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TOM'S BEST FILM LIST (1964)

General Discussions » TOM'S BEST FILM LIST (1964) (Posts 91 to 120 of 451)

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      CommentAuthorFalkirkBairn
    • CommentTimeNov 25th 2012 edited
    My experience of films from 1925 - and the scores written for them (whether contemporary scores of more recent scores) - is limited, but there can't be many that's more enjoyable than Davis' score for Ben-Hur. In fact, other than Edmund Meisel's score for The Battleship Potemkin, the majority of what I have heard from 1925 has been composed by Carl Davis!

    I agree totally with Tom that the score sets out on the path of Strauss and Wagner. It's a grand beginning to a score that, though for me doesn't have the hooks supplied by Rozsa's score, but still packs a punch. Apparently this film (with Davis' score) is available to view on one of the DVD/Blu-Ray releases of the more recent Ben-Hur and it would be interesting to see how Davis' score works in the film. There's something about old silent films and modern scores placed on then that's a bit awkward for me. Not sure if it's the old visuals with pristine sound or the more modern-styled scoring for an older film, but regardless Davis' score is well worth a listen to those who like a stirring score.

    The aforementioned Meisel score for The Battleship Potemkin and Pierre Oser's recent score (clips here) for the film Die Leuchte Asiens (original score by Hansheinrich Dransmann) are also worth mentioning, particularly Oser's score as this is a good example of how a score can be give a film a specific feel - the film is set in India but the score has no suggestion of locale whatsoever.

    Garth Neustadler's score for the film The Circle (clips here) (written in 2012 for a TCM showing) is another worthy score (which was too late to be considered for this year when I originally started my own list). It's a beautifully romantic piece that features more darker episodes.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeNov 25th 2012
    Indeed. I could list a few 1925 scores worth checking out too (Meisel's -- and Shostakovich's in some prints -- POTEMKIN being an obvious prime example), but at this point I'm just going to lean back and let Tom do his thing; whichever way he defines it.
    I am extremely serious.
  3. I am hoping that Tom does not mind additional recommendations. But, as you so rightly say, it is how Tom wants his topic to go that is key.

    I am sure he will comment one way or the other about additional recommendations.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeNov 25th 2012
    I love the comments and encourage Thor to give his opinion also. Shostakovich will be coming up also as he is one of my favorite composers and will be honored (hopefully) by my list.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 4th 2012
    I'm going to pass on 1926 for now and will have 1927 up in a couple of days. I've narrowed it down to three and frankly this is a year that is tough to choose.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 9th 2012 edited
    My selection for 1927 isWINGS. It was a difficult decision for me as I also like Berlin and Metropolis. The thing that swayed me was the La-La Land release this year and the fact that I know both Dominik Hauser and Gregg Nestor who were hired by Paramount to rearrange the material in celebration of 100 years.
    listen to more classical music!
  7. But what about the music?
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 10th 2012
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    But what about the music?


    Not yet done with my review
    listen to more classical music!
  9. Looking forward to reading it.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 10th 2012
    Wings in their advertising declared it to be The Colossal Drama of Aviation Combined with the Sweetest Story Ever Told; Presented with Startling Sound Effects and Lovely Music
    Tom smile
    listen to more classical music!
  11. As I said, I will be interested to read your review. For me - and this is independent of my enthusiasm for Huppertz's Metropolis - there is very little to recommend Zamecnik's score, or this release.

    I have only listened to the clips on La-La Land's site so I can't comment on the score as a whole, but what I have heard suggests that the score is written very much in simple, broad strokes: music for "a small town", a "storm" seems to get music that is very obvious for that type of music (I can't describe what it is that gives each type its sound but it sounds to be scoring by the "painting by the numbers" route.

    I'd be interested to read if this restoration uses live instruments or whether it is wholly sampled. It certainly sounds as though it is a synth orchestra. And that, to me, seems like a rather odd combination.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2012
    There was a live orchestra and also synthesizer.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 15th 2012
    Here is the review. Metropolis and Berlin were both strong contenders but because of my friendship with Gregg Nestor I had to give the nod to Wings.
    http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/w … ik-hauser/
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeDec 16th 2012
    Nothing like a little nepotism. wink
    I really like Gregg's work on...well, basically anything, but Wings as a score really didn't do all that much for me.
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
  15. sdtom wrote
    Here is the review. Metropolis and Berlin were both strong contenders but because of my friendship with Gregg Nestor I had to give the nod to Wings.
    http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/w … ik-hauser/
    Tom

    Interesting reading Tom.

    Not being able to read the liner notes I can't understand the fusion of the live orchestra with the MIDI samples to create the final score. It just makes it all sound synthesised - and a bit out of place to "achieve the right kind of sound for the restoration".

    Can you say, Tom, whether the score heard in this version of the film - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHyo3h9n0Rg - is the same music? It sounds like it's for organ so I would imagine that there are different orchestrations depending on what kind of musical ensemble is available in different theatres.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 17th 2012
    It sounds different to me Alan. I checked the liner notes and discovered that Gaylord Carter wrote his own organ score for the film.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
  17. Thanks Tom.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 17th 2012
    To try to answer the question Alan there was a 20 piece orchestra and the midi samplings filled in the rest. I'm sorry that I didn't explain it very well.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
  19. That's fine, Tom. Personally, I would have been interested to hear that sort of information in your review - but that's only because of my thoughts on the peculiarity of the final result of the orchestra/MIDI combination.

