This week Intrada has released perhaps their most long-awaited score CD, an expanded and remastered, two-disc edition of Basil Poledouris' score for the 1984 sequel CONAN THE DESTROYER. They have also released a newly recorded CD of non-film music by a film music composer with the self-explanatory title DIMITRI TIOMKIN: ALBERTINA RASCH & THE GREAT AMERICAN BALLET - PIANO MUSIC FOR CONCERT AND STAGE .
CDS AVAILABLE THIS WEEK
Bruno Nicolai in Giallo - Bruno Nicolai - Digitmovies
Conan the Destroyer - Basil Poledouris - Intrada Special Collection
Dimitri Tiomkin: Albertina Rasch & The Great American Ballet - Piano Music for Concert and Stage - Dimitri Tiomkin - Intrada
Disenchanted - Alan Menken - Disney
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical - Score: Christopher Nightingale; Songs: Tim Minchin - Score & Song CD on Sony
IN THEATERS TODAY
Empire of Light - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Loudmouth - Joel Goodman
The Mean One - Yael Benamour
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical - Score: Christopher Nightingale; Songs: Tim Minchin
The Whale - Rob Simonsen
COMING SOON
December 16
Banana Joe - Guido & Maurizio De Angelis - Beat
Commisariato di notturna/La supplete - Rentao Rascel - Beat
...Continuavano a chiamarlo Trinita' - Guido & Maurizio De Angelis - Beat
The Fabelmans - John Williams - Sony
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio - Alexandre Desplat - Columbia
Tiffany Memorandum - Riz Ortolani - Beat
January 6
Women Talking - Hildur Guonadottir - Mercury
January 13
Till - Abel Korzeniowski - Decca
January 20
Halloween Ends - John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, Daniel E. Davies
Coming Soon
Don't Worry Darling - John Powell - Mondo/WaterTower
THIS WEEK IN FILM MUSIC HISTORY
December 9 - Von Dexter born (1912)
December 9 - Chris Wilson born (1958)
December 9 - Sune Waldimir died (1967)
December 9 - Geoff Barrow born (1971)
December 9 - William Goldstein records his score for the Twilight Zone episode “Her Pilgrim Soul” (1985)
December 9 - Alessandro Cicognini died (1995)
December 10 - Morton Gould born (1913)
December 10 - Alexander Courage born (1919)
December 10 - Chad Stuart born (1941)
December 10 - Milan Svoboda born (1951)
December 10 - Jack Hues born (1954)
December 10 - Jerry Goldsmith begins recording his score for Shock Treatment (1963)
December 10 - Leigh Harline died (1969)
December 10 - Recording sessions begin for Claude Bolling’s score for The Awakening (1979)
December 10 - Roy Webb died (1982)
December 10 - Gershon Kingsley died (2019)
December 11 - Rogier Van Otterloo born (1941)
December 11 - Rachel Portman born (1960)
December 11 - Paul Haslinger born (1962)
December 11 - Anthony Collins died (1963)
December 11 - Jon Brion born (1963)
December 11 - Benny Carter records his score for the Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode “Crimson Witness” (1964)
December 11 - Benny Golson records his score for the Mission: Impossible episode “Incarnate,” the final score composed for the original series (1972)
December 11 - Johnny Mandel begins recording his score for Escape to Witch Mountain (1974)
December 11 - Velton Ray Bunch records his score for the Enterprise episode “Silent Enemy” (2001)
December 11 - Jay Chattaway records his score for the Enterprise episode “Catwalk” (2002)
December 11 - Malcolm Clarke died (2003)
December 11 - Ravi Shankar died (2012)
December 12 - Carlo Martelli born (1935)
December 12 - Michael Kamen begins recording his score for Road House (1988)
December 12 - Karl-Heinz Schafer died (1996)
December 12 - Marcello Giombini died (2003)
December 13 - Teo Usuelli born (1920)
December 13 - Reijiro Koroku born (1949)
December 13 - Dimitri Tiomkin begins recording his score for Land of the Pharaohs (1954)
December 13 - Harry Gregson-Williams born (1961)
December 13 - Adam Fields born (1965)
December 13 - Alexander Courage records his score for the Lost in Space episode "The Girl from the Green Dimension" (1966)
December 13 - Jerry Goldsmith begins recording his score for Psycho II (1982)
December 13 - Dennis McCarthy records his score for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Past Tense - Part 1” (1994)
December 13 - Rene Cloerec died (1995)
December 13 - Emil Richards died (2019)
December 14 - John Du Prez born (1946)
December 14 - John Lurie born (1952)
December 14 - Jon Ekstrand born (1976)
December 14 - Fred Karlin begins recording his score for Ravagers (1978)
December 14 - Ron Jones records his score for the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Defector" (1989)
December 14 - Jay Chattaway records his score for the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Shattered” (2000)
December 15 - Gone With the Wind has its world premiere in Atlanta (1939)
December 15 - The Man with the Golden Arm opens in New York (1955)
December 15 - Alan Ari Lazar born (1967)
December 15 - Ennio Morricone begins recording his score for Days of Heaven (1977)
DID THEY MENTION THE MUSIC?
