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Elmer Bernstein was born April 4, 1922 and passed away August 18, 2004.
As Alex North who first injected jazz elements in the score "A Streetcar Named Desire", I discovered Bernstein through the powerful jazz-oriented score: "The Man With the Golden Arm" (starring Frank Sinatra) and the Revue television series "Johnny Staccato" (starring John Cassavetes).
Find my favourite works:
CINEMA:
"The Man With the Golden Arm" (1955)
"Men in War" (1957)
"Sweet Smell of Success" (1957)
"Some Came Running" (1958)
"The Magnificent Seven" (1960)
"Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962)
"The Great Escape" (1963)
"The Caretakers" (1963)
"The World of Henry Orient" (1964)
"The Gypsy Moths" (1969)
"The Bridge at Remagen" (1969)
"McQ" (1974)
"Saturn 3" (1980)
"Cape Fear" (1991) (re-orchestrated and conducted)
TELEVISION:
"Johnny Staccato" (1959)
Related article about Elmer Bernstein:
"Elmer Bernstein: 1922-2004"
in "Film Score Monthly", Volume 9-Number 9, October 2004
Related website:
http://www.elmerbernstein.com/
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QUESTIONS
1. Tell me when did you first discover the music of Elmer Bernstein?
2. What are your favourite scores?
3. What Elmer Bernstein CD releases do you wish in the future?
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Tell me when did you first discover the music of Elmer Bernstein?
Even though it was probably hearing The Magnificent Seven or The Great Escape, the first conscious memory I have of an Elmer Bernstein score was when my middle school English class watched To Kill a Mockingbird. The string melody in the Main Title was one of the most extraordinary things I'd ever heard (and that opinion still remains, ten years after the fact).
What are your favourite scores?
Far From Heaven
The Great Escape
Heavy Metal
Hoodlum
Kings of the Sun
The Magnificent Seven
The Man With the Golden Arm
Rambling Rose
The Ten Commandments
To Kill a Mockingbird
What Elmer Bernstein CD releases do you wish in the future?
Gangs of New York
The Man With the Golden Arm (remastered)
A River Runs Through It
Slipstream
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Saw Elmer three times in concert and before the final time, I had somewhat of a Bernstein odyssey few days in celebration of his 80th year and 50th year as a film composer, meeting him after a showing of Some Came Running (the film is very powerful on the big screen) and a Q & A at the National Film Theatre, followed a couple days later, interviewing him (with three other journalists, including Nick Joy and Gunther Kohgbehn) at his hotel in London. A great few days, let me tell you, I got three articles out of it - the big interview for Soundtrack and the NFT report and Albert Hall concert review for Legend.
2004 of course was the year we lost quite a few composers...
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Dutch, check out Bernstein's score for DRANGO (1957). The main title is a knockout, rather Herrmannesque. Highly recommended.
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QUESTIONS
1. Tell me when did you first discover the music of Elmer Bernstein?
2. What are your favourite scores?
3. What Elmer Bernstein CD releases do you wish in the future?
1. Don't know! 2. Buddy. 3. Complete Ten Commandments.
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Tell me when did you first discover the music of Elmer Bernstein?
The first time I heard him was most certainly Ghostbusters. I was a child of the 80s and pretty much ate, drank and lived Ghostbusters for the first eight years of my life.
(Film Score Nerd Anctedote: While watching The Ninth Gate for the first time, my friend and I were scratching our heads over Corso's theme music. I then looked at him and laughed, saying the music reminded me of the scene from Ghostbusters as they're going into the hotel elevator to deal with that "giant cockroach")
2. What are your favourite scores?
Anyone who reads this board should know by now that Slipstream is probably my single favorite score EVER.
Other scores I enjoy - Zulu Dawn, Heavy Metal, Saturn 3, Spacehunter, Marie Ward. I remember liking his music to Devil In A Blue Dress - but I don't have it on disc...
What Elmer Bernstein CD releases do you wish in the future?
SLIPSTREAM. The label that puts this score out gets my first born child and/or wife.
I must confess, Bud, that I know nothing of the movie or score, other than it being a fugitive time travel hunt with a bounty hunter. Is it really good? The score, that is.
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Dutch, check out Bernstein's score for DRANGO (1957). The main title is a knockout, rather Herrmannesque. Highly recommended.
Thanks Pike, I take notes of it.
Now Watching: The season 4 of "The Wild Wild West" with another Pike: Jeremy!
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Dutch, check out Bernstein's score for DRANGO (1957). The main title is a knockout, rather Herrmannesque. Highly recommended.
Thanks Pike, I take notes of it.
Now Watching: The season 4 of "The Wild Wild West" with another Pike: Jeremy!
You will love it. Dark, brooding little score. Too bad it wasn't represented in stereo.
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Like LeHah, it was GHOSTBUSTERS for me too. I knew the name "Elmer Bernstein" and was aware of his reputation, but since he didn't score sci-fi movies (at least PG-rated ones!) or Bond flicks, I didn't go to any of the films he scored! 
Until GHOSTBUSTERS of course! I went totally nuts over that score, as much for its dramatic effectiveness as the music itself. I saw the film numerous times, and marveled at the nuances of his scoring, and how Bernstein created an atmosphere which was both funny and scary. Sadly, nobody understood what I was talking about when I mentioned the score. "Yeah, that song's really cool?" they would all say, and I'd reply "No, I mean the score" and they'd look at me blankly.
Alas the GHOSTBUSTERS record only had two Bernstein cuts. So in my frustration I decided to take a chance on HEAVY METAL to get my "fix". I figured, well its sci fi, it might be good (boy, that was the understatement of the century!). I was hooked after that!
As for my favorite Bernstein scores:
10) KEEPING THE FAITH
9) THE BLACK CAULDRON
8) LEGAL EAGLES
7) THE BUCCANEER
6) THE MAGNIFICENT 7
5) CAST A GIANT SHADOW
4) SATURN 3
3) HOODLUM (a very underrated score!)
2) SLIPSTREAM
1) HEAVY METAL
Again, I am with LeHah -- SLIPSTREAM is my top choice for release. Although I would not mind a score CD of DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, and a "deluxe" edition of LEGAL EAGLES (containing both the soundtrack and the rerecording).
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Hell, I'd buy any and all. That pretty much reflects my opinion of this fine man's music.
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Posted: |
Apr 4, 2008 - 9:46 AM
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By: |
Morricone
(Member)
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1. I heard his music a number of times before I took note of his name on THE GREAT ESCAPE. For someone who wanted to hear more from the guy, there was plenty around to get from him, even more than from Mancini.
2. This week, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, HEAVY METAL, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WALK ON THE WILD SIDE and THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL.
3.CAPTAINS AND THE KINGS, I LOVE YOU ALICE B. TOKLAS, GOLD, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER and GOD'S LITTLE ACRE.
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SLIPSTREAM. The label that puts this score out gets my first born child and/or wife.
***
I must confess, Bud, that I know nothing of the movie or score, other than it being a fugitive time travel hunt with a bounty hunter. Is it really good? The score, that is.
I believe you're thinking of another Mark Hamill sci-fi movie called Time Runner (which was probably the worst thing he's ever been in - yes, I'm counting Corvette Summer).
You can hear the end credits of Slipstream from this link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uhMwFCHwtJU
A recent thread that got sidetracked about the score can be seen here - http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=49605&forumID=1&archive=0
LOL! Just goes to show you how little I know!
I'll take your word and the man's talent about the worthiness of the score!
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