I was disappointed when Newman didn't win an Oscar in 1999. I felt he deserved it, and that American Beauty was his best shot (and one of his best scores). But having now watched The Red Violin I can appreciate how the vote was swayed towards this relative new name in the scoring scene.
Such an intricate and moody film and score. I admit I didn't appreciate either upon first listen/viewing - but with repeated viewings I realised what a masterpiece this is.
A lot is accomplished in this six-minute main titles sequence. The filmmakers manage to establish that Smiley has been asked to retire, along with Control, and that Control dies soon after. They also offer a tour of the many floors of the 'circus', or headquarters of British Intelligence, as well as showing many of the disappointed faces as Smiley leaves. Alliances are shown, the sombre mood is set, and the wonderful 70s setting is shown both indoors and outdoors. We then get a 'Day in the Life' snapshot of retired Smiley, including him selecting a new pair of glasses - which will help distinguish future scenes from flashback scenes later in the film. There's even a tiny hint at the Christmas timing of most of the film's action. Such a rich, well-crafted film.
Brief but unforgettable, this sequence manages to tick the holy trinity of main title achievements:
1) It is beautiful, and especially impressive considering it was filmed in the 70s. 2) It serves the plot, showing us how remote the hotel is, and what a tortuous road it is to get there. 3) It sets the mood perfectly (thanks to the music), showing us that although everything looks spectacular, things are not as they seem.
"Alexander Nevsky" '38 (Sergei Prokofiev) - The Battle Of The Ice - the "animated" gurgling effect in which the Teutonic Knights drown after the ice cracks after they do battle with the Russians worked magnificently.
So, so many scenes to choose from, but here's one of my favorites, mainly for how it connects this scene to prior ones, and how it is a musical culmination of previous threads and story elements in a grand, majestic fashion:
My god that scene gives me chills every time! The cinematography and the way Jackson let the music guide the movement, the juxtaposition of the massive crowds with the quiet nobility of the solo violin, that long shot towards the end with the camera flying over the city towards the front line while the brass swells...that was a highwater mark for 21st century film music and editing.
Here are some personal favorites:
What really strikes me about this scene that I have seen a million times is not how Williams scored the powerful moments (which he did fantastically) but how he scores the in-between beats. The little flourishes like the tapping snares when the soldiers are present or the harp brush when Indy breaks the staff and looks to the exit or even that brief questioning clarinet flourish when Indy opens the Nazi flag. Classic example of why Williams is so well regarded--even the quiet underscore was interesting.
Saul Bass and Bernard Herrmann...such a perfect marriage of image and sound.
Maybe not the greatest movie but this scene is was the one that made me start noticing Jerry Goldsmith. The music starts at 1:38 and what really amazes me is how Goldsmith composed the tone to match the tone of Tom Hank's voice--they may even be in the same key. The next statement of the theme rises a key and introduces a determined tambourine to show the characters have resolved to get to the bottom of this mess (Goldsmith used this tapping tambourine motif a lot in his scores when he wanted to show character movement, either physically or metaphorically). Maybe not the best film but this just shows what a master Goldsmith was at understanding the needs of a scene, however ridiculous the scene may have been.