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER - Ludwig Göransson
"Like the first 'Black Panther,' Coogler has taken great care to flesh out both this world and Namor’s world of Talokan. With both, we get a greater sense of community and this land, the impact that these leaders have on the people, and the sheer scope of how big these areas are. Ruth Carter, who won an Oscar for the first 'Black Panther,' makes even more vibrant outfits that bring this world to life, while Ludwig Göransson creates what might be his greatest score yet. Göransson’s score for the first film also earned him an Oscar, and while that score mixed momentous, thumping builds with traditional African sounds and instruments, Göransson goes even further here, also throwing in electronic sounds that almost sound like they’re breaking apart, a perfect score to play alongside Shuri’s rising as Wakanda’s newest hero."
Ross Bonaime, Collider
"As was the case with the first film, 'Wakanda Forever''s soundtrack and score remain one of the film’s central draws. Ludwig Göransson returns to compose the score for 'Wakanda Forever,' and once again, he knocks it out of the park, bringing in the African-inspired sound of the first film, then expanding its palette with touches of Mesoamerican instruments and chants."
Toussaint Egan, Polygon
"And yet Coogler still doesn’t quite manage to seize on the character’s full potential, as Namor’s two big action scenes including the movie’s floating grand finale, turn out to be massive duds, with few memorable images or cheer-worthy moments between them (there goes that Oscar!). Listen carefully and you can almost hear James Cameron licking his lips. Nothing here is on par with the infamously cartoonish subway fight in 'Black Panther,' but not even Ludwig Göransson having a full-on limit break over the soundtrack -- the Oscar-winning composer building on the epic foundation of his 'Black Panther' score with Mayan instruments and dashes of Nigerian Street Music -- can spice up these generic clashes."
David Ehrlich, IndieWire
"Much of 'Wakanda Forever' plays like a first act that takes forever to get going, and it’s not until the long-promised clash between the forces of Wakanda and Taloka at the film’s climax that the various pieces of the story really come together with a flourish. It’s exciting to see a fighting force that can actually give the skillful Dora Milaje a run for their money, and returning composer Ludwig Göransson and a team of editors help to make the action sequences consistently thrilling. But the film’s interest over who will inherit the mantle of Black Panther overshadows who will assume the throne of Wakanda, even though both are essential elements of the story being told."
Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
"And yet, the superb 'Wakanda Forever' solidifies 'Black Panther' as Marvel’s richest and most high-quality franchise. There are no noticeable symptoms of sequelitis in director and co-writer Ryan Coogler’s film. Every aspect -- acting, writing, special effects, score -- is a notch above its superhero peers. In the best possible sense, you forget you’re watching just another Marvel movie."
Jonny Oleksinski, New York Post
"Even if the length feels overextended, Coogler and his editors deserve credit for allowing breathing space between the action scenes for character and relationship development, with Ludwig Göransson’s African-inflected score enhancing both those quieter moments and the big smackdowns. It’s impossible for 'Wakanda Forever' to match the breakthrough impact of its predecessor, but in terms of continuing the saga while paving the way for future installments, it’s amply satisfying."
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY - Nathan Johnson
"Like its predecessor, 'Glass Onion' replays scenes with additional details added each time. It’s a narrative device that works well. There are some occasional sparkles of fresh ideas, such as words that trigger additional barriers guarding a prized painting, but these ultimately lead nowhere and provide no clues whatsoever. The film’s midsection is a bit of a slog also. The moment Nathan Johnson’s score inexplicably drops out, the air is noticeably dead."
