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This film came to mind when discussing None but the Brave.
Thought I'd move it to a separate thread.
Any fans out there?
I've always been a big fan of Beach Red. Decent march when the marines are climbing into their landing craft and the beach landing, and a decent theme, too if I remember correctly, by the rather unusual Colonel Antonio Buenaventura! Certainly a very unusual choice of composer from Cornel Wilde?
Anyone know much about the colonel? Imdb says born in the Phillipines.
I adore the beginning of the film when at the end of the main credits made up of paintings of scenes of the war in the pacific islands, Rip Torn as the brutal gunnery sergeant is standing behind a painting of Marines facing an island from their ship- and he suddenly comes to life and turns to the camera and yells "Move Out!" or something like that. Probably a bit clunky now but very effective at the time. Anyone else remember this?
And the Gunnery sergeant played by Torn had the best line in the film.
Cornel Wilde: "Was it necessary to break both the prisoner's arms, Sergeant?"
Torn replies: (Something like): "Sir, I'm here to kill Japs. I'm gonna shoot 'em, gonna stab 'em, gonna bayonet 'em, gonna break their arms...so they don't give me no more trouble! That's what we're here for...to kill...and the rest is all bull, sir!"
Im not expecting many takers but anyone else got any observations about this film or the music?
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Who did the music?
as per orig post, Thor, by the rather unusual Colonel Antonio Buenaventura!
Know him well right?
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More than a colonel, Thor. He's Lt. Colonel on some of his film scores!
By the way, did BEACH RED actually have any original music in it? I think that Lt Colonel Antonio B is only credited with conducting... And something tells me (I haven't checked his credits) that Cornel Wilde was very unorthodox when he had control over the music in his films. Hmmm, I'll have to think about this.
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He, he...'fraid not. Was he a real colonel?
He was probably a Lt Colonel in the Phillipines army or something, conductor of their army band?!!
Perhaps the band were the extras during the making of the film in the Phillipines and Wilde heard his music?? Goodness knows.
Maybe Cornel Wilde asked "Cornel" Buonaventura coz they had the same first name!!!! he he.
I dont know.
There are some seriously knowledgable older collectors on this site so maybe someone with greater recollection than us can shed some light on him.
Im sure its been discussed before?
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for what its worth Thor, found this on wikipedia
Antonio Buenaventura also known as Colonel Antonio Buenaventura, was born on 4 May 1904 in Baliuag, Bulacan. He inherited his interest in music and military from his father, Lucino Buenaventura. He was born to a family of musicians and actively involved in the band.
He had formal music lessons in Solfeggio when he was in grade IV. He learned how the band instruments sounded through observation and experimentation. He organized a seven piece school orchestra, a children's group in his school.
In 1922, he composed two pieces, a march and a foxtrot entitled "Only You". He was admitted as clarinetist to the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra. He was a student in composition and conducting and the captain of cadet corps of the university when he organized the first student orchestra, the UP Junior Orchestra.
After he completed his Teacher's Diploma in Composition and Conducting in the University of the Philippines (UP), he was appointed faculty member of the Conservatory of Music. He was the UP President's Committee on Folksongs and Dances when he composed the "Pandanggo sa Ilaw", a dance accompaniment.
In 1937, he was commissioned to the military service where he became a music instructor and band conductor at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City in 1939. He was also appointed as the assistant conductor of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. He was designated the 'Municipal Symphony Orchestra's co-conductor and toured in Hongkong, Japan, Guam, and Hawaii in 1948. He also organized the University of the East Student Orchestra.
In his compositions, he tries to capture the Filipino spirit as a whole. He also composed short piano pieces to full-length ballets.
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Posted: |
Aug 1, 2009 - 5:27 PM
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By: |
John Black
(Member)
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I know nothing of the Col., but the folky title song was performed by Wilde's actress/wife, Jean Wallace.
Now, here's a really odd memory that I have. Do people here remember the Phonolog, that huge catalog of albums that record stores used to have? Well, in the late sixties, the Phonolog had a listing for a soundtrack album of BEACH RED! I don't recall the composer's name being mentioned in the listing. There was also a listing for a soundtrack album from THUNDER ROAD. Both of those films had been released theatrically by United Artists, so perhaps there were soundtrack albums planned, but never actually produced. I wanted both of those scores very much, so I kept my eyes open for the alleged albums. Never found copies, of course.
It really wasn't too farfetched of an idea, because there had been a soundtrack album for Wilde's THE NAKED PREY.
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More than a colonel, Thor. He's Lt. Colonel on some of his film scores!
By the way, did BEACH RED actually have any original music in it? I think that Lt Colonel Antonio B is only credited with conducting... And something tells me (I haven't checked his credits) that Cornel Wilde was very unorthodox when he had control over the music in his films. Hmmm, I'll have to think about this.
You could be right there Graham - that march might well be an existing march?
Perhaps the march was something to do with the Phillipines army? There was other music in the film - Or certainly it is mono-thematic and the other moments with music have been re-orchestrated for pace, presumably done by said Colonel? I seem to recall an instrumental love theme version for the reflections of home for some of the soldiers? The title song mentioned by another poster sung by Jean Wallace was written by someone credited as Elbey Vid - but imdb says that is Cornel Wilde. So he produced, directed, starred in AND wrote the theme song?!
I see it was nominated for an Oscar for its film editing. It also features Jaime Sanchez - the guy who played Angel in The Wild Bunch.
This has got me intrigued now. Out of interest I had a bit of a hunt to see if I could find anything about the music, came up with a few bits of possible interest, not much about the music though and a bit conflicting.
Wikipedia says: "The film only has one musical theme, a song by written Antonino Buenaventura that appears in the titles sung in a folk song manner by Jean Wallace and appears in various different orchestrations throughout the film. The titles of the film are various paintings that suddenly segues into the preparations for the landing."
it also adds: "The film was filmed on location in the Philippines using troops of the Philippine Armed Forces. The sequence of the Japanese dressed in Marine uniforms was inspired by the original book mentioning Japanese wearing American helmets to infiltrate American lines.
When seeking assistance from the U.S. Marine Corps, Cornel Wilde was told that due to the commitments of the Vietnam War all the Corps could provide the film was color stock footage taken during the Pacific Island campaigns. The film provided had deteriorated so Wilde had to spend a considerable part of the film's budget to restore the film to an acceptable quality in order to blend into the film. The Marine Corps was grateful that their historical film had been restored at no cost to them."
also found this on a history site: "Flip the words and you arrive at the name of an actual location….Red Beach! Red Beach on Tarawa Island…better known to some as “Bloody Tarawa” where after three days of savagery more than a thousand Americans died and more than two thousand were wounded. The Tarawa battle was the first major amphibious assault in the Central Pacific on a Japanese stronghold during the Pacific War."
here's the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PRuxihwoZ0
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More than a colonel, Thor. He's Lt. Colonel on some of his film scores!
Helpfully responding a decade (!) later: for those not in the know, lieutenant (lt.) colonel is a step below a full colonel. However, all "light" colonel's tend to eventually be known as just "Colonel." I know this as the grandson of an Alabamian lt. colonel in the US Army.
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So thats cleared that up!!
So the colonel just arranged variations of the main theme, written by Vid?
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So the colonel just arranged variations of the main theme, written by Vid?[/endquote
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Ah ha! Henry, that clears that up then.
Wilde wrote the song/theme, Paich some arrangements as well as the colonel who also chucked in a military band and some conducting?
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For anyone in the UK interested in seeing this Cornel Wilde war film, its on 5Spike channel today (saturday) at 3.15pm in 2 parts. Rip Torn at his best!
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