This News Friday 1/2/98

by Lukas Kendall

Happy new year! I'm always happy to have less space to go on the typewriter to type the year. 1995, 1996, those were brutal. Can't wait until 1999. Here's some stuff to do this weekend if you live in Los Angeles:

Sunday, 1/4, James Newton Howard at Creature Features in Burbank signing Postman CDs. Call 818-842-9382.

Monday, 1/5, latest Film Music Network night from Cinematrax, 7:00 pm at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn, 4222 Vineland Avenue, Studio City, CA. Admission is $10, memberships are available. Guest speakers: Lesley Lotto, who represents composers, music supervisors, music editors; and Mick Stern, scoring engineer and soundtrack album producer for John Debney. Mick Stern hates me so I can't wait to meet him! For questions or to RSVP, call 1-888-SCORE-38 or in Los Angeles (818) 507-4900.

Also 1/5, cable viewers everywhere, catch our own Mike Murray, Recordman, on "Personal FX" aka The Collectibles Show on the FX channel, aired 12-1pm EST live (around three minutes time). Go RM!

Also, check out this great new site from Ellen Edgerton:

Film Music on TV this Weekend: http://columbia.digiweb.com/~ellenbe/fmtvindex.html

This is a guide to movies on TV this weekend with scores by cool composers!

Lost in Space

We still don't know who is doing it in Goldsmith's place (he had a scheduling conflict).

Question of the Week

From: Mike Watson <mike.watson@utoronto.ca>

I was wondering, what determines which record label will be used for a soundtrack release? It seems that generally you have MCA/Universal, Varese/Warner, Sony/Sony Pictures, Hollywood/Touchstone relationships going on, but then you also have the recently released TriStar flick Starship Troopers coming in on Varese when it would have seemed natural for Sony/Epic Soundtrax to cover it. (same for Paramount's Face/Off, on Hollywood etc.) Are there specific arrangements made for each film released? I imagine that a label like Varese couldn't afford a lavish release with every film the way MCA or Sony could. (and usually does)

It all depends on the project. The relationships listed above do exist and usually "first pickens" go to the favored label. But they can always pass, or good old fashioned bidding wars can ensue.

Miscellanity

Someone was asking about the CD to Hard Boiled (Michael Gibbs, John Woo film). There are copies at the local Virgin Megastore for $20. It's an English import. Michael and Richard Gibbs are not related.

Why doesn't Williams list his orchestrators in his CDs? This is a good question. I don't know. For some reason Williams's orchestrators get listed in the movies but not the CDs. Maybe he doesn't want a lot of fans to presume that the orchestrators are writing his music!

From: LogieD <LogieD@aol.com>

Has any well known score composer been a Conductor of a well known orchestra besides John Williams with the Boston Pops, or been offered same and refused? (Guest conductor does not count)

Good question! I don't know.

It seems John Barry has a lock on Greatest Hits Albums as a composer. Is there a reason we see no best of Goldsmith, Horner, and a number of others in CD collections etc. I know that Goldsmith has started something with Frontiers.

A lot of time composers don't have time, or can't interest a label in their music, if it's not flashy enough on its own. Kamen just did an album for Decca which I've heard, it's pretty good. Called Michael Kamen's Opus, out next March.

From: Strombates <Strombates@aol.com>

For the last couple of Christmas holidays we've really enjoyed listening to Thomas Newman's LITTLE WOMEN soundtrack. Your readers might like that one on your list.

The Ultimate Explanation: What Are Re-Use Fees For?

From: "Billy Martin" <lunchpicasso@earthlink.net>

I have recently become a subscriber to your magazine, and I enjoy your web site very much. However, there is an issue that I've seen raised in various articles and e-mails that, as a composer, I feel needs some clarification.

The reference usually goes something like this "such-and-such CD would be released if it weren't for those darn musicians union re-use fees..."

First, the people that make their living in LA by playing on film/TV dates are the best in the world. They have worked long and hard to get as good as they are, and deserve to be compensated for it. Just as composers expect to be paid by ASCAP or BMI every time their work is broadcast, it is reasonable for musicians to be paid for a new use of their work.

Second, the union has made substantial efforts to make use of their member's work affordable. The re-use fee for a soundtrack album is 50% of the regular Phonograph scale for the release of less than 50,000 units. Also, the low-budget film scale provides a substantial discount in rates for lower budget films and TV movies (about 40% off for a session using less than 24 musicians). In addition, a low-budget film can release a soundtrack album for only 25% of scale for the release of less than 25,000 units. These are serious concessions!

Third, since the music has already been recorded, the record company releasing the soundtrack has no recording costs other than the re-use fee. No studio time (scoring stages cost over $500 per hour), engineers, techs, machine rentals, etc. While I'm sure record companies would love to release their product with no overhead at all, the people involved in creating the recording will always want to be compensated.

Last, as you pointed out in your Reader's Soundtrack Handbook, the market for many of these scores is extremely limited. Rather than complain about the lack of scores for every film that is released, I'm frankly amazed that so many are available.

