Jean-Jacques Annaud travelogue instead of doom and gloom. When the picture hits its had that oxymoronic “overdramatic low-key” feel in the amazing final hour, the score never succumbs to mas- film (when fully symphonic music is mixed very low), sive bombast; for proof, look no farther than the film’s but has a sadness and integrity that makes it hard to tearful “good-bye” sequence between Leonardo deny. Yo-Yo Ma’s reflective cello solos masterfully evoke DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, which is left, unusual for the main theme, which is deftly interwoven with a not- this day and age, unscored. Horner’s music works well overbearing use of Tibetan music. enough on its own, but to get the full effect of his efforts, you must see the movie. 4. Gattaca (Michael Nyman, Virgin) Titanic is one of the most haunting cinematic experi- Michael Nyman’s score for this underrated, thought- ences in decades, and Horner’s music is one of those rare provoking sci-fi drama may not work isolated from its scores that stays with you. It is certainly one of the com- cinematic context as well as the other scores listed in poser’s most significant accomplishments, and should my top five. That said, this is a surprisingly warm, earn him his first Oscar come March 23—something well humanistic score for a story that takes place in a soci- deserved for the most memorable film score of 1997. ety that has embraced technology at the expense of per- sonal relationships. Nyman, whose music in The Piano 2. (David Arnold, A&M) struck me as either being simplistic and accessible (the As a pure action score, David Arnold’s pulsating, piano passages) or non-thematic and static (as in its energetic effort comes across as one of the most orchestral parts), here creates a score that supplies the inspired genre efforts in years. As a James Bond entry, emotions and desires for the people of Gattaca, buried

123 it does what Eric Serra’s GoldenEye failed completely to deep beneath their cold, stone-faced exteriors. Nyman’s do—that is, provide the series with a modern sound Gattaca score is ultimately more effective than The that still fits within the cool, sly context of John Barry, Piano, and provides the film with a touching pay-off. 007 and the ‘60s. Arnold’s score varies from homage— in its fun quotes from past Bond scores (From Russia 5. The Saint (Graeme Revell, Angel) with Love)—to inventive tracks that combine Barry- Who says that action music has to be incessant, style brass with a driving “” beat (“Backseat pounding wallpaper? Here, Graeme Revell demon- Driver”). If that wasn’t enough, Arnold’s action music strates a passionate, melodic side to complement his functions splendidly on its own, and his end-credit usual synths and pop rhythms, and comes up big with song, “Surrender,” is one of the most successful a terrific score for this engaging spy-caper, only loosely attempts ever at creating a -styled bal- based on the TV series. Revell’s themes, lad. With its sharp lyrics by , memorable unlike in some of his previous scores, are fully devel- melodic hooks, and k.d. lang’s vocal stylings, it’s a per- oped, and the film’s elaborate love story affords the fect Bond song that deserved to be played over the composer the chance at writing flowing romantic lines. film’s opening credits (unfortunately coupled here with The score is intelligently used and hits all the right but- ’s vacuous, incoherent title track—a total tons in drawing the viewer further into the film’s dud that makes “The Man with the Golden Gun” seem world, no easy task given the requisite songs that were like a masterpiece). The movie may have been under- thrown in to appeal to mall-going teenagers. It’s remi- whelming, but after GoldenEye, I’ll take it. niscent of Danny Elfman’s Mission: Impossible score in that Revell effectively quotes from the respective TV 3. Seven Years in Tibet theme (by Edwin Astley) throughout, though this score (John Williams, Sony Classical) is more diverse and stimulating than Elfman’s effort, Williams’s output of four scores this past year was his which basically centered on providing “suspense” highest in years, and even if none of them will go down music (however inventive it was) for a movie that as classics, Seven Years in Tibet is a superior effort, and stressed its intricate plot in place of characters. As the most effective and memorable of the lot. A “serious” effective as The Crow, but with more coherence, The

Film Score Monthly 27 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 THE BEST OF THE YEAR

Saint illustrates that there’s more to Revell’s music film it underscores—after about 20 minutes, good-bye. than traditionally minded fans might think. In & Out (Marc Shaiman) My Best Friend’s Wedding (James Newton Howard) Honorable Mentions I mention these scores at the same time since they Just off the list, but worth the ink in this column: both suffer from the same problem: scoring would-be- Rosewood (John Williams, Sony) hilarious, cartoonish shenanigans as if the action Face/Off (John Powell, Hollywood) actually is a Tom & Jerry short. Shaiman and Howard Amistad (John Williams, Dreamworks) are both capable of writing superior scores, so it’s The Lost World (John Williams, MCA) obviously not so much their fault as it is the thinking The Devil’s Advocate (James Newton Howard, TVT) of the producers and the studios who subscribe to the belief that, “Hey, if it’s supposed to be funny, let’s tell Sleeper Score of the Year them that it is by using ‘funny’ music!” All that ends up doing is making the events on-screen more painful (Michael Kamen, Unforscene Music) than comedic—let us be the judge, okay? Nobody saw this Ron Howard production, director The Relic (John Debney) Pat O’Connor’s follow-up to his sleeper hit Circle of Last time around, I singled out this bombastic effort Friends, most likely because the title sounded like a as a score that epitomized everything that’s wrong with UPN sitcom about robots and a wacky scientist. This film music in the ‘90s. A year later, it’s still a great

4 5 The Sleeper

watchable ‘50s soap opera features a gaggle of good- example of how a genre score can be thoroughly looking gals (, Jennifer Connelly, Joanna botched due to today’s temp-track sensibilities. Imagine Going), plus To Die For’s Joaquin Phoenix playing— Ridley Scott’s Alien scored like this... literally—the boy next door, in what boils down to Batman and Robin (Elliot Goldenthal) Peyton Place with an R-rating. What saves it is I don’t get Goldenthal’s approach to his two Batman Michael Kamen’s buoyant score, which features fun, scores. Though this follow-up effort is not quite as nostalgic bebop and effective, poignant romantic pas- obnoxious as , his loud, blaring, “seri- sages based on the traditional “On Springfield ous” score still plays at odds with the tongue-in-cheek Mountain.” Working again with co-producers Steve tone of the film. Goldenthal’s raspy saxophone riffs for McLaughlin and Christopher Brooks, Kamen creates Poison Ivy were also some of the most painfully clichéd a score that pays tribute to the pop elements of the passages written in ‘97 (we’ll give it this year’s “It ‘50s at the same time that it gives the movie much Feels Like Root Canal” Award). needed credibility. Event Horizon (Michael Kamen and Orbital) Best Unreleased Score The year’s biggest unintentional laugh riot (at least Joseph Vitarelli’s energetic score for the little-seen until The Postman), Event Horizon featured a blah and barely released comedy Commandments, with Michael Kamen score, buried in the film under its Aidan Quinn and Courtney Cox. The movie didn’t quite potent Dolby Digital mix, which even obscured work, but Vitarelli’s music kept it afloat far longer than Kamen’s collaboration with synthmeisters Orbital. it should have. Additional kudos go out to Mark The flick’s funniest moment comes following its Isham’s superb score for ’s underrated ridiculous epilogue, which segues from an unnecessary Night Falls on Manhattan. “The End” card to the rap song “Funky Shit,” adept- ly summing up (minus the “funky”) the entire project. The Bottom of the Proverbial Barrel Alien Resurrection (John Frizzell, RCA Victor) Comment Assortment Pack A worthless, mechanical score without any thematic Best Television Score identity, John Frizzell makes Elliot Goldenthal’s Alien3 Undoubtedly Peter Bernstein’s rousing, old-fash- appear like a masterpiece (which some people think it ioned The Rough Riders (Intrada), conducted by his is, anyway). Consistently one-note in its dissonant tone dad Elmer, who contributed his own, spirited “G- and uninteresting usage of electronics and orchestra, Troop” theme. John Milius’s productions usually yield Frizzell’s score is as disappointing as the incompetent great film music, and here’s another one; kudos go out

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 28 Film Score Monthly to Intrada for releasing a generous But at least it wasn’t as much of a dis- soundtrack album. Runner-up: aster as what producers did to the com- Nicholas Pike’s strong, often under- poser’s other effort this past year... stated score for the terrific ABC mini- Most Embarrassing Non-Credit series adaptation of Stephen King’s Milan’s album of the Showtime The Shining. series StarGate SG-1 was forced to Solid Cinematic Performers credit composers Joel Goldsmith and Breakdown (Basil Poledouris), David Arnold in microscopic print Swept from the Sea (John Barry), after the show’s producers tinkered Mimic (Marco Beltrami), and The with their music to the point where Peacemaker (Hans Zimmer—one of his neither wanted his name on it. most dramatically effective scores). Overdue Reissue Award Assorted Underachievers To Pendulum for releasing on CD Hercules (Menken and Zippel), Con- listener favorites Dune, Cocoon, Big Air (Mancina and Rabin), Volcano Top Pee-Wee, and Clash of the Titans. (Alan Silvestri), Cop Land (Howard While I’m still waiting to receive my Shore), Men in Black (Danny Elfman). copy of the latter—a little annoying Not the worst scores of the year, but since I wrote the new liner notes—I’ve they held more promise than they ulti- been told the sound quality is excel- mately delivered. lent, and while the lack of additional Most Patriotic Candidates for Clash music is somewhat regrettable, Future Temp-Tracks at least now we have a digital presen- Jerry Goldsmith’s last-minute re- tation of one of the best scores of the score for Air Force One (Varèse) and ‘80s. If we could only get releases James Newton Howard’s The Postman of Tron (Carlos), WarGames (Warner Sunset). Nothing ground- (Rubinstein), Heartbeeps (Williams), breaking or especially memorable Victory (Conti), and Slipstream about either, but as sheer program- (Bernstein), my personal wish-list mers, they fit the bill. would be complete! Worst Overscoring Most Successful New Take on Classic Film Music Award John Williams’s elegiac trumpet fanfare, performed To David Arnold’s enjoyable Shaken and Stirred by Tim Morrison, whenever Anthony Hopkins is on- (Sire) collection of newly recorded James Bond screen in Amistad. Yes, we all know John Quincy themes. Only one track is a total wash, and most con- Adams was a kindly, noble old man, but I was ready to tain the smart conglomeration of techno/pop beats rip the speakers off the theater walls when Spielberg and the classic Bond sound found in Arnold’s and/or Williams decided to underscore the entire, low- Tomorrow Never Dies score. key climactic court summation. The only detriment to Most Disappointing New Recording of Classic Film Music an otherwise superb Williams effort. Jerry Goldsmith’s Frontiers (Varèse), which gave us Best Use of Previously Written and Released Film Music a tantalizing taste of genre music we’ve waited to hear Hans Zimmer’s Broken Arrow making a guest on CD for years (Twilight Zone: The Movie, Damnation appearance in Scream 2, as ’s guitar under- Alley, The Illustrated Man), but also far too many “clas- scored ’s comic antics as Deputy Dewey. sic” tracks that most are already beyond being Best Use of Previously Written but Unreleased Film Music familiar with (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the “End The late Miles Goodman’s main theme from his dis- Title” from Alien). carded Indian in the Cupboard score was utilized in the And a Good Ol’ R.I.P. shelf-ridden romantic fantasy ‘Till There Was You, ...To the dearly departed scores of the past year, which finally saw the light of day back in May (and is including Randy Newman’s Air Force One, John Barry’s now on video). Not an awful movie, and a fine score as The Horse Whisperer, Rachel Portman’s Venice (aka well, with Terence Blanchard’s jazz improvisations on Honest Courtesan, aka Dangerous Beauty), Wynton Goodman’s theme off-setting some redundancies in the Marsalis’s Rosewood, Randy Edelman’s The Sixth Man, soundtrack on the whole. and whatever Mark Isham started on Face/Off. May Most Effective Hans Zimmer Imitation they be heard again one day in a different score for a bet- Trevor Jones’s G.I. Jane (Hollywood), which sound- ter film by the respective composer. ed like Zimmer, felt like Zimmer, but just wasn’t Zimmer. Still, a more successful attempt at writing in That’s all for this year, faithful readers. While ‘98 is his style than Jeff Rona’s generic White Squall. just underway, expect some good things from James Best Use of Period Songs Horner (Mask of Zorro), David Arnold (Godzilla), ’s L.A. Confidential, capturing the John Williams (Saving Private Ryan), and Patrick essence of time and place. Doyle (Quest for Camelot), whose excellent score for “Back to the ‘80s” Citation for Use of Electric Great Expectations is already available. May we have Joel Goldsmith’s so-over-the-top-it’s-almost-good Kull a veritable feast of fine film scores this year. Until the the Conqueror (Varèse), featuring -tinged gui- millennium is almost breathing down our necks, have tars thrown on top of symphonic Conan-styled themes. a good one. FSM

Film Score Monthly 29 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 THE BEST OF THE YEAR

