Film Score Friday 4/30/99

by Lukas Kendall

The composer of Mystery Men will be none other than recent Oscar winner for Shakespeare in Love, Stephen Warbeck.

A translated version of Edwin Black's interview with Hans Zimmer, which has been here on the site for some time, can now be found on Nori Kuga's Japanese-language FSM web site.

Phantom Menace on Radio

Here's news from "e-DJ" Erik Woods:

John Williams' score to STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE will be premiering on CINEMATIC SOUND this Saturday from 12pm - 3pm (EST). We will be presenting the entire score plus music from the first three STAR WARS films as well as music from Joel McNeely's score to SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE. If you live in the Hamilton - Wentworth area and some parts of the Greater Toronto Area you can tune into 101.5 on your FM dial to hear the program. For the rest of the world you can visit the C101.5 FM web page at http://www.mohawkc.on.ca/msa/cioi and listen to the program live via Real Audio. And just as a note, due to the fact that there are spoilers in the track names, we will not be broadcasting the names of the tracks. But, we will tell you the track numbers.

So that's the premiere of the entire score album to STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE this Saturday, only on CINEMATIC SOUND on C101.5 FM.

Please visit the CINEMATIC SOUND HOME PAGE for more information: http://www.geocities.com/vienna/7070

Film Music Everywhere!

From: Sam Gershman, Smartsam@aol.com

I happen to be in 8th grade, and I just recall a funny moment in my science class when we were watching a video on the 1999 Walk for Breast Cancer, which my science teacher happened to be taking part in. At first I didn't recognize any of the music in the video, that is, until I started hearing cues from Williams's Amistad. I turned to my teacher and said, "Did you know that this is the music from Amistad?" Of course, she was completely oblivious, but I thought it was surprising that of all places, I would recognize film music in an educational video! I'm sure that there other videos and what not that contain film music (like sports pre-shows), though.

It's definitely an added reality of being a soundtrack collector that all you notice from an insurance ad on the radio is that they're using "The Buffalo Hunt" from Dances with Wolves -- and that it's the album version, not the film version... as happened to me recently. Thanks Sam!

Anime Support

From: Jeff Berkwits, ASTERISMSF@aol.com

Just a quick note to thank Jeff Wilson for his insightful and valuable anime/monster music columns. It is nearly impossible to find anyone who has a decent knowledge of the Japanese animation genre and is willing to share it, and his columns have been invaluable in helping me decide (and decipher) some of what is out there! Keep up the good work!!

And, in an aside, Jeff might also like to know that there is Neon Genesis Evangelion box set out called Neon Genesis Evangelion: S2 Works (KICA421-6). It is a seven-CD set which features six standard discs and one "bonus" disc, along with a promotional phone card. I believe that most if not all of what is on there is from the previously released CDs, but it is nice to have in one package and, depending on the source, is actually cheaper to purchase than each CD individually.

Again, Jeff, great job on the anime coverage, and I am looking forward to reading more!

From: Paul Sudlow, IQPaul@aol.com

Great mag, first off.

Secondly, I'm happy to see you covering anime soundtracks (or BGMs, as they're known in Japan, short for background music). Japan has more than its share of mediocre-to-terrible soundtracks, but there are also jewels many Western soundtrack fans would enjoy. I'd love to see you cover Yoko Kanno's splendid "Escaflowne" soundtrack (collected on four discs) at some point. Since Bandai has released the show in the States, a domestic release of the soundtrack may soon follow. Those interested in sampling the soundtrack can find some 60-second mp3 samples at http://www.shoujo.com/music/escaflowne/index.html (well, okay, they were down when I just checked, but hopefully they'll be back).

BTW, I can't remember the exact track (somewhere between 8 and 12), but the first Evangelion CD has a playful John Barry pastiche (lots of timpani and brass, and in spirit right out of "Diamonds are Forever"). As with most pastiches, it's either great fun or awful, depending on your sense of humor. No bearing on the soundtrack per se, but an interesting footnote.

John Barry Interview

UK site "Popcorn" has a new, exclusive interview with John Barry now available: http://www.popcorn.co.uk/pages/static.cfm?page=features&body=barry1

Shortness!

This column is so short mainly because Phantom Menace news has been dominating during the weekly installments. I'm sure some people are sick of it all, but hey, we'll ride that horse in the direction it's going.

I haven't heard the "Duel of the Fates" cut myself, although I tried to listen to the Real Audio clip we have on the site and must confess that I need the newer Real Audio player myself... which means I need Mac system 8 and I don't want to mess with that right now. But in that split second where I thought it would work, I thought, holy cow, this will be the first time I hear the Phantom Menace music. So I'm glad it didn't work, because now I can preserve that moment for something better than my computer speakers.

Incidentally, we've built this thing up to the point where all it can be is a disappointment.

Have a nice weekend of anticipation...!

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