Thanks Billy for the explanation.

Video

Please, go here for info on our Basil Poledouris video documentary! We're very proud of it and think all of you people would dig it.

From: "Robert Mahan" <jeanlucx@midwest.net>

I sure hope you are planning on producing a video of John Williams, I would love to get my hands on something of John. Do you know where I might find a John Williams concert video?

Earlier this year PBS was offering a video of its most recent Williams/Boston Pops concert performance in its pledge drive. Any one of those many programs done over the years would fit the bill. Call Public Broadcasting!

From: Jorge Saldanha, "Viars" <rsf6765@pro.via-rs.com.br>

It seems I'll be an avid video collector. Fred Karlin's video on Jerry Goldsmith is great. After Basil Poledouris, what's next? By the way, I've done a filmusic newsletter in Portuguese called "ScoreTrack" (current issue is # 4). You know, here in Brazil soundtrack fans are quite rare, but I'm trying to spread the idea to my friends and in local music stores. It would be nice if you - maybe FSM's collaborators - could send by E-Mail some words, articles or reviews to my (few) readers. Of course, FSM and the web site is a obligatory source.

Readers, hop to it. The Goldsmith video mentioned here is a video released in 1995, retailing for $100, about Goldsmith.

We'd love to do more documentaries but have no specific composers planned at the moment.

Horner City

From: GL SOLAR <GLSOLAR@aol.com>

I just saw Titanic, a splendid, heartwarming movie, and while I heard the main theme, it sounded very familiar, yet I couldn't place it at the time. Then, as chance would have it, the theme to Rocketeer came up on Kunzel's Fantasy Adventure CD, and I swear, it sounds so similiar to Titanic. Is it just me? Also, certain cues in the Titanic, during the sinking, sounded like the cues from Courage Under Fire.

It is not just you. Even NPR was asking Horner about his alleged self-plagiarism on a radio interview on Weekend Edition last weekend. He replied in a bizarre way that he doesn't think he copies from himself, and then compared himself to Monet. I'm waiting to get a tape of it. Can anyone who heard it tell me if he still has his phony English accent?

From: Mike Lyons <MikeyL7076@aol.com>

I just saw Titanic, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. Two questions about the music: 1) When the version of the love theme is played during the film using just piano, is that Horner playing, or is that someone else? 2) As the ship is crashing, the quintet breaks up, but then, one by one, begins playing again. Did Horner write that piece, and if so, is it on the soundtrack? Or, if Horner did not write that, who did, what is it, and will it be on any of the Titanic CDs in the future?

That is Horner's evil goateed twin, Garth. I think all of the quintet music is authentic period tunes. I'm told that there are rumors of a second Titanic work to be a symphonic work based on themes from the film. I have heard absolutely no confirmation of this, however. There should be CDs out now of some of the source music.

From: Peter Randall <ee@marinternet.com>

I wanted to make a brief comment regarding your statement about Cameron and Horner's music for Titanic - the one about understanding what they were going for, but did it have to suck this much.

I decided not to listen to the score until I saw the movie, and am glad that I did. There are a lot of people who don't care for Horner's music. I for one like a lot of his earlier stuff - Wrath of Khan, Brainstorm. His music certainly has become pigeonholed to a certain extent, and the limit of his creativity seems obvious.

However, I like his style. I have enjoyed most of his contributions to films, and usually their placement works quite well, IMHO. I felt that his score for Titanic was a creative step away from what he usually writes, and give him credit for the effort. I have listened to the score several times after seeing the film, and enjoy it for what it is. I disagree with you that the score 'sucks'. It ain't great, but it certainly doesn't suck.

It is hard to imagine who or what type of score would work better for the film. I truly enjoyed the film, and plan to see it again. One of the fastest 3 hour films I have ever sat through.

I feel that Horner did a good job with the film, and will probably continue to enjoy his scores even though they may lack the originality we all want to here when it comes to film scores.

Jeff Wheeler Wrote This

I forget what it's about. I think John Williams the subject of how many Oscar nominations are enough:

Is a person who consistently delivers functional, emotional, and superior work denied honor because his quality as judged by his peers is too consistent?! Lunacy! Every year offers at least one critically mis-placed nomination, and in many years the piece-o-junk is the one that typically wins. The only valid complaint against Williams is that the composer's name takes up 'valuable' nomination space, so what boggles my mind is that the argument is focused on how one of film's greatest composers keeps other quality scores from their chance at fame, while ignoring the issue of wannabe-composers getting nominated year after year is conveniently ignored. How can Mr. Nelson expect his reasoning to be relevant when the Academy has a hard enough time just choosing three or four intelligent co-nominees in years John Williams earns a nomination, much less five without him?!