SOUNDAND

AN OPINIONATED TOP TEN LIST SIGNIFYING—SOMETHING—BY JEFF BOND

eaders, I know FURYyou’re sick and tired of Best of see its like again. ‘97 pontification by now, but I’m using my new privileges as Managing Editor to allow my own The Rest of the Best annoying opinions to be heard. I will be merciful Air Force One (Jerry Goldsmith) and quick: I severely underrated this score in a website review R which someone helpfully faxed to Goldsmith, insuring Best Score of the Year his wrath. While initial listenings of the album indicat- Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris) ed an adept but uninspired action compilation, I was While I’m used to summer blockbusters that infuri- stunned at how well this worked with the cartoonish ate me, two of the most interesting movies of the year movie, and since then it’s become a driving-tape were intentionally infuriating. One was Neil LaBute’s favorite for its hammering, propulsive action cues. In the Company of Men, a brilliant, Kubrickesque explo- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery ration of male venality and manipulation (with a kind (George S. Clinton) of grungy, atonal metal score by Karel Roessingh and The funniest score of the year; Clinton only got a few Ken Williams, which plays in between the scenes as a minutes on the song compilation (one of the most enjoy- kind of male-aggression chorus). The other was Paul able collections of its type), but it would make a vastly Verhoeven’s twisted dissection of the modern action entertaining album on its own. An ingenious satire not blockbuster. If only this film could have been released a just of Barry’s style (and some other ‘60s spy tropes), few months after Top Gun, maybe people would have but of Barry’s approach to drama and suspense. tuned into it more. Either you got the joke or you did- Gattaca (Michael Nyman) n’t (and some people got the joke and still hated it), and Like Andy Dursin, I never understood the appeal of the same can be said of Basil Poledouris’s strutting, Nyman’s score to The Piano, but he’s won me over blood-and-thunder score, which some people simply with the tuneful Carrington and this surprisingly read as a ridiculous piece of action bombast. But warm score for the 1984-style sci-fi parable. Poledouris clued into the tone of this thing perfectly, Minimalism may be a thing of the past as a concert with a score that brought forth the troopers’ scary style, but Nyman, Philip Glass and to some extent sense of bravado and their xenophobic fury as they Mychael Danna have proven that it can be an effec- mowed down piles of killer arachnids. tive scoring technique. The back half of the Gattaca The scoring of the Fed-Net Movie-Tone News-style album gets bogged down in unimaginative suspense, propaganda broadcasts was hilarious, and the action but the first half is eminently listenable. sequences offered up some of the most thoroughly Kundun (Philip Glass) developed, rip-snorting cues in years. (Maybe part of Glass’s music transported me into the my love for this score is that it was my first time visit- Tibetan/Buddhist mind-set a lot more successfully than ing a scoring session, and the first piece of music I got ’s movie. to hear was Basil’s uproarious Tanker Bug cue— L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith) “Tango Urilla” on the CD.) You have to love a movie When was the last time Goldsmith scored a Best where the final victory is not defeating the enemy, but Picture nominee? It’s arguable whether the underscore making the enemy fear us. Or do you? Sadly, the people to L.A. Confidential really added anything to the pic- of Earth do not want to be made to feel soiled about ture (since the film’s period songs carried so much of their love of explosions and carnage, so Starship the dramatic load), but it was great to hear Goldsmith Troopers nose-dived at the box office, and we shall not working in his gritty, dark ‘70s sound again.

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 30 Film Score Monthly (Jerry Goldsmith) A wonderful revisiting of the old Franz The disturbing trend of Goldsmith working on Waxman/George Duning soap style of the ‘50s and quality projects continues. Goldsmith pulled off a ‘60s, this score does more with this kind of storyline doozy here—he made that horrifying grizzly bear than any in years. even scarier than it was to begin with. Oscar and Lucinda (Thomas Newman) The Ice Storm (Mychael Danna) I don’t know a thing about the movie, but the score album Ang Lee’s look at ‘70s sexual politics was strangled is amazing; by turns ravishing, innovative and stately. by high expectations, but taken on its own terms it’s a Newman manages to sound distinctly American and mod- wonderfully wry, sometimes excruciating comedy of ern without ripping off the same old sources, yet he has a manners, with an overly symbolic left turn into tragedy grip on what it takes to give scores like this a genuine that’s beautifully supported by Mychael Danna’s reflec- romantic sweep. tive, un-manipulative score. Why Varèse Sarabande’s Bob Townson The Lost World Theme (John Williams) Is to Be Congratulated What can I say? Hated the movie, found 90% of the New and excellent recordings of To Kill a album a major yawn. But Williams’s “Island Adventure Mockingbird, Psycho, Patton, Tora! Tora! Tora!, The Theme” (a canny tribute to Max Steiner’s Skull Island Sand Pebbles and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Not music from King Kong) will stick with me for a long all of these have been exactly what I wished for, but time to come. most have been superb, and just getting to listen to the The Postman (James Newton Howard) tree-dynamiting music from Patton without dialogue A tremendous guilty pleasure. Kevin Costner’s film would have made me happy. can be enjoyed as either an effectively schmaltzy, Dances Why Nick Redman Must Be Worshipped with Wolves-style patriotic western, or as the most egre- The deliriously fulfilling Star Wars Special Edition gious vanity production since Viva Kneivel! Howard’s albums, a complete Planet of the Apes, The Ghost and music sometimes strayed too close to Apollo 13 and Mrs. Muir, Journey to the Center of the Earth, the often failed to be anything other than standard “epic” expanded Poltergeist, and the fact that I can listen to scoring, but at the moments when it combined with a CD of The Mephisto Waltz and The Other. some bracing cinematographic images it really took off. Why Intrada is a Better Label Than Mainstream Money Talks (Lalo Schifrin) Finally, a good CD exists of Jerry Goldsmith’s A This will probably stand as the “comedy” with the Patch of Blue.

A trio of manly films brought highest body count in film history, but it did help me get out the best work in years over the hatred of Chris Tucker I’ve had since The Fifth Action Score by Hans Zimmer from Old Man Goldsmith: Element, and it was great to hear Lalo Schifrin getting That I Actually Liked: L.A. Confidential, back to his ‘70s action roots. If only some of it had been The Peacemaker Air Force One, The Edge released on the Money Talks album. The opening train cue actually reminded me of some- thing John Williams might have written in his Black Sunday period. By the latter half of the CD, Zimmer Best Scores to Movies That I Never Saw seems to give up and start recycling his old Crimson Into Thin Air (Lee Holdridge) Tide/Broken Arrow style, but this at least proves that One of my favorite albums of the year, this is exact- he is capable of tweaking his action sound into inter- ly what I look for in a film score: something that esting areas. transports me into the piece dramatically, with a won- derful sense of outsized melodrama—but it doesn’t Best New Compilation sound exactly like everything else out there. The Simpsons: Songs in the Key of Springfield Holdridge’s main theme, with its powerful, manly low (Alf Clausen & Friends) brass rhythm and percussion, runs neck and neck Who am I to argue? I eagerly anticipate Volume 2. with Williams’s Lost World theme as the film music I “Who robs cave fish of their sight? We do! We do!” can’t get out of my head this year. Frontiers (Jerry Goldsmith) Inventing the Abbotts (Michael Kamen) Why wasn’t this idea generated a decade ago? While

Film Score Monthly 31 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 THE BEST OF THE YEAR

this was a mixed bag, it was mostly terrific, and I can hyperactive comedy from Frank Oz was so agitated and only hope we see a sequel album. If only Goldsmith fanatically determined to nudge me in the ribs during could re-record all of Logan’s Run... every “funny” sequence that it rapidly insured that I would find nothing funny about the movie at all. Worst Score I Heard This Year Con-Air (Mark Mancina and Trevor Rabin) Alien Resurrection (John Frizzell) This actually made me appreciate the nuance and While I’m grateful this didn’t sound like a temp subtlety of The Rock. track, it also just didn’t sound like much of anything Batman and Robin (Elliot Goldenthal) else. Granted that the film was D.O.A. (in fact the Bring on Sphere! There was nothing Goldenthal movie’s title sequence eloquently encapsulated the could do to save the garish embarrassment that was entire plot and was the only thing disturbing about the Batman and Robin, but writing more than ten min- film—maybe they should have left it at that), but utes of new music might have helped. Frizzell’s score ranged from dull to maddeningly annoy- ing (those frenzied, over-emphatic action sequences Most Anticipated Albums of ’98 make you want to strangle the horn players). The mock- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (John Williams) horror effects of Frizzell’s Beavis and Butt-Head Do It can’t come fast enough. The “Flight 19” music. America were far more listenable and effective. The nocturnal helicopter false-alarm cue. The full ver- sion of the military theme. The whole last 45 minutes of Runner-Ups the movie. *Sigh* In & Out (Marc Shaiman) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Jerry Goldsmith) Marc Shaiman is one of the funniest human beings Sure, maybe it isn’t complete enough, but... the I’ve ever witnessed in real life. However, the score to the Vulcan music. The Vulcan shuttle music. The Tractor curiously overpraised, sometimes funny but mostly just Beam V’Ger cue. The ending. *Sigh* FSM DEADLIER THAN THE

THE BEST OF 1997 READER’S POLL RESULTS, PHYSICALLY COMPILED BY ANDY DURSIN, WITHMAIL RAMPANT EDITORIALIZING BY JEFF BOND s 1997 fades quickly Jerry Goldsmith’s status tion to the year’s most contro- (Jerry Goldsmith) 10% into oblivion, the seemed to recapture some of its versial film, Starship Troopers. 5. Seven Years in Tibet American public is former luster, with the veteran While numerous 1997 scores (John Williams) 9% being introduced to composer attached to two seemed to fall victim to temp- 6. Amistad (John Williams) 8% a new appreciation movies that were actually good track homogenizing, there was 7. Starship Troopers Aof film music through the stag- (The Edge and L.A. enough fresh material to keep (Basil Poledouris) 8% gering success of James Confidential) and one that was readers interested. 8. Tomorrow Never Dies Horner’s Titanic album. a money-making blockbuster Numbers below indicate per- (David Arnold) 7% Coming on the heels of his top- (Air Force One). centages of total number of 9. Rosewood (John Williams) 7% selling Braveheart album The year’s end also saw votes received, under our con- 10. Crash (Howard Shore) 5% (which warranted a second, secret agent 007 getting back veniently unexplainable sys- Honorable Mention: albeit less score-oriented release to more satisfying, Barry-influ- tem of weighing the votes. Men in Black (Danny Elfman) this year), it appears that enced orchestral grooves under Horner may be supplanting David Arnold, a trio of classy The Top Ten Oscar Guesses John Williams as the public’s scores from the ever-reliable 1. Titanic (James Horner) 19% Titanic (James Horner, favorite soundtrack composer. John Williams, ongoing experi- 2. L.A. Confidential Drama) and Anastasia While 1997 offered that (to mentation from the Protean (Jerry Goldsmith) 15% (Stephen Flaherty, Lynn some) sobering revelation, it Howard Shore, and Basil 3. The Edge (Jerry Goldsmith) 12% Ahrens and David Newman, also brought a period in which Poledouris’s ballsy contribu- 4. Air Force One Comedy/Musical) were both

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 32 Film Score Monthly overwhelmingly mentioned by Any takers on the three readers, with Horner’s win cues from Batman and almost a shoo-in at this point. Robin that weren’t lifted directly from Batman Best Composer Forever? John Williams 34% Jerry Goldsmith 24% Best Record Label James Horner 12% Varèse Sarabande 67% Carter Burwell 12% RCA Victor 22% Howard Shore 12% Sony 11% Danny Elfman 6% Varèse’s wealth of original enough for the people who Beavis and Butt-Head movie. Williams continues to rate soundtrack Fox Classics and selected Varèse’s Goldsmith Mark Mancina’s Speed 2 was respect for his classy output newly recorded Film Classics horror disc, The Mephisto second only to Batman and and association with prestige helped push it to the top of Waltz/The Other. Robin (which didn’t help Elliot productions, while Goldsmith’s fans’ lists this year, while RCA Goldenthal’s rep any) as the attachment to a few movies got the nod due to its stupen- Worst Score biggest disaster of summer ‘97. that weren’t entirely stupid for dous Star Wars Special Edition Alien Resurrection 22% Morricone’s U-Turn sent peo- a change helped him out. reissues. Kull the Conqueror 17% ple into a u-turn, while the Surprisingly, Horner’s Titanic Con-Air 13% Media Ventures blanket contin- triumph didn’t translate into Best New Album of Old Score Batman and Robin 9% ued to taint people like Hans major votes in this category, Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition Starship Troopers 9% Zimmer, John Powell, and placing him neck and neck with (three releases combined) 42% Less than 5% each: Love Valour Mancina (who is no longer Carter Burwell and Howard Planet of the Apes 18% Compassion!, Titanic, Red Corner, In & Out, there, but that’s beside the Shore, two composers who Psycho 16% G.I. Jane, The Relic. point). Others found Titanic must sell a fraction of the Poltergeist 16% Films and scores don’t get and Starship Troopers to be albums Horner does. To Kill a Mockingbird 10% much more hated than Alien over-hyped. With a complete Planet of the Resurrection (a movie that was Best Unreleased Score Apes, the Star Wars reissues, reviled by sci-fi fans, yet Worst CD Packaging Breakdown (Basil Poledouris) Rhino’s Poltergeist and strangely adored by certain That damned “dino-rama” Runner-Up: Austin Powers: International Varèse’s re-recordings with the cineastes), and John Frizzell’s from The Lost World was uni- Man of Mystery (George S. Clinton) Royal Scottish National colorless score was hands down versally singled out as an Reportedly Basil Poledouris Orchestra, some major inroads the year’s biggest disappoint- abomination for fans horrified didn’t have the greatest time were made into cutting down ment. Meanwhile, both fans about scratching their CD on Breakdown (and the film’s the perennial list of CD wants. and detractors of The Rock every time they put it back. credits list another composer Picks were pretty evenly dis- seemed irritated by the overkill (This medical condition is for additional music), but the tributed here, but the Star sensibilities of Con-Air, and known as Vicarious Inanimate little road thriller proved a Wars Trilogy Special Editions Joel Goldsmith was put in the Object Hypochondria.) Ditto potent, white-knuckle draw. combined accounted for almost hapless position of having to RCA’s cardboard slipcovers for Mike Myers’s Austin Powers half the votes, with the supply heavy metal riffs for the their Star Wars Special Edition character already seems to Varèse/Fox Classic Planet of the pseudo-medieval odyssey, Kull releases. have taken a permanent place Apes, Psycho re-recording, and the Conqueror. in pop culture lingo (“Yeah, Rhino’s Poltergeist pulling Worst Labels baby!”), and George S. down the bulk of the rest. Film Worst Composer TVT, Fifth Continent, Sony, Milan, Silva, Clinton’s ingenious take-off of music archeologist extraordi- John Frizzell 25% Marco Polo ‘60s spy riffs (of which there naire Nick Redman produced Mark Mancina 18% Although they’ve rescued a was one cut on the Hollywood five out of the seven fan Hans Zimmer 12% few scores from oblivion, TVT CD) surely rates its own album. favorites. Less than 5% each: Michael Kamen, Ennio and Milan continue to invest in Also mentioned: Wild Morricone, Trevor Jones, John Powell, fan-hated song-compilation America (Joel McNeely, CD Best New Compilation Randy Edelman, J. Peter Robinson, Elliot albums (how dare they make a coming on Prometheus), The Simpsons: Songs in the Key of Springfield Goldenthal, James Horner, and “Media profit!), while Sony continues Jackal (Carter Burwell), Rhino’s great Simpsons com- Ventures.” to incur the wrath of fans for Batman and Robin (Elliot pendium (songs, dialogue and In the Daniel Schweiger their unending delays in get- Goldenthal), The Van (Eric Alf Clausen score) won in a FSM interview with Frizzell ting out the Star Trek: The Clapton and Richard Hartley), landslide here. Also mentioned (you know: the one we diplo- Motion Picture expanded reis- Night Falls on Manhattan were Frontiers, with Jerry matically ran right over the sue. Silva’s City of Prague com- (Mark Isham), George of the Goldsmith conducting his best negative review of the Alien pilations continue to be guar- Jungle (Marc Shaiman, 3 cuts sci-fi themes for Varèse, and Resurrection album), the com- anteed mixed bags, while Fifth on song CD), The Relic (John Koch’s Alfred Newman compi- poser stated that he believed Continent gets dissed for Debney, promo CD only), lation, under the title from now on he would be announcing DTS CDs that Turbulence (Shirley Walker, Wuthering Heights. By “compi- known as “the guy who wrote most of our CD players won’t promo CD only), Money Talks lation” we meant an album Alien Resurrection.” He may play. Marco Polo denied copies (Lalo Schifrin), Snow White: A with selections from multiple currently be hoping people con- of Garden of Evil (Herrmann) Tale of Terror (John Ottman). films, but a multiple of two was tinue to associate him with the and King Kong (Steiner) for

