Publisher and Editor:
Roger Hall
Contributing Writers:
Steven A. Kennedy
Steve Vertlieb
Now in its 10th year online, FILM MUSIC REVIEW [FMR]
is listed in the Top 10 of Google Search
among millions of possible sites.
Music for the cinema was one of the most significant achievements in popular entertainment during the 20th century. It remains important in the 21st century as well, though many of the newer soundtracks lack the depth and quality
of the older film scores and songs.
There are still many people who don't understand
the value of music in a film.
Sometimes music can be a major factor in the success of a film.
Just think of Max Steiner's monumental score in GONE WITH THE WIND,
Miklos Rozsa's haunting score in SPELLBOUND,
Dimitri Tiomkin's memorable song and score in HIGH NOON, Bernard Herrmann's frightening music in PSYCHO,
or the thrilling music of John Williams in the STAR WARS series. All of these scores contributed greatly to the success of those films. Many others can be listed.
For a music survey from the 1930s to 1990s, see
100 Essential Film Scores
Excluding the silent era when little original soundtrack music was recorded,
the music in sound films
can be divided
into four representative eras during the 20th century:
The Hollywood Studio System:
1929 (BROADWAY MELODY) to 1959 (BEN-HUR)
Theme Songs:
1952 (HIGH NOON) to 1976 (THE OMEN)
Rise of Blockbuster Film Scores:
1977 (STAR WARS) to 1987 (THE LAST EMPEROR)
Disney Musicals and Mass Marketing:
1989 (THE LITTLE MERMAID) to 1999 (TOY STORY 2)
FILM MUSIC REVIEW is an online e-zine designed to focus on the preservation of older film scores from those three periods, as well as reviews of new soundtracks.
FMR has reviews and essays written by our three writers:
Roger Hall, Steven A. Kennedy, and Steve Vertlieb.
FMR is now devoted almost exclusively to older soundtrack reisuues,
re-recordings or other preservation efforts.
Also featured at FMR are The Sammy Awards, announced each year for best film soundtracks and songs. These awards are also called the "Sammys" (named after the late great movie lyricist Sammy Cahn). They are the longest-running awards
chosen each year exclusively for film scores and songs.
Now Available!
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The newly updated 3rd edition of A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores.
To read more about this useful reference guide
which includes lists of Academy Awards for music and the Sammy Awards,
click on this link:
Film Composers and Soundtracks
Your comments are welcome.
Send them to:
Film Music Review
Feature Presentations
Film Music Review Issues
Film Focus
The Best Film Music of the Year
The Sammy Awards
100 Essential Film Scores
Film Composer Tributes
Film Composers Celebrated
Centennial Tributes
Book and DVD Reviews
Links
2008 FMR Issues
Volume 10/ Number 1 (Winter)
Volume 10/ Number 2 (Spring)
2007 FMR Issues
Index to All Reviews (January - December)
Volume 9/ Number 1 (January - February)
Volume 9/ Number 2 (March - April)
Volume 9/ Number 3 (May - June)
Volume 9/Number 4 (July - August)
Volume 9/ Number 5 (September - October)
Volume 9/Number 6 (November - December)
2006 FMR Issues
Index to All Reviews (January - December)
Volume 8/ Number 1 (January - February)
Volume 8/ Number 2 (March - April)
Volume 8/ Number 3 (May - June)
Volume 8/ Number 4 (July - August)
Volume 8/ Number 5 (September - October)
Volume 8/ Number 6 (November - December)
1999-2005 FMR Issues
Index to All Reviews (Volume 1 - Volume 7)
Read the lists of essential and favorite film scores at these links:
Film Music Review - 9th Anniversary
Film Music Review - 8th Anniversary
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 Film Focus
One of the classic films from the 1940s...
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No. 1: Hugo Friedhofer and THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
A great historical score from the 1950s...
No. 2: Miklos Rozsa and PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE
The first major film score of the 1930s...
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NEW!
No. 3: Max Steiner and 75th anniversary of KING KONG
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The Best Film Music of the Year
   