I suspect the reason Mr. Williams has such a following is that Williams is an artist who deserves the praise. How one views Williams' artistry is one thing, but the presumption that an opposing opinion is adequate reason for nominations such as "Nixon" and "The River" to be considered 'questionable' is pure fabrication. You may not like Williams' 'art,' but that he honestly does write music that serves the technical designation of 'one of the top-five best film scores of the year' precisely, year in and year out, is something virtually undeniable.

That said, what frightens me most about this topic is that Alfred Newman's name has not appeared once. Newman garnered 45 Oscar nominations and 9 awards, a record that Williams will probably never beat - favoritism or not. Frankly, if it *is* a popularity contest then the Academy couldn't have picked two favorites any better.

Composers - Question about NY

From: Ben Newhouse <bn002e@uhura.cc.rochester.edu>

I am a senior composition major at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester NY. I will be graduating in May and am trying to iron out some plans for post-graduation. Ideally, I would like to get a job as a copyist or an orchestrator somewhere in the film scoring business. Realistically, I know I would be fortunate to get a job even at the bottom of the totem pole. This, in fact, would be wonderful. For now, I am mostly interested in observing how the business works - what it would be like to be involved in it. Unfortunately, living in Rochester NY, I have very few resources for making connections in the business. Is there some kind of resource that would list companies or individuals who would be interested in someone like myself? How do I go about finding some addresses to write to?

I read the article "Want to be a Film Composer?" on your homepage. I noticed it said it is essential to live in a major production area - like LA or NY. Everyone I know here, including musicians working in NY, has told me the NY scene is dwindling by the second. Do you know if this is true? Is it possible to start a film scoring career in NY?

I don't know what the NY scene is like but assume LA is more happenin'. Any tips folks?

Japanese Animation Music Letter

From: "Eric J. Henwood-Greer" <un125@victoria.tc.ca>

Browsing thru your archives I perked up when I saw a "Japanimation" (harumph--I hate the term...) music article. But But But But... How could you completely fail to mention Jo Hisaishi, IMHO one of the best film soundtrack composers bar none.

He began as a minamilist composer--mainly with synth work, when Hayao Miyazaki (the most respected and loved writer/director of animation, maybe of film in general, currently working in Japan) picked him on a whim to score his first film--Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind. Half of the score is synth stuff--what you'd expect from a minamilist composer (although it is particularly good)--but the other half is amazingly epic, haunting, *beautiful* music on full orchestra with piano, plus a little bit of chorale work. Katerina Witt (sp?) figure skatted to Nausicaa's theme at one of the Winter Olympics. Absolutely amazing music (which also serves the wonderful film perfectly). Miyazaki formed Studio Ghibli, and has had Hisaishi score almost all of his subsequent films (think of it as an equivalent to the Spielburb/Williams collaboration). Nausicaa was 1984, in 1986 Miyazaki followed that up with a slightly lighter fantasy called "Laputa:Castle in the Sky". The score is another triumph from Hisaishi--still some synth pieces, but they';re much more complex than the equivalent pieces from Nausicaa, and absolutely stunning orchestral themes--with the main theme reappearing in a beautiful female vocal song played over the end credits. Then in 1988 Miyazaki did the charming children's film, My Neighbor Totoro (Miyazaki's only film that is commercially available here uncut). The score has one absolutely amazing and haunting track--for the scene when the little girl is lost, and a beautiful reaccuring theme "tree", and is lots of fun, but isn't the classic that Nausicaa and Laputa are. Then in 1989 Miyazaki and Hisaishi followed this up with Kiki's Delivery Service, a similarly successful score--with a more European flavor to Totoro's very Japanese sound. Then in 1992 came the action comedy, Porco Rosso which was a new direction for Hisaishi--set in Italy in the 1930's, Hisaishi pretty much abandoned synths going instead for fun marches, spanish tango type tracks, a beautiful piano love theme and a few absolutely amazing, and surprisingly dark, piano and string action/flying cues, as well as two authentic sounding, and lovely, "period" songs. The soundtrack is one of his best. After a break of Miyazaki producing and writing, but not directing, a few films, and working with other composers, Miyazaki and Hisaishi returned for last years Monokohime (monster Princess). A return in some themes to Nausicaa--it's set in Feudal Japan, and although I haven't been able to see the movie yet (it will actually get a Norht American release, subtitled no less, this Spring--a first because the film was such a success in Japan--beating out every other film, Japanese and none, that had been released to Japan ever), I've heard the soundtrack and it's absolutely amazing. Another epic score like Nausicaa and Laputa--this one has much more complex themes, with more quieter, subtle moments.

Anyway if you haven't experienced Hisaishi's film scores--you're missing one of the most amazing film music experiences out there (Studio Ghibli's films--which have all been bought for American release by Disney in fact--are some of the best films out there anyway)

See You Sunday...

To anyone who will be at the James Newton Howard CD signing (and yes, Creature Features will mail order copies autographed for those who cannot attend). I just saw The Postman and liked it! I think if it came out in the first term of Reagan it would be a huge hit. Beautiful photography, actual scenes, and I liked the score too.

Lukas@filmscoremonthly.com