Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Movie Music

Memorial Day Movie Music Valor and Sacrifice

It’s all about valor and sacrifice this week on “Picture Perfect,” as we anticipate Memorial Day.

Memorial Day has its roots in Decoration Day, established in 1868 to honor the Civil War dead. We’ll hear music from “Glory” (1989), inspired by the extraordinary courage of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw’s 54th Massachusetts Voluntary Regiment, an all African American outfit that distinguished itself in an impossible assault on Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina. The outstanding cast features Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick, and Cary Elwes, with an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington. The poignant score is by James Horner.

Gary Cooper had one of his best roles as “Sergeant York” (1941), based on the true story of Alvin C. York, who went from backwoods hell-raiser to devout pacifist. After a period of soul-searching, York was able to reconcile his strong moral convictions with the unfortunate reality that sometimes it really is necessary to fight. He went on to distinguish himself on the battlefield and become one of the most-decorated soldiers of the First World War. The folksy score, evocative of York’s Tennessee roots, is by Max Steiner.

In director Michael Cimino’s “The Deer Hunter” (1978), three men from a small Pennsylvania steel town serve in Vietnam, then struggle to cope with the war’s psychological impact. The harrowing film, especially memorable for its scenes of Russian roulette in a P.O.W. camp, won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Christopher Walken was honored with the award for Best Supporting Actor. Stanley Myers wrote the music. We’ll hear his famous “Cavatina,” performed by guitarist John Williams, not to be confused with…

… composer John Williams, who provided one of his sparser scores for “Saving Private Ryan” (1998). Steven Spielberg’s war-is-hell narrative yet manages to honor the sacrifice of the fighting men of World War II. The opening – a sustained “you-are-there” battle sequence on Omaha Beach – is unforgettable. Remarkably, it is presented wholly without music, Williams preferring to allow the tension of the mise-en-scène to speak for itself. Spielberg picked up his second Academy Award for Best Director. The film, however, inexplicably, lost to “Shakespeare in Love.”

I hope you’ll join me for music from these cinematic meditations on the costs and consequences of war, as we honor the valor and sacrifice of soldiers who died while serving in America’s armed forces, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Clip and save the start times for all three of my recorded shows:

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday at 11:00 AM EDT/8:00 AM PDT

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Stream them, wherever you are, at the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

May 24, 2024
Going Ape for Classic Movie Music

With the publicity machine going full-throttle for the new “Planet of the Apes” movie, I thought we’d take the opportunity this week, on “Picture Perfect,” to look back to Jerry Goldsmith’s music for the original 1968 classic.

Goldsmith incorporated all sorts of unusual effects into his groundbreaking score. He employed such instruments as tuned mixing bowls, a bass slide-whistle, and the cuika, a Brazilian wind instrument used to mimic the hooting of excited apes. He instructed his hornists to play without mouthpieces, and he manipulated percussion through the use of an Echoplex.

Barbaric and unnerving, with little in the way of lyricism, I can’t imagine anything like it being used in a major Hollywood film today. Well, from my description, I guess I can, but Goldsmith was the real deal – a talented composer with real tools (not just a laptop) at his disposal.

While my initial impulse had been to fill out the hour with music from some of the other films in the “Apes” franchise, after listening for a while, the grimness and brutality became a bit too unremitting, so instead we’ll swing with the gorilla theme.

Among the other selections will be an extended passage from the Dian Fossey biopic, “Gorillas in the Mist,” which starred Sigourney Weaver and featured music by Maurice Jarre, of “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Doctor Zhivago” fame, though from his later, lamentable “electronic” period.

We’ll also hear a bit from the “Mighty Joe Young” remake, since, at the time I recorded the show, I couldn’t get a hold of Roy Webb’s score for the original (since remedied). The music is pretty much standard James Horner (eg. “Titanic”), though he does incorporate a Swahili choir.

Finally, we’ll sample from Max Steiner’s landmark score to the 800-pound gorilla of all monkey movies, 1933’s “King Kong.”

