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FREDERICK LOFTYBECK on the WOODY ALLEN COLLABORATION
(Excerpt taken from July 1999 ediion of SPUN magazine.)
SPUN: Is it true that you are friends with WOODY ALLEN and that you were collaborating on an Alan Fivehouse film together?
FRED LOFTYBECK: (Laughs) We, sort of. It's funny how that all almost happened. My cousin Ed happened to work with Woody's wife, Soon-Yi, at a major fashion designer. I don't remember who called who, but I remember going out to dinner with Woody and Soon-Yi one time when I might have had a few too many Midori Sours, when Woody asked me about the WHO WEEPS FOR ALAN FIVEHOUSE? fiasco, as he put it. I was pretty vocal about the film to him.... He expressed interest to me in revisiting a concept that he did a while ago. He took a serious Japanese spy movie and essentially -after re-editing and re-dubbing it - making it a hilarious romp! I knew this picture well, as it was one of my favorite early Allen films. He thought that Fox would "buy" into the idea of taking WHO WEEPS FOR ALAN FIVEHOUSE? and re-branding it as WHAT"S UP ALAN FIVEHOUSE?...I loved the idea! We talked about it all night long. Woody apparently saw WHO WEEPS FOR ALAN FIVEHOUSE? quite a few times and agreed that he could make it work as a comedy with his regular ensemble of actors re-dubbing the sound. We were ready, and Fox didn't seem to care much, as long as they didn't have to lay out any significant amount in production costs. They felt, as well as I did, that Woody's participation would have sold the picture and, perhaps, they would recoup some additional revenues that the original film failed to capture. Well (long pause), we almost got it going until I made the mistake of mentioning it to Michael [Lonsdale], who went absolutely berserk and threatened legal action if we changed "HIS" film. I told Michael that he had his opportunity and the movie tanked. We wanted to do something fun and make a little more back in the process....(long pause)...This was perhps the only time I have seen Michael break down...He would never admit it it publically - sure to spawn a denial from him - but it was the first time I've ever witness him "weeping." He cried profusely, telling me that I was mocking him and that if I wasn't happy with his original vision, then he shouldn't have chosen him to direct the film in the first place...(Laughs) It's funny how brilliant an actor Michael is. He almost had me there, except for the fact that he wasn't going to do the film UNLESS he directed it and received some points on the back end...(Laughs) Michael, if you are reading this article, I love you...And we decided not to do WHAT'S UP ALAN FIVEHOUSE..."
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My head hurts.
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It happens all the time, too much wanton crime,
You have a job to do, and it’s always new,
But you’ve contemplated high, and fell so low,
That you don’t have faith, in the work that you know,
CHORUS
Sorrow, Is A lonely Choice,
A Solemn reflection, A Morbid Voice,
Sorrow Is A Lonely Choice,
A Crazy Stare, A tearful rejoice,
Sorrow Is A Lonely Choice,
With wind at Your Back, In your Old Royce,
All the years that have passed, Isolation reigns,
The moments run rampant, with all the pains,
Of your life seen empty, through a modest shell,
With evil quietly lurking, amongst the common hell,
We don’t Know What the Future Holds,
Life, Destruction, or Death in the fold,
The answers my friends are in a sealed fate,
So Cold and barren like an empty crate,
No Wine or Brie can keep you comforted,
When the time is right to be the hunted,
CHORUS
Sorrow, Is A Lonely Choice,
A Blind Paradox, Of Forgotten Life,
Sorrow Is A Lonely Choice,
Of Heartbreak’s Meaning, A Departed Wife,
Sorrow Is A Lonely Choice,
The Constant of Anger, A Mindless Strife,
The End May Be Near, Or So They Say,
If Fear Is the Key to the Means or the Way,
Then Brave Souls Bury Me Where I Lay,
In A Pub, In A Park, A School Where Children Play,
CHORUS
Sorrow, Is A Lonely Choice,
A Close Thunder, A Broken Promise,
Sorrow Is A Lonely Choice,
A Vast Ensemble, Ignoring the Bliss,
Sorrow Is A Lonely Choice,
To Stand Alone, With Moldy Swiss.
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My head hurts.
Take an aspirin and kick back with an Alan Fivehouse flick!
Just avoid watching a Fivehouse film and MOONRAKER back to back; it's as toxic as when bleach and ammonia are combined.
Or eating refried beans and cabbage while drinking a Cherry Coke Zero.
MaxB
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An explosive combination....Like Bourbon and beans, as Shatner once emoted.
MaxB
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DAVID THEWLIS on working with Michael Lonsdale on THE FIVEHOUSE FIVE
"...He [Lonsdale] was a deeply complex person to work with, often insecure about his character's motivations during some segments that we filmed. On one occasion, I remember he - quite surprisingly - climbed a tree and sat on branch for about 3 hours with his eyes closed. The whole production had stopped and Freddy [Loftybeck] would have to "massage" his ego a bit to get him down....He [Lonsdale] also did throw a great deal of food at a wall or the ground when he became enraged. One time, an entire platter of tripe was hurled at one of our stuntmen for missing a cue...He [Lonsdale] was very complex..."
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JOHN SCOTT on THE ALAN FIVEHOUSE MURDERS in 1987
"...I was hired after the original composer was released after scoring the entire film. I won't mention the name of this composer - as I know him quite well...There was not enough time for him to complete any changes to his score, else I think they would have kept it intact...I was confused with the approach at first, because the whole film was temp-tracked with this fellow's music....the main theme seemed to be a march, with augmented harpsicord, mandolin, and tuba....I understood his intentions, but the finished score seemed at odds with the final film...Maybe some day, they will release it as a record because it's very good music, but not for this film..."
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Composed and Conducted by Ron Goodwin
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded and Mixed by John Richards
DIGITAL RECORDING
CD TRACKS
1. Main Titles (The Alan Fivehouse March) (3:10)
2. Intolerable (2:05)
3. New Partner (1:15)
4. Investigating (2:44)
5. Laura McKenna (3:50)
6. Alan Fivehouse Death Theme (7:45)
7. Alan and Laura (4:54)
8. Gilberdyke's Deductive Reasoning (3:11)
9. Painful Ending (4:51)
13. Reflections(4:10)
14. End Credits (The Alan Fivehouse March) (4:15)
Total Time: (40:01)
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Limited Edition. Only 1200 units, give or take the 150 or so extra ones that will be posted on eBay for inflated prices.
MaxB
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Only 687 copies left. Better hurry!
MaxB
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