Film Score Monthly 33 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 THE BEST OF THE YEAR too long, although Kong is tired and antagonized readers. cal features were what made tracks like ‘Bloody Christmas.’ finally out of the gate this year. I blame the French! Mark So’s FSM outrageous and hilarious, That’s awful!” Lesson learned: the “worst U-Turn analysis and Rudy in addition to providing a lot of -Ronald Bluhm and labels” are not those that put Koppl’s rundown of promo CDs information.” Henrik Jordan out lousy albums, but the edged me out for “worst” hon- -Alex Zambra “While a student in college, a labels that take too long to put ors, while some people think “At times, the ‘Score’ reviews musicologist professor of phi- out good albums they’ve we overrated Basil Poledouris’s are insightful and illuminating. losophy and I would marvel at announced! Starship Troopers (maybe Still, quite often they are writ- how unsatisfying the various readers needed ten by people who haven’t the philosophies of art were—espe- to attend the first clue about musical compo- cially those writings whose scoring sessions sition and theory, and these focus was specifically music. to fully appreci- same people try to act like they Often this was due to the argu- ate it...). know what they’re talking ment only working within the R eaders about. Secondly, if a score is pages they were written. I’m unanimously going to be reviewed at all, it afraid another misguided, her- demanded more should be stated whether or metically sealed treatise on CD reviews, not it is being reviewed as a music has been added to that something we stand-alone, or in terms of how pile whose contributors include hope to rectify it works with the film. some of the greatest thinkers instantaneously. Otherwise, we are not being ever to have lived. Justifying fair to particular scores, films, art is a tricky and often alto- Best Cover and especially composers. gether wrong thing to do. Mr. Best FSM Article Vol. 2, No. 9, Featuring James Bond Some scores seem to be of poor Bender needs to write such Hans Zimmer Interview, Part 1: “Zimmer Fans of quality on their own, but work things with the messiness of Takes Aim... at FSM” (Vol. 2, No. 7) came out of the woodwork to extremely well when analyzed the world kept in mind. Only Proving that nothing is praise our 007 cover (which with the particular film.” then can it be taken seriously. more entertaining than a good, showed off Joe Sikoryak’s -Hans Karl Smugness does not make up for civilized brawl, our encounter snazzy redesign of the maga- “Award for the Most Hyped a poorly thought-out idea.” session with Hans Zimmer zine). Doing covers is easy... Score by Lukas Kendall that -Patrick Rogers Part 2 seemed to be everyone’s comedy is hard. Covers with Wasn’t all that Great: Starship favorite feature. Hey Hans—I wacky comic characters Troopers.” This last comment is in ref- liked The Peacemaker! Also (including America’s favorite -Todd Sheidenberger erence to John Bender’s “Film mentioned was my special Star cartoon family, Vol. 2, No. 2) “We need more info on new Music as Fine Art” (Vol. 2, No. Trek 30th anniversary attack won praise from the remain- releases with dates, reviews on 7), an insightful essay we were on Rick Berman (Vol. 2, No. 1; ing respondents. new and up-to-date CDs” happy to have printed. (What notice that the Star Trek -Gregory Donabedian does a 6’9” film music fan write scores have been getting a lot Assorted Comments “I found the cover designs of about? Anything he wants!) We cooler lately? Clearly Mr. “Don’t drop the quote of the 1997 fine. You do not need to realize that a lot of the subjects Berman senses my power and month; edit some of the long redesign the magazine, or hire we tackle in FSM are problem- has adjusted his guidelines boring letters you receive.” an art director. Save your atic, and that many of the arti- accordingly); the Miklós Rósza -John Tatler money.” cles are written by and for peo- Noir piece by Bill Whitaker “Best use of pop songs: L.A. -Peter Sergides ple of different backgrounds. (Vol. 2, No. 3); Ross Care’s Confidential.” [to be used at next contract/salary But we’ll defend our fearless analysis of On Her Majesty’s -Steven Taylor meeting with the art dept.] writers like Bender who dare to Secret Service (Vol. 2, No. 4); “I wish there were more arti- “There should be more be interesting. (Fans of John’s and the feature on Basil cles covering different aspects reviews than there have been work can look forward to more Poledouris scoring Starship of past film scores. Randall lately. In recent years, reading reviews for FSM, and his liner Troopers (Vol. 2, No. 8). Larson’s CinemaScore is gone, FSM would seem like eating a notes for the Rykodisc reissues and there is still a lot to cover. meal with all the commentary of The Thomas Crown Affair Worst FSM Article Also, more reviews by depend- on recent scores and albums. and Last Tango in Paris.) U-Turn analysis: “Stone Makes a Detour” able writers! Sometimes the Lately, that hasn’t been the Ironically, some of the letters (Vol. 2, No. 9) ‘guest reviewers’ sound like case.” and e-mails we get most critical Runner-Up: Promo CD article (Vol. 2, No. nothing more than tunnel- -Peter Avellino about longwinded articles are 2, No. 4) visioned fan geeks! The excla- “Rip-Off of the Year: The two themselves, uh, long. One of the great things mation marks give them away different 30-minute CDs for We thank everybody for their about being Managing Editor every time!” L. A. Confidential. Please don’t comments! Your opinions are of FSM is that I get to type my -Patrick Rogers Part 1 ever encourage anyone to sepa- valuable to us, and your poll own hate mail. While I was “Definitely a serious attitude rate songs from the score responses allow us to reduce proud to be involved with three and lack of humor has settled (when the songs play an inte- complicated aesthetic choices of our readers’ favorite FSM on FSM. What happened to all gral role). When we listen to into nifty little numbers, easily pieces, my long-winded brow- the laughter? Long gone Goldsmith’s album, we miss faxed about town. God bless, beating of The Lost World and Recordman? It’s fine to have the songs, and when we listen and good listening. needlessly serious articles but semi-comi- to the song album, we miss FSM

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 34 Film Score Monthly ACCENTUATE THE

DOUG ADAMS LEAVESPOSITIVE US WITH FOUR UPBEAT NOTES IN FILM MUSIC

Here’s an approving look at some of the trends of last synths, and searing guitars. Speaking of which... year. In no particular order: Intelligent Guitar Writing Between John Williams’s Rosewood, Conspiracy World music in film music used to mean that some- Theory, all of Danny Elfman’s 1997 scores, and, of one was playing a . In 1997 it meant John course, Crash, the guitar was a big winner this year. Williams doing two scores for “black” themed movies, But, what’s best is that each of the scores listed above a Latin percussion action score, and a Tibetan epic. It used guitars in a completely different way. Williams’s meant Philip Glass doing the other Tibetan score in Rosewood used it as a slashing, violent color; Burwell an entirely different way. It meant Mychael Danna’s used it as a trippy acid-rock brew; Elfman used it as brilliant and American Indian flute work in Alberti-styled nostalgia in Men in Black and Good Will The Ice Storm, Medieval and Iranian instruments in Hunting, and as Tito-Puente-meets-Cab-Calloway- The Sweet Hereafter, and Indian instruments and style insanity in Flubber. Shore’s Crash may still be synths combined for Kama Sutra. And most impor- the most interesting out of all of these, but when was tantly, it meant that the above scores—love ‘em or the last time that electric guitar played anything but hate ‘em—didn’t sound like twelve other things out power anthems and down-home pastiches? the same weekend. He’s Baaack... Jerry Goldsmith Colorful Writing with Structure 1997 represented a true return to form for I love the symphony orchestra as much as anyone, Goldsmith. While fans of his newer efforts like The but I was thrilled that 1997 showed us how much Ghost and the Darkness and were large- could be done with other instruments. Howard Shore ly turned off by the serial, bitonal, Romantic amal- was the leader, with his wonderfully colorful scores to gams he concocted for L.A. Confidential and The Cop Land and Crash. Cop Land did use a large string Edge, they represent some of the best work he’s done ensemble, but with the entire thing being electroni- for years. It was the first time that his 1990s expres- cally altered, the inclusion of some odd harmonic siveness and 1960s/1970s sense of innovation com- sounds, signal-like trumpet solos, and bagpipes, it pletely meshed. Note the way that the “Bloody turned into a non-linear tapestry of moodiness. And it Christmas” track in L.A. Confidential, for all of its didn’t sacrifice one iota of dramatic or musical cohe- ragged, atonal fury, is essentially a swing chart with a sion. The Game also worked well, but Shore’s real groove. It seems so logical when the jazz flugelhorn stand-out was Crash, a minimalistic, hypnotizing mix horn and trumpet solos come in, because we’ve of electric guitar swirls that proved once and for all already established that “feel.” Likewise, the jazz that the instrument can still be used in interesting solos toy with just enough dissonance to relate to the ways (see below). pre-established darkness. I’m curious to see where Thomas Newman always does incredibly well in this 1998 takes Goldsmith. category; too bad he was stuck with such dead-on- arrival films—still waiting on Oscar and Lucinda. I’m skipping some of the more obvious upsides of ‘97, Carter Burwell applied the same kind of re-invented like the mountains of welcome re-released discs. The ensemble music to a mainstream movie with point is, it was a good year to be involved in all this. So Conspiracy Theory and came up with one of the most let’s take a minute to sit back and smile, content in the enjoyable, off-beat scores this year. One can’t even pin knowledge that in As Good as It Gets (featuring an down all the influences in this work; it seems to be effective, character-based score by Hans Zimmer) they Burwell toying with a mix of shakers, saxes, low wood- actually put all those records in Jack Nicholson’s room winds, jazz, vaguely middle Eastern harmonies, pop, to lend him some needed humanity! I think... FSM

Film Score Monthly 35 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 THE SHIP OF DREAMS How Titanic Succeeds as Cinema By NICK R EDMAN

