Film Score Focus

It was a night, just like tonight. The moon was full and everywhere folks sat in theaters nibbling naively at their popcorn buckets unaware of the terror that was to be unleashed upon the world...Ah! The scariest music I ever saw! They came without warning. Through the blood-curdling depths of the pits of hell they rose up and filled my ears with such terror and fright that I turned white like a ghost! This music is NOT for the faint of heart. This music is not for the insecure or weak. This music will turn even the bravest of men and women into shrieking children crying for their mommies and daddies.

Let this be your last WARNING! Listen at your own risk. Do not listen alone or in the dark. And whatever you do...no matter how badly you want to...no matter how much you crave...never, ever turn up the volume. For if you do you are sure to be scarred beyond repair from the the most frightening, the most terrifying, the most horrifying, the most scarifying music your ears will ever hear. Save yourself now! Turn away and let your ears rest in peace. If not...it's sure to be you resting in peace!!!

Here is the lineup for FSF-099 The Scariest Music I Ever Saw



One of the most fun aspects about being a film composer is the ability to scare someone. It goes back to being a kid hiding in the bushes while your unsuspecting friends walk up the street only to be reduced to a sniveling, shrieking creature as you jump out and yell "Boo!" As film composers, we relish in the same idea. Music is well-known as a powerful tool in film but never can it be more obvious than in a great horror film!

The music I have assembled for this week's program is truly some of the scariest scores I've ever heard. I rarely, if ever, listen to them for fun. They are so potent, and so impacting that I must heed my own warnings and spare myself from such torture. Of course it helps that these films are also some of the scariest movies I have eve seen. But the visuals, story, and music all walk hand in hand to bring a truly scary experience to the audience. Whether the music reminds of the film or just plain scares you on its own, it no doubt will leave a lasting impression on you.

One of the freakiest and scariest films I've seen in a long while is THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE (2005). If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. It's really a great Halloween film and the music by Christopher Young is indeed some of the scariest I've heard in a long while. He's good at scary scores. He's done quite a few of them but none quite match the muster of EMILY ROSE.

If you polled film music fans all over the world and asked them what they thought their scariest score was. There's no doubt that THE OMEN (1976) by Jerry Goldsmith would pop up frequently. From the music, the texts, the orchestration, and the harmonies, Goldsmith chills the bones with this one. In a long distinguished career, Goldsmith earned his only Academy Award for this score.

One film that I remember vividly scaring me to death was THE CHANGELING (1980) by Ken Wannberg and Rick Wilkins. I'm a sucker for a good ghost story and this one didn't disappoint. However scary the film is, the music by John Williams' primary music editor, Ken Wannberg, is one of the horror greats in film music literature. I just can't put this score on when I'm home alone or sitting in a dark room. It sparks the imagination way too much for that.

Another classic among classics is HALLOWEEN (1978) by John Carpenter who also directed the film. What sets apart this score from others is that its a synthesizer score performed mostly by Carpenter himself. It's repetitive theme has become a classic theme that is often clichéd and spoofed in other movies. It further expands the definition of what scary music is and how it gets to be that way. There is a relentlessness to the music which parallels the relentlessness of the mass murdering Michael Myers as he stalks down his victims. The cold and callous nature of his character is perfectly reflected in the music.

One film that is sure to have fallen under the radar and missed most people is THE MEPHISTO WALTZ (1971) also by Jerry Goldsmith. It's another titillating ghost story that is riveted by a truly terrorific score. You won't hear sounds amassed together quite like Goldsmith did in this score. I dare you to listen to this one alone in the dark!

Finally, one couldn't talk about scary music without acknowledging one of the most nerve-wracking and terrifying scores ever written. PSYCHO (1960) by Bernard Herrmann is a masterpiece. Written only for strings, this music has achieved a status matched only by John Williams theme from JAWS (1975). It's ingrained in our popular culture. When you hold your fist in the air striking downwards while shouting "Eeek! Eeek! Eeek!", people know what you are referencing. It's been spoofed throughout films and become synonymous with getting killed in the shower. Janet Leigh, who played unfortunate shower victim Marion, said herself that this scene in the finished film with Herrmann's score affected her so much she stopped taking showers. Many who saw this film agreed and the practice of taken showers diminished around the country after 1960.

One interesting anecdote of note: Hitchcock was adamant that there would be no music in the shower sequence. When he hired Herrmann he told him to do whatever he wanted as long as there was no music in the shower sequence. Herrmann knew better and asked Hitch if he could score it anyway and then he could choose to use it or just leave it out. Hitch agreed while further ensuring that it would be a waste of time. Long story short, Hitchcock heard the Herrmann's finished music for the shower sequence and said something to the effect of "Yes, of course we will use this music!"

