ONLY YOU – Rachel Portman
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Only You is a romantic comedy about destiny, love, and chance encounters, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. The story follows Faith Corvatch (Tomei), a woman who has always believed in fate and soulmates; as a young girl, Faith was told by a Ouija board and a fortune teller that she was destined to marry a man named “Damon Bradley,” and over the years, she becomes fixated on this name, believing that her perfect match is out there somewhere. Years later, Faith is engaged to a practical but unromantic podiatrist not named Damon Bradley, but she still feels something is missing from her life. Just before her wedding, she receives a phone call from one of her fiancé’s old classmates – a man named Damon Bradley – who is about to fly to Italy. Spurred by this coincidence and her lifelong belief in fate, Faith impulsively decides to pursue him, convinced he is the love of her life. She travels to Italy with her best friend Kate (Bonnie Hunt) in search of Damon, but instead meets Peter Wright (Downey). Peter is immediately smitten with Faith, and pretends to be Damon Bradley in order to get close to her, a lie which complicates their budding relationship… Read more…
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, SEASON TWO – Bear McCreary
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE SHOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER WAITING UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE DONE SO TO READ IT.
Despite being one of the most lavish, ambitious, and expensive television shows in the history of the medium, the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was not quite the overwhelming success that Amazon Prime Video hoped and expected it to be. Although it quickly became the most-watched Prime Video original series in history, and although it received generally positive reviews from critics – particularly for its visuals and designs – many Tolkien purists took great exception to the fact that showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay took some creative liberties with the source material. Not only that, the show was also the victim of racist online ‘review bombing’ stemming from complaints about the casting of non-white actors in key roles, as if that matters in a fantasy setting. Such is the way of toxic fandom today. Despite this, I thought it was absolutely outstanding, one of the most impressive television productions I have ever seen. Read more…
THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS – Irving Berlin, Alfred Newman, Lionel Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
20th Century Fox wanted to showcase their bombshell star Marilyn Monroe in a musical. She was under suspension for violating her contract when she refused to star in the musical “The Girl In Pink Tights”. When they offered her the starring role again for There’s No Business Like Show Business she initially refused again, but eventually relented when she was promised a starring role in “The Seven Year Itch”, and her weekly salary raised to $3,000 a week. Sol Siegel was assigned production with a $4.3 million budget, Walter Lang was tasked with directing, and writers Phoebe and Henry Ephron would adapt Lamar Trotti’s story. A cast for the ages was assembled, with Marilyn Monroe starring as Victoria Parker, joined by Ethel Merman as Molly Donohue, Donald O’Connor as Tim Donohue, Dan Dailey as Terrence Donohue, Johnny Ray as Steve Donohue, and Mitzi Gaynor as Katie Donohue. Read more…
STARGATE – David Arnold
THROWBACK THIRTY
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
One of the most enduring conspiracy theories in the world is the notion of ‘ancient astronauts,’ which suggests that extraterrestrial beings were responsible for building some of Earth’s ancient structures, including the pyramids of Giza. This idea plays a central role in the plot of Stargate, providing an interesting twist on Egyptian mythology and history. The film is a sci-fi action-adventure directed by German filmmaker Roland Emmerich, whose previous works included the 1990 sci-fi Moon 44, and the 1992 action thriller Universal Soldier; it stars James Spader as Daniel Jackson, a linguist and Egyptologist, who is recruited by the U.S. military to help decipher a series of symbols on an ancient artifact which was discovered in Egypt many years previously. Jackson determines that the artifact is a portal – a ‘star gate’ – that can transport people across vast distances of space to another planet; following this discovery the military sends Jackson and a team of soldiers led by the taciturn Colonel Jack O’Neil (Kurt Russell) through the star gate to assess any potential threats. Once on the other side they find themselves on a desert-like planet, where they encounter a civilization that appears to be influenced by ancient Egyptian culture, and learn that the planet is ruled by an alien posing as the Egyptian sun god Ra (Jaye Davidson), who uses advanced technology to enslave the inhabitants. Read more…