eatly parenthesized Art Imitates Life off-world colony, that implies if the aliens in Titanic’s opening The swollen costs and seemingly tortured ever get to Earth... end of the world as we images is the beginning production history of Fox/Paramount’s epic know it. True Lies (1994) is about a special and end of the 20th cen- Titanic appeared to echo the real-life disas- agent dealing with the world’s most fero- tury. The sepia-tinted ter in many uncomfortable ways, and film cious nuclear terrorists, and a warhead is shots of voyagers waving industry insiders waited for the proverbial actually detonated. Strange Days (1995), farewell is superbly con- ship to sink. Daily stories careened through which was produced by Cameron, ties mil- trasted with deep, blue-black water the press as the latest imbroglio threatened lennial angst to Armageddon. Nthrough which two high-tech probes to capsize the project. The movie itself The surprising reversal of expectations descend to the long-dead ship’s rusting became a city with its inhabi- that Titanic demonstrates is also one of its hulk. As the millennium approaches, the tants never quite sure when the ground most powerful strengths. The film is not time for reflection is nigh, and forward- would be sucked out from underneath their about the stricken ocean liner at all. It is looking optimism, tinged with fear of the feet. Finally the behemoth was ready to about impending Armageddon and our unknown, gives way to nostalgic introspec- launch and it slid into theaters with a mil- relationship to it. When the end of the tion; the warm glow of a hundred years lion icebergs lying in wait. And then, with world comes we cannot stand idly by, we past, when the world as we know it was the unpredictability of the 20th century’s have to participate, however unwillingly. young, full of life and love, and its adult tra- most astounding events, the ship proved The point becomes merely, how will we deal vails seemed a long way off. No century in seaworthy enough to reverse the dictionary with it when it’s here? human history has afforded as much definition. Once more, Titanic stands for “They called it the ship of dreams,” change and advance as the twentieth, and size and power, for something built to last; remembers the elderly Rose (Gloria no century has previously lost as much as it a juggernaut, unstoppable, ready to crush Stuart), and in Cameron’s Titanic this car- has gained. all in its wake. Titanic, confounding its ries a particular significance. If the ship is a It was literally another world, another naysayers and despite its hyperbole is a metaphor for the world, then in the world’s universe in 1912, and one that like the genuine phenomenon—a movie of high art dreams all is possible and perhaps proba- Titanic itself can not be easily recovered. and devastating commercial potency. An ble. In the dream-world of Titanic, a young The Titanic was a floating planet, a “city” example of cinematic synergy wherein the man could easily find himself one night in which dwelled all life, from the top of the cumulative effect is greater than the sum of sleeping under a bridge and the next night ladder to the bottom. En route to the “new all its parts. dining with aristocrats. A young woman world,” the land of ultimate opportunity, It is written that serious artists have one filled with the hopes and fears of impending the unthinkable happened—the denizens idea. And they spend their lives endlessly marital responsibility could easily be excit- of the ship were told that in two hours reworking it. In James Cameron’s case, the ed by freedom of spirit and heart. And everything they could see, touch and feel end of the world has been a regular preoc- whilst their romance is not plausible, it is would be gone. And that live or die, a dream cupation. In The Terminator (1984), the possible. Just as many implausible alliances would be over, that nothing in life could be narrative thrust is the prevention of have occurred, crossing class, culture and again relied upon or taken for granted. For nuclear war. In its sequel, Terminator 2 racial lines. succeeding generations, the word Titanic (1991), the Linda character has a has come to mean not its dictionary defini- terrifying vision of the world’s destruction. Poetry, not Pyrotechnics tion; i.e. colossal, gigantic, but a word that In The Abyss (1989) the aliens make them- In the romantic idyll of planet Titanic, the spells disaster. Titanic = Doom. No word in selves known to Earth’s inhabitants in ship glides glacially forward, smoothly fur- the English language more clearly rever- order to warn them of their folly. The con- rowing the cosmic calm of a tranquil sea. berates its ominous message. Beware. Just sequence of their ignorance? The end of the Titanic, like the Earth, turns on its own when you thought it was safe to go back in world. Aliens (1986) features a desperate leisurely axis. The motion is barely percep- the water... confrontation with an alien species on an tible, yet constant. Moving yet stationary.

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 36 Film Score Monthly In one of the film’s most beautiful and fulfills the function of exposition. The audi- have been a more brutal death of a machine poignant scenes, Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) ence now knows how the ship died, so we on film since that of HAL, the computer in invites Rose (Kate Winslet) to close her won’t have to puzzle over what is going on 2001? And if Titanic is a metaphor both for eyes while he helps her onto the railing at later in the movie. But it also slams home the world as we know it and for dreams in the prow of the ship. Stretching their arms the second metaphor. The techno-geek general, then is it not true that when wide, the two of them stand wind-blown knows what happened to the ship. But he dreams die they die not readily but slowly, and free, utterly alone, framed by a picture- doesn’t know, because knowing what hap- brutally, painfully? postcard sunset. It’s breathtaking because at that moment they are the only people on That’s Entertainment Earth, a 20th century Adam and Eve. Many of the criticisms leveled at Titanic Then, in a stunning visual transition, the focus on two key areas. The first is its lack ship begins to decay, to rust and age and of attention to historical fact; the second is rot. Cameron dissolves to Titanic today, a the anachronistic, clichéd implausibility of lonely, lost shell. the love story. In fact, curiously the film is heavy on period detail, but light on the he transition brilliantly works known issues of the ship’s sinking. These on three levels. It prefigures the include the Californian, a ship that was literal death of the ship; it within ten miles of the Titanic but mysteri- works metaphorically as the ously failed to come to its aid. (The reason death of a romantic dream; and Titanic fired its distress rockets was to alert Tit psychologically reinforces the accumulat- that boat.) There are no subplots regarding ing sense of dread that is propelling the true-life characters aboard, except a ship to its destiny. It takes the ground away few throwaways (Mr. Andrews, the from the couples’ feet, and with it goes any Guggenheims, etc.) and no scenes regard- sense of reassurance that the couple will ing the well-reported series of calamitous escape their fate. It is a remarkable feature missteps that led to the ship connecting of Titanic’s structure, that we the audience with the iceberg. are lured into a false sense of security. It is not a traditional like The gain, all these things are perti- Poseidon Adventure (1972) wherein we are nent in a documentary on the introduced to some stock characters before Titanic, and if this feature film we settle back to enjoy the mayhem. In was strictly about the ship Titanic, the daring length of the love story itself, they would be necessary. crucially succeeds in luring us into the ButA this movie has a different goal—by dreamscape, allowing us to forget the dan- THE YOUNG LOVERS eschewing historical reality, the disaster can ger ahead; when the iceberg weaves into more clearly become everyman’s disaster, view it is almost as big a shock for us as it OF TITANIC EXIST AS and the Titanic becomes a symbol of uni- is for the ship’s passengers. CIPHERS IN A HIGHLY versal catastrophe. Cameron is painstaking Unlike most big-budget studio films, in his recreation of the vessel, and this is Titanic is thought out from beginning to STYLIZED UNIVERSE. terribly important. It is essential for the end. You know that this project is a work of film to impose the sheer sense of jaw-drop- passion, the single-minded vision of a dedi- IT’S NOT EXACTLY OUR ping scale, the enormous grandiosity of the cated auteur. The story’s framing device, White Star Line’s proudest achievement. A Bill Paxton and his team of techno-geek WORLD, BUT IT’S ship of previously unseen dimensions, com- mercenaries, could have been leaden in the plete with all the accouterments of the mod- wrong hands but it delineates the film’s CLOSE ENOUGH TO ern world, including a car. This boat was so other major metaphor craftily and subtly. BELIEVE IN solid, so un-boat like that it transcended its The new-age optimism of the early 20th dimensions and assumed the proportions of century was naive, but it was human. The a floating country. All the better for the pur- pre-tech era was frail and vulnerable but pened and feeling what happened are poses of metaphor. (One amazing shot in more compassionate. The world and its ills worlds apart. Rose will gradually over the the film shows a distant, crippled Titanic, was more deeply felt. By the use of comput- course of her survivor’s tale imbue the mer- alone in the vast inky blackness resembling er graphics, the elderly Rose is shown how cenaries with heart. They will in a sense a dying star in the Cosmos.) the ship she traveled on met its end. It’s a regain their humanity. The metaphor is The central love story works its magic gripping demonstration both for Rose and plain: All the technology in the universe as an allegory for the dawn of the 20th us. Simply and clearly we watch the com- counts for nothing without the heart to use century. The modern world was callow puter mock-up of the ship going down while it properly. and foolish, young and full of dreams. Its one of Paxton’s cohorts rambles on: “This James Cameron’s gift as a director is he innocence and belief in the possibility of is what happened. This is what happened... knows that machinery has a . That all things had its hopes and promise It’s neat. It’s cool.” technology is part of our life’s fabric. When dashed by the two world wars that shat- PHOTOS COPYRIGHT ©1997 PARAMOUNT PICTURES/20TH CENTURY FOX COPYRIGHT ©1997 PARAMOUNT PHOTOS The pain in Rose’s eyes tells another we die it dies, and vice-versa. At the tered every illusion. The death of inno- story. “Being there was somewhat differ- moment Titanic breaks in half, it is impos- cence and the irrecoverable loss of the

TITANIC ent.” The scene is multi-layered. It initially sible not to feel its death agony. Can there (continued on page 43)

Film Score Monthly 37 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 A SCORE TO REMEMBER? James Horner’s technique critiqued

By DOUG A DAMS

mongst soundtrack ed that non-text-based music could be composers’ work (Enya’s “Book of Days,” buffs, Titanic has “about” things like love, or sorrow, or Goldsmith’s Capricorn One, Williams’s Far brought the age-old clouds, or characters. But the Romantic and Away, etc.). They’re right of course, debate of James Horner composers didn’t take the idea wholesale; these pieces are in there. But, they don’t to a boil. For some, they still treated their compositions first undermine Horner’s intent with this score. Titanic has sparked the and foremost as sonic entities. If Debussy’s Titanic was not composed as music to be obsessive flames that Nuages was supposed to conjure images of heard. Rather, it was designed to be felt. only a landmark can: there is no greater clouds, that was fine. But it still used signA of a fan-favorite than people making unique arrangements of chromatic fifths Quoted Out of Context their own lists of unreleased cues and try- and thirds in the woodwinds, odd semi- In fact, one could say Horner has never ing to figure out the chronological order of combinations of whole tone, octatonic, and intended a single one of his film scores to be the album. (Good luck.) For others, it’s the pentatonic scales, and strange divisions of heard. There’s no way anyone in his right most egregious ingredient in a cloying, tire- string parts. In other words, it was con- mind could commit as much plagiarism and some movie. Like Earl Weaver vs. an ceived of in musical terms—what kinds of self-plagiarism as Horner and submit it, umpire, it’s been an occasionally entertain- interesting sonic ideas could he come up naked, to a listener. From his first feature ing but mostly worthless debate which we with?—then labeled as being evocative of score, Battle Beyond the Stars, which most will forego here, in favor of explaining something. They weren’t musical sounds noticeably rips off Star Trek: The Motion Horner’s modus operandi and why it caus- that had never been heard before, but Picture, Horner has stolen trademark pas- es such strong disagreement. they’d never been used like this before. sages: Wolfen’s main theme is Charles This is where most successful film com- Ives’s The Unanswered Question. Star Old Wine in a New Bottle posers have picked up. Herrmann used the Trek II flip-flops between Prokofiev’s Music in film has been used for a lot of dif- minor/major seventh chord (C Eb G B) Alexander Nevsky and Britten’s Sinfonia da ferent purposes. It’s been used to cover up extensively in both Psycho and Vertigo, but Requiem in such a way that, legend has it, the sound of the projector, to speed up slow it’s used in dreamy arpeggiations against director held up cards to scenes, to lend coherence or arc to a story, other extended triads in Vertigo, while it’s the orchestra naming each composer as the or to become an emotional tent pole for a used in punctual block chords behind tart score was recorded. Star Trek III’s “death project. In Titanic, as in most of his recent melodies in Psycho. I’ve heard trombones of the Enterprise” is literally from work, Horner uses music almost strictly for sliding downwards before, but never Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet ballet. Aliens emotion. against low string clusters and scratched uses the Adagio from Khachaturian’s This might seem like the most extraordi- piano wires. That’s interesting to hear. Gayane ballet, as do the movies. narily obvious statement. It’s not. Music Then when Jerry Goldsmith tells us that it The action theme from Willow is from was not necessarily created to carry emo- represents a killer bear like in last year’s Robert Schumann’s Third Symphony. Field tional messages. Certainly it can, and in The Edge, we can all nod our heads in syn- of Dreams has snippets of Copland’s Our film music it often does, but music as a ergistic appreciation. It’s crafted both in Town. The main theme from Glory is from whole is not designed simply to be a vessel concept and in application. Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible—the first for these kinds of ideas. In fact, the idea This is not what Horner’s Titanic score eight notes are identical. The theme to that music could be used to represent any does. In fact, Horner seems to approach Honey, I Shrunk the Kids quotes Amarcord sort of concrete emotions or ideas mostly things from exactly the opposite direction. to such an extent that Disney went to Nino began in the Romantic period (19th centu- Many have complained that Titanic’s score Rota’s estate to license it shortly before ry). Prior to that, it was thought of as an contains several sections out of his previous release. Horner copied ’s end unto itself. It was only organized scores (the main theme from the first third West Side Story so closely in An American sound. of the picture is a sort of revamped Tail: Fievel Goes West that he had to In the Romantic period, composers decid- Rocketeer theme) and snippets of other rewrite and re-record some cues.

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 38 Film Score Monthly All composers draw upon others, and all to be. From 1980 through (ironically) ment. By the time he revisited his former composers reuse their most personal ges- Cameron’s Aliens in 1986, he scored a pre- symphonic style on The Rocketeer and tures, progressions, colors and rhythms. ponderance of sci-fi or children’s films with various animated films, his original But no film composer has ever stolen so a Hollywood sweep (Wolfen, Star Trek II Prokofiev/Britten combination of chatter- broadly, using entire passages note for note, and III, Krull, Cocoon, Something Wicked ing brass and shimmering strings seemed a not referential quotations. (Traditionally, This Way Comes, The Journey of Natty mere shell—as it was a shell all along. film composers have either “borrowed” an Gann); when the music was on, it was on— idiom—for example, Goldsmith writing the as in, up front. Even the more mature dra- But, It Worked in the Movie... main and end titles to Alien using many mas had a vivid character, like Gorky Park Just as each true director relentlessly pur- characteristics of Debussy—or a specific and Brainstorm. (It was in this period that sues a storytelling idea, each true film com- phrase, like Michael Kamen quoting Horner swiped most liberally from the clas- poser—someone who is not a mere hack, “Singin’ in the Rain” and Beethoven’s sical literature and from Jerry Goldsmith but a proven artist with a point of view— Ninth Symphony in Die Hard to make a in particular.) comes up with an “interface” with a movie point. They don’t copy 70% of a piece and uniquely his own (see editorial, FSM Vol. 3, sign their name on it.) And no composer has t turns out, this was not the composer No. 2). For Herrmann it was repetition to recycled his own licks from film to film with Horner meant himself to be. One reinforce psychological states; for so little regard to context, using phrases thing that happened to him was the Goldsmith it has been a wide variety of verbatim, and not writing a different motive back-breaking experience on Streets of innovative, often modern styles linked by a based on the same idea. (Yes, composers Fire in 1984; he wrote three separate common melodic and especially rhythmic have lifted entire cues from a past work, as Iscores for the ‘50s rock fable before finally voice. Ennio Morricone has pioneered film if it was library music—like Alfred Newman being replaced by -standby Ry scoring as unsynched music, and John reusing The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Cooder. In the late ‘80s, Horner stripped Williams has applied the formal structures The Robe—but rarely in the modern era.) away his earlier neo-romantic palette in of a variety of genres with unerring success. The point in stating this is not to slam favor of a new arsenal of soloists—writing In all of these cases, however, the composi- Horner or his listeners. Rather, it is to scores so relentlessly textural and boring tions have retained their own integrity. deconstruct Horner’s approach. Consider they could hardly seem to come from the To Horner, the emotional impact of the this: Horner is not a composer, he is an same pen that crafted “Battle in the Mutara sound—the gist—is everything. The sound “emotionalist.” As an “emotionalist,” he Nebula” from Star Trek II. The Name of the is strictly a vessel to communicate his mes- doesn’t need to be innovative. He may Rose, Where the River Runs Black, Vibes, sage. Sometimes the sound is the ambiva- repeat certain licks in every score, he may Red Heat and Young Guns (rejected—a lent wail of a shakuhachi, and sometimes it even steal a riff from other composers, but truly drab piece of Irish nonsense) were is a five-bar passage from a Shostakovich his particular assemblages and his individ- some of the pictures receiving this new symphony. As long as it fits each instant, it ual timings are always emotionally effec- brand of bubbling nothingness—pan pipes, doesn’t matter. Consider his most telling tive and affective in the scenes at hand. To shakuhachi, , percussion, interview statement ever, from a 1991 sem- him, he has never copied himself, since he maybe Horner on piano. He added boys inar he gave in Melbourne, Australia. has never used the same piece of music for choir and solo voices in Glory (no doubt “I just see the movie and try to go with exactly the same scene in the same movie. inspired by Williams’s Empire of the Sun) what strikes me as to the mood of the film Part of the turmoil over Horner comes and this supplied him the tools to score any and what sounds best paint that sound. I from the fact that he has become almost an Hollywood scene with a maximum of “emo- don’t think so much in terms of what the inverse of the composer he initially seemed tion” and minimum of troublesome move- melody line is going to be, I think in terms

