 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Oct 31, 2001 - 10:11 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Thor
(Member)
|
[This is where the poster should be, but since the new board does not provide me with the option to include it here, it is attached to the bottom of the message instead. Sorry.]
It's more than a week since I saw this one, so sorry if I'm not totally up to par.
Although it does have its flaws, this was a highly entertaining film in so much as it almost went overboard in its effort to provoke. Arthur Penn, in his usual manner, once again emphasized a morally decaying society by the way of senseless violence. This time, he is "stereotyping" narrowminded villagers who are either completely apathetic to what's happening or a brainwashed mob that reeks of prejudice.
A commentary is also made on the class structure and the tension between the value systems of the upper class and the 'wannabe' bourgeoise.
Redford plays the escaped convict who paradoxically is the most sympathethic character in the movie. And for that he has to pay.
There are a lot of more or less overt comments on various political and ideological viewpoints - such as the ubiquitous individual vs. society or fulfilling of 'self'.
Brando does a surpisingly subdued role.
------------
John Barry's score....well, as most of you know I'm not the biggest Barry fan - I disagree somewhat with his approach to scoring films; that tempo does not necessarily add extra impact to action scenes.
I will certainly admit that Barry's score had an IMPACT in this film. Although starting off on a somewhat dated note (literally - through blaring brass outbursts and funky Saul Bass-like visuals), it is wonderfully inserted into every "escape" scene that sets these apart from the rest of the film; a upward-cascading and hopeful, yet uncertain, musical theme for the Redford character in grandiose outdoors visuals, as opposed to the crampled feeling of the village. Barry also captures Redford's despair as he runs from a house where he's just stolen some food, and breaks down under a tree. Barry nails the character.
But on the other hand, I prefer to have a certain adrenaline related to the action itself. At least with [ir]regular intervals. I'm much more in the Bernstein camp on this one, especially if the scenes are slowed down to begin with (re: the opening of MAGNIFICENT SEVEN).
Was this score ever released? Was the FILM even released?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Was this score ever released?
Oh yes. My copy is the Varese Cd re-release from about 1988, and I think that it's terrific.
It's also quite long (for a Varese CD, that is) running about 50 minutes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
