Archive
NEEDFUL THINGS – Patrick Doyle
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Needful Things is a cautionary drama film with a horror-supernatural twist, directed by Fraser Heston (son of legendary actor Charlton), and based on a 1991 novel by Stephen King. The story revolves around a mysterious shop owner named Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow), who opens a store called ‘Needful Things’ in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine. Gaunt sells various items to the townspeople, each one seemingly fulfilling their deepest desires and fantasies. However, these apparently innocent transactions come with a sinister price – they require the recipients to perform increasingly malevolent and destructive acts against their fellow townspeople. As the town becomes divided and chaos ensues, local sheriff Alan Pangborn (Ed Harris) starts to investigate the bizarre occurrences and tries to uncover the truth behind Gaunt and his shop. The film co-stars Bonnie Bedelia, J. T. Walsh, and Amanda Plummer, and was a reasonable success at the box office in the late summer of 1993, although it was less popular with critics – Roger Ebert famously compared watching it to enduring ‘Satanic water torture’. Read more…
BLUE BEETLE – Bobby Krlic
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
There has been a lot of talk in Hollywood recently about the use of A.I. to create content. It is part of the ongoing strikes happening right now; the actors union SAG-AFTRA are concerned about digital image rights among other things, while the writers union WGA are concerned about their work being undermined by text-generating software like ChatGPT. So far the impact of A.I. on film music has been negligible, but there are certainly concerns about whether music-composing software, similar to what ChatGPT does for text, will eventually become a norm, potentially replacing human composers when it comes to creating music. The reason I’m talking about this in relation to the score for Blue Beetle is because, for perhaps the first time ever, I feel like I’m listening to a score generated by a bot. Read more…
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE – Miklós Rózsa
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The enormous commercial success of Ivanhoe in 1952 served as a catalyst for invigorating the swashbuckling costume epic. MGM executive Don Schary decided to proceed with his studio’s first film in Cinemascope with an epic retelling of the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. He assigned production to Pandro S. Berman with a $2.6 million budget. Talbot Jennings, Jan Lustig and Noel Langley were hired to write the screenplay, adapting the 1485 tale “Le Morte d’Arthur” by Sir Thomas Malory, and Alfred Lord Tennyson’s 1859 work “Idylls of the King,” and Richard Thorpe was tasked with directing. A stellar cast was assembled, which included Robert Taylor as Sir Lancelot, Ava Gardner as Guinevere, Mel Ferrer as King Arthur, Anne Crawford as Morgan Le Fay, Stanley Baker as Mordred, Felix Aylmer as Merlin, Maureen Swanson as Elaine, Gabriel Woolfe as Sir Percival, and Robert Urquhart as Sir Gawain. Read more…
THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE – James Horner
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
The Man Without a Face is a drama film about the unlikely friendship between a teacher and a student, and is based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Isabelle Holland. It was the directorial debut of Mel Gibson, who also stars in the eponymous role as Justin McLeod, a former teacher who was disfigured in a car accident, leaving him with severe facial burns, and who now lives a reclusive life on an island off the coast of Maine, estranged from society due to his appearance and his emotional scars. Things change for McLeod when a teenage boy named Chuck Norstadt, who is struggling with his studies and is on the verge of flunking out of the military school he desperately wants to attend, approaches him for help with his education. Despite initial hesitation from Chuck’s mother, they form an unlikely friendship, and McLeod agrees to tutor the boy in various subjects. As the summer progresses, McLeod’s mentorship helps Chuck not only academically but also emotionally, while Chuck’s faith in McLeod starts to help him shed some of his bitterness and anger. However, rumors and misunderstandings about the ‘true nature’ of their relationship begin to circulate in the small town, leading to suspicion and hostility. The film co-stars Nick Stahl as Chuck, as well as Margaret Whitton, Fay Masterson, Gaby Hoffmann, Geoffrey Lewis, and Richard Masur. It received mostly positive reviews from critics at the time, although it is somewhat forgotten today. Read more…
BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF – Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
20the Century Fox revolutionized the film industry in 1953 with Stereophonic Cinemascope, which was used for “The Robe” and “How to Marry a Millionaire”. To further capitalize on the new technology Darryl F. Zanuck, who was in charge of film production envisioned taking it underwater. A.I. Bezzerides was hired to write the screenplay, which would incorporate an underwater narrative and feature a love story inspired by Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet” (1597). Robert Bassler was assigned production, provided a $1.56 million budget, and Robert D. Webb was tasked with directing. The film cast would include; Robert Wagner as Tony Petrakis, Terry Moore as Gwyneth Rhys, Gilbert Roland as Mike Petrakis, Angela Clarke as Mama Petrakis, and Peter Graves as Arnold Dix. Read more…
SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER – James Horner
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Searching for Bobby Fischer is a chess-themed drama film directed by Steven Zaillian, which marked the directorial debut of the screenwriter of Schindler’s List. The film is based on the true story of Joshua Waitzkin, a 7-year-old boy with an exceptional talent for playing chess. After his skills are discovered, he starts receiving formal training from chess tutor Bruce Pandolfini. However, Josh’s natural ability for the game, as well as his fascination with the legendary chess player Bobby Fischer, creates a conflict within him. On one hand, he strives to excel in the game and becomes deeply involved in competitive chess tournaments. On the other hand, he battles with the pressure to balance his love for chess with a normal childhood. This dichotomy is further exacerbated by Josh’s parents, who have differing views on how to nurture their son’s talent: his father encourages his competitive side, while his mother wants him to enjoy a more well-rounded life. It’s a film about the pursuit of excellence, the complexities of talent and ambition, and the balance between nurturing a gift and maintaining a sense of innocence. It stars Ben Kingsley, Joe Mantegna, Joan Allen, Laurence Fishburne, and young Max Pomeranc as Josh, and I really enjoy it – it’s a slow burn, low-key movie that features some crackerjack dramatic performances and ends on an emotional high. Read more…
THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER – Bear McCreary
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
When the Irish author Bram Stoker was writing his classic horror novel Dracula in 1897 he included a passage noting that a ship, the Demeter, ran aground in Whitby in North Yorkshire; all the crew on board were dead, and the only cargo were boxes of earth from a castle in Transylvania. This is, of course, the back story of how the evil vampire count came to be in England in the first place, and the fate of the Demeter is well known to those knowledgeable about Dracula lore – but there has never been a film about the Demeter before, and what terrible events transpired on the ship… until now. The film is essentially an extrapolation on the ’Captains Log’ chapter of Stoker’s original novel, and has been described by some critics as ‘Alien on a boat,’ as one by one the crew are picked off by the monster on board. The film stars Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, and David Dastmalchian, and is directed by Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal. Read more…
ALL THE BROTHERS WERE VALIANT – Miklós Rózsa
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In response to the commercial success of Captains Courageous in 1936, MGM purchased the film rights to the 1919 seafaring adventure novel All the Brothers Were Valiant by Ben Ames Williams. Remarkably it would take the studio fifteen years to finally get the project off the ground. In November 1951 Pandro S. Berman was assigned production and provided a $1.816 million budget, Harry Brown was hired to write the screenplay, and Richard Thorpe was tasked with directing. A stellar cast was assembled including; Robert Taylor as Joel Shore, Stewart Granger as Mark Shore, Ann Blyth as Priscilla Holt (a replacement for the Elizabeth Taylor who was recovering from childbirth), Betta St. John as Native girl, Keenan Wynn as Silva and James Whitmore as Fetcher. Read more…
THE FUGITIVE – James Newton Howard
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
The Fugitive is one of the best action thriller movies of the 1990s. It’s a big screen remake of the massively popular 1963 TV series, and sees Harrison Ford taking over from David Janssen in the title role as Dr Richard Kimble, an acclaimed Chicago vascular surgeon. One night, after coming home from a fundraiser, Kimble finds his beloved wife Helen (Sela Ward) fatally wounded, having been attacked by a one-armed man, who escapes after a fight. However, a mountain of misinterpreted circumstantial evidence leads to Kimble being wrongfully arrested and convicted of the murder. While on his way to death row, his prison transport bus crashes, and Kimble is able to escape. Enter US Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), a dogged and gruff but dedicated investigator, who is charged with re-capturing Kimble. So begins a terrific game of cat-and-mouse as Kimble tries to discover the identity of the real killer before Gerard catches up with him. The film was directed by Andrew Davis, and co-stars Joe Pantoliano, Andreas Katsulas, and Jeroen Krabbé, as well as Julianne Moore and Jane Lynch in early supporting roles. Read more…
Under-the-Radar Round Up 2023, Part 3
I’m pleased to present the latest instalment in my on-going series of articles looking at the best under-the-radar scores from around the world. This article, the third of 2023, covers five scores from independent British and American projects, films slightly off the mainstream beaten track, but which all contain outstanding music. The scores cover a variety of genres and mediums, from nature documentaries to sports dramas, animated short films to children’s fantasy adventures, and more! Read more…