EVERY MUSICAL ELEMENT IN TITANIC’S SCORE HAS BEEN HEARD BEFORE. EACH HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR ITS INDIVIDUAL EMOTIONAL EFFECT, AND EACH HAS BEEN PLACED IN ORDER TO TRIGGER THE PROPER EMOTION AT THE PROPER TIME.

Film Score Monthly 39 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 A SCORE TO R EMEMBER? Welcome to the New of what the colors are. For instance, I’ll see have no idea where the cinematic meter is a film and say, ‘It would be great to have an overall, since the colors are focusing on Film Score Marketplace. , French horn, bassoon and a pan pipe, individual events. We’ve added some additional, or a pan pipe ensemble.’ I will proceed in unusual offerings to our collection of that direction to try and get those forces Music by the Numbers together to come up with melodic lines, But just as Horner’s colors demolish form, knowing that an oboe is going to play it, or they treat each story element in a straight- a French horn. For me what comes first is forward, non-ambiguous way. Heroes are VIDEO what the colors are, what my palette of good, villains are bad, tension is... well, Basil Poledouris: orchestral instruments is going to be, syn- tense, and celebration is joyous. There are His Life and Music is thesizer or acoustic or what acoustic instru- not a lot of layers of subtlety or motivation- an intimate visit with the ments. Then I’ll decide what the melodic al complexity to his style of setting music to composer of Conan the lines are going to be.” images, which is exactly why it meshes so Barbarian, Big Wednesday, Consider the things he does not mention: well with children’s fantasy films. Compare Free Willy, Starship Troopers namely, the philosophy of the film and how Horner’s and Williams’s approaches to and Lonesome Dove. Take a that fits into its music. Whose point of view ’s mythological films. In Star tour of his work and is he playing? How much music should Wars, Luke is a hero, Ben is a hero, the lifestyle—in his own there be? Should it be repetitive or free- plight of the rebellion is heroic. But words—from his methodology on composing to his flowing, textural or melodic? Yes, this is Williams illustrates Luke as idealistic, love of sailing and the sea. The video runs 50 min- only an isolated quote, but Horner’s work hopeful, and dreamy. He shows Ben as an utes and includes footage of Basil conducting and at bears testament (excuse the pun) to the ancient man more somber that heroic; he work on mock-ups of Starship Troopers, truthfulness of his comment. All of the ties him thematically to an ancient rite. as well as dozens of behind-the-scenes and family wonderful gradients that have made Jerry And all of these classical themes are woven photos, and special appearances by wife Bobbie Goldsmith’s scores so different from one together with some more modernistic and Poledouris and daughter Zoë. Discover the man another and so unique for each film, even popular forms of writing so that we under- behind the music, in a close-up way you’ll never see recently from Basic Instinct to L.A. stand the score in terms of its references on commercial TV, or experience in print. Confidential to Air Force One, Horner casts against its originality. The characters are Basil Poledouris Video (U.S. Format) $24.95 aside in favor of a more methodical given their place in history, rather than (European PAL Format) $29.95 approach of selecting instruments. For the standing in place of it. differences between those three scores are Now look at Horner’s score for Lucas’s not just the fact that one has strings and Willow. The Willow character is good, the synthesizers, one has jazz instruments, and Val Kilmer character is good, the baby is BACK ISSUES one has a traditional military/symphonic good, the sorceress is good, there is a good Volume One, 1993-96 ensemble; they each take an idiom and army. But other than the magical baby’s Issues are 24 pp. unless noted. Most 1993 build from it in a personal way. Horner does theme (which sounds like magical chil- editions are xeroxes only have his separate styles—his Irish style, his dren’s music) there is really only one hero- #30/31, February/March ’93, 64 pp. animated/sci-fi symphonic style, his big ic theme (which is the one stolen from Maurice Jarre, Basil Poledouris, Jay band knock-offs from Batteries Not Schumann). And all it says is “goodness Chattaway, John Scott, Chris Young, Mike Lang; the secondary market, Ennio Included and Cocoon—but he tends to and heroism.” It isn’t understood as an Morricone albums, Elmer Bernstein Film draw upon them in the exact same way. In ancient tradition which is being formatted Music Collection LPs; 1992 in review. other words, “” becomes the entire for this story, nor is it supposed to be refer- #32, April ’93, 16 pp. Temp-tracking Matinee, SPFM ’93 color, not the starting point. ential in any way. It’s just non-descript, Conference Report, angry Star Trek music editorial. #33, May ’93, 12 pp. Book reviews, articles on classical/film con- non-project specific, one-size-fits-all hero- nection. orner’s obsession with color ism. That doesn’t make it categorically less- #34, June ’93, 16 pp. Goldsmith SPFM award dinner report; orches- is his trademark, but unlike er than the Williams score, but it does make trators & what they do, Lost in Space, recycled Herrmann; review spotlights on Christopher Young, Pinocchio, Bruce Lee the respective stamps of it a lot more straightforward. It also means film scores. Goldsmith, Morricone and that the film’s message is going to be more #35, July ’93, 16 pp. Tribute to David Kraft; John Beal Pt. 1; scores Herrmann, Horner’s music traditional, even in the context of a conven- vs. songs, Herrmann Christmas operas; Film Composers is formless away from the film. Compare tional genre like adventure. In fact, the Dictionary. H #36/37, August/September ’93, 40 pp. Elmer Bernstein, Bob him to John Barry, a composer who, like message is generic to the point that it Townson (Varèse), Richard Kraft and Nick Redman Pt. 1, John Horner, has a predilection for re-using cer- ignores the fact that it’s an element of a Beal Pt. 2; reviews of CAM CDs; collector interest articles, clas- tain gestures. They are worlds apart. constructed medium. Horner’s scores sic corner, scores of Elmer Bernstein. #38, October ’93, 16 pp. John Debney (seaQuest DSV), Kraft and Barry’s music is at heart cadential—where rarely if ever acknowledge that their effect Redman Pt. 2. it starts and ends, and its internal rhythm, is gained by triggering our collective expe- #39, Nov. ’93, 16 pp. Kraft and Redman Pt. 3, Fox CDs, Nightmare is everything. People have accused Barry of riences. Williams’s Star Wars score takes Before Christmas and Bride of Frankenstein review spotlights. #40, Dec. ’93, 16 pp. Kraft and Redman Pt. 4; Re-recording The writing excessively “simple” music and ideas we are all comfortable with like the Magnificent Seven for Koch. slow tempos, but it’s more that he has classical character themes and the vaguely #41/42/43, January/Feb./ March ’94, 48 pp. .Elliot Goldenthal, stripped out unnecessary busy-ness to Korngold-ish stylizing, then sets them all in James Newton Howard, Kitaro and Randy Miller (Heaven & emphasize the “clock” deep within the cin- a new, modern context. It’s effective Earth), Rachel Portman, Ken Darby; Star Wars trivia/cue sheets; album covers; music for westerns overview; ’93 in ematic mechanism. Horner’s music, in con- because it’s purposely noticeable as a mix- review. trast, is formless—his main titles often ture of continuations and new creations. In #44, April ’94 Joel McNeely, Basil Poledouris (On Deadly Ground); build from a buzzing drone, and his end Willow, the entire score is a recreation. SPFM Morricone tribute report and photos; lots of reviews. #45, May ’94 Randy Newman (Maverick), Graeme Revell (The titles recede into one. It’s all affect, and you There is nothing to point out that this is a Crow); Goldsmith in concert; in-depth reviews: The Magnificent

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 40 Film Score Monthly soundtrack-related products. (Where and mail it, or fax 213-937-9277. else are you gonna get this stuff?) Coming Soon: U.S. Soundtracks on MUSIC To order, use the handy mailer bound Compact Disc Price Guide, Second John Barry’s Deadfall First time on CD! John Barry into the magazine. You can fold, , Edition by Robert L. Smith scored this 1968 thriller in the midst of his most creative period of the ‘60s. It fea- BOOKS tures his 14-minute guitar concerto, “Romance for Film Composers Guide Guitar and Orchestra,” performed by Renata Tarrago and the London Philharmonic; the title song “My Love Dimitri Tiomkin: A Portrait 1997-1998 Fourth Edition Lone Eagle Has Two Faces” performed by Shirley Bassey by Christopher Palmer, T.E. Books (out Publishing, Compiled and Edited by (“Goldfinger”), plus two never-before-heard alternate of print!) This 1984 book by the late Vincent J. Francillon This is the ulti- versions of same (vocal by Malcolm Roberts and Christopher Palmer is the authoritative mate resource for finding out what instrumental); and vintage, dramatic Barry under- study of legendary composer Dimitri composers have scored what films— score. Deadfall was released on LP at the time of the Tiomkin (1894-1979). Long out of over 2,600 composers cross-refer- film’s release and has been unavailable ever since. print, a few copies have surfaced from enced with 25,000 films! Never be Liner notes by Jon Burlingame. $16.95 the U.K. publisher and are now for puzzled again. Also contains agency sale—when they’re gone, they’re contacts, Academy Award winners gone! The book is hardback, 144 pp., and nominees, record company The Taking of Pelham and divided into three sections: a biog- addresses and more. One Two Three First time anywhere! David raphy, overview of Tiomkin in an histor- 8.5” by 11”, 416 pp. Regular retail Shire’s classic ’70s 12-tone ical perspective, and specific coverage price $55; 28% off to Film Score jazz/ for the 1974 subway of his major landmarks (Lost Horizon, Monthly readers: $39.95 hostage thriller. Part disaster , the Hitchcock films, Giant, Shipping info: CDs/video: $3 first item, $1.50 movie, part gritty cop thriller, 55 Days at Peking and many more). each additional U.S./Canada. $5 first item, $3 Shire’s fat bass ostinatos and creepy suspense cues Also includes a complete filmography, each add’l rest of world. Books: $4 each U.S., $5 glue it all together. A sensational, driving, pulsating 41 b&w photos, and 9 color plates. Canada, $10 rest of world. Backissues: Shipping score in a class by itself. Improved packaging; liner Rare! $24.95 free U.S./Canada. $3 surcharge rest of world per notes by Doug Adams. $16.95 order. (Wotta deal—“We’re crazy”)