Best Film Music Releases of 2007
   
Best Film Music Releases of 2006
   
Best Film Music Releases of 2005
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 The Sammy Awards
The Sammy Awards (or Sammys) are named after the late movie lyricist, Sammy Cahn
The 20th Annual Sammy Awards for 2007
have been announced here
Click on these links for the
19th Annual Sammy Awards 2006
18th Annual Sammy Awards 2005
The Sammy Awards List
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100 Film Scores
100 Essential Film Scores of the 20th Century
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Film Composer Tributes
 Aaron Copland on Film Music
"It’s quite expensive to add music to a film. It would be a shame if nobody paid attention to it (laughter). The producers would have thrown their money out the window." -- Aaron Copland
Read the interview by FMR Editor Roger Hall
with the distinguished composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
at this excellent site:
Runmovies/ Soundtrack
Read the review of Copland's last film score from 1961
SOMETHING WILD
Also available is "A Conversation with Aaron Copland" at
American Music Recordings Collection
Bernard Herrmann: The Early Years
"Film music must apply what an actor cannot say. The music must really convey what the word cannot do. If you're dealing with an emotional subject this is the complete purpose of a film score."
-- Bernard Herrmann (1911-1975)
He is one of the most admired film composers from the past.
Read the article about Bernard Herrmann
and his early film scores,
with a new addendum of CDs
at this excellent site:
Runmovies/ Soundtrack
See also these CD reviews of Herrmann scores:
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1951)
THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO and FIVE FINGERS(1952)
BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF (1953)
THE EGYPTIAN (1954 - with Alfred Newman)
BERNARD HERRMANN AT FOX, Vol. 2:
GARDEN OF EVIL (1954)
PRINCE OF PLAYERS (1955)
KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES (1953)
CITIZEN KANE:
The Essential Bernard Herrmann Film Music Collection (2 CDs)
Hear excerpts of Herrmann's film music available with this reference book:
A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores
Dimitri Tiomkin's "Golden Decade"
"In Hollywood vernacular, I could write commercial."
-- Dimitri Tiomkin (1894-1979)
Read Roger Hall's tribute to Hollywood's highest paid film composer of the 1950s, reprinted with a new addendum of recordings at
Runmovies/ Soundtrack
See "Dimitri Tiomkin's HIGH NOON" at
Film Composers and Soundtracks
Also read the DVD review of Dimitri Tionkin's monumental score for
THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
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Film Composer Tributes
Film Composers Celebrated
100th Birthday Tribute to Miklos Rozsa and Web Poll
John Williams -- 75th birthday and Listener's Poll
Ennio Morricone -- Honorary Oscar
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Centennial Tributes
""I have been uncompromising, peppery, intractable, monomaniacal, tactless, volatile, and oftentimes disagreeable...I suppose I'm larger than life." -- Bette Davis
She is one of the most admired Hollywood actresses from the past,
known for her distinctive acting, her demanding work ethic,
and those beautiful Bette Davis Eyes.
She was also fortunate to have some of the
best composers working in Hollywood for her films.
Read her biography and reviews of recommended soundtracks
from her classic films at
"They're Either Too Young or Too Old"
A Centennial Birthday Tribute to Bette Davis
“Well, I think one of the main things that you have to think about when acting in the movies is to try not to make the acting show.”
-- James Stewart
As with Bette Davis, James "Jimmy" Stewart was fortunate to have some of the best composers working in Hollywood for his films.
And like Ms. Davis, he also sang occasionally in his films.
Read all about it at this link:
"Easy to Love"
A Centennial Birthday Tribute to James Stewart
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Book and DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
New
The Soundtracks of Woody Allen:
A Complete Guide to the Songs and Music in Every Film, 1969-2005
by Adam Harvey
A Composer's Notes:
Remembering Mikos Rozsa
A Personal Recollection by Jeffrey Dane
Hitchcock's Music by Jack Sullivan
Recommended Film Music Books
Here are several recommended books on film music for teaching purposes
or reading enjoyment...
The Art of Film Music(Paperback)
by George Burt
Comments: A very good textbook for aspiring film composers yet also worthwhile reading for any film music lover. Special emphasis on four film composers: Friedhofer, North, Raksin, Rosenman.
Film Music: A Neglected Art -- A Critical Study of Music in Films (Paperback -- by Roy M. Prendergast
Comment: A more technical study but worth reading.
The Invisible Art of Film Music (Paperback)
by Laurence E. MacDonald
Comments: An excellent non-technical survey from the 1920s to 1990s. Many illustrations and easy to read format.
Knowing The Score: Film Composers Talk About the Art, Craft, Blood, Sweat, and Tears of Writing for Cinema (Paperback)
by David Morgan
Comment: Fascinating interviews with film composers who offer insights into film scoring and collaborating with film directors.
Recommended DVDs with film composer interviews
THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW (Guest: composer Dimitri Tiomkin)
THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS & THE RIVER
-- music by Virgil Thomson
(includes an audio interview)
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Links
For additional resources, see
Film Music Links
Ten past film composers have been named to
The Tunemaker Hall of Fame
Five Recommended CDs and DVDs
Click on this link for
Five Famous Films from 1956
There have been many film scores and songs chosen for this annual event:
National Carry A Tune Week (2007)
National Carry A Tune Week (2006)
National Carry A Tune Week (2005)
Please help the preservation efforts of
Film Music Review
Use this Search for Books, CDs, DVDs and other products...
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