Volume 11
Number 3
Summer 2009
Editor: Roger Hall
Contributing Writers:
Steven A. Kennedy
Steve Vertlieb
Main Titles
Latest News
Ratings and FMR Issues
The Sammy Film Music Awards
Essential Film Scores
Film Focus
Best of the Month
Soundtrack and Compilation Reviews
Recommended DVDs and Books
Film Music Links
Your comments or questions are welcome.
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Film Music Review
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Latest News
TWILIGHT ZONE TRIBUTE
Film Music Review will be celebrating the 50th anniversary
of one of
the best TV series from the past with many outstanding scores
by Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, Fred Steiner, Nathan Van Cleave and others.
If you're a TZ fan you probably have more than one favorite program from the series which began in 1959.
So just pick one of them the TZ series and send in the title with a short description why you enjoy it.
You might win a Free CD!
Send your favorite show with your comments
by 1 Septmber 2009
to:
TWILIGHT ZONE Anniversary
Watch for the anniversary tribute here in September!
FMR ANNIVERSARY
Film Music Review celebrates its 11th anniversary online in 2009.
See the lists of 11 favorite film scores at
Anniversary Special
Read the picks from previous years at these links:
10th Anniversary Special
9th Anniversary Special
8th Anniversary Special
KEN DARBY (1909-1992)
Read about this multi-talented singer, songwriter,
arranger,
and choral director who
received three Oscars for his work on musicals,
at
A Centennial Tribute to Ken Darby
FILM SCORE LISTMANIA!
Recently several large lists that include film scores have been published.
The first one was a list of the Top 100 film scores as
described in The Hollywood Reporter.
This is the top ten film scores in the Top 100, as chosen by film industry people:
1. THE GODFATHER -- Nino Rota
2. JAWS -- John Williams
3. STAR WARS -- John Williams
4. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY -- Ennio Morricone
5. PSYCHO -- Bernard Herrmann
6. E.T. - THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL -- John Williams
7. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA -- Maurice Jarre
8. GONE WITH THE WIND -- Max Steiner
9. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK -- John Williams
10. CHINATOWN -- Jerry Goldsmith
Obviously, these folks are big John Williams fans with 4 of the 10 by him.
Another list appeared in Classic FM magazine (May 2009). This issue has the "2009 Hall of Fame" with 300 classical works chosen by radio listeners in the UK, and includes these film scores (arranged by their number on the list of 300 works):
285: HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE -- Patrick Doyle
243: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK -- John Williams
233: ROMEO AND JULIET -- Craig Armstrong
215: JURASSIC PARK -- John Williams
165: WARSAW CONCERTO -- Richard Addinsell
157: HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE -- John Williams
148: STAR WARS -- John Williams
145: SAVING PRIVATE RYAN -- John Williams
137: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL -- Claus Badelt
119: GLADIATOR -- Hans Zimmer
116: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST -- Hans Zimmer
58: LADIES IN LAVENDER -- Nigel Hess
21: THE LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING -- Howard Shore
20: ASHOKAN FAREWELL (from Tv servies, THE CIVIL WAR) -- Jay Ungar
What an odd list of film scores! There is only one vintage score -- WARSAW CONCERTO (not really a "concerto") from the 1940s film, BRIEF ENCOUNTER. All the rest are film scores from the 1970s onward. Once again John Williams is well repesented with 6 out of 15 film scores on this list. But where are all those great classic film scores from the 1930s, '40's, '50s and 60's?
Do you agree with the choices on these two lists?
What would be your favorite film scores?
Here's your chance to list them.
