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Well, you certainly voice opinions on many other topics, so why not admonish you for remaining silent on one of your favorite film composer's scores?
And certainly you voice an opinion every time I post, so that's even more reason for admonishment. I now return you to your own peculiar world.
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I think a great Grusin compilation is Cinemagic on the GRP label. Performed by the LSO, it has some great renditions of his more well known themes. TOOTSIE, ON GOLDEN POND, THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER and CONDOR (with cimbalom) are included with others including the "Fratelli Chase" from THE GOONIES. The "Mountain Dance" track comes from the non-score album of the same name.
I find I listen to this disc quite a bit both actively and as background music during family dinners, etc.
Also, the "Now Playing" album of Grusin's movie themes performed by the composer on solo piano is a great listen too.
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Not every time you post, or I'd be here all day.
P.S. THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR is available on DRG CDs.
No, dear, in the scheme of things I post infrequently. But don't let that stop you from your witticisms.
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I'm mostly indifferent to The Yakuza as a movie. While it's pretty good, the lack of research gets in the way. The romanticisation of gangsters as samurai is silly but that's Paul Schrader. In 1975 maybe fewer people were aware of then-current Japanese movies, but if they were interested, they would have been aware of Fukasaku's Fight Without Honor series that debunked the mythology of the noble yakuza and showed that world to be a bunch of thugs in power struggles leading up from the street to the political level. The approach was visceral and empathetic but realistic. A lot of people have written about this by now. You can get these on dvd right now at Borders ("The Yakuza Papers" series). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002V7O1A/102-3383878-5521768?v=glance
oh yeah you may be interested in this remake, although I'm not:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001013815
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For any UK posters living in or around London who might be interested in seeing THE YAKUZA, there is a rare opportunity this month to watch it on the big screen at the National Film Theatre on the South Bank where they are currently running a Robert Mitchum season.
The showing times are:
NFT3 8.30PM Sun 21 Aug
NFT3 6.10PM Sat 27 Aug
NFT3 8.30PM Wed 31 Aug
Too bad it's not showing on the large, main NFT1 screen (I think NFT3 may be on the smallish side in comparison) but still it's a nice chance to see this fine movie (which seems hardly ever to be shown on UK TV or anywhere else for that matter) and check out Dave Grusin's wonderful score (and many thanks to Lukas & co for the CD which I have ordered!  )
http://www.bfi.org.uk/incinemas/nft/seasons/mitchum/titles.php
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Friday 19, 5 p.m., I received my CD of "The Yakuza" and it appeared to be a good surprise because at first glance, I was not impressed, rather bored and even indifferent. Now, I am convinced by that Grusin's score which shows a one of kind subtle density. I like the funk-jazz side very much too: see track # 19 "Shine On". Sometimes, the score reminds me the mood of Michael Small's "Klute": see track #9 "Tanner to Tono".
To all fans of the 1970's soundtracks, this score deserves your attention and your appreciation.
Try it, take the chance!
Oh, one more thing! This is the second FSM CD that contains a Japanese film title on the side. Remember Jerry Goldsmith's "Tora!Tora!Tora!".
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...due to the meditative and sophisticated nature of Sydney Pollack's movie, which has some violent scenes but is never cartoony. Grusin also is a first-rate jazz artist and that sensibility permeates the subtly contemporary approach (for the period).)
Just wanted to express my immense gratitude for releasing this one, Lukas!
Got THE YAKUZA album merely a week ago and played it since then in very heavy rotation...
But it was not before yesterday, walking all afternoon through the beautiful Berlin sunlight (we have a true "Golden October" these days over here), listening to this wondrous album on my iPod headphones, that I discovered this "meditative" quality.
I was transported into a slightly otherworldly but extremely peaceful mood, which helped to "ground myself" that day, yesterday.
Sorry, if I this may seem a bit pathetic, but this music did exactly that to me, and thanks to a friend who taped the film some weeks ago on TV, I could finally re-watch THE YAKUZA in the evening.
And as one often might say; "They don't make movies like that anymore".
Sure enough he tried that and immediately the score (The Yakuza, that is) had the correct, somewhat "electric" (metaphorically) twang to it that I associate with '70s film scores.
After this VHS mono mix of the film and score, listening again to your album, I cannot express enough, how much the sound quality of the mix simply blows me away!
I did not hear any better sound mix of a film score since, well, the expanded DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and LIVE AND LET DIE...
All seventies, and all: much better sounding than most of today's scores, that's for sure.
Thanks again, Folks!
Henrik
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Posted: |
Oct 11, 2005 - 2:23 AM
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By: |
dogplant
(Member)
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....it was not before yesterday, walking all afternoon through the beautiful Berlin sunlight (we have a true "Golden October" these days over here), listening to this wondrous album on my iPod headphones, that I discovered this "meditative" quality.
I was transported into a slightly otherworldly but extremely peaceful mood, which helped to "ground myself" that day, yesterday....
Nice story, Henrik. This score has also become a favorite of mine, along with the FSM "Point Blank" / "The Outfit" disc, for introspective evenings when I have to work late; although "The Yakuza" has a more elegaic quality, with crystal clarity, swinging jazzy source music and then that wacky Japanese vocal track to snap me back to reality at the end.
NP: The Yakuza (working late again, or trying to when I'm not browsing this board)
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, but I finally bought a copy of The Yakuza. It's hands down the best work I've heard by Dave Grusin and is now one of my all-time favorite scores. There's so much beauty in this one. "Girl and Tea" is one lovely cue! It gives me that same sense of wonder as John Barry's "The Wedding" from You Only Live Twice. It's also refreshing that Grusin focuses on characters rather than action. I recall this movie having some fairly graphic violence which I didn't expect from a Sydney Pollack movie. "Delicate", "Sensitive", "Contemplative", and "Atmospheric" only begin to describe this truly magnificent score. Grusin does put in some of his trademark "Love Funk", as in the End Title--one of Grusin's best main titles--that'll be ringing through my mind for days to come. There's that same type of sound 3 Days of the Condor, but I think of The Yakuza as Condor's more tasteful Asian cousin. 