Enjoy the show and have a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

If you look up the word antihero you get a fairly broad array of varying definitions. Wikipedia.org I think explains it best.

In fiction, an anti-hero is a protagonist who is lacking the traditional heroic attributes and qualities, and instead possesses character traits that are antithetical to heroism. Typically, the anti-hero acts heroically, in scale and daring, but by methods, manners, and intentions both fair and foul, even underhanded and deceitful.

I've always loved stories that involve the antihero. There's something about rooting for the "bad guy" that is mildly refreshing. Well, this week on FILM SCORE FOCUS I decided to use music to celebrate not just the rare antihero but the even rarer female antihero. It's not easy to write a story expecting your audience to root for a main character who is of questionable moral character. It's even more difficult when that character is a woman. Throughout cinematic history women in general have made long strides toward breaking the cliché "woman-in-peril" stereotype. As our cinematic world progresses through the decades, we see women characters who are not only strong, brave, daring, cunning, intelligent, and adventurous, but in the case of the films I've selected for this program, underhanded, deceitful, intimidating, frightening, and ill-reputable. This is a fairly recent innovation in cinema and the music accompanying this week's selection reflect some rather interesting portraits of these characters.

Here is the lineup for FSF-098 Girls Behaving Badly



What's most amazing to me about this particular program is how diverse the music can be given a very specific and targeted context. It just proves the degree of imagination and creativity that can go into almost any cinematic situation given some of the same devices, characters, and plot points that can be found. The whole idea for this program stemmed from one film: BAD GIRLS (1994). Although not one of my favorite films, it does harbor one of my favorite Jerry Goldsmith scores of the 1990's. Goldsmith was a master of the western score and his addition of BAD GIRLS to his filmography further solidified his legacy. Remaining true to the female anti-hero theme, Goldsmith paints our lead female characters as adventuresome, courageous, brave, but also, deviant, heartless, and very very bad. But in the end....you're rooting for them which Goldsmith's music does so well to compliment.

Before Andy and Larry Wachowski created the MATRIX (1999-2003) trilogy, they made a very cool little Hitchcockian thriller entitled BOUND (1996). Once again, our female antiheroes are liars, thieves, betrayers, and backstabbers, but you're rooting for them to make out with the cash by the end of the film. It's an uproariously entertaining film that is dark and also erotic. The music by Don Davis paints all of these colors into the score and makes these characters easier for us to overlook their shortcomings and wish for them to succeed. As an audience we're just not used to seeing women characters portrayed in cinema in such a way which is one of the reasons this well-written film is such a joy to watch.

I don't make a habit of playing musicals on this program however the girls from CHICAGO (2002) fit the mold of the antihero so well I couldn't just leave them out. Plus, this musical adaptation sports an underscore by Danny Elfman as he weaves between the songs music fitting of the times and of our female leads. We have have antiheroine pitted against antiheroine in a cat-clawing explosion where each vies to get the upperhand, the last word, and the man of their infatuation.

THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (1987) shows how the female antihero can also be a device to propel comedy. Jack Nicholson deliciously plays Lucifer incarnate who proceeds to seduce three women each played by Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Here, our antiheroines conspire at first to rid the others so that they have Daryl Van Horne all to themselves. In time, they adopt a new strategy to rid their worlds of Van Horne all together. If anyone can paint a picture of a comical yet macabre world it's the brilliant John Williams. THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK remains one of his most beloved scores and is often performed in concerts of his works around the world.

Finall, no film can sum up the true meaning of the female antihero better than THELMA & LOUISE (1991). Here we find two broken-home friends traveling the vast American countryside spreading mayhem and tomfoolery in their wake. They're success earns them an army of law enforcement officers on their heels which escalates toward the inevitable climax of the film which is one of the most daring endings of any film of recent recollection. This film broke all the molds and continues to be a favorite among many. It also brandishes an early score by the uber-popular composer, Hans Zimmer. His use of subtle slide guitars makes this an especially good score.

The only slightly unfortunate thing about this program is the rarity of the soundtracks for all these scores. Most can be found here and there but for the most part they'll take some searching to acquire. I'll put what I can down below and leave the rest up to you.

Enjoy!

Hollywood has long been infatuated with stories from ancient Rome. I guess when you rule the world for a thousand years your history is bound to sprout interesting tales of love, deception, betrayal, power, corruption, and destruction. With such rich subject matter to recreate on screen, these films have long been a fertile ground for some exceptional film music. Composers like Miklós Rózsa, made names for themselves crafted epic orchestral music to accompany these films.

Let's travel back in time to an age of a mighty empire and listen to the music written to tell their stories.

