OST- A Little Night Music

This month we are spending half the month highlighting movies for the Oscars.  Here is this which I bought for $6.  I thought this was going to be terrible and even though that is a terrible reason to buy something, that is why I bought this.

A Little Night Music was smash Broadway hit from 1973 with music/lyrics by Stephan Sondhiem and book by Hugh Wheeler.  Oddly enough, this work was based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night (so a film version of the musical kind of comes full circle).  It was pretty successful, winning that year’s Tony for bets Musical (along with Best Book and Best Score).  For anyone else, this would definitely be the best work of one’s career, but for Sondhiem, it is hard to say.  Definitely among the best of his many successes.  “Send In The Clowns” for sure is his most covered song.  I had posted the West End version of the production last year.  You can see that here.

This recording is from the movie adaptation, which came out in 1977.  Directed by longtime Sondhiem collaborator Harold Prince, the film featured Elizabeth Taylor in the lead along with Diana Rigg and Lesley- Anne Down.  Manitoba boy Len Cariou reprised his lead role from the stage along with Hermoine Gingold and Laurence Guittard.  I thought it was odd that this was a Roger Corman production but then I found that I had confused Corman with Russ Meyer, which would have made for a different movie all together.

The movie was critically panned for various reasons.  One such factor that gets brought up is the fluctuating weight displayed by Taylor throughout the movie.  Other than that (and perhaps the death of the movie musical which technically happened way before 1977), without seeing the movie, I am not sure what went wrong. 

Rigg came out of this ordeal OK with critics praising her work.  Also , the movie won an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score and its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score. They no longer honor this category at the Oscars.

So then what to make out of this then?  First off the bat, Sondhiem re-wrote my favorite song from the musical, “Glamorous Life” and I straight out hate it (he also added lyrics to “Night Watlz”.  Several songs such as “The Miller’s Son” and “Liaisons” both of which I liked were taken out of the main work and used as background music.  Finally, the Greek chorus was removed from the film version (which I guess makes some sense and would probably have more impact on seeing the productions rather than listening to records).  That being said, I actually enjoyed this album.  It was not as terrible as I would have imagined.  Of course this has a lot to do with the principles from the stage version.  Apparently, Taylor sung her own parts and since the role was not designed for a strong singer, in this regard, she did fine.

For samples, I went with “You Must Meet My Wife” which is ever so witty.  I enjoyed it from the West End record and was quite glad I had not used it as a sample.  I also decided to go with the ensemble piece ” A Weekend in the Country”.

Again, album was not as bad as I would have thought.  Satisfactory.

Henry Mancini- Moon River/Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Well, I ran out of 10″ers (which I have been showcasing this week) so here is a single I got for 25 cents, complete with sleeve.  Shooting thru the last few posts for the month.  Why so fast you may ask?  I am well ahead of myself and as a result have to deal with the awkwardness of describing things I did in early November in January.  Well, two things.  First off, by getting ahead of myself, I lose track of the albums which are coming up and get a small sense of surprise when the appear on the blog.  More importantly, the sooner I am done writing the sooner I can listen to next month’s records.

So here is this single that I bought.  Quite frankly, I was hoping for the singing version by Audrey Hepburn (yes, she actually sung on the movie).  Well the instrumental version became a #11 hit in 1961.  Well, I don’t like playing the hits when I don;t have to so here is the B side, “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” which has nothing to do with the bad 90’s song other than being the title track of the film.  Satisfactory.

OST- The Wild Bunch

Here is one I got for around $4 with discount.  Movie soundtracks are weird like this.  Some of them have great scores.  Some of them our great movies.  I could not recall any parts of the score distinctively.  That is to say nothing off this film jumped in my mind. This record was from the library at KTRK-TV (Channel 13/ABC) off of 3310 Bissonnet.

I tried watching Sam Peckinpah’s 1969 masterpiece again recently but the problem is that is plays mostly later at night and I just could not stay up any later than an hour into the film.  Much has been said about this film. Much has already been said about it’s principle, William Holden, on this blog.  I have noted that Lee Marvin was originally picked for the role of gang leader Pike Bishop and he passed to do Paint Your Wagon.   This would have altered the movie significantly. Or would it?  Either way, I think one of the things I really like at this movie is that it does not start at the beginning.  It starts at the end with the gang’s last act.  Perhaps, the beginning of the end.  No need for introductions. We are thrown right in the middle of the gang;s bank job.  Exposition is overrated anyway, at least in the since of current blog writing.

