First, know that all the thematic material in this 1982 film score is by Cole Porter.
John Lanchberry, assisted by John Dalby, adapted Porter tunes into a truly wonderful, effective underscore for one of the best adapatations of an Agatha Christie novel. Peter Ustinov is, again, Hercule Poirot, and he is joined by Maggie Smith, Diana Rigg, James Mason, Sylvia Miles, Roddy McDowall, Denis Quilley, Colin Blakely, Jane Birkin and Nicholas Clay.
It's a witty, bitchy, funny film with murder and a little mayhem before the final scene.
First, know that all the thematic material in this 1982 film score is by Cole Porter.
John Lanchberry, assisted by John Dalby, adapted Porter tunes into a truly wonderful, effective underscore for one of the best adapatations of an Agatha Christie novel. Peter Ustinov is, again, Hercule Poirot, and he is joined by Maggie Smith, Diana Rigg, James Mason, Sylvia Miles, Roddy McDowall, Denis Quilley, Colin Blakely, Jane Birkin and Nicholas Clay.
It's a witty, bitchy, funny film with murder and a little mayhem before the final scene.
This movie and score hold appeal place in my memories. I was in high school in Austin when it came out and I saw it opening weekend. Soon after, my parents suggested I get a summer job - so I walked into the theatre where "Evil Under the Sun" was playing and filled out an application. I left with my first job. (Don't worry, I learned later that getting a job is not always so easy.)
Working as an usher, I'm sure I saw the end of the movie and end credits hundreds of times. The soundtrack LP for the film only had historical recordings of the Cole Porter songs, but it did have those wonderful Hugh Casson watercolors used in the opening credits on the cover. I'm sure I did cartwheels when I saw the actual John Lanchberry recordings on CD on the new release wall of Aron's Records years later.
This is truly an excellent score and movie. Just wondering why the CD is only close to complete. There would have been enough space to include all of the music