Send your list of Top Ten favorite film scores (in any order) to:
Top Ten Film Scores
Read Roger Hall's list of
100 Essential Film Scores
RETRO REVIEWS
Celebrating the 50th anniversaries of two classic films from 1959:
BEN-HUR: The Essential Miklos Rozsa (2 CDs)
SOME LIKE IT HOT (CD soundtrack)
In Remembrance of Maurice Jarre
(1924 - 2009)
Christopher Palmer with Maurice Jarre (on right)
during recording of A PASSAGE TO INDIA
[From CD -- DOCTOR ZHIVAGO: The Classic Film Music
of Maurice Jarre, Silva America, 1995]
Sadly, another of filmdom's most revered film composers
has left us at the age of 84.
Maurice Jarre was one of the most respected film composers.
He composed over 200 scores during his long career,
from his first film score in 1952 until his last one in 2001.
He received three Oscars for major films directed by David Lean:
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)
A PASSAGE TO INDIA (1984)
In an interview, Jarre quoted his favorite director, David Lean, as saying:
"Maurice, you are the doctor of the film. It is true that music can help a scene run more smoothly, but it has to be a good film for the music to have its best effect. Music can cure a minor sickness
but it cannot help the terminally ill!"
R.I.P. Maurice Jarre, dedicated doctor of films.
A few recommended releases of his music...
The Essential Maurice Jarre Film Music Collection (2 CDs, 26 tracks)
Film Music By Maurice Jarre (Budget CD, 10 tracks)
Lean By Jarre:
A Musical Tribute to Sir David Lean (CD/ DVD)
Read more about Maurice Jarre at
Wikipedia
BEST FILM MUSIC OF THE YEAR
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Categories:
Best Gold Age Soundtracks
Best Silver Age Soundtracks
Best Bronze Age Soundtracks
Best Compilation CDs
Best DVDs
Best Film Book
Best Album Producers
Best Record Labels
Click on this link to read our reviewers picks:
Best Film Music for 2008
Film Music Books
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Only a few copies remain of
the updated 3rd edition of
A Guide to Film Music: Songs and Scores
For a limited time, when you order this guide,
you will also receive a Free
CDR
with
film music examples.
For more details, click on this link:
Film Composers and Soundtracks
See a list of other film music books at the
FMR Home Page
Ratings and FMR Issues
FMR rating system for CDs and DVDs:
**** = Superlative (Highest Recommendation)
***1/2 = Very Good
*** = Good
**1/2 = Okay
** = Barely Passable
* = Poor
The Special Merit CDs are chosen at any time during a month for outstanding overall production of a soundtrack or compilation.
The Editor's Choice - Best of the Month designation is for those CDs that are singled out for their excellence. They are chosen anytime within a given month and may not be chosen every month.
2009 (Volume 11)
Number 1 (Winter)
Number 2 (Spring)
2008 (Volume 10)
Number 1 (Winter)
Number 2 (Spring)
Number 3 (Summer)
Number 4 (Fall)
2007
(Volume 9)
Index to All Reviews (January - December)
Number 1 (January - February)
Number 2 (March - April)
Number 3 (May - June)
Number 4 (July - August)
Number 5 (September - October)
Number 6 (November - December)
2006 (Volume 8)
Index to All Reviews (January - December)
Number 1 (January - February)
Number 2 (March - April)
Number 3 (May - June)
Number 4 (July - August)
Number 5 (September - October)
Number 6 (November - December)
1998 - 2005
(Volumes 1 - 7, No longer available)
The Sammy Film Music Awards
The 21st Annual Sammy Awards
for film music CDs
have been announced
here
See also
20th Annual Sammy Awards
19th Annual Sammy Awards
18th Annual Sammy Awards
The Sammy Awards (1988 - 2007)
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Essential Film Scores of the 20th Century
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See the list at
100 Essential Film Scores
Film Focus
The series devoted to a composer and one major film score
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No. 1: Hugo Friedhofer and
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
No. 2: Miklós Rózsa and
PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE
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No. 3: Max Steiner and
KING KONG
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No. 4: Elmer Bernstein and
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
No. 5: Bernard Herrmann and VERTIGO
No. 6: Dimitri Tiomkin and
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Best of the Month for 2009
Best of the Month for January