Here is the lineup for FSF-097 Friends, Romans, Countrymen



I have yet to watch a single episode of HBO's epic mini-series titled ROME (2005 - ) but I listen to the music a lot! You've probably heard me talk a lot about the upsurge of great music that can be found on television these days. ROME is just such an example of how good television music has become. Composed by Jeff Beal, the music utilizes strange and exotic instruments to accurately reflect the culture of ancient Rome. A CD of Beal's music was recently released earlier this year and should be acquired for those in love with the show or its music. I've heard so many good things ROME. I want the DVDs badly and Christmas is approaching so hopefully....

One of cinema's favorite Roman tales to tell is that of JULIUS CAESAR (1953) based on the play by William Shakespeare. On this week's program I use a rerecording of Miklós Rózsa's famous score conducted by Bruce Broughton and the Sinfonia of London released on Intrada. Up until a few years ago that was the only way you could hear the score on CD. Since then Film Score Monthly has released the full original score which is a real godsend. Rózsa is uber-famous for his epic Roman scores and this one ranks among his best efforts.

I've always considered Alex North to be one of the most underrated film composers ever. Sure, he's loved and regarded well but this man was a genius way ahead of his time. Any of his scores reflect this including his epic score for CLEOPATRA (1963). Varese Sarabande released the complete score awhile back and like the aforementioned JULIUS CAESAR, it too is a real godsend. Most copies have been bought up but other copies are floating around. If you find one and want one, I'd suggest get it quick before it skyrockets in value.

QUO VADIS (1951) by Miklós Rózsa is another hard to find score. In fact it's very hard to find. I couldn't even find a reference of the actual recording on the London label that I used anywhere on the internet. The one I link to below is a compilation of music from QUO VADIS and BEN-HUR (1959) which is also by Rózsa.

Speaking of BEN-HUR, this could be the most famous of the ancient Roman scores and of Rózsa's entire filmography as well. There's a great two-disk set released in the mid 90's that features every cue Rózsa ever wrote for the film with a huge booklet detailing each cue included as well. BEN-HUR is a classic among classics.

There's a very interesting story the late Elmer Bernstein would love to tell. When scoring a certain picture earlier in his career the director he was collaborating with asked him to compose a certain scene like the chariot race scene in BEN-HUR. Elmer knew exactly what he was talking about and did so to the satisfaction of the director. Of course, Elmer knew then as most film score buffs that there was no music in the chariot race scene in BEN-HUR.

There's a TON of great film music written on films centering around ancient Rome that a mere hour can not accurately reflect. I may do a follow up show on this very topic in the future. Until then, enjoy the Roman music.

If you haven't heard the Austin Wind Symphony and heard the wonderful film music the ensemble plays exclusively on every concert, there is an upcoming concert that you can't miss! Check out the info below and get your tickets today.

From the SciFi Japan website:


AUSTIN WIND SYMPHONY TO PERFORM SELECTIONS FROM KING KONG VS. GODZILLA IN OCTOBER

The First Ever Performance in North America of Akira Ifukube’s Music for the 1962 Film
Source: The Austin Wind Symphony
Special Thanks to Patrick Phillips

Godzilla fans in Texas are in for a real treat. For the first time ever in North America, musical selections from Akira Ifukube’s score to KING KONG VS. GODZILLA will be played in concert by the Austin Wind Symphony. The suite of music will be arranged by SciFi Japan’s own John “Dutch” DeSentis.

Fresh off of a recent concert dedicated to the music of HARRY POTTER, The Austin Wind Symphony is a small, but dedicated orchestra which specializes in only film music and performs in South Austin at the Bethany Lutheran Church often to sell out crowds. While the ensemble is only about 50 members, the church setting allows the music to boom and is fitting considering that many film scores have used a church as a recording area for these same acoustic reasons.

The group itself is extremely passionate about what they do. Commented the group’s founder and conductor, Patrick Phillips, “As conductor of the Austin Wind Symphony it really is a thrill and a privilege each week to work with a group of dedicated (volunteer) musicians that are willing to be challenged. Film music has its own complexities, and is just as demanding as Bach, Mozart or Stravinsky… I often get shot down by more classically trained musicians for my strong feelings regarding the significance of the music in motion pictures.” He also adds that this ensemble goes to bat for film music, discovering that when their audience leaves each concert, they do so knowing what was just performed, and with the memorable motifs of such legends of the screen as John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith fresh in their mind.”

The upcoming October concert will feature the likes of John Williams and Danny Elfman, but Phillips was looking for a little something else as well: “As I was preparing and selecting the music for The Austin Wind Symphony’s upcoming ‘Creature Features’ concert, it occurred to me that the ‘King of the Monsters’ wasn’t among them. I have always been a fan of the Godzilla films, and was moved to do an internet search for existing Godzilla music written by the late Akira Ifukube.”