Seven and Schindler’s List; Instant Liner Notes, overview. and Rózsa radio programs; Irwin Allen box set Lukas’s and Bond’s review columns. book reviews. #58, June ’95 Michael review; Bender’s “Into the Dark Pool” column. Vol. 2, No. 4, June ’97 Danny Elfman (Men in Black), #46/47, June/July ’94 Patrick Doyle, James Newton Kamen (Die Hard), Royal S. #70, June ’96 Mark Mancina (Twister), final desert Promos Pt. 2, and , Lady in Howard (Wyatt Earp), John Morgan (restoring Brown (film music critic), island movie lists, Jeff Bond’s summer movie col- White, the Laserphile on , obituary: Brian May, Hans Salter scores); Tribute to Henry Mancini; Recordman Loves Annette, umn, TV’s Biggest Hits book review. The Fifth Element reviewed. overview: Michael Nyman music for films, col- History of Soundtrack #71, July ’96 David Arnold (Independence Day), Michel Vol. 2, No. 5, July ’97 Elliot Goldenthal (Batman & lectible CDs. Collecting Pt. 1. Colombier, Recordman Goes to Congress, Bond’s Robin), Mark Mancina (Con Air, Speed 2), George S. #48, August ’94 Mark Mancina (Speed); Chuck #59/60, July/Aug. ’95, 48 summer movie column. Clinton (Austin Powers), ASCAP & BMI award pho- Cirino & Peter Rotter; Richard Kraft: advice for pp. Sex Sells Too (sexy LP #72, August ’96 Ten Best Scores of ‘90s, Thomas tos; Reviews: Crash, Lost World. aspiring film composers; classical music in covers, lots of photos), Newman’s The Player, Escape from L.A., conductor Vol. 2, No. 6, August ’97 Lalo Schifrin (Money Talks), films; new CAM CDs; Cinerama LPs; best- Maurice Jarre interviewed, John Mauceri, reference books, Akira Ifukube CDs. John Powell (Face/Off), Marc Shaiman (George of selling soundtrack CDs. Miklós Rózsa Remembered, #73, September ’96 Recordman on War Film the Jungle); remembering Tony Thomas; Bond’s #49, September ’94 Hans Zimmer (The Lion King), History of Soundtrack Collecting Pt. 2, film music Soundtracks Pt. 1; Interview: David Schecter: summer movie report, TV sweeps. Shirley Walker; Laurence Rosenthal on the in concert pro and con. Monstrous Movie Music; Akira Ifukube CDs Pt. 2, Vol. 2, No. 7, September ’97 Hans Zimmer vs. FSM Vineyard; Hans Salter in memoriam; classical #61, September ’95 Elliot Goldenthal (Batman Miles Goodman obituary. (big interview, Peacemaker cover), Marco Beltrami music in films; John Williams in concert; Forever), Michael Kamen Pt. 2, Chris Lennertz (new #74, October ’96 Action Scores in the ‘90s (big intelli- (Scream, Mimic), Curtis Hanson (L.A. Recordman at the flea market. composer), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (analy- gent article); Cinemusic ‘96 report (John Barry, Confidential); Dursin’s: Laserphile, Bender’s: Film #50, October ’94 Alan Silvestri (Forrest Gump), Mark sis), classical music for soundtrack fans. Zhou Jiping); Vic Mizzy interviewed. Music as Fine Art, Recordman. Isham; sex and soundtrack sales; Lalo Schifrin in #62, October ’95 Danny Elfman Pt. 1, John Ottman #75, November ’96 John Barry: Cinemusic Interview Vol. 2, No. 8, October ’97 Basil Poledouris (Starship concert; Ennio Morricone Beat CDs; that wacky (The Usual Suspects), Robert Townson (Varèse (very big); Recordman on War Film Soundtracks Pt. Troopers), Howard Shore (Cop Land, The Game), Internet; Recordman on liner notes. Sarabande), Top Ten Most Influential Scores, 2, Bond’s review column. Hans Zimmer vs. FSM Pt. 2 (interview), Alloy #51, November ’94 Howard Shore (Ed Wood), Thomas Goldsmith documentary reviewed. #76, December ’96 Interviews: Randy Edelman, John Orchestra (scoring silent films), Golden Age CD Newman (Shawshank Redemption), J. Peter #63, November ’95 James Bond Special Issue! John Barry pt. 2, Ry Cooder (Last Man Standing); Andy reviews. Robinson (’s New Nightmare), Lukas’s Barry and James Bond (history/overview), Eric Dursin’s laserdisc column, Lukas’s Vol. 2, No. 9, November/December ’97 mom interviewed; music of Heimat, Star Trek; pro- Serra on GoldenEye, essay, favorites, more. Also: reviews. David Arnold (Tomorrow Never Dies), John mos. History of Soundtrack Collecting Pt. 3, Davy Frizzell (Alien Resurrection), Neal Hefti #52, December ’94 Eric Serra, Marc Shaiman Pt. 1, Crockett LPs. Volume Two, 1997 (interview), U-Turn and The Mephisto Sandy De Crescent (music contractor), Valencia #64, December ’95 Danny Elfman Pt. 2 (big!), Steve New color cover format! Issues 32-48 Waltz (long reviews), Razor & Tie CDs; Film Music Conference, SPFM Conference Pt. 1, Bartek (orchestrator), Recordman Meets Shaft: The pp. begins new format. StarGate liner notes, Shostakoholics Anonymous. Blaxploitation Soundtracks, Michael Kamen Pt. 3, Vol. 2, No. 1, Jan./Feb. ’97 First in new #53/54, January/February ’95 Marc Shaiman Pt. 2, re-recording House of Frankenstein. format! Star Wars issue: John Volume Three, 1998 Dennis McCarthy (Star Trek); Sergio Bassetti, Jean- #65/66/67, January/February/March ’96, 48 pp. Williams interview, behind the Expanded format! Issues 48 pp. Claude Petit and Armando Trovajoli in Valencia; Thomas Newman, Toru Takemitsu, Robotech, Star Special Edition CDs, commentary, Vol. 3, No. 1, January ’98 John Williams Music and the Academy Awards Pt. 1; rumored LPs, Trek, Ten Influential Composers; Philip Glass, cue editing minutia/trivia, more. Buyer’s Guide Pt. 1 (Star Wars to quadraphonic LPs. Heitor Villa-Lobos, songs in film, best of ‘95, film Also: Bond’s review column. Amistad), Mychael Danna (The Sweet #55/56, March/April ’95 Basil Poledouris (The documentary reviews (Herrmann, Delerue, Vol. 2, No. 2, Mar./Apr. ’97 Alf Clausen: The Simpsons Hereafter), Titanic music supervision, readers poll, Book), Alan Silvestri (The Quick and the Dead), Joe Takemitsu, “The Hollywood Sound”). (big interview); promotional CDs; Congress in laserphile, Silvestri lecture, Rykodisc reviews. Lo Duca (Evil Dead), Oscar and Music Pt. 2, #68, April ’96 ’s The Taking of Pelham One Valencia; Readers Poll ’96 and Andy’s picks; Vol. 3, No. 2, February ’98 Philip Glass (Kundun), John Recordman’s Diary, SPFM Conference Report Pt. 2. Two Three; Carter Burwell (Fargo), gag obituaries, Bender’s Into the Dark Pool Pt. 2 Williams Buyers Guide Part 2 (The Reivers to Black #57, May ’95 Jerry Goldsmith in concert, Bruce Apollo 13 promo/bootleg tips. Vol. 2, No. 3, May ’97 Michael Fine: Re-recording Sunday), David Amram (Manchurian Candidate), Broughton on Young Sherlock Holmes, Miles #69, May ’96 Music in Plan 9 from Outer Space; John Miklós Rózsa’s film noir scores; reviews: Goldsmith Varèse CDs, Pendulum CDs (interview Goodman interviewed, ’94 Readers Poll, Star Trek Walsh’s funny movie music glossary; Herrmann Poltergeist, Mars Attacks!, Rosewood, more; and reviews), poll results, TV CDs. tle, soothing, and broadly non-specific to reality, hence an imposed morality). The the point that an audience can see it as danger of the technique is that it puts being indicative of a worldly truth. Horner in the position to create and enforce Horner’s Titanic is full of these kinds of his own moralities within a film. For “ingredient” blocks. In a more composi- instance, Mel Gibson did everything wrong tionally minded score, they would be the in Ransom, but because of the music’s elements which were later developed. In insistence that this character was imbued Titanic, they are what they are—a collec- with a sort of predestined success (which tion of parts. the pro-Mel finale consummated), we leave Each has been chosen for its individual with the message that the rich white male emotional effect, and each has been placed really does have all the answers. in order to trigger the proper preset emo- Nevertheless, in Titanic, this technique tion at the proper time. They are not com- of Horner’s figures greatly into the film’s bined in such a way to make them sonically popularity. Here, he’s operating under his unique, because as a string of stimuli, they usual hierarchies of absolute good, bad, are already performing their task efficiently. love, etc., and again, there aren’t any impu- Every musical element in Titanic’s score rities in the emotional levels. When Rose has been heard before. The synth voices, the falls in love with Jack, the music lets us octave leaping bass-lines, the Irish instru- know that the love is true, complete, and ments, and the piano clusters have all been all-encompassing. And we know that Rose used in other music to evoke the same kinds is a good, sweet girl, and that Jack is pure of ideas. But, in a strictly emotionally con- of heart and, although somewhat of a MANY FANS HAVE ceived score, that doesn’t matter as long as rogue, a far better mate for Rose than her all these elements do what they’re supposed current betrothed. On one level, Horner’s DISMISSED THE SCORE to when they’re supposed to. score, in the context of the film, helps com- Could Titanic have worked with a score pel us to believe in these extremes. The ON CD, ONLY TO that provided both for compositional and Rose character, for instance, is scored with emotional integrity? Yes, given the right almost nothing but sweet melodicism. LOVE IT AFTER composer with the right amount of creative Although we see her feistier side on screen, freedom. Would the score have been as pop- the score is continually telling us that her SEEING THE FILM ular with the public? Probably not. true nature is that of placid congeniality. If As Titanic’s fame has grown, and as fact, it tells us this to the extent that she audience members have begun returning becomes fairytale-like. She chugs her beer, take on a genre style. It could just as easily for third and fourth viewings, many people spits in people’s faces, and flips people the be the first score ever written like this— have tried to intellectualize the use of bird, but Horner urges her “femininity” to which is seemingly what we are to believe. Horner’s music in the film: it’s symbolical- the point that it’s hyper-enforced past real- At no point does the score tip its hat to its ly related to the passage of time, it’s ity. However, when this kind of extreme origins as a style of scoring, or as music. designed with religious overtones, its use of effect is placed within the confines of voices for sea somehow represent the souls Cameron’s incredibly detailed and histori- The Score of Dreams lost, and so on. All of these ideas are inter- cally accurate setting, suddenly we’ve got a Enter Titanic. It’s the score they’ll play at esting, but a close examination of the score living, breathing fable before our eyes. Horner’s funeral; it’s his magnum opus. will show that these evocations aren’t Cameron provides the reality, Horner pro- Compositionally, there is very little to it. recurring enough to be considered con- vides the myth, and together they meet in That’s not to infer that complexity is nec- structional. between, allowing audiences to believe that essarily the hallmark of great scoring, but the reality of Titanic—hence the reality of Titanic is made up of the most basic of ames Horner nearly always scores our own world—readily allows for this sto- musical components, even by “back- films with a very chiseled percep- rybook purity. ground” music standards. It’s comprised of tion of ethical states. In other If one looks at the love story in Titanic, it series of diatonic tunes orchestrated for a words, he deals with classical dra- will be found that it’s entirely designed in symphony with synths, strung together by matic ideas: the notions of absolute terms of a parable: the fated first meeting some standard action riffs. There is no J“good,” “bad,” “love,” and “hate.” where Jack saves Rose, the forbidden pas- notable clarity or originality of texture; Ambiguities within these ideas are sion, the heroic sacrificial death of Jack. voicings move pianistically in large, charac- eschewed in favor of the extremes of purity. However, if this story were simply placed terless block chords; the colorations all There is no love that is both tenuous and inside of an historically accurate occur- come from Horner’s well-worn palette; the torrid, it leans completely in one direction rence, it may have been swallowed up with counterpoint is functional, yet fairly rickety or the other. In fact, the drama of Horner’s the “realism” of it all. It would have been at times. But by thinning down the musi- music is so extreme, so absolute in intent, like a love story set during the signing of cality of his score, Horner has found an that it often feels like Horner is scoring the Declaration of Independence—a sweet incredibly direct, if simple, way of impart- beyond the situations at hand and referring story perhaps, and told well enough, but ing his messages. An unadorned plagal to some sort of greater truth. This is a kind offering little in the way of far-reaching cadence (IV-I) viewed in a musical frame of of double extremity which some people find ramifications. But what Horner does in reference is a simple ingredient, but viewed reassuring (a view of the world as it should Titanic is provide emotional, broad-mind- in an emotional frame of reference, it’s gen- be) and some find insipid (a false view of ed, incredibly unambiguous music aimed at

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 42 Film Score Monthly these star-crossed lovers. Suddenly, with the music on their side, these lovers are Ship of Dreams (continued from page 37) Nothing Succeeds Like Success pushed into becoming every classical image “old” world would never be better personi- James Cameron’s Titanic is cruising around of true love. They’re stand-ins for the fied than by the actual demise of Titanic. the globe, breaking box office records and notion of a perfect love affair. Within two years the great war of 1914-18 taking worldwide popularity for a film into caused the deaths of millions, and the “new” uncharted waters. For a movie to be this suc- ut because they’re still anchored world created technical horrors previously cessful it has to have something unusual, it to the “reality” of the film, the unimagined. As in the films of Sergio Leone, must reach out at a subconscious level and implication is that audiences the young lovers of Titanic exist as ciphers communicate something primal. Many view- should actually believe in story- in a highly stylized universe. It is not exact- ers who have seenthe film multiple times are book romances because, look, ly our world, but it is close enough to believe seemingly unable to articulate why they are Bhere’s one happening in the midst of one of in. The clichés render the film’s universe drawn to it time and time again. the most well-known true stories of the 20th familiar and we don’t have to struggle with The medium of film is unstable in the century. And by granting us the ability—or a new language. It’s filmic shorthand, and sense that despite the efforts of mediocre perhaps the permission—to believe in this the charges of anachronism are irrelevant to studio executives to control, tame and for- kind of heightened reality, Titanic has ful- its intent. mularize the way movies are produced and filled our need to believe in something bet- “God himself couldn’t sink this ship!” marketed, the medium itself resists such ter. It shows us love untainted by the dirty yells Cal Hockley (Billy Zane) early on, control and an indefinable alchemy, a magic touch of reality, but convinces us that it’s and the statement still equally as real. Much fuss has been rings false, inten- made in the past about James Cameron’s tionally so. It is of inability to use music in his films successful- course the utmost ly. While he certainly didn’t inspire Horner human hubris to to come up with something musically presume to know breathtaking, the two men did know exactly what God can or where to aim the music in this film. cannot do. And it is not just hindsight It’s Your Call that makes us The controversy regarding Titanic’s score cringe. Hockley reaches all the way into the essence of film speaks with the shal- music. Horner’s score provides the film low authority of the with everything it needs, but it does so ruling class. His without any real musical substance. Some world is governed by people will disagree with that statement, certainty and the but ask yourself, is it really the music in rock-solid assurance Titanic that you find so compelling—the of privilege. He is the A MOVIE THIS SUCCESSFUL absolution of the sound—or is it the emo- center of his uni- tion, the thoughts and feelings behind the verse and worlds HAS TO REACH OUT AND music? (Many fans have dismissed the CD don’t collide. Stars at first, only to love it after seeing the film.) don’t collapse. The COMMUNICATE SOMETHING PRIMAL And if Titanic is functioning with a musi- ground beneath his cally lacking score, does that prove that feet is as sure as his film music doesn’t have to be musically lit- inheritance. It is a similar hubris to the very in the celluloid if you will, materializes and erate to be effective, or that Titanic’s score construction of the ship. The concept of a demands to be heard. The communication of isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? Then there’s machine built by humans that will with- art or ideas, or both, is a powerful energy the issue of Horner’s use of this totally stand everything the universe has to that has traveled the Earth a billion times; headstrong, unambiguous music. Is it right throw at it invites trouble. Invites cata- it has existed for good and evil purposes and to use these kinds of constructed moralities strophe. it has a life of its own. It is hubris on the in historically based films (the same ques- Later as the ship nears its end Rose part of studios to claim a lock on how and tion arose when Horner did Apollo 13), or is implores her dimwit mother (Frances why it works. Or when that alchemy choos- it a misappropriation of power? Should Fisher) to listen; “There aren’t enough es to appear. filmmakers and composers really be paint- lifeboats. Half of the people on this ship are At Titanic’s climax, the elderly Rose is ing the past in shades of pure black and going to die!” Cal, listening in, resorts to reunited with young Jack via her final white? Should any grown-up films be por- Darwin’s theory of evolution for his dream. It is properly psychologically motivat- trayed as such, or should they be truer to response: “Not the better half.” Later still, ed to locate the reunion deep in the heart of the ambiguous nature of reality? Cal, a man unaccustomed to losing, and real- Titanic. For in a very real and spiritual sense, That’s a lot of question marks without izing that he has lost Rose to another man, Rose has never left; it is where her dreams answers. The general public, it would seem, takes time out to attempt to murder both of have always lived. Just as all human dreams has spoken. I hope that after a closer look them even as his world submerges. Here, live in the secure world of known friends and at the forces at work in Horner’s Titanic Cal’s hubris achieves Titanic proportions— shared geography, our desire to grasp and score, we’ll all make up our own minds, and he and the ship are one; fading symbols of a prolong and imbue them with physical exis- come to our own conclusions—whatever world that never really was, and will never tence allows art and life to coalesce, to fly they may be. FSM be again. high on the wings of imagination. FSM