MEGALOPOLIS – Osvaldo Golijov
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
In February 1997 I went to see Jane Campion’s film The Portrait of a Lady at the cinema, and I hated the movie so much that I almost walked out of it. The only reason I didn’t was because I wanted to continue to experience Wojciech Kilar’s staggeringly beautiful score in context. I had not had that experience – of wanting to walk out of a film like that, but not actually doing so because of the music – again for more than 25 years, until I saw Megalopolis, which surely ranks among the worst films I have seen since the turn of the millennium. Read more…
A STAR IS BORN – Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin, Ray Heindorf
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In December of 1952 producer Sid Luft approached director George Cukor and proposed that he remake the Selznick International Film’s “A Star Is Born” (1937) with his wife, Judy Garland making a comeback to star in the lead role. Cukor agreed and the two men received the green light to proceed from Warner Brothers. Luft would produce the film, whose budget soared to $5 million due to 41 sick days and a two-week drug rehabilitation withdrawing from all the medications she had become addicted to, which extended filming to nine months. George Cukor took the reins to direct, and Moss Hart was hired to write the screenplay, which was adapted from the screenplay of the 1937 film. For the cast, Judy Garland would star as Esther Blodgett, in her first film in four years. Joining her would be James Mason as Norman Maine, Jack Carson as Matt Libby, and Charles Bickford as Oliver Niles. Read more…
THE SPECIALIST – John Barry
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
The Specialist is an action-thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone. The story follows Ray Quick (Stallone), a former CIA explosives expert turned freelance hitman, who is approached by May Munro (Stone), a woman seeking revenge against the powerful Miami crime family responsible for the murder of her parents; the family boss Joe Leon (Rod Steiger), and his son Tomas (Eric Roberts), were directly involved in the killings. Ray agrees to take the job, and begins a steamy relationship with the femme fatale May, but as soon as Ray starts targeting members of the Leon family he finds himself at odds with Ned Trent (James Woods), a former CIA colleague, who is now a security expert working for the Leon family. Read more…
Under-the-Radar Round Up 2024, Part 4
Original Reviews by Jonathan Broxton
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 fourth of 2024, covers another six scores from a wide array of genres and countries: a French period courtroom comedy, a new adaptation of a classic of French literature, two Japanese TV scores, a Chinese animated fantasy film, and a Swedish TV series remake of a beloved children’s adventure!
LA STRADA – Nino Rota
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Director Federico Fellini said he conceived the story for his film La Strada from a well of melancholia. He collaborated with Tulio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano to write the screenplay, but then struggled to find financing. Undeterred, he as director actually began filming before securing financial support as this was a passion project. Eventually Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica signed on for production with Carlo Ponti and Dino De Laurentiis joining as producers. For the cast, Fellini was determined to cast Anthony Quinn as the lead and although repeatedly rebuffed, Quinn eventually agreed to take the part of Zampanó. Joining him would be Giulietta Masina as Gelsomina, Richard Basehart as Il Mato, and Aldo Silvani as Il Signor Giraffa. Read more…
ED WOOD – Howard Shore
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Edward D. Wood Jr. was an American filmmaker, actor, and writer, best known for his low-budget, unconventional films, often cited as some of the worst ever made. Despite lacking technical skill and often facing financial constraints, Wood had a passionate drive for filmmaking, and he eventually became known for two B-movies released in the 1950s: Glen or Glenda (1953), and Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959). Wood was also known for his eccentricities, including his love of angora and cross-dressing, which he incorporated into his films. Though ridiculed in his lifetime, he later gained a cult following and is now mostly celebrated for his unique, optimistic vision. Read more…
THE 4:30 MOVIE – Bear McCreary
