Music from the soundtracks of some current films.
PLAYLIST
| Selection |
Source |
Performer(s) |
Comments |
| Wagner Arrives |
Shadow of the Vampire (OS 2001) |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. by Christopher Austin |
This marks the debut of composer Dan Jones. He almost wasn’t hired - his demo CD was lost in the mail - but a recommendation from British director Peter Greenaway turned the tide in his favor. |
| Greta’s Waltz |
Shadow of the Vampire (OS 2001) |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. by Christopher Austin |
This set of cuts illustrates the wide stylistic variation in the score and in the film. In an interview for scorelogue.com, Jones notes that he tried to play the role of a 1920s composer in much the same way an actor plays a role in a film. You can read the interview at www.scorelogue.com/interviews/dan_jones.html |
| Herr Doktor (Laudinum Domine) |
Shadow of the Vampire (OS 2001) |
Hit Benjamin (vocals), BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. by Christopher Austin |
Shadow of the Vampire is a fictionalized account of the filming of F.W. Murnau's 1922 Nosferatu. In this version, actor Max Schreck actually convinces himself that he is a vampire, with chaotic results. |
| Music at the Inn |
Shadow of the Vampire (OS 2001) |
Michael Muskett (hurdy gurdy), BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. by Christopher Austin |
KDHX film critic Diane Carson describes Shadow of the Vampire as “an offbeat and not entirely successful work” (read her review at (www.kdhx.org/reviews/shadow.html ). Find out more about the film at www.shadowofthevampire.com |
| Going to Sleep |
Shadow of the Vampire (OS 2001) |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. by Christopher Austin |
| Good Living |
Shadow of the Vampire (OS 2001) |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. by Christopher Austin |
| Clink, Clink, Stuyvesant’s Tower |
The Caveman’s Valentine (OS 2001) |
Terence Blanchard and Awadagin Pratt (pianos), Orchestra cond. by Terence Blanchard |
Billed as a “penetrating and touching neo-Gothic thriller” The Caveman’s Valentine, stars Samuel L. Jackson as Romulus Ledbetter, a former Julliard-trained classical musician and devoted family man turned outcast who lives in netherworld on the edge of Manhattan. Ledbetter is haunted by delusions of a powerful adversary, Cornelius Gould Stuyvesant, who he believes malevolently charts his every move from atop the Chrysler building. Ledbetter is drawn out of his insanity to track down the killer of handsome young drifter Scotty Gates (Sean MacMahon), whose frozen corpse he discovers hanging in a tree outside his cave-like dwelling.
Find out more at www.cavemansvalentine.com |
| Finale
|
The Caveman’s Valentine (OS 2001) |
Terence Blanchard and Awadagin Pratt (pianos), Orchestra cond. by Terence Blanchard |
Composer Terence Blanchard began as a trumpeter and emerged on the New York jazz scene in the 80’s. Among Blanchard’s numerous honors are the Grand Prix du Disque award (for his album New York Second Line, 1984), a Grammy nomination (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance by a Group, for his contribution to Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues, 1990), an Emmy Award nomination (Best Original Score For a Documentary, for The Promised Land, 1995), and another Grammy Award nomination (Best Latin Jazz Performance, for his album The Heart Speaks, 1996). His performance on the CD Color and Light: Jazz Sketches On Soundheim received rave reviews and Time magazine subsequently ranked the album number five on its list of the year’s best music. |
Actor William H. Macy's birthday is March 13th, hence this set which we're pleased to call "The William H. Macy Film Festival". Some other William H.Macy links:
The Mr. Showbiz Site bio
His entry in the Inernet Movie Database
His bio at The Movie Thing site
|
| Theme from Magnolia |
Magnolia (OS 1999) |
Orchestra conducted by Thomas Pasatieri |
Score composed by Jon Brion. This New Line Cinema release was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who had worked with Macy on Boogie Nights (1997). Macy plays a former child quiz show star who’s reduced to selling appliances; he’s part of a cast that includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Jason Robards and Melinda Dillon. |
| Are You Happy, Baby? |
Happy Texas (OS 1999) |
Lee Roy Parnell with Keb’ Mo’ |
This Miramax release was directed by Mark Illsley. Macy plays Sheriff Chappy Dent in a cast that includes Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn, Ally Walker and Illeana Douglas. The plot swirls around two escaped cons who are mistaken for beauty pageant organizers in a tiny town in Texas. Fun CD, too. |
| Mystery Men Oath |
Mystery Men (OS 1999) |
Dialogue spoken by Ben Stiller and William H. Macy |
This Universal release, directed by Kinka Usher and based on the Dark Horse comic book of the same name, features a group of super-hero wannabes; Macy plays Ed, AKA The Shoveler. Fellow heroes include Ben Stiller, Janeane Garafalo, Hank Azaria, and Claire Forlani; Paul Reubens, Geoffrey Rush, and Tom Waits pop up in cameos. |
| Rave On |
Pleasantville (OS 1998) |
Buddy Holly and the Crickets |
Written, produced and directed by Gary Ross, this fable about two teens who are sucked into the TV universe of their favorite oldies sitcom (think Father Knows Best) featured Macy as the patriarch of the family. Wonderful performances by Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, and even Reese Witherspoon highlight this 1998 New Line Cinema release. |
| Main Title |
The Mexican (OS 2001) |
Orchestra cond. by Alan Silvestri |
Billed as a “romantic action comedy” (!), The Mexican stars Brad Pitt stars as Jerry Welbach, a reluctant bagman who has been given two ultimatums. The first is from his mob boss to travel to Mexico to retrieve a priceless antique pistol known as "the Mexican” - or else. The second is from his girlfriend, Samantha (Julia Roberts), to end his association with the mob. The plot thickens when Samantha is taken hostage by a hit man (James Gandolfini) to ensure the safe return of the pistol. |
| Blame Shifting |
The Mexican (OS 2001) |
Orchestra cond. by Alan Silvestri |
Reviews have criticized The Mexican for a scattershot approach characterized by frequent changes in tone, dropped subplots, and an overall feeling that director Gore Verbinski suffers from a short attention span. Given that Verbinski has only one previous film to his credit (Mouse Hunt) and has mostly done commercials and music videos, they could be right. The score has an appropriately schizoid feel to it, going off in several directions at once. |
| 10% Clint |
The Mexican (OS 2001) |
Orchestra cond. by Alan Silvestri |
That’s “Clint” as in “Eastwood”. The cut is a parody of Ennio Morricone’s “spaghetti western” soundtracks. |
| El Cable |
The Mexican (OS 2001) |
Esquivel |
Written by Mario Carniello. Esquivel was one of the great purveyors of “space-age bachelor pad music”. |
| A Miracle |
The Mexican (OS 2001) |
Hollywood Film Chorale, Orchestra cond. by Alan Silvestri |
Is this The Mexican or The Robe? Find out more about the film at www.amazon.com/themexican. Learn more about Alan Silvestri at www.bttf.com/silvestr.htm |
| Gourmet Waltz Tartare |
Hannibal (OS 2001) |
Lyndhurst Orchestra cond. by Gavin Greenaway |
Hannibal is the sequel to Silence of the Lambs. Anthony Hopkins returns as serial killer Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter. It has gotten some rave reviews, but other critics have attacked it for its excessive violence (including our own Diane Carson). The score is by Hans Zimmer, although this psycho parody of Strauss is by Klaus Badelt. In fact, some of the most interesting music on the CD is by composers other than Zimmer. |