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON --
music by Alexandre Desplat
Best of the Month for February
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE --
music by Max Steiner
Best of the Month for March
TIME AFTER TIME --
music by Miklos Rozsa
Best of the Month for April
A JOHNNY MANDEL TRIO
(3 CD Box Set)
Best of the Month for May
HOW TO STEAL A MILLION and
BACHELOR FLAT --
music by Johnny Williams
Best of the Month for June
TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE--
music by Jerry Goldsmith
Best of the Month for July
THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER --
music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Soundtrack and Compilation Reviews
for
2009
Special Merit
THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD --
music by Bernard Herrmann
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ANGELS & DEMONS [Capsule Review]
CULT CUTS:
MUSIC FROM THE MODERN CINEMA [Capsule Review]
DAVID RAKSIN AT M-G-M
(5 CD Box Set)
THE DEAD POOL -- music by Lalo Schifrin
DISCOVER FILM MUSIC
(2 CD compilation with 165 page booklet)
![DRACULA A.D. 1972 [Soundtrack]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41A3t%2BlwdJL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
DRACULA A.D. 1972 -- music by Mike Vickers
THE FILM MUSIC OF RALPH RAINGER
NEW!
IN HARM'S WAY -- music by Jerry Goldsmith
![JAKE SPEED [Soundtrack]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Ihgyx9TbL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
NEW!
JAKE SPEED -- music by Mark Snow
![MARS ATTACKS! (Expanded!) [Soundtrack]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IjWRg4BVL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
NEW!
MARS ATTACKS! -- music by Danny Elfman
MAX AND HELEN & THE OASIS --
music by Christopher Young
THE MUSIC OF BATMAN (compilation)
NEW!
THE MUSIC OF STAR TREK (compilation)
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STAR CRASH -- music by John Barry
![TRANSYLVANIA 6-5000 / KORGOTH OF BARBARIA [Soundtrack]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31KUdmqiiLL._SL500_AA200_.jpg)
TRANSYLVANIA 6-5000 (1985)/ KORGOTH THE BARBARIAN (2006) --
music by Lee Holdridge
[Capsule Review]
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NEW!
You Must Remember This Too:
Classic Film Music Arranged for Guitar
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Recommended DVDs and Books
CAPTAIN ABU RAED
THE FORD AT FOX COLLECTION:
THE ESSENTIAL JOHN FORD
DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK
THE GRAPES OF WRATH
HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY
MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
FRONTIER MARSHAL
BECOMING JOHN FORD
Capsule review:
This set is a bit disappointing, especially the awkwardly filmed and edited documentary, "Becoming John Ford." Commentary by Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman on DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK is very good. Film transfers are clean and sharp, but with great scores by David Buttolph and Alfred Newman, these classic films deserve to have isolated music tracks. Rating: ***1/2
THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
2 Disc Deluxe Edition --
music by Dimitri Tiomkin
Rating: ****
THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW
(Guests: Dimitri Tiomkin & Dr. Samuel Hoffmann)
Rating: ***1/2
DVDs with Isolated Scores
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
(2 Disc Special Edition)
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Commentary by film & music historians John Morgan,
Steven Smith, William Stromberg, and Nick Redman
Rating: ****
GARDEN OF EVIL (1954)
(Included in Fox WESTERN CLASSICS box set)
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Commentary by
John Morgan, Nick Redman, Steven Smith, William Stromberg
Rating: ****
THE ROBE (1953)
(Special Edition)
music by Alfred Newman
Commentary by
film composer David Newman,
film historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman
Rating: ****
Recommended Books
NEW!
A History of Film Music
by Mervyn Cooke
NEW!
Alex North's A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE:
A Film Score Guide
by Annette Davison
The Soundtracks of Woody Allen:
A Complete Guide to the Songs and Music in Every Film, 1969-2005
by Adam Harvey
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Film Music Links
See recommended sites at
Film Music Links
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