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Nostalgia for the 1980s is at an all-time high, and at the moment one of its leading proponents is writer-director Kevin Smith. He is five years older than me but, for the most part, we are both 80s kids, and we share an affinity for the movies and music of the era. His latest film, The 4:30 Movie, is an affectionate homage to that decade, a semi-autobiographical romantic comedy drama about a teenager growing up in suburban New Jersey in 1986, who spends his time sneaking into movie theaters with his friends, and embarking on his first hesitant relationship with his high school crush. It stars Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Siena Agudong, and Ken Jeong, and has been warmly received by critics as Smith’s most personal film to date. Read more…
THE EGYPTIAN – Alfred Newman, Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Following the commercial success of “The Robe” in 1953, 20th Century Fox executive Daryl F. Zanuck decided to cash in with another lavish religious epic set in ancient Egypt. He was inspired by the 1945 novel “The Egyptian” by Mika Waltari, which was itself based upon the ancient 2,000-year-old Egyptian tale “Story of Sinuhe”. Zanuck purchased the film rights and personally took charge of production with a massive $3.9 million budget. He also decided that he would film with CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color. Philip Dunne and Casey Robinson were hired to write the screenplay and Michael Curtiz was borrowed from Paramount Studios to direct. A stellar cast was assembled, which included Jean Simmons as Merit, Edmund Purdom (a late replacement for Marlon Brando who quit one week before filming) as Sinuhe, Victor Mature as Horemheb, Bella Darvi as Nefer, Gene Tierney as Baketamon, Michael Wilding as Pharoah Akhenaten, and Peter Ustinov as Kaptah. Read more…
TERMINAL VELOCITY – Joel McNeely
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Terminal Velocity was the first of two action movies set in the world of skydiving to hit cinema screens in 1994 (the other was the much more popular and successful Drop Zone, scored by Hans Zimmer). This film was directed by Deran C. Sarafian and starred Charlie Sheen as former Olympic gymnast-turned-daredevil skydiver Richard “Ditch” Brodie. One day a woman named Christa Morrow (Nastassja Kinski) comes to Ditch’s skydiving school asking him to teach her how to jump, but then apparently dies in a freak accident, leaving Ditch in legal trouble. Later, Ditch discovers that Christa is alive and is actually part of a complex conspiracy involving stolen gold and Russian mobsters; Christa is a former KGB agent trying to stop a group of criminals from using the gold to finance a coup in Russia. Despite the film containing some admittedly rather impressive aerial stunts and action sequences – including a pivotal scene which features Sheen falling to earth while at the wheel of a Cadillac Allanté – the film turned out to be as ridiculous as the plot suggests, and flopped badly with both critics and audiences. Read more…
Under-the-Radar Round Up 2024, Part 3
Original Reviews by Jonathan Broxton
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 2024, covers seven scores from a wide array of genres and countries: a Chinese thriller about an autistic math genius, a French historical TV mini-series, a Spanish romantic thriller, a Japanese romantic survival horror movie based on a TV show, a French action comedy, a Japanese TV series about surrogate parenting, and a French swashbuckling TV series, all of which feature superb and memorable thematic writing!
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS – Gene de Paul, Johnny Mercer, Adolph Deutsch, Saul Chaplin
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
MGM was seeking to produce another in its fine line of musicals and decided they had found their story; “The Sobbin’ Women” by Stephen Vincent Benet, which was itself derived from the ancient roman mythological tale “The Rape of the Sabine Women”. Jack Cummings was assigned production with a budget of $2.54 million. Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich and Dorothy Kingsley were hired to write the screenplay, Michael Kidd was brought in as choreographer, and Stanley Donen was tasked with directing. For the cast of the seven brothers and their brides, we have; Howard Keel as Adam and Jane Powell as Milly, Jeff Richards as Benjamin and Julie Newmar as Dorcas, Matt Mattox as Caleb and Ruta Kilmonis as Ruth, Marc Platt as Daniel and Norma Doggett as Martha, Jacques d’Amboise as Ephraim and Virginia Gibson as Liza, Tommy Rall as Frank and Betty Carr as Sarah, and Russ Tamblyn as Godeon and Nancy Kilgas as Alice. Joining them would be Ian Wolfe as Reverend Elcott, Howard Petrie as Pete Perkins, Russell Simpson as Mr. Bixby and Marjorie Wood as Mrs. Bixby. Read more…
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