I hope you’ll join me as we go ape this week, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Remember, KWAX is on the West Coast, so there’s a three-hour difference for those of you listening in the East. Here are the respective air-times for all three of my recorded shows (with East Coast conversions in parentheses):

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday on KWAX at 5:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (8:00 PM EASTERN)

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday on KWAX at 8:00 AM PACIFIC TIME (11:00 AM EASTERN)

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday on KWAX at 4:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (7:00 PM EASTERN)

Stream all three, at the times indicated, by following the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

“Take your stinkin’ paws off me…!” (with Goldsmith’s music, including cuika effects):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enRpeRUawNY

May 3, 2024
Movie Music Faith & Film on KWAX

This week on “Picture Perfect,” in this season of wall-to-wall Biblical epics, enjoy a bit of counterprogramming in the form of music from films about faith, conscience, and grappling with self-abnegation.

Bruce Bereford’s “Black Robe” (1991), based on a novel by Irish-Canadian writer Brian Moore, tells the tale of a Jesuit priest who treks through 1500 miles of Canadian wilderness on a mission to convert the native tribes of the Huron and the Algonquin. The evocative score is by Georges Delerue.

“Black Narcissus” (1947), a Powell-Pressburger classic, is one of those startling films that just sort of sneaks up on you. Psychological tension abounds in a tale of repressed nuns struggling to maintain their composure in a voluptuous Himalayan valley. Eventually, the wheels begin to spin off the tracks, to spinetingling effect. The stunning cinematography is by Jack Cardiff. Incredibly, the entire film was shot in England, mostly on soundstages at Pinewood Studios. The music is by Brian Easdale, of “The Red Shoes” fame.

Audrey Hepburn gives one of her most impressive performances in Fred Zinnemann’s “The Nun’s Story” (1959). A young woman enters a convent of sister-nurses and undergoes many trials in the hopes of becoming a missionary in the Belgian Congo. The film also features Peter Finch, Edith Evans, Peggy Ashcroft, and, in a memorable early role, an unhinged Colleen Dewhurst. The music is by Franz Waxman.

Finally, Ennio Morricone composed one of his most-beloved scores for “The Mission” (1986). Jeremy Irons plays a Jesuit priest, who ventures into the South American rainforest to convert the Guarani to Christianity. Robert DeNiro is a reformed slave hunter, who seeks redemption. The moving music has received a great deal of exposure over the years through its use in television commercials and by figure skaters, who have made “Gabriel’s Oboe” a recognizable hit.

Join me in seeking grace in an imperfect world, with music from films about nuns and missionaries this week, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Remember, KWAX is on the West Coast, so there’s a three-hour difference for those of you listening in the East. Here are the respective air-times for all three of my recorded shows (with East Coast conversions in parentheses):

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday on KWAX at 5:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (8:00 PM EASTERN)

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday on KWAX at 8:00 AM PACIFIC TIME (11:00 AM EASTERN)

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday on KWAX at 4:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (7:00 PM EASTERN)

Stream all three, at the times indicated, by following the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

March 29, 2024
Ides of March Ancient Rome in the Movies

Beware the Ides of March!

March 15th is a day that has lived in infamy and superstition, ever since the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. After declaring himself Dictator for Life, Caesar was set upon by members of the Roman Senate and stabbed 23 times.

This week on “Picture Perfect,” toga is the dressing of choice for a Caesar salad of films set in Ancient Rome.

We’ll begin with Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” (1953). A two-time double Oscar winner, Mankiewicz – who won back-to-back Academy Awards for writing and directing “A Letter to Three Wives” in 1949 and “All About Eve” in 1950 – wrote and directed this big screen version of the Bard’s historical drama, which was produced by John Houseman, and features an all-star cast, including Marlon Brando as Mark Antony, James Mason as Brutus, John Gielgud as Cassius, and Louis Calhern as Caesar.

The music is by MGM’s go-to composer for spectacles of this sort, Miklós Rózsa, who had earlier provided the score for “Quo Vadis,” and would go on to win his third Academy Award for “Ben-Hur.”