    I am assuming that this version is the version that was used for the restored film that celebrates the anniversary.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 18th 2012
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    That's fine, Tom. Personally, I would have been interested to hear that sort of information in your review - but that's only because of my thoughts on the peculiarity of the final result of the orchestra/MIDI combination.

    I am assuming that this version is the version that was used for the restored film that celebrates the anniversary.


    This is the version that went along with the restoration.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 18th 2012
    My selection for 1929 is NEW BABYLON/SHOSTAKOVICH. As many of you know there has always been a soft spot in my heart for Shostakovich and this was his first effort at doing a film and an excellent one at that. At this time I'm unsure of what to do about 1928. Nothing stands out. I would guess that between myself, Martijn, and Alan we perhaps know a thimble full about this era.
    http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/n … stakovich/

    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeDec 18th 2012 edited
    I actually know a lot about the era and the FILMS in that era, but haven't listened to a lot of 1920s scores -- especially not outside the context of their movies -- I'll grant you that.

    Sorry for not including you in the mix sad
    This is actually an area that is somewhat neglected and we're fortunate to have Carl Davis being active.
    I am extremely serious.
  23. I am not very familiar with 1929 at all. Save for a couple of early Laurel and Hardy films and a suite from Carl Davis' score for The Iron Mask, the only other music I know of from this year are some attempts to score Soviet documentary directed by Dziga Vertov, Man With A Movie Camera.

    I make no claim to know the music for this Vertov film very well, but what is interesting is that there have been at least a couple of attempts at scoring this movie. A group called The Cinematic Orchestra composed a score for this film and it's one that I only heard in parts recently. The track "Dawn" (starts at about 4:00 in the YouTube video) is a nice piece, but the rest is a bit of an eclectic mix of styles - including a track called "Man With A Movie Camera" which seems to feature a looping direct lift from Herrmann's The 7th Voyage of Sinbad mixed with a Mission: Impossible-inspired wind riff:

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/man-w … d416346814 - Track 8

    I am a little more familiar with a score that was written by Michel Bisceglia and Buscemi (Dirk Swartenbroekx) which features a relatively small ensemble with a more jazzy feel to it.

    Neither is of the time of the film but from what I have heard of them, I prefer them to the music written for New Babylon (Shostakovich will come into his own for me later!)
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeDec 19th 2012 edited
    For 1928 there are certainly a number of stand-outs.
    Filmwise I'd say that it's a toss-up between psychological melodrama The Wind and The Man Who Laughs.

    The Wind, starring beautiful Lillian Gish ), is about a girl ending up in a godforsaken ranch in an Oklahoma-like dry and blasted landscape. The effect of the continuous, relentless storm on her emotional mindset and an implied but deeply disturbing rape scene make this film seem very fresh and strong today. There is no original score, but I was lucky enough to see another Carl Davis live orchestral accompaniment of this.

    The Man Who Laughs stars Conrad Veidt (better known to most moviegoers as Major Strasser from Casablanca, although my personal favourite role of him remains the evil Grandvizir Jaffar from The Thief Of Bagdad).
    I actually purchased this film out of curiosity once I learned that the protagonist had been the original inspiration for the Joker in Bob Kane's Batman dailies, and was surprised to see that rather than the horror film it was suggested it was, this was actually a historic melodrama (although the back story is horrible enough, with a young man whose face is horribly mutilated by a surgeon into a permanent grin). Conradt Veidt's performance in this is a veriatble tour de force: I can't imagine what pain he must have gone through keeping his face in a rictus of a smile continuously, but the way he is still able to convey strong emotion simply through his eyes and body language is absolutely mesmerising!

    Here again there is no original score (I think! At least I can't remember it at all!)

    For a score I would have chosen The Passion Of Joan Of Ark simply because it's been interpreted many, many times by many, many different artists, giving a new meaning and feeling each and every time. The version I own is the (rather classically styled) one by Carlo Crivelli (commissioned in 2003), but there are some excellent versions out there (notably one by electronica group The Nursery and one by Nick Cave! The one I'm still looking for is the one composed by famed games composer Jesper Kydd! That must be something to hear!
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
  25. I'd skipped 1928 since Tom had passed on it. I'll chip in with a comment on 1928 later.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 19th 2012
    I have many many holes for this time era thus my knowledge is somewhat lacking.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!
  27. Martijn wrote
    For a score I would have chosen The Passion Of Joan Of Ark simply because it's been interpreted many, many times by many, many different artists, giving a new meaning and feeling each and every time. The version I own is the (rather classically styled) one by Carlo Crivelli (commissioned in 2003), but there are some excellent versions out there (notably one by electronica group The Nursery and one by Nick Cave! The one I'm still looking for is the one composed by famed games composer Jesper Kydd! That must be something to hear!

    For 1928 it's a whole series of suites of tracks by Carl Davis for silent films. My only score from this year is Richard Einhorn's version for The Passion of Joan of Arc. I haven't heard the Crivelli score for the same film - it's unavailable as far as I can see - but Einhorn's score is very good.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 24th 2012
    I'm thinking about Zemlya for 1930 but I'm still not sure.
    listen to more classical music!
  29. sdtom wrote
    I'm thinking about Zemlya for 1930 but I'm still not sure.

    I will be interested to read about whatever you decide upon Tom - my only experience of music from 1930 is a selection of tracks from a couple of Marvin Hatley Laurel and Hardy short film scores.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeDec 25th 2012
    1931 is a no brainer for me but I'm still muddling through the 1930 releases.
    Tom
    listen to more classical music!

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