Martin Tsai, The Wrap
SOMETHING IN THE DIRT - Jimmy LaVelle
"The score from returning collaborator Jimmy LaValle pokes fun at this tension. It emphasizes pauses within certain lines of dialogue, like when John commands the crystal, already beaming light, to 'do something … different!' And when John links his thoughts on God with what he’s experiencing in the apartment, LaValle adds a flourish to Levi’s dismissive 'You’re not Dana Fox or Mulder Scully.' That lighthearted touch contrasts with the ominous atmosphere Moorhead creates as cinematographer, often juxtaposing shots of wires, satellite dishes, and TV screens with shots of organic matter, like prickly cacti, decaying skeletons, and desert landscapes."
Roxana Hadadi, New York
THE NEXT TEN DAYS IN L.A.
Screenings of older films in Los Angeles-area theaters.
December 9
BATMAN RETURNS (Danny Elfman) [Alamo Drafthouse]
BERGMAN ISLAND [Aero]
CHILD'S PLAY (Joe Renzetti) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE GODFATHER (Nino Rota) [New Beverly]
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (Quincy Jones) [Aero]
KING KONG (James Newton Howard) [BrainDead Studios]
LADY SNOWBLOOD: LOVE SONG OF VENGEANCE (Kenjiro Hirose) [Los Feliz 3]
THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT (Alan Silvestri) [New Beverly]
THE LOST CITY OF Z (Christopher Spelman) [Los Feliz 3]
NEAR DARK (Tangerine Dream) [Nuart]
REGROUPING [Academy Museum]
RESERVOIR DOGS [New Beverly]
TAKE THIS WALTZ (Jonathan Goldsmith) [Los Feliz 3]
TOKYO GODFATHERS (Keiichi Suzuki) [Alamo Drafthouse]
December 10
AMERICAN MOVIE (Mike Schank) [Los Feliz 3]
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (Elmer Bernstein) [BrainDead Studios]
BATMAN RETURNS (Danny Elfman) [Landmark Westwood]
CHILD'S PLAY (Joe Renzetti) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE GODFATHER (Nino Rota) [New Beverly]
GREMLINS (Jerry Goldsmith) [Alamo Drafthouse]
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (John Williams) [Academy Museum]
HITO HATA: RAISE THE BANNER (Dan Kuramoto) [Academy Museum]
THE HOWLING (Pino Donaggio) [BrainDead Studios]
LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN, FORBIDDEN PARADISE [Academy Museum]
LITTLE WOMEN (Alexandre Desplat) [Alamo Drafthouse]
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane, Roger Edens) [New Beverly]
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Alan Silvestri) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Richard O'Brien, Richard Hartley) [Nuart]
THE SHINING (Wendy Carlos, Rachel Elkind) [New Beverly]
STORIES WE TELL [Los Feliz 3]
TAKE THIS WALTZ (Jonathan Goldsmith) [Los Feliz 3]
TOKYO GODFATHERS (Keiichi Suzuki) [Alamo Drafthouse]
TWO LOVERS [Aero]
THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINNER (Frank Zappa) [Academy Museum]
December 11
ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN (Charles Strouse, Ralph Burns) [BrainDead Studios]
AMEROS PERROS (Gustavo Santaolalla), BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) (Antonio Sanchez) [Aero]
BATMAN RETURNS (Danny Elfman) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE CARDINAL (Jerome Moross) [Academy Museum]
DONKEY SKIN (Michel Legrand) [BrainDead Studios]
ED WOOD (Hward Shore) [Los Feliz 3]
ELF (John Debney) [Alamo Drafthouse]
GREMLINS (Jerry Goldsmith) [Alamo Drafthouse]
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane, Roger Edens) [New Beverly]
ONIBABA (Hikaru Hayashi) [Los Feliz 3]
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (Herbert Stothart) [Fine Arts]
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE [Los Feliz 3]
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Alan Silvestri) [Alamo Drafthouse]
Q: THE WINGED SERPENT (Robert O. Ragland), TRICK OR TREATS [New Beverly]
WHAT'S UP CONNECTION (Toshinori Kondo) [Los Feliz 3]
December 12
BATMAN RETURNS (Danny Elfman) [Alamo Drafthouse]
BLACK CHRISTMAS (Carl Zittrer), SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (Perry Botkin Jr.) [New Beverly]
CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (Frederick Hollander) [Alamo Drafthouse]
DEATH OF A BUREAUCRAT (Leo Brouwer) [Academy Museum]
FANTASTIC PLANET (Alain Goraguer) [BrainDead Studios]
MANIAC COP 2 (Jay Chattaway) [Los Feliz 3]
TOKYO GODFATHERS (Keiichi Suzuki) [Alamo Drafthouse]
December 13
BLACK CHRISTMAS (Carl Zittrer), SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (Perry Botkin Jr.) [New Beverly]
CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (Frederick Hollander) [Alamo Drafthouse]
CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS (John Debney) [Los Feliz 3]
ELF (John Debney) [Alamo Drafthouse]
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION (Angelo Badalamenti) [Alamo Drafthouse]
TOKYO GODFATHERS (Keiichi Suzuki) [Alamo Drafthouse]
TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM (Kathryn Bostic) [Academy Museum]
December 14
BATMAN RETURNS (Danny Elfman) [Alamo Drafthouse]
EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS (Marc Ellis) [Los Feliz 3]
ELF (John Debney) [Alamo Drafthouse]
LITTLE WOMEN (Alexandre Desplat) [Alamo Drafthouse]
TOKYO GODFATHERS (Keiichi Suzuki) [Alamo Drafthouse]
A ZED AND TWO NOUGHTS (Michael Nyman) [BrainDead Studios]
December 15
IT [Academy Museum]
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Alan Silvestri) [Los Feliz 3]
December 16
AUNTIE MAME (Bronislau Kaper) [Los Feliz 3]
BORN TO KILL (Paul Sawtell), SHAKEDOWN [Aero]
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (John Williams) [New Beverly]
ELF (John Debney) [Los Feliz 3]
CLOVERFIELD (Michael Giacchino) [BrainDead Studios]
JAWS (John Williams) [BrainDead Studios]
RESERVOIR DOGS [New Beverly]
December 17
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (John Williams) [Academy Museum]
AUNTIE MAME (Bronislau Kaper) [Aero]
AVENTURERA (Antonio Diaz Conde) [Academy Museum]
AWAY FROM HER (Jonathan Goldsmith) [Los Feliz 3]
BARRY LYNDON (Leonard Rosenman) [Aero]
EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS (Marc Ellis) [Los Feliz 3]
ELF (John Debney) [Alamo Drafthouse]
EYES WIDE SHUT (Jocelyn Pook) [New Beverly]
HOME ALONE (John Williams) [New Beverly]
KES (John Cameron) [BrainDead Studios]
LOVE ACTUALLY (Craig Armstrong) [Los Feliz 3]
M [BrainDead Studios]
MEAN GIRLS (Rolfe Kent) [BrainDead Studios]
THE MOVIE ORGY [Academy Museum]
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION (Angelo Badalamenti) [Alamo Drafthouse]
NOSTALGHIA [Academy Museum]
THE SHINING (Wendy Carlos, Rachel Elkind) [New Beverly]
December 18
THE APARTMENT (Adolph Deutsch) [Aero]
ELF (John Debney) [Alamo Drafthouse]
EYES WIDE SHUT (Jocelyn Pook) [New Beverly]
FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Alexandre Desplat) [BrainDead Studios]
FRENCHMAN'S CREEK (Victor Young) [Academy Museum]
GREMLINS (Jerry Goldsmith) [Alamo Drafthouse]
HOME ALONE (John Williams) [New Beverly]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Aero]
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (Cyril J. Mockridge) [Los Feliz 3]
TELL ME A RIDDLE (Sheldon Shkolnik) [Academy Museum]
TRADING PLACES (Elmer Bernstein) [BrainDead Studios]
THINGS I'VE HEARD, READ, SEEN OR WATCHED LATELY
Heard: Cinderella Liberty (Williams); The Cyclops/The Beginning of the End (Glasser); Images (Williams); My Name Is Ivan (Ovchinnikov); The Poseidon Adventure (Williams); Andrei Rublev (Ovchinnikov)
Read: The Sinkiang Executive, by Adam Hall (aka Elleston Trevor)
Seen: Hardcore; Trackdown; Superman; The Menu; The Masque of the Red Death; White Noise [2022]; Sisters [1973]; The Bird with the Crystal Plumage; Patton; She Said; Strange World; Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Watched: The Snorkel; Lost ("Do No Harm"); Disordre; Star Trek: Enterprise ("Daedalus"); Bob's Burgers ("Bed & Breakfast"); Counterpart ("Point of Departure"); The Good Place ("Mindy St. Claire", "Michael's Gambit")
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