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY – George Duning and Morris Stoloff
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1952 Columbia Pictures was intent on producing a war romance as a vehicle for stars Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift. They found their story with the 1951 novel From Here to Eternity by James Jones. They purchased the film rights, assigned production to Buddy Adler and allocated a $2.5 million budget. Fred Zinnemann was given the reigns to direct with Daniel Taradash writing the screenplay. A stellar cast was assembled, including Lancaster as First Sergeant Milton Warden, Clift as Private Robert E. Lee “Prew” Pruwitt, Deborah Kerr as Karen Holmes, Donna Reed as Alma Burke, Frank Sinatra as Private Angelo Maggio, Philip Ober as Captain Dana “Dynamite” Holmes, and Ernest Borgnine as Staff Sergeant James R. “Fatso” Judson. Read more…
BARBIE – Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
If you had told me a year ago that one of the most talked-about and controversial films of 2023 would be one based on a child’s toy from the 1950s I would have scarcely believed you, but here we are, and Barbie is probably going to be remembered as one of the cinematic cultural touchstones of the year. The film is, of course, inspired by the enormously popular line of dolls manufactured by American toy company Mattel, and usually something like this would not interest me in the slightest – there have been Barbie movies before, animated ones, soulless and vapid affairs – but in the hands of writer/director Greta Gerwig and her co-writer husband Noah Baumbach, this version of Barbie has become a feminist story aimed squarely at Millennials and members of Gen-Z, while also becoming a political football for both the left and right wings, with one half praising it for its progressiveness, and the other half accusing it of ruining everything with ‘wokeness’. Read more…
Carl Davis, 1936-2023
Composer Carl Davis died on August 3, 2023, at his home in Oxfordshire, England, following a brain haemorrhage. He was 86.
Davis was born in Brooklyn, New York, in October 1936, and studied composition there and in Copenhagen. He was working with the New York City Opera and the Robert Shaw Chorale, and writing music for off-Broadway productions, prior to traveling to the United Kingdom in 1961 to attend the Edinburgh Festival. It was while in Edinburgh that Davis was offered a job composing music for the satirical comedy series That Was The Week That Was; Davis subsequently spent the rest of his working career predominantly in the UK.
Over the next 30 years or so, Davis wrote hundreds of scores for British film and television. On the big screen, his works included The Bofors Gun (1968), I, Monster (1971), Up Pompeii (1971), Man Friday (1975), The Sailor’s Return (1978), The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Champions (1983), King David (1985), Scandal (1989), The Rainbow (1989), Frankenstein Unbound (1990), The Trial (1993), Widows’ Peak (1994), and Topsy-Turvy (1999), the latter of which saw him adapting music by Gilbert and Sullivan.
On the small screen, his works included The Naked Civil Servant (1975), Oppenheimer (1980), Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1982), The Far Pavilions (1984), The Pickwick Papers (1985), Hotel du Lac (1986), Silas Marner (1986), Pride and Prejudice (1995), Anne Frank Remembered (1995), and Cranford (2008), as well as the groundbreaking documentary series The World at War (1973). He won the BAFTA Award for Film Music for The French Lieutenant’s Woman, and was nominated on six other occasions between 1981 and 2008. He also received two Emmy nominations, in 1972 and 1993, and a Grammy nomination in 1983, again for The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Read more…
HAUNTED MANSION – Kris Bowers
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
The latest Disney theme park property to hit big screens, hot on the heels of five Pirates of the Caribbean films, Tomorrowland, and Jungle Cruise, is Haunted Mansion. It’s the second film to be based on the wonderfully ghoulish ride after the 2003 Eddie Murphy movie which was scored by Mark Mancina, but where the first film deviated considerably from the canonical Haunted Mansion story, this one seems to be much more rooted in Disney lore. The film stars Rosario Dawson as Gabbie, a single mother who moves into a long-abandoned mansion with her teenage son, with dreams of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast – only to discover that the mansion is overrun with ghosts! At her wit’s end, the skeptical Gabbie turns to a group of psychics (Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito) to help exorcise their mansion and destroy the ghosts around them. The film was directed by Justin Simien from a screenplay by Katie Dippold, and had a lot of good pre-release buzz, but unfortunately the film has been something of a commercial flop, likely due to the peculiar decision Disney took to release it in July rather than the more logical late-October. Read more…
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