Film Score Monthly 43 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 ★★★★★ REVIEWS Best Really Good ★★★★ OF CURRENT Average ★★★ RELEASES Weak ★★ ON CD Worst ★ SCORE RATINGS

Desperate Measures ★★★ 1/2 “Escape,” “On the Run” and Dark Crystal and Cliffhanger, the sort of score that flies off TREVOR JONES “Chase” keep the tension and Jones’s forte is in dealing with the shelf into the hands of col- Velvel/ReelSounds 63467-79715-2 high-voltage pacing moving electronics in an organized, lectors; it’s a costume drama 13 tracks - 62:10 forward propulsively, and creative way, and Extreme without the epic sweep of Jones makes judicious use of Measures is another successful something like Dances with t’s funny how the bodies left mickey-mousing electronic outing for him in integrating Wolves, Legends of the Fall or Iover from last summer’s stingers while his strings keep the synthetic with the acoustic. Titanic, but this is every bit as box-office turf wars are only sawing away at the suspense. While its action cues never moving and involving in its now beginning to wash up on Apart from a brief suggestion of reach the all-stops-pulled-out low-key way. My only ques- the of Hollywood. First the sound of John Williams’s drive of the best Goldsmith tion: who the hell is Ilona there was the soggy Christian ubiquitous JFK “Conspirators” efforts, Jones’s score at least Sekacz? —Jeff Bond Slater chase picture Hard music (surely the least blatant maintains interest and energy Rain, then this torturous entry “adaptation” of this material far past the point of most The Winter Guest ★★★ in the Superhuman Serial yet) and a hint of the climax of thrillers. —Jeff Bond MICHAEL KAMEN Killer genre, with Michael Herrmann’s Cape Fear midway Varèse Sarabande VSD-5895 Keaton as the evil killer on through “On the Run,” Mrs. Dalloway ★★★ 1/2 13 tracks - 31:03 death row who just happens to Desperate Measures is surpris- ILONA SEKACZ have the vital blood element ingly non-derivative for such a Milan 73138 35845-2 ichael Kamen will score needed by detective Andy by-the-numbers picture. 12 tracks - 45:12 Maction movie after Garcia’s dying son. If I had a For all the attention paid to action movie, then every once nickel for every time that hap- his orchestral works like The an, is this thing beauti- in a while will tackle a little pened to me... Mful. For this adaptation oddball film, like Circle of You’d expect a film this con- of a novel by Virginia Woolf, the Friends or Don Juan DeMarco. trived to suffer under the Metropole Orchestra of the As with many composers, what weight of an overcooked, synth- Netherlands performs this bit- Kamen is most recognized and heavy action score in the man- tersweet, often stately and typecast for—his overwrought ner of The Rock, but stealth quite melodic score written wallpaper-style shoot-‘em-up composer Trevor Jones man- mostly for strings, piano and scoring—is hardly his most ages to come up with some- woodwinds, with occasional favorite genre. This is not to thing that both fulfills the subtle jazz textures from brass. say his smaller efforts have expectations of the genre and The six-minute “Clarissa and been necessarily great; Jack becomes an exciting listen Sally” is worth the price of the had some intriguing orchestra- on its own. The alternative to disc alone, running through tional ideas, but the score the pulsating, Zimmer-style numerous bright textures and reeked of musical cleverness synth score is the ostinato- lovely impressionistic moments when it should have been driven, dark-and-heavy Jerry as it underscores the budding focusing on the larger picture. Goldsmith approach, and to his friendship between two women. Kamen’s newest oddball film credit, Jones manages to work Sekacz’s melodies sometimes is for , who took within the boundaries of that recall John Williams, and at a swan dive off a 30-story build- style without directly aping others evoke Philippe Sarde ing at the end of Die Hard. The Goldsmith. In fact, many of the (while the chamber orchestra film is a character study cues manage a fascinating sound will remind some of between two fantastic actors fusion of Goldsmith-style osti- Georges Delerue), while the (Emma Thompson and her and crushing brass score occasionally breaks into mother, Phydilla Law); chords with some glistening, Herrmann-like repeating pat- Rickman wrote and directed, muted trumpet accents that terns. and hired Kamen to score. recollect John Barry’s early The gorgeous, reflective mood The result is interesting but James Bond scores. is broken from time to time by not particularly memorable. “In Transit,” with its bass polka-like period arrange- Kamen’s score for The Winter flute and harp glissandos, and ments for small brass ensem- Guest is performed by him on the melancholy synthesizer ble, but the interruptions are piano with synthesizer aug- melody of “Under Pressure” brief. There are also evoca- mentation. Piano scores are evoke the haunting textures of tively creepy textures over notoriously difficult for sound- Jones’s early score for The flowing piano motives in cues track buffs to digest; when Dark Crystal. Cues like like “The Suicide.” This isn’t you’re used to an orchestral

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 44 Film Score Monthly Morgan have recaptured the glory of this mousing in King Kong, and the score overall THE NINTH WONDER frenetic and spellbinding work with a fideli- has a frenetic, helter-skelter quality that ty that should bring new appreciation to the may date it too much for those used to the OF THE WORLD first epic movie score. congruent, smooth sound of a lot of more recent scoring. But the film itself is almost The Beast Gets a Great Sound, Better Performances an archetypal, three-dimensional cartoon, Beauty of a Re-recording Simply recreating the sound of the original and Steiner’s score buzzes and dances in score with real clarity and modern recording perfect time to the gyrations of Willis King Kong ★★★★★ techniques would have been reward enough O’Brien’s peripatetic prehistoric animals. MAX STEINER for fans of Steiner’s Kong, but Stromberg Steiner employed a variety of leitmotifs as Marco Polo 8.223763. 22 tracks - 72:17 and Morgan have gone beyond the call of was his habit, and his portentous, descend- ing Kong is a movie whose impor- duty, bringing tremendous authenticity of ing motif for Kong was particularly versa- tance and influence is perhaps diffi- performance from the Moscow Symphony tile, implying both the beast’s primitive Kcult to understand today, in an era Orchestra, and revealing a previously menace and foreshadowing his tragic doom when we can watch technically flawless spe- unimagined depth of menace and power to at the hands of his human love, Ann Darrow cial effects footage of dinosaurs any time by this score. Steiner had to record his music (Fay Wray). popping Jurassic Park into the VCR. Kong with the limitations of ‘30s Steiner was probably didn’t feature any , its audio technology in mind; the first film composer storyline might seem naive and silly to mod- rather than slavishly repro- to employ the primi- ern audiences, and its special effects at first ducing the primitive sound tive, pulsating sounds blush look like rejected outtakes from a Will of the literal soundtrack, of Stravinsky to char- Vinton Claymation special. But the movie’s Morgan and Stromberg have acterize a dangerous themes have been ingrained into American brought out Steiner’s vision jungle (particularly in (and indeed, world) culture for more than to the point where, amazing- “Stegosaurus”), and he 60 years, and despite more than half a cen- ly, several portions feel like made great use of tury’s advances in special effects, no techni- they could be dropped verba- ascending scales to cian has ever been able to surpass the dig- tim into a contemporary hype suspense in the nity, savagery, and pathos that Willis movie. This is particularly film’s spectacular O’Brien instilled in an 18” foam rubber and true of the jungle-drumming action sequences, cli- cotton gorilla. island music in “A Boat in the Fog,” as maxing in his bravado scoring of Kong’s Steiner builds anticipation during a tramp climb to the summit of the Empire State More Vivid Than Life steamer’s approach to the distant Skull Building. Part of Kong’s magic grew out of the limita- Island—this was clearly the inspiration for tions of special effects at the time: it was John Williams’s The Lost World theme. The Legend Lives On impossible in 1933 to seamlessly insert an One of the most amazing moments of Everything is here, from the dervish-like, artificial creature into a real environment the re-recording occurs early in “Entrance Dionysian opening and sacrificial jungle (as The Lost World’s T-Rex was inserted into of Kong” as a low tread of brass (all that dances to the charming period march and ), so Kong’s makers had to create can be heard in the original movie record- fanfares that greet Kong’s debut in New a wholly artificial environment for its dream ing) gives way to some spine-tingling rum- York. Since King Kong was so heavily scored animals to cavort in—an environment of blings of woodwinds and double-bass that (more than 70 minutes of music for its rela- misty, atmospheric glass paintings and herald the arrival of the giant ape as he tively brief 103-minute running time) and miniatures that was more real, more unfor- bursts through the forest to reach for Ann Steiner’s music is so closely timed to the gettable than any location footage ever could Darrow on the sacrificial pyre (an effect action, the Marco Polo album is unusually be. Kong was like a series of brilliant chil- Williams also appropriated to precede the evocative in recreating the experience of the dren’s book illustrations brought to life, and appearance of the T-Rex in Jurassic Park). film. The 36-page booklet not only has com- it is best appreciated when introduced into The re-recording reveals an element of plete notes on the score’s reconstruction, the mind of the viewer at an early age. genuine terror produced by Steiner’s but words of appreciation from personalities No small part of the power of King Kong music that has heretofore probably only like Ray Harryhausen and Danny Elfman. lies in Max Steiner’s seminal film score, a been experienced by audience members Mssrs. Stromberg and Morgan, already brilliant effort that has finally been repro- during the movie’s responsible for some of the finest film music duced in its entirety on this magnificent CD original screenings. re-recordings around, have here created a from Marco Polo. The score has only been There’s a lot of truly historic document that should bring available as excerpts (and in a re-recording mickey- Steiner’s classic score the wide-ranging done by composer Fred “No Relation” and contemporary appeal it has Steiner for Label X) until now, but conduc- always deserved. tor William Stromberg and —Jeff Bond orchestrator John