Jerry Fielding composed and conducted the score and was nominated for an Oscar for his efforts,  (he would lose to Burt Bacharach’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid“). Pretty good score. Given the plot, a lot of the tunes have a Mexican slant to them.  But overall, the music does a good job at supporting the mood of the movie without overshadowing it.

I was not terrible stoked to listen to this but found it quite pleasant.  I had about three choices for samples to choose from .  Ultimately, I went with “Adventures On The High Road”.

Good album.  Satisfactory.

OST-Every Which Way But Loose

Here is another record I had the misfortune to buy twice.  Misfortune is perhaps too strong a word.  Well, Either way, I have two copies.  I bought on in 2016 for $4 and another in 2017 for $2. Growing up with cable int he 80’s, this movie and its soundtrack brings up memories for me.  If this post is a bit disjointed, it is because I wrote it over the course of 4 days, piece by piece.

Clint Eastwood was one of the biggest stars in the world when he read the script for this.  It would be his first pure comedy.  Originally designed as a vehicle for Burt Reynolds, many people told Eastwood to pass in very strong terms. When the film came out in 1978, it was slammed by critics.  Despite this, it became the second highest grossing film of the year.  When adjusted for inflation, I believe it is Eastwood’s highest grossing film.

A successful sequel, Any Whichway You Can followed.  That soundtrack is also in this webpage. Given the lack of creative ideas in Hollywood, since there are no more TV shows, board games, or anything else to make a move about, a reboot of this move has been discussed but why, only God knows as this movie was in a lot of ways, a product of the time in which it was released.

Set in the bars, streets.and honky tonks in working class California, EWWBL tells the story of a street brawler who travels the country with his manager/best friend as well as an orangutan, chasing both love and the big fight.  Eastwood has said on various occasions that the ape was among his favorite actors to work with.

The love interest was played by Eastwood’s partner at the time, Sondra Locke. Although they made a series of films together, Locke was no slouch in the acting department, having been nominated for a Supporting Oscar in 1968.  This movie, however, did present as challenge as Locke had not really sung before, but I felt that she did an excellent job.  I hear a lot of actor/actress records on this blog and her work is above the usual thespian fare.

The soundtrack features this singing as well as country stars Mel Tills and Charlie Rich among others.  The theme song was sung by Eddie Rabbitt. which went to # 1 along with Tillis’ “Coca-Cola Cowboy”.  A few incidental instrumental tunes are also added.  I think the music on the sequel was better overall, but this is still not bad. Given its live scenes as well as the Locke angle, the music is probably more integral to this movie.

For a sample, I wanted to showcase something with Locke on it so I settled on “Don’t Say You Don’t Love Me Anymore”, a duet between her and Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers fame.

Decent little album.  Kind of still bent I bought it twice but that is on me. Satisfactory.

OST- The Five Pennies

DSCN5088 (1024x1003)This was $3.00 .  I bought it for Danny Kaye, I guess.  I really liked him when I was a young kid.  I was watching a movie of his about a year ago and I realized I am probably subconsciously stealing more from him than I am aware, mannerism-wise.Red Nichols

Red Nichols (1905-1965) was a jazz band leader who played the coronet.  Unlike many jazz players of his time, he was not a drug addict. Rather, he was a workaholic, always looking for the next dose of workahol.  He worked with various people and under numerous monikers, most notably, Red Nichols and his Five Pennies ( Like a nickel, get it?). He was scheduled to play the opening of Mint Hotel in Las Vegas when he suffered a heart attack.  The band played that night with a spotlight on the empty seat reserved for Nichols.

A better Resource on Nichols with audio samples

Danny Kaye, along with Paramount made this film, The Five Pennies as a semi-biographical story of Nichols.  Nichols himself played coronet on the soundtrack and in the film but was not on screen. I think the film was somewhat successful commercially.  It did garner four Oscar nominations for Musical Scoring, Orginal Song, Cinematography, and Costumes.364-2

IMDB Page on the Movie

Louis Armstrong also appeared as himself in the movie.  I would be remiss if I did not point out that Armstrong was a fan of bowel movements, enjoyed laxatives, and made a series of advertisements for his favorite, Swiss Krissly, which he also recommended for friends.10533_0554_3_lg

As far as the album, there was something I though I really liked when I first listened to it, but after a second spin, I could not find it.  It really does not hit any specific area.  If you like jazz, you really only get a teaser.  There is a lot of Danny Kaye on here, but without the visual, it really does not do anything either.  DSCN5089 (1024x1005)

For a sample, I decided to go with the Armstrong/ Kaye take of the old standard “When The Saint’s Come Marching In”, renamed “The Five Pennies Saints”.  The interplay scat routine between the two make the song worth listening to.anatole_of_paris_danny_kaye

Otherwise, meh.  Nothing really great on this album.  Like I said before, it really misses a specific area in order to cover a wider area.

