 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Jan 24, 2017 - 2:32 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
|
(Yes, this is an OOP FSM issue. It is still available at eBay from time to time. If you never got it, please read these comments I made at the time of FSM's release).
This is an absolutely stunning movie score given the CD release of a lifetime by Film Score Monthly.
This 3-CD set features nearly four hours of music written for one of the screen's great epic films from the 1960s.
So much was written about Marlon Brando's behavior during the filming of the tale that most critics were against the film when it was released. Still, that did not prevent it from being nominated for seven Academy Awards, including nods for Best Original Score and Best Song. (Music Oscars for that year went to Maurice Jarre for "Lawrence of Arabia" and Henry Mancini for the song "The Days of Wine and Roses").
Most books that review films still credit the 1935 Gable/Laughton version as the best ever, but some of us think differently -- we see this as one of the most underrated g-r-e-a-t films of all time, and Brando's "Fletcher Christian" is one of the screen's -- and Brando's -- most extraordinary creations.
The film is a great adventure story, magnificently filmed and beautifully cast.
Its crowning glory is Bronislau Kaper's masterpiece of a score -- one of the greatest ever written and one of the most magnificent recordings of a score ever done. This 3-CD set captures not only the original score as heard in the film, but a complete "alternate" score that was written for one of the first edits of the film before reshooting and reediting made it necessary for Kaper to rework his music for a different film. Additionally, there are the recordings done especially for the MGM Deluxe Edition LP recording.
There is so much to assimilate in this recording...the majesty of the Overture and Main Title (with chorus) sets the mood for great advenutre and heroism. Leaving Portsmouth Harbor accompanies one of the most remarkable sequences put on film as the Bounty is prepared for getting underway. Kaper's inspiration for the final form of this piece owes a bit of debt to a similar sequence in Miklos Rozsa's "Plymouth Adventure", but the tribute to empire with "Rule, Brittania" truly gets the blood roused. The alternate cue for this sequence is fascinating, but the correct choice was made for the final cut. The island/native music is unique, authentic and infectiously rhythmic. The South Seas are perfectly captured in these wonderful cues.
The score's love theme, known as "Follow Me" in its choral setting, is also one of the great themes of the 1960s and is beautifully used within the film.
I could rave on and on, but the proof of the score's greatness is in this set. As it is a limited edition, any fan of this movie and great film music would be wise to invest in a copy at the earliest opportunity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Had it.
Liked it.
Sold it.
BRM
ps i have the theme on an MGM compilation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Love this release.
I would never willingly part with it.
If you want it, you'll have to pry my cold, dead hands from clutching it.
To paraphrase....
|
|
|
|
|
|
BRM?
Bruce "Riot-starter" Marshall?
Had the LP, love the score.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If I am in an absolut hurry, I enjoy the 12-minute suite on Mauceri's LPO release "The Genius of Film Music".
Mauceri uses the raw recording of "Follow Me" sung by Tahitian singers as background for his suite. In the film it was used with "orchestral sweeteners." Bronislau Kaper recalled the recording of the song:
"There is a charming little story about the last recording of “Follow Me” in Tahiti. For some rather complicated schedule reasons, there was a deadline for recording the song. It had to be done on a certain evening—or not all. The place was a Mormon Church (indoors), which had a very thin roof and the weather has been very capricious for the last few days. Consequently, in case of rain that night, the sound of the raindrops hitting the roof of the old church would be devastating. So everybody was praying for good weather and our prayers had apparently heard and accepted because, the rain never came on that night. (Maybe it was the prestige of MGM Studios or the grandeur of the movie.)
About 300 Tahitians had been invited to this giant session. There had been a few days before a short preparation with a small professional group, otherwise, anybody who wasn’t deaf-mute and wanted to earn a little money was welcome to come and sing. The time was set for 8 p.m. and about 8:30 they started coming, slowly, with no hurry, on bicycles, on foot, the lovely, lazy, charming Tahitians, young and old, sometimes carrying their beautiful babies with them. As I was standing at the door of the church to greet them, each one found it necessary to stop, approach me, extend the hand, shake mine and say with a disarming smile, “Bonjour, Monsieur, comment allez-vous? When you figure, that takes about five seconds for each singer to perform this ceremonial greeting, you arrive at a figure of circa 1500 seconds or 25 minutes. While we were so deeply absorbed in these courtesies, new unexpected guests appeared. Apparently, the rumors started on the Island that there was a soirée musicale at the church with pay, so by word of mouth the entire village had been mobilized, and at the evening, instead of the planned 300, we wound up with approximately 500 people. But we couldn’t turn back any of them; they were just too sweet, too happy, too willing and cooperative, as they had been on every other occasion."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congrats Amer! Sorry you lost your old set but so glad you were able to get a replacement! It’s a great score.
Yavar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
