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Film Music Review
Latest News
Film Music Books:
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The new updated 3rd edition of A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores is available from PineTree Press.
It covers the years from 1926 to 2006.
For a limited time, if you order this guide you will also receive a Free accompanying CD-R of music examples.
To read about this film music guide, go to
Film Composers and Soundtracks
See the list of other film music books at the
FMR Home Page
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From FMR's Steve Vertlieb:
As a year-end salute to the birth centennial of one of the greatest film music masters from the past there will a
nine day, seventeen film series titled
"Legendary Composer:
Miklós Rózsa"
This series will be at the famed Castro Theatre in San Francisco from 26 December 2007 to 3 January 2008.
Steve Vertlieb has written the program notes for each of the films in this series and will be there for the opening of the festival with special guests, including the late composer's daughter Juliet Rózsa, and other dignitaries. For the complete series of film titles and descriptions, click on this link :
The Castro Theatre
Read Steve's two-part series on...
"Screening Music: On the art and history of music composed for film"
"Screening Music, Part 2: The advent of the soundtrack album and a year in celebration of
Miklós Rózsa"
Also read his review of the Naxos CD at this link:
Miklós Rózsa:. Violin Concerto & Sinfonia Concertante
See his column, "Vertlieb's Views," at The Thunder Child:
"Frenzied Genius: The Romantic Passion of Bernard Herrmann"
A Magical "Tribute" to Bernard Herrmann
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Tiomkin's WONDERFUL LIFE
At this time of year, many people watch the classic Frank Capra film, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. The soundtrack for this film by Dimitri Tiomkin has continued to grow in popularity along with the film. There are two soundtrack recordings available.
The first one has a 30 minute suite from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE including music cut from the film. Also featured are suites from two other classic film scores: Addinsell's A CHRISTMAS CAROL and Mockridge's MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by David Newman.
Click on this link for the CD:
Sundance Film Music Series, Vol. 1
The other one features "the most memorable moments from the movie --in music and in dialogue." Portions of Tiomkin's original score are included on this Nick at Nite CD titled,
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE - The Record
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Carry A Tune for Film Music
The lists for this annual event include film music. Click the links.
National Carry A Tune Week 2007
National Carry A Tune Week 2006
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Film Composers and Hall of Fame
There are now ten film composers from the past listed on the
Tunemaker Hall of Fame
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Film Focus
The first in the series devoted to a classic film and score
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Hugo Friedhofer and THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
[NEW] The second in the series - about a great historical score...
Miklós Rózsa and PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE
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FMR Anniversary
8 July 2007 marked the 9th anniversary of Film Music Review.
To celebrate, Roger Hall and Steven Kennedy have selected their 9 favorite film scores for the
9th Anniversary Special
What are some of the essential scores from the 1930s to 1990s?
Here is a list of...
100 Essential Film Scores of the 20th Century
See also Steve Vertlieb's
Recollections of
Rózsa
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Ratings and FMR Issues
Here is the FMR rating system for CDs and DVDs:
**** = Superlative (Highest Recommendation)
***1/2 = Outstanding ( Highly Recommended)
*** = Good (Okay)
**1/2 = Fair (Nothing Special)
** = Mediocre ( Barely Passable)
* = Poor (Save Your Money)
Only those soundtracks which receive ***1/2 or **** have all track titles listed. .
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.
In addition to Best of the Month CDs, which have all received the highest rating, these are the soundtracks since July 2007 which have also received the highest rating:
ALIEN (2 CDs)
AMAZING STORIES - Anthology Three [Special Merit]
ATONEMENT [Special Merit]
ELIZABETH: The Golden Age
LUST, CAUTION
Miklós Rózsa: A Centenary Celebration(3 CD Set)[Special Merit]
THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP [Special Merit]
For past reviews from 2007:
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)
For past reviews from 2006:
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)
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Editor's Choice Reviews
Best of the Month for November
D.O.A. -- score by Dimitri Tiomkin
Best of the Month for December
[Two CDs from a New Record Label]
FAHRENHEIT 451 and WALKING DISTANCE
(Bernard Herrmann)
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
(Bernard Herrmann)
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Other Reviews
CDs:
Featured Review
STAR WARS -30th Anniversary Edition (8 CD Set)
![Alien [Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31hWUzshBUL._AA240_.jpg)
ALIEN (2 CDs) -- score by Jerry Goldsmith
Special Merit
ATONEMENT -- score by Dario Marianelli
BEE MOVIE -- original music by Rupert Gregson-Williams
CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER --
score by Laurie Johnson
HOLLYWOOD'S GREATEST HITS
THE KITE RUNNER -- score by Alberto Iglesias
MASTERS AND COMMANDERS -
Music from Seafaring Film Classics
THE PIRATES WHO DON'T DO ANYTHING
Special Merit
THE WATER HORSE -- score by James Newton Howard
YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH -- score by Osvaldo Golijov
DVDs:
THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW (Guest: Dimitri Tiomkin)
THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS & THE RIVER -- music by Virgil Thomson
BOOK REVIEWS:
Hitchcock's Music by Jack Sullivan
A Composer's Notes:
Remembering
Miklós Rózsa --
A Personal Recollection by Jeffrey Dane
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Centennial Tributes
Gene Autry (1907-1998)
John Wayne (1907-1979)
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Film Composer Tributes
Recommended Special Edition DVDs with isolated score tracks
FANTASTIC VOYAGE (1966)
music by Leonard Rosenman
commentary by Jeff Bond
isolated score track with commentary by
Jeff Bond, Jon Burlingame,
Nick Redman
JANE EYRE (1944)
music by Bernard Herrmann
commentary by Julie Kirgo, Nick Redman,
Steven Smith
isolated score & F/X track
VON RYAN'S EXPRESS (1965)
music by Jerry Goldsmith
isolated score track with commentary by
Jon Burlingame, Len Dobbs, Nick Redman
Disc Two: The Music of
VON RYAN'S EXPRESS
Featurette
Two Recommended DVDs of films with recent CD reviews:
DVD: FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966)
(includes excellent bonus feature on "The Music of Fahrenheit 451")
CD Review: FAHRENHEIT 451
DVD: MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961)
CD Review: MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
Three Film Music Masters
Ennio Morricone -- Honorary Oscar
100th Birthday Tribute to
Miklós Rózsa and Web Poll
A Tribute to
Miklós Rózsa in Washington, DC
John Williams -- 75th birthday and Listener's Poll
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The Sammy Awards