Ten years later, Mankiewicz would return to Rome, at least in part, for “Cleopatra” (1963), though it was a decision he would come to rue. For budgetary and interpersonal reasons, “Cleopatra” became a nightmarish experience for practically everyone involved. Although a box office success – the year’s highest grossing release – the film achieved the dubious distinction of becoming the most expensive ever made. Its massive cost overruns and production woes nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox.

“Cleopatra” stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, whose scandalous, extra-marital romance caught fire during the making of the film. Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, both film and score were nominated for Academy Awards, as was Rex Harrison for Best Actor, in the role of Julius Caesar.

Alex North, who had written the highly-regarded music for “Spartacus” three years earlier, follows up on his success with another one of his finest scores.

By contrast, the Pax Romana was an era of relative peace and stability. It spanned two centuries, from the reign of Augustus Caesar to the death of Marcus Aurelius. The movies would have us believe that Marcus was the victim of foul play, murdered by his son Commodus. Hollywood never did let history get in the way of a good story!

Joaquin Phoenix plays Commodus in “Gladiator” (2000), something of a missed opportunity, with a dream cast, including Russell Crowe, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, and Oliver Reed. Alas, it gave most of its over-qualified supporting players very little to do.

More damningly, the visual storytelling was marred by the over-use of shaky handheld cameras and an over-reliance on computer generated imagery, supplanting the traditional – though likely prohibitive – lavish sets and cast-of-thousands. Even so, the film was honored with five Academy Awards, including that for Best Picture.

One of those Oscars went to Hans Zimmer for his score, though the music is not without controversy. As is often the case with this composer, Zimmer was heavily assisted by a lot of under-credited hands, who appear in fine print in the soundtrack’s CD booklet. Also, one of the battle scenes adheres so closely to “Mars, the Bringer of War” that Zimmer was actually sued by the Holst Foundation. That said, the score was tremendously popular, and the soundtrack remains one of the best-selling of all time.

One of my biggest beefs with “Gladiator” is that, although never acknowledged as a remake, it essentially lifts most of its plot from “The Fall of the Roman Empire” (1964). Anthony Mann directed the old school sword-and-sandal epic, which stars Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, and James Mason. On this occasion, Christopher Plummer plays mad Commodus.

The grandiose score is by Dimitri Tiomkin, who conducted a 110 piece orchestra, made up of (as advertised) “England’s finest musicians.” Only Tiomkin, a pupil of Alexander Glazunov, would include balalaikas in a score about Ancient Rome.

Watch your back! Rome wasn’t built in a day. It falls in an hour this week, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Remember, KWAX is on the West Coast, so there’s a three-hour difference for those of you listening in the East. Here are the respective air-times for all three of my recorded shows (with East Coast conversions in parentheses):

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday on KWAX at 5:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (8:00 PM EASTERN)

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday on KWAX at 8:00 AM PACIFIC TIME (11:00 AM EASTERN)

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday on KWAX at 4:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (7:00 PM EASTERN)

Stream all three, at the times indicated, by following the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

March 15, 2024
Doomed Love Movie Music on KWAX Radio

There’s no love like doomed love. We all know it’s true. Happily ever after is fine for the neighbors. The rest of us flock to “Titanic,” “Casablanca,” and “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.” The one that got away hangs heaviest on the heart.

In accordance with Gothic convention, nothing’s hotter than when two people love one another so intensely, they destroy themselves, each other, and everyone else around them. If impediments fan the flames of desire, then death is the greatest impediment of all.

This week on “Picture Perfect,” it’s an hour of star-crossed lovers who remain connected beyond the mortal plane.

Join me for selections from “Somewhere in Time” (John Barry), “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” (Bernard Herrmann), “Always” (John Williams), and “Wuthering Heights” (Alfred Newman).

If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. We’ll be fanning the flames of desire on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Remember, KWAX is on the West Coast, so there’s a three-hour difference for those of you listening in the East. Here are the respective air-times for all three of my recorded shows (with East Coast conversions in parentheses):

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday on KWAX at 5:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (8:00 PM EST)

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday on KWAX at 8:00 AM PACIFIC TIME (11:00 AM EST)

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday on KWAX at 4:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (7:00 PM EST)

Stream all three, at the times indicated, by following the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

February 9, 2024

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