Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Movie Music

July 4th Movie Music: Patriotism on Film

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, “Picture Perfect” celebrates its 12th anniversary with an hour of cinematic fifes and drums.

We’ll begin with selections from “The Patriot” (2000), in which slow-burning pacifist Mel Gibson is pushed too far by ruthless British officer Jason Isaacs and reverts to his bloody French and Indian War ways. By the end of the film, he is literally waving the flag to John Williams’ triumphant score.

Then we’ll hear a suite from the Jack Benny-Ann Sheridan fixer-up comedy, “George Washington Slept Here” (1942), based on the play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman – not really about the Revolution, beyond the fact that the ramshackle Pennsylvania farm house purchased by a transplanted New York couple is alleged to have been one of the seemingly limitless resting places of the Continental Army’s commander in chief. The music is by Adolph Deutsch.

The film “Revolution” (1985) seemed to have everything going for it. Its director was Hugh Hudson, whose “Chariots of Fire” was the big winner at the 1981 Academy Awards; its star was Al Pacino; and its composer was John Corigliano, who would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music for his Symphony No. 2 AND an Oscar for his score to “The Red Violin.” But “Revolution” bombed horribly – so horribly that Pacino gave up making movies for the next four years. James Galway plays the flute and pennywhistle on the film’s soundtrack.

Finally, we’ll hear music from the longest continuously-shown film in cinematic history, “Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot” (1957), created exclusively for the tourist attraction of Colonial Williamsburg. The 38-minute featurette stars future “Hawaii Five-O” icon Jack Lord, and the score is by none other than Bernard Herrmann.

Here’s a clip from “Williamsburg,” with some of Herrmann’s music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0VXfVhenXQ

We celebrate Independence Day this week, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies. Stick a feather in your cap and call it macaroni, this Saturday evening at 6:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

PHOTO: George Washington wagers he can crack a walnut with his bare hand in “Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot”

July 2, 2022
Elmer Bernstein A Centennial Celebration

April 4 would have been the 100th birthday of Elmer Bernstein. Over a career that spanned some 50 years, Bernstein scored dozens of film and television projects, many of them now classics.

This week on “Picture Perfect,” sample his versatility with selections from just a few of them, including “The Magnificent Seven” (1960), “The Age of Innocence” (1993), “Stripes” (1981), and “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962).

In all, Bernstein was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, but claimed the Oscar only once, fairly early on, for his work on “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (1967), of all things. His final nomination was for his very last score, for “Far from Heaven” (2002). Bernstein died on August 18, 2004 at the age of 82.

Elmer will have you glued to the radio, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, this Saturday evening at 6:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

PLEASE NOTE: If you were hoping to hear some of Bernstein’s music for “The Ten Commandments” (1956), tune in next week, as we anticipate Passover with selections from Biblical epics from the Old Testament!

April 2, 2022
John Williams at 90 A Musical Genius

His music introduced me to the glories of the symphony orchestra and changed my life forever. The world’s greatest living film composer is 90. Happy birthday, John Williams!

One need only listen to this fan compilation of Williams’ contrapuntal writing, including some unexpected choices, to understand that there really is no one else in the field today who can touch him. You certainly won’t hear anything like it from the Zimmer school.

This one still gives me chills 43+ years later!

Williams and Steven Spielberg discuss music from the piano bench:

Good exchange with Tavis Smiley (especially toward the end):

Perhaps Williams’ best interview, an unusually candid conversation with André Previn:

Williams is the recipient of five Academy Awards, 25 Grammy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. He’s been nominated for an Oscar 52 times, more than any other living person, and second only to Walt Disney.

So what’s he up to now? Although he suggested he would be retiring with “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” he’s been conducting concerts all over place, with Anne-Sophie Mutter the soloist in his new Violin Concerto. He’s also scoring Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” – their 29th collaboration – and prepping for the fifth Indiana Jones adventure, out next year.

https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/john-williams-turns-90-celebrating-1235172996/?fbclid=IwAR3Hon1e-u542wT8M2TouuAaHq-1CrZqG5CxzL7iYUA–BtcvBjsdn-r_t0

Over the coming month or so, I’ll be including some Williams selections in my “Picture Perfect” programming. Tune in this week to enjoy a suite from “Jane Eyre” (1970), as part of hour of Gothic romances for Valentine’s Day, and next week for music from “JFK” (1991), “Nixon” (1995), “Amistad” (1997), and “Lincoln” (2012) for Presidents Day Weekend. More to come. “Picture Perfect” can be heard Saturday evenings at 6:00 EST on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

February 8, 2022
Picture Perfect Thanksgiving Movie Music

Thanks to the support of listeners like you, we were able to make our 7-day goal of $70,000 yesterday, and the WWFM fall fund drive has concluded. Thank you again for your continued generosity! Here’s to a holiday season full of inspiring and cozy classics.

My movie music show, “Picture Perfect,” ordinarily broadcast on Saturdays at 6 p.m. EST, was to have been preempted this past week, because of fundraising obligations. But then we wound up making our quota for the day, and the show aired after all!

Due to the last-minute change in plans, the announcement wasn’t posted on Facebook until 6:00. I suspect very few people, beyond those actually listening to the station at the time, knew to tune-in in to be able to hear it.

Therefore, here’s a link to the webcast, which might serve as an appropriate soundtrack to your Thanksgiving preparations. Enjoy selections from “Friendly Persuasion” (Dimitri Tiomkin), “Our Town” (Aaron Copland), “Plymouth Adventure” (Miklós Rózsa), and the building-the-barn sequence from “Witness” (Maurice Jarre). And if you’re so inclined, save me a piece of pie.

https://www.wwfm.org/post/picture-perfect-never-too-early-give-thanks

Thank you for your continued support of WWFM – The Classical Network, and Happy Thanksgiving.

November 23, 2021
Victorian Movie Music on WWFM

This week on “Picture Perfect,” it’s an hour of top hats and crinoline, with music from movies set during the Victorian Era. Enjoy selections from “The Importance of Being Earnest” (Benjamin Frankel), “Oliver Twist” (Arnold Bax), “Champagne Charlie” (Lord Berners), and “The Great Train Robbery” (Jerry Goldsmith). Even the pianos wear skirts, this Saturday evening at 6:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

September 18, 2021

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