Much to Phillips’ dismay however, finding existing music to anything by Akira Ifukube proved to be a fruitless effort. Just as he was thinking of throwing in the towel, he came across John DeSentis’ bio on SciFi Japan which stated that he was working on transcribing the score to the original GODZILLA. Phillips tracked DeSentis down and contacted him via his Music MySpace. Originally, Patrick wanted to merely use whatever transcriptions John was writing at the time. John countered with an offer to write something exclusively for the orchestra. After some talk, it was settled upon that KING KONG VS. GODZILLA would be the movie to be showcased. There are several reasons for that decision; one is that the movie is arguably one of the most popular in the entire Godzilla series and one of Ifukube’s best efforts of the 1960s. Another treat to this is the fact that nearly all of maestro Ifukube’s music was taken out of the American release of the movie and replaced with some decidedly out of place stock cues from the Universal Studios film library.

John DeSentis has blocked out a proposed suite which will definitely include the very popular “Main Title” track as well as several others. As it looks right now, the suite of music will be 5-6 minutes long. For John, this represents the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to bring the work of Akira Ifukube, his favorite composer, to ears that might not be entirely familiar with him. It also represents a great opportunity to collaborate with fellow musicians who share a common love of film music.

Indeed, it is that attitude towards the subject that has allowed the Austin Wind Symphony to flourish and attract fans with their incredible performances. Checking egos at the door, these musicians love the opportunities they have to play music in which people know and love from their favorite shows and films. Phillips adds, “The very music that so many people simply take with a proverbial grain of salt, is crafted under extreme schedules, and then recorded sometimes as soon as one week before a film makes it to the big screen… In a lot of ways, these men and women are the very heart and soul of the project, creating the emotional balance that allows us to laugh and to cry right along with the characters on screen. This is a unique gift that deserves audible attention and respect. The Austin Wind Symphony presents these scores, this time without the coverage of Hollywood sound effects wizards, and dialog.”

No doubt, the opportunity for Godzilla fans to hear Akira Ifukube’s work played live in concert is a rare one indeed. If you happen to live in Texas, you won’t want to miss this concert. The concert will also feature selections from JAWS (1975), BATMAN (1989), and a special STAR WARS tribute as part of its programming.

Austin Wind Symphony presents: “Creature Features” Hosted by Fangoria TV’s Horror Host Professor Griffin! - October 19th - 8:00pm at the Bethany Lutheran Church in South Austin, Texas. Admission is $8.00 for adults and free for children. For more information, visit the Austin Wind Symphony website.

Ah! Bernard Herrmann. My favorite film composer of all time. Few understand the marriage between music and images as well as Herrmann. He got his start scoring over three-hundred radio dramas for Orson Wells in the 1930s. When Wells crossed over into film and directed CITIZEN KANE (1941), Herrmann went along with him and composed his first feature film score. From there he made a name for himself working with many accomplished directors including Robert Wise, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Ray Harryhausen, Alfred Hitchcock, Brian DePalma, and Martin Scorsese to name a few.



This week on Film Score Focus we're going to listen to scores that are either rare or perhaps not as well known from this composer. Most of the cinema loving population are already familiar with VERTIGO (1958), NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959), or PSYCHO (1960). This time out I wanted to focus on some of his other scores that you may not have heard before or realized that he had composed. They showcase Herrmann's genius just as much as his more famous acheivements helping cement him as one of the greatest and most beloved film composers who ever lived.

Here is the lineup for FSF-096 Silver Age Rarities: Bernard Herrmann



Luckily for us, there aren't many scores by Bernard Herrmann that just don't exist on CD. Even his rare rejected score for TORN CURTAIN (1966) has been released on several different albums in the last decade. The one score however I'm still holding out hope for is WHITE WITCH DOCTOR (1953). It's a very obscure (I haven't even seen the film) title that has yet to garner a proper album release. A few cuts from the score do make an appearance on the compilation rerecording album called CITIZEN KANE: THE CLASSIC FILM SCORES OF BERNARD HERRMANN by Charles Gerhardt. Other than these tracks I know of no other existence of this score. There's always hope.

The good folks over at Film Score Monthly have done a miraculous job releasing other less well known works by Herrmann. In the past decade they've released JOY IN THE MORNING (1965), THE EGYPTIAN (1954), ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952), and more recently THE WRONG MAN (1956).

Several years ago Varese Sarabande released a two volume set entitled BERNARD HERRMANN AT FOX which featured cuts from some more obscure titles like TENDER IS THE NIGHT (1962), A HATFUL OF RAIN (1957), GARDEN OF EVIL (1954), and KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES (1953) to name a few. Herrmann is such a beloved composer that I doubt it will be much longer before all of his music will be made (or at one point been made) available to the public. There aren't many titles left but there are certainly tons of film cues left unreleased.

Not to mention over three-hundred radio dramas. Now that's what I want to buy!!

I hope you enjoy this week's program and discover a few gems from the great Bernard Herrmann.