OST-Hatari

DSCN3908This is my 300th post!!!! And this is the last soundtrack as it the end of February.  Double yay.  This was 80 cents.  I got if because it was Mancini.  p666_p_v8_aaI do not know much about this movie, nor do I care to.  I do not care for John Wayne.  I know that might sacrilegious but that is how I feel.  He can only play one character and he is not a great actor.

Furthermore, like the Beatles vs the Stones, or Betty v. Veronica, I like Lee Marvin and you can’t really like both.lee marvin

IMDB Page

This was a pretty good piece of work for Henry Mancini.  Coming off two Oscar wins from his work on “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, this came out the same year, 1962.  This record features also one of Mancini’s more famous numbers, “Baby Elephant Walk”. DSCN3909

For a sample, I chose a swinging jazz number, “Crocodile, Go Home!”.  It really cooks.  Sounds like it belongs on an Otto Preminger movie intro.  hatari

Pretty good record.  No comment on the movie as I have not seen it.  I am guessing it a John Wayne acting very John Wayne-like in Africa.

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OST-Valley of the Dolls

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This was $4.00. Again, this was a record that I figured I would enjoy writing a post for.  This was back when I had all day to enjoy writing posts.valley-of-thedolls-cover3

Valley of the Dolls is the 1967 adaptation of Jacqueline Susann’s trashy 1966 novel.   The book, which was a huge hit when it came out, tells the behind the scene “fictionalized” story of three women trying to make it in the world of entertainment.  Most of it was based on true characters and events from Susann’s own attempt in show bidness.  The movie stars Barbara Perkins, Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate as the three main characters with a terrific performance by Susan Hayward as an aging actress threatened by Duke’s character, Neely O’Hara.

IMDB page for Valley of the Dolls

It is the struggles of Neely, which for me make the best parts of the story. She goes from a struggling actress to a superstar who struggles with her demons; pills and booze.  When she hits rock bottom, she hits rock bottom and it is fun to watch, mainly because it is such a contrast from her clean cut TV image, losing control over a hot dog. Her rise to the top, downfall, climb back to the top, and relapse make me watch this every time it comes on.Valley-of-the-Dolls-463

Patty Duke in Valley of the Dolls, 1967.Neely’s main foil, Helen Lawson, was originally to be played by Judy Garland.  However, as Garland herself had a serious booze and pill problem, she got herself fired from the set.  It has been said that the director, Mark Robson, purposely delayed shooting during the day to ensure Garland was drunk by the time she was needed on set. Neely’s own substance problems were based on that of Garland’s (Lawson’s character was based, coincidentally of Ethel Merman). Either way, Lawson was performed by Hayward who did not get along with Duke from what the Net says and neither one liked the director.

 

The movie was successful; with fans but not so much with critics. Among other things, critics and some fans had a hard time handling little goody two shoes, Patty Duke playing such a fiend.  Censorship at the time led to some of the more juicer aspects of the book being omitted. The need for ticket sales led to a happier ending.  The author hated the movie but it sold well.  Fans liked it and today, its camp value alone keeps it in circulation. tumblr_n27q4cdmfo1s4vt24o1_1280

The soundtrack is a mixed bag.  The theme song was sung by Dionne Warwick in the film but for contractual reasons, her version does not appear on the album.  I think this is a shame as her version is pretty good. The songs sung by Duke and Hayward in the movie were really voice overs which I think sucks.  Duke was also upset as she had been working on her singing prior to filming.

The rest of the songs are ok. The songs on this album, which are originals, where written by Dory and Andre Previn.  John Williams conducted the score and received his first of many Oscar nominations for it. On this album, he is credited as Johnny Williams. I find that odd to read.DSCN3895

For a sample, I went with “Come Live With Me” sung by Tony Scott who plays’ Tate’s doomed night club singer/husband in the movie. I believe the author wanted Elvis for the role.  In real life, Scott, who is still alive, is married to French singer Sylvie Vartan. Scott had done some minor acting and singing, but this is the role is he most famous for.maxresdefault

Kind of meh on the soundtrack.  I love this film, however.

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