Film Score Monthly 45 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 CDs For Sale SCORE “romance” cues is piano writing that, unfortunately, sounds borrowed from The Usual Suspects. Accidental Tourist Saint of Fort Washington (John Williams, Warner, USA) (James Newton Howard, approach, the simplicity yet homogeneity of Ottman’s action material stays away from $100 Varèse, Germany) $30 a piano score can be jarring. When a com- conventional suspense writing with brilliant Black Beauty (Danny Searching for Bobby poser does it right, like Basil Poledouris did orchestrations and jarring rhythms—all the Elfman, Wea, USA) $50 Fischer (James Horner, Big with his haunting piano score for It’s My while maintaining the quasi-classical feel. Caboblanco (Jerry Goldsmith, Screen, USA) $50 Party, you can sense the love and energy of Ottman’s versatility in this area recalls Prometheus, Belgium) $50 Tribute to Jerry Goldsmith Cocoon: The Return (SPFM, Canada) $100 the music coming through; the piano has Christopher Young in how he scores the con- (James Horner, Varèse, Under Fire (Jerry Goldsmith, become the orchestra, and its range and ventional in an unconventional way. Some of Germany) $50 Warner, Japan) $200 limitations become assets. these cues, like “Bad Deal,” feature some Films of John Wayne Vol. 1 Willow (James Horner, Virgin, The Winter Guest has a curious, halting Chris Young-styled dissonance, which is (Elmer Bernstein, Varèse, USA) $100 Germany) $30 Willow (James Horner, Virgin, pace. The disc’s first track, “The Long Cold always good. Films of John Wayne Vol. 2 Holland) $35 Walk,” has a hesitant tempo and the synths The CD packaging features brief but (Elmer Bernstein, Varèse, Wisdom (Danny Elfman, that Kamen utilizes give it a jerky, almost detailed liner notes from director John Germany) $30 Varèse, USA) $25 jagged feel. Kamen hasn’t tossed lyricism to Badham, who discusses Ottman’s ability to Indiana Jones and the Witches of Eastwick the wind; there’s a lovely melodic progres- musically marry the ideas of a character in Temple of Doom (John (John Williams, Warner, USA, Williams, Polydor, Germany) signed by Mr. Williams) sion that forms the score’s main theme. the modern world and the world of $100 $300 The problems with The Winter Guest Rembrandt in 1637. The disc makes for an Innerspace are in its simplicity. Poledouris got deep interesting listen, and John Ottman contin- (Jerry Goldsmith, Geffen, into the passages of It’s My Party, and you ues to impress. —Jason Comerford Germany) $40 Cheques accepted in U.S. Jane Eyre dollars only. Postage is free. can hear the variations in chords and (John Williams, Silva, CDs sent after bank confirms melody in each track. Kamen sticks to a Great Expectations ★★★★ 1/2 England) $200 the cheque is good. simplistic chord progression and one sin- PATRICK DOYLE Julia and Julia gular melody, and there is little variation Atlantic Classics 83063-2 • 22 tracks - 50:21 (Maurice Jarre, Varèse, USA) Amigos de la Banda Sonora or let-up. The 31:03 disc passes painlessly reat Expectations represents the peak $25 Apartado de Correos 50312 Name of the Rose 28080 Madrid enough, but the whole score has no real Gof a man’s creative ability. Patrick (James Horner, Pdi, ) Spain arc; Kamen may alter a chord towards the Doyle often gets pigeonholed for frenetic $30 end and change the pitch of the synth comedic and dramatic music that is compo- Poltergeist II patches, but it has no lasting impact. On sitionally sound but dramatically over- (Jerry Goldsmith, Intrada, USA) $100 album, The Winter Guest can be taken as wrought. Not anymore. Great Expectations an interesting misfire. —Jason Comerford is a sweeping, haunting score of great deli- cacy and brilliance, and it’s something to Soundtrack Set Sale Midnight Run (Elfman) . . . .$25 Incognito ★★★★ behold. Misery (Shaiman) ...... $30 JOHN OTTMAN Much has been made about Doyle’s LPs Moon Over Parador (Jarre) $40 Under Fire (Goldsmith) . . .$25 Mountains of the Moon (Small) RCA/Victor 09026-68971-2 • 23 tracks - 49:47 approach to this score, in weaving together Battle Beyond the Stars (Horner) ...... $50 ohn Ottman’s dark and mysterious classical and contemporary elements, ...... $50 Night Digger (Herrmann) . .$75 Jmusic for 1995’s The Usual Suspects which have led some to say that Great Noble House (Chihara) . . .$50 Humanoids from the Deep almost certainly got him the job for John Expectations represents a departure from (Horner) ...... $50 Nuts (Streisand) ...... $75 Harry and the Hendersons Off Limits (Howard) ...... $40 Badham’s latest film, Incognito. On one lyricism and more of a focus on atmosphere (Broughton) ...... $20 Passage to India (Jarre) . .$90 hand, this score is a great companion for and ambiance. In truth, Great Expectations Radio Flyer (Zimmer) . . . .$30 Young Sherlock Holmes Suspects—the main theme is in the same is a compendium of both, and Doyle’s care- (Broughton) ...... $25 Rambling Rose (Bernstein) $20 Jane Eyre (Williams) . . . . .$20 Regarding Henry (Zimmer) $35 mode, along with some of the atmospheric ful attention to melody is intermingled Rescuers Down Under cues. But on the other hand, this is more with orchestrational experimentation. CDs (Broughton) ...... $150 like gothic Baroque music, if you can imag- The score’s melodic crux is formed Ricochet (Silvestri) ...... $35 Another 48 Hours (Horner) .$40 ine that. around an atypical Doyle leitmotif, a lovely Apollo 13 score (Horner) . . .$50 Shattered (Silvestri) . . . . .$35 (R. Newman) . . . . .$25 Steel Magnolias (Delerue) .$60 Ottman said this score was like Bach ascending progression that is passed off (R. Newman) .$25 Suspect (Kamen) ...... $75 meets The Usual Suspects, and he’s not too from instrument to instrument with such 1000 Pieces of Gold (Malkin) The Beast (Isham) ...... $40 far off. Much of it takes on a quasi-classical dexterity that the London session musi- Big Country Box Set (Moross) ...... $25 ...... $300 Whales of August (Price) . .$50 feel, sometimes with harpsicord and string cians must have had their hands full. The Big Top Pee-Wee (Elfman) $50 Witches of Eastwick (Williams) writing that suggests a concerto or ballet innovation that Doyle bestows mostly ...... $175 Big Trouble in Little China inspired by a demented or tortured artist. revolves around instrumentation; he uses (Carpenter) ...... $35 Richard Band compil. (Band, Cape Fear (Herrmann) . . . .$35 promo) ...... $35 In fact, the main character in the film is a the voice of Tori Amos as an instrument in Coma (Goldsmith) ...... $30 Friedhofer Film Music painter who uses his talents to create forg- itself, and extends the same privilege to Crimes of the Heart (Friedhofer) ...... $35 eries of famous works, including a vocalists and Miriam Kamen: Concerto for Sax and (Delerue) ...... $30 Rembrandt that becomes a key plot ele- Stockley. This concept of “instrumental Dad (Horner) ...... $30 Orchestra (Kamen) ...... $75 Defending Your Life (Gore) $40 Music of Waxman (Waxman, ment. “The Creation” especially exhibits vocalization” is the central musical idea Dust Devil (Boswell) ...... $80 RCA) ...... $125 this idea. that grounds Great Expectations, and it’s a Grifters (Bernstein) ...... $25 At other times, the score takes on a beauty. Like all of Doyle’s music, the score Hope and Glory (Martin) . .$50 Robert Smith Hoosiers (Best Shot - Goldsmith) 330 N. Wyckles mock-romantic feel. Ottman incorporates a has a winning sense of texture, but in this ...... $60 Decatur IL 62522 saxophone, normally a stereotypical way to case, the stakes are raised. Doyle incorpo- Hot Shots Part Deux (Poledouris) convey romance, but uniquely intertwines rates hip-hop synths, John Williams’s gui- Postage U.S. $3.00 first item, ...... $40 it with the more Baroque goings-on. The tar playing (by the noted soloist, not the In the Mood (Burns) . . . . .$50 50¢ each additional item. Innerspace (Goldsmith) . . .$50 Foreign $6.00 first item, $1.00 romance is not conventional, but dark and film composer), and Latin-style lounge Living Daylights (Barry) . . .$90 each additional item. disturbing. Also featured in these music, and when it all comes together, as in

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 46 Film Score Monthly tracks like “Kissing in the Rain” and “The it’s a miracle that a modest art film like “She’s Barren” similar to opening of “The Price of Success,” it’s breathtaking. Eve’s Bayou would get an accompanying Game” cue in Jerry Goldsmith’s The Doyle is likely the first composer in score release, but in this case Terence Other.) Blanchard also gets an interesting years to really do something daring with Blanchard’s “epic Black Southern Gothic” “frying” sound effect (rice on a drum his orchestra, to try something old and music deserves its own album. Blanchard head?) in “We’re Going to Elzora’s House” new simultaneously. He gives Great works jazz and folk instrumentation into which sizzles under building woodwind and Expectations a winsome, breathtaking the mix in order to evoke the film’s Deep string chords of anticipation. The darker, beauty that’s utterly unique. South locale, but it’s the composer’s adept “gothic” elements of the movie on display —Jason Comerford orchestral writing that keeps this score in “Elzora and the Stranger” and “Louis moving, from the swaggering lyricism of Dies” feature an approach similar to the Live Flesh ★★★ 1/2 “Crossing That Bridge” to the crazy pizzi- pounding opening piano notes of Wojciech ALBERTO IGLESIAS cato energy that drives the otherwise plain- Kilar’s Dracula score, creating a dark caul- RCA Victor 74321-53699-2 • 25 tracks - 58:48 tive “The House” and the surprisingly play- dron of the supernatural (spiced up with If you can get past the cover art of a pair ful rhythms of “Eve’s Voodoo.” Blanchard some subtle electronic effects) and conjur- of slightly sweaty, naked, interlocked hips, wisely avoids the dreaded Sensitive Piano ing up the relentless rhythm of fate. This Alberto Iglesias (any relation to Julio?) will Syndrome by keeping his carefully con- will certainly appeal to lovers of the movie, transport you into the kitschy world of structed piano progressions firmly ground- and aside from a run of crunchy feedback Pedro Almodovar with this sometimes ed in a classical style, with a recurrent noise in track 18, it’s a darned nice album. quirky but mostly atmospheric and lyrical motif (played by the opening of —Jeff Bond score. A recurrent, Nino Rota-like theme for har- monica opens track 2 Hoodlum seems too timid and tentative for a (“Madrid”), and Antonio Intermittant Showers, Brilliance tough-as-nails gangster score. Serrano’s harmonica makes itself felt through- Bernstein Shines On and Off The Rainmaker ★★★★ out the score, often recit- ELMER BERNSTEIN ing over marimbas. Busy, Hoodlum ★★ 1/2 Hollywood HR-62141-2 • 12 tracks - 49:24 obsessive staccato pas- ELMER BERNSTEIN hile the opening theme of Bernstein’s The sages for strings, flute and RCA Victor 09026-68837-2 • 13 tracks - 53:35 WRainmaker sounds like A Rage in piano rustle under a t 75, it’s a wonder Elmer Bernstein can get up with a few notes changed, the rest of the score is a reflective oboe line in Ain the morning, let alone compose and con- whole lot fresher than his recent Hoodlum.With its “David Spies” before a del- duct an orchestral score. While Hoodlum offered bluesy, tongue-in-cheek yet soulful use of icate passage of chimes, the promise of Bernstein revisiting his ‘50s gang- Hammond B3 organ licks, delicate guitar solos fluttering guitar and ster jazz style, the score unfortunately suffers and a lot of catchy rhythms, The Rainmaker sets up marimba. “Lovestruck” a surprisingly offbeat sensibility, while at similarly unfurls a haunt- the same time revisiting Bernstein’s tra- ing, Morricone-like sound ditionally tuneful, emotionally direct (director Almodovar writing. The CD boasts several lengthy employed Morricone on Tie tracks (some seemingly cobbled together Me Up! Tie Me Down!) of from two or more cues) that move forward sustained string chords and with a conviction that was lacking in chimes, segueing into a dia- Hoodlum and even in a better-known logue between smooth, lyri- effort like The Grifters. cal strings and nervous Part of it may be the terrific depth of piano runs. A chamber this recording, but the orchestrations and orchestra alternates with performance also seem to top anything piano and suspense else from Bernstein recently.It’s particu- passages that suggest a from being too restrained and timid, coming off larly noticeable because there’s so much transpar- subtle salute to Bernard as a romanticized version of The Grifters. ent writing here for flute, woodwind and strings Herrmann. It’s the most Bernstein developed a relationship with direc- that any missteps would be striking, but every- conventional score you’re tor Bill Duke on A Rage in Harlem, and Hoodlum thing comes together flawlessly. Ditto more virtu- likely to hear from an explores some of the same picaresque, nostalgic oso cues like “The Fight” with some wild saxo- Almodovar film, but it’s gangland territory. The opening “Prologue” is a phone improvisation and braying organ tremolos also a good listen, with ter- lush, sweeping romantic statement sometimes over grinding, heavy low brass and strings. rific sound and solo perfor- reminiscent of Barry’s Somewhere in Time or This is also the first score from Bernstein in a mances. —Jeff Bond Morricone’s Once Upon a Time in America, while that doesn’t showcase the ondes martenot; although the trademark presence of the ondes Bernstein instead sneaks in some subtle, eerie Eve’s Bayou ★★★ 1/2 martenot adds a peculiar sheen to the period vocal effects (“Jail”) to bring off the unearthly tex- TERENCE BLANCHARD proceedings. The Grifters-like moments don’t tures he usually gets out of the martenot. It’s typi- Sonic Images SID-8707 exactly showcase the orchestra at their best, cal to brand any decent new Bernstein score with 23 tracks - 53:01 although some cues that come late in the game the left-handed compliment “it sounds like To Kill like “From the Womb to the Tomb” and A Mockingbird!”... happily, The Rainmaker doesn’t. ith its successful “Dangerous Mission” show some of the broad But it does sound like vintage Elmer Bernstein, Wsong compilation narrative fire and swagger that marks and it’s great to see him back near the top of his available (MCAD-11670), Bernstein’s better scores. Most of the time form. —Jeff Bond

Film Score Monthly 47 M ARCH/APRIL 1998 RETROGRADE The Pleasure of Their Company

A HOST OF MUSIC LUMINARIES AND ALFRED’S WHOLE CLAN TURNED OUT FOR THE OPENING OF THE NEWMAN SCORING STAGE AT 20TH CENTURY FOX ON JANUARY 8TH—HERE’S A PEEK

(Top LEFT) (Executive V.P. Fox Music); Kiki Morris (Supervisor Post Production Sound Facilities); David Newman; Bill Newman (’s son); (grandson of ); Martha Ragland (Alfred’s widow); John Williams (Master of Ceremonies); Beverly Newman (Lionel’s widow); Randy, Tom and daughter Julia Newman on the stage.

(Middle LEFT) Mike Rubin, Patrick Williams, and Elmer Bernstein share good cheer.

(Top to bottom, RIGHT) Williams and Thomas N.; Kraft and David N.; Bill Mechanic (Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment) and Randy N.

(Bottom LEFT) Beverly N. and Martha Ragland.

(Bottom) Most of the Newmans residing in the known universe.

M ARCH/APRIL 1998 48 Film Score Monthly