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Posted: |
May 21, 2003 - 1:38 AM
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By: |
joan hue
(Member)
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There were some comments in the thread Down With Love that we should do a thread on
music in romantic comedies and drama. Okay, let’s do it, past and present. Where to
start? (And I promise to go see Down With Love.)
Well, I’ll mention Max Steiner first. He scored so many movies with MEMORABLE
MELODIES. I think the key is “memorable.” You hear the melody and instantly picture
the movie. The first that comes to mind are Now Voyager, Gone With The Wind,
Casablanca, and A Summer Place. Recently watched Jane Wyman’s Johnny Belinda and
really liked his themes. JB is a serious drama but also a love story. He seemed to never
lose his flair for melody in his later years as shown in Parrish, Rome Adventure (bad
movie, wonderful main theme!!), and his wonderful A Summer Place.
Another romance that I’ve never seen discussed is FALLING IN LOVE with Streep and
Di Niro. I LOVED Dave Gruisin’s main theme which was most heartfelt. This was a
tough movie for some because it was about two good people who were married to two
good people and fall in love with each other. There was not a bitchy wife or abusive
husband at home that would somehow give Streep and Di Niro moral permission to leave
their spouses for each other. I’ve often thought that this movie was more true to life than
a movie audience wanted to see.
One of the most beautiful love melodies ever composed was used in SHIP OF FOOLS.
Gold’s theme is beautiful and tragic at the same time.
One of my favorite romance movies is The Quiet Man, and I love Young’s rousing tunes
and splendid love theme. Alfred Newman’s love theme (Katherine’s theme) in Wuthering
Heights is sumptuous and probably one of the first love themes I really noticed.
I need at least two boxes of Kleenex to watch the original Brian’s Song with music by
Legrand. He just nailed a tear duct melody for a kind of love story between two men.
My all time favorite romantic movie and music is An Affair To Remember with music by
Friedhofer. Only a complete sociopath wouldn’t tear up when Cary Grant walks into
Kerr’s bedroom, realizes she is crippled, and leans back against the door while violins sing
out one of the loveliest melodies ever composed.
I could ramble forever on romance themes, but I’ll let the rest of you chime in. What are
some greats?
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Ahhhh, Joan...
You've touched on a subject near and dear to my heart... (no pun intended)
Past:
The first that comes to mind is the gorgeous music Alfred Newman wrote for ANASTASIA. The heart-wrenching main theme, the glorious dances and the wonderful Russian Easter music, still sends chills down my spine. Also the fabulous music from LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING. Even I, as a tough rugged man, am not ashamed to admit a few sniffles when Jennifer Jones walks alone "on a high and windy hill"...Also gotta agree with Hugo Friedhofer's music from AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER. You wouldn't think anyone could make John Wayne romantic, but Victor Young found a way in THE QUIET MAN. More recent entries have to include John Barry's beautiful OUT OF AFRICA and UNTIL SEPTEMBER, Henry Mancini's THE SWEETHEART TREE and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS. If you don't start tearing up during the last five minutes, when Peppard and Hepburn go searching for "Cat", with MOON RIVER playing in the background, it's time for an EKG, my friends.
Present
One of my favourite scores of the 80's is Bruce Smeaton's lovely, semi-jazzy score for the great Steve Martin's remake of Cyrano DeBergerac, Roxanne. More recently John Williams created the wonderful music for THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST and SABRINA. Randy Edelman wrote a charming score for WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING (Sandra Bullock  ) and Micheal Convertino wrote a melodic score for MILK MONEY.
OOPS, I'm getting all verklempt...
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GAWD
How could I forget, one of the truly glorious love themes of all time... John Williams' operatic LOVE THEME FROM SUPERMAN
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Posted: |
May 21, 2003 - 3:17 AM
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By: |
joan hue
(Member)
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(Hey big Ken, good choices. We need to hear more from you.)
Have to recognize two very romantic westerns. One Eyed Jacks was just full of romance,
and it seemed like most of the music was Friedhofer’s romantic theme. Another western
romance was The Unforgiven. Hepburn and Lancaster sizzled in the movie, and
Tiomkin’s main theme was much more about their love than about action.
Speaking of Tiomkin, the guy could write for romance. Friendly Persuasion's melody is all about bucolic landscapes-forests, pastures, streams- shyness, tree swings, clean barns, water reflections, and holding hands.
Contrast that too his EXTREMELY erotic and appropriate love theme for Peck and
Jones in Duel In The Sun. Cool!
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I'm not sure if it qualifies as romantic, but my personal favourite Jerry Goldsmith score has always been A PATCH OF BLUE. The lovely lilting melody as it is played in the "Bead Party" scene, is a watershed moment in movie scoring... Mr. Goldsmith is second to none, when it comes to this kind of score... I only wish he did more of them. The kind of intimacy he acheived, allows the listener the illusion that he/she is right inside of the composers head.
The Wifeing theme from CONAN THE BARBARIAN was mentioned earlier, this was my late wife's favourite piece of film music... She was never as passionate about film music as I, however, if I came home from work and this piece was playing on the stereo, I knew it was going to be a loooooooooong night 
I feel the need to mention two scores by a really underappreciated composer. SOPHIES CHOICE and ICE CASTLES are two lovely, melodic scores by Marvin Hamlisch, worth catching up with... Especially SOPHIE'S CHOICE, so much sorrow in the melody. Makes me wonder where a kid from Brooklyn dreged up that kind of emotion.
Philippe Sarde's music from LOVESICK is one of the best scores of the 80's. God Bless Varese for finally ending my decades old search for this gem.
Another beautiful melody from a non-romantic score is Micheal's Gift To Karen from James Horner's best work BRAINSTORM...
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Delerue's Joe vs The Volcano, Barry's Somewhere in Time and Out Of Africa, Hamlisch's The Way We Were, Newman's The President's Lady and All About Eve (Not exactly romantic material, but the music certainly is!)...I'll think of more...
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Philippe Sarde's music from LOVESICK is one of the best scores of the 80's. God Bless Varese for finally ending my decades old search for this gem.
Please elaborate, I have championed this score several times here and am unaware of any release. Until now!
Sorry, it took me so long to answer back Howard. Check out Varese's website, do a search for a CD call SISTER MARY EXPLAINS IT ALL, included in the CD is (I think) the complete score to Lovesick and some tracks from The Manhatten Project. If only for the Lovesick music (original film tracks!!!) this CD is worth getting...
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HOWARD!
HEY! Howard!
Howareya', man???
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