COTW - Film muzac

[Thropplenoggin]

Me too, but when there's a film going on at the time...

Not always - I remember fleeing the cinema at the end of "Schindler's List" the second the film itself was over, to escape YET ANOTHER repetition of the main theme. Yes a beautiful theme, but repeated over and over again so that it ceased to be evocative and became merely manipulative, and (for me) irritating and a barrier to appreciation of a worthy film....

We've been going through a phase of watching films from the 60s and 70s lately. What is often most noticeable, aside of the quality of the acting, the ability to enunciate clearly, the leisurely pace to allow scenes and characters to develop more naturally, is the silence.* Spartan use of scores, rather than the permanent rumble in the background hammering home how you should be feeling at every moment (excited/sad/scared), etc. The worst case of this being the last Batman film, which is literally a continuous bombardment that never lets up and smothers the mumbled dialogue into utter incomprehensibility.

*Kubrick being the exception to the rule, but Kubrick used music brilliantly, though perhaps he could be blamed for the 'soundtrack'-isation of films, whereby one gets the impression the soundtrack is dreamt up before the screenplay. He certainly influenced Terrence Malick, though not in a good way, to be honest.

[doversoul1]

Sorry, but I like much film music.

So do I (though I am more familiar with names like Francis Lai, Johnny Mandel, or Maurice Jarre) but I don’t think learned talks about their music can add anything to the value of their music. I wouldn’t object to an occasional hour but not 10 hours in a week, as if they had run out of composers of classical music to present on this excellent programme.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So do I (though I am more familiar with names like Francis Lai, Johnny Mandel, or Maurice Jarre) but I don’t think learned talks about their music can add anything to the value of their music. I wouldn’t object to an occasional hour but not 10 hours in a week, as if they had run out of composers of classical music to present on this excellent programme.

Fair comment. I wish they would stick to composers when it says that on the tin.

[Flosshilde]

I agree with much that has been said already, & when I heard CotW today my thoughts were 'Why does the BBC/R3 persist in thinking that film scores are worth listening to in their own right?'. A few years ago we were constantly assailed by the background music for Attenborough's programmes about the sea (& in the programmes it was unfortunately often foreground music).

& if they do insist on playing film music, surely John Williams isn't the only composer?

[Lateralthinking1]

Sorry, but I like much film music.

Craig Armstrong to follow?

With my "the BBC must maintain a standard" hat on, I can't get too wound up about this. Arguably, if they were going to choose a film composer, it should have been someone more left field to show that they aren't kowtowing to CFM. As it is, they are.

More broadly, in recent weeks, I have spotted something of a flaw in the argument that the programming should be a lot more adventurous. Much as I agree with it if, say, it means lesser known British composers, it would also mean more of both Rameau and Rautavaara. I am not sure that their constituencies necessarily hold together any more than those of Williams and Wagner?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I welcome any opportunity to hear film music that is NOT Muzak, i.e. without the foreground chit-chat. Walton's Spitfire Prelude and Fugue is far better when not pushed behind the action and talking?

[jayne lee wilson]

I welcome any opportunity to hear film music that is NOT Muzak, i.e. without the foreground chit-chat. Walton's Spitfire Prelude and Fugue is far better when not pushed behind the action and talking?

No, I far prefer that splendid piece in context, (it only accompanies the dogfights, no dialogue) - especially given the rather mundane Ron Goodwin score for Battle of Britain that replaced most of Walton's original one; not that Goodwin's doesn't have its moments, the Goebels/Luftwaffe theme being the best...

[Petrushka]

No, I far prefer that splendid piece in context, (it only accompanies the dogfights, no dialogue) - especially given the rather mundane Ron Goodwin score for Battle of Britain that replaced most of Walton's original one; not that Goodwin's doesn't have its moments, the Goebels/Luftwaffe theme being the best...

The Spitfire Prelude and Fugue was actually culled by Walton from his music for the 1942 film The First of the Few a biopic on the life of R J Mitchell who invented the Spitfire. It stars Leslie Howard who was, ironically, later killed in a plane crash. He also produced and directed the film.

Watch the complete film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ijTSenYJ-s

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Walton's Spitfire Prelude and Fugue is far better when not pushed behind the action and talking?

This is rather similar to RVW's Music for Scott of the Antarctic: it provided material for the Sinfonia Antartica, but that was a different piece, entirely of the Concert Hall. The First of the Few is a good film, and Walton's Music fits its tone splendidly - but there's no point watching the film expecting the Spitfire P & F to appear, any more than expecting to hear the Music that accompanied David Niven and Leslie Howard taking tea in the garden in the S P & F.

RVW's score also is perfectly imagined to fit the film (so much so that extra footage of wide, icy landscapes were added so that they didn't have to cut the score!) which plagued the Sinfonia with the "just film Music" sneer for years afterwards.

Don't like John Williams' scores: I want Music to move me, not attempt to shove me around (with thanks to John Cage) - and there are many much better film scores than his.

[Petrushka]

Cross posted, FHG!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It stars Leslie Howard who was, ironically, later killed in a plane crash.

It should have been Barbirolli and his wife on that plane. JB gave up his seats as a favour.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Cross posted, FHG!

- "great minds" and all that ...

It should have been Barbirolli and his wife on that plane. JB gave up his seats as a favour.

Good heavens! I didn't know that!

[Petrushka]

It should have been Barbirolli and his wife on that plane. JB gave up his seats as a favour.

I didn't know that! The things you learn on here!

[Petrushka]

Think I'd better go off to another thread. It's beginning to look like a music hall double act!

[Mr Pee]

I welcome any opportunity to hear film music that is NOT Muzak, i.e. without the foreground chit-chat. Walton's Spitfire Prelude and Fugue is far better when not pushed behind the action and talking?

Spot on, Alpen. And likewise with JW's music as we are hearing this week; it is a treat to hear it without the visuals. It is dissapointing to hear the same snobbish attitude to film music here that has persisted since the days of Korngold.

But then when a number of posters seem to take pride in the fact that they never go to the cinema, one wonders just how narrow their boundaries are......