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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…
BAFTA Winners 2018
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) have announced the winners of the 72nd British Academy Film Awards, honoring the best in film in 2018.
In the Best Original Music category, the winners were Bradley Cooper, Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga), and Lukas Nelson, for their collection of original songs written for the musical drama film A Star is Born. BAFTA is different from other awards bodies, in that their music award specifically includes song scores, adaptation scores, and expert use of classical music alongside original scores, and the award is for in an overarching ‘best use of music in film.’ Cooper, who also co-wrote, directed, produced, and co-starred in the film, accepted the award, saying:
“Thank you BAFTA. Wow, I got to fulfill a dream that I never thought would ever happen, to compose and arrange music, and I got to do it with the greatest musicians in the world – Lady Gaga and Lukas Nelson, who I share this with tonight. This music was the heartbeat of the film, and we had so much help from people all over the country. Brandi Carlisle, Mark Ronson, Hillary Lindsey, Jason Ruder and the whole sound team, Steve Morrow, Alan Murray, it wouldn’t have sounded like that without you. Ben Rice at the Village Studios in Santa Monica. The engineers. Most of all I have to thank Irina [Shayk], for putting up with me, for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year. Thank you very much, thank you.”
The other nominees were Terence Blanchard for Blackkklansman, Nicholas Britell for If Beale Street Could Talk, Alexandre Desplat for Isle of Dogs, and Marc Shaiman for Mary Poppins Returns.
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