I seem to recall some discussion of this years ago, but I couldn't find the thread.
I've had the Varese CD for ages, and recently stumbled upon the Fresh Sounds issue. The latter is in a tan and brown digipack; the former was in a regular jewel case with the blue and black movie poster cover.
The sound on the Fresh Sounds CD is WAY BETTER than the Varese. I mean WAY BETTER. The Varese sounds like it's from a multi-generation mono mixdown played back on a tape machine not properly aligned with the tape heads. There is a ton of hiss and azymuth-related phasing issues.
The Fresh Sounds is clearly from a source closer to master. It is upfront and clear with relatively little hiss. It sounds like some of the tracks *may* be in true stereo, but maybe these are just clever stereo effects. With headphones, I could swear I hear some true separation on at least some tracks. Curiously, a few tracks seem like they may be alternate takes, but this could just result from slightly different mixing (if indeed stereo) or editing.
There are two drawbacks to the Fresh Sounds CD:
1 - Some of the track titles and timings are screwed up on the back cover. 2 - It omits the gorgeous source ballad "Susan," the Shearing quintet knockoff with piano, guitar and vibes.
So, the short of it is that I'll have to keep both versions. I will probably burn a custom CD with the jazz/latin/underscore tracks from Fresh Sounds adding "Susan" from the Varese, while omitting some of the juke joint jump and rock n roll numbers.
Judging from the sample tracks, the sound is mono and still sadly lacking.
Speaking of Mancini, here he is with Hitchcock on the scoring stage at Universal:
Hitchcock has that "Ive got to get rid of this guy" look on his sour old puss.
Well knowing Mancini never worked for Hitch until he scored "Frenzy" in 1972, I doubt Hitch was in any position to get rid of him. At first I thought the photo was taken when Mancini recorded his score for "Frenzy" but doing some comparisons of the podium he's on with the podium at Anvil-Denham, this was taken at Universal, perhaps when Mancini was scoring "Charade" back in 1963. Back then Hitch had his offices at Universal.
By the way, here's Cary Grant outside the Universal scoring stage in 1963:
The scoring stage is directly behind Grant. Past it is the sound department building and next to that is stage 11 which was identical in size to the scoring stage. And it the end of the street is stage 12, the largest soundstage on the Universal lot. It was built in 1929 to house the enormous nightclub set for the early sound film "Broadway." A special camera crane was designed by cinematographer Hal Mohr. It was thereafter known as the 'Broadway' crane.
Judging from the sample tracks, the sound is mono and still sadly lacking.
Speaking of Mancini, here he is with Hitchcock on the scoring stage at Universal:
Hitchcock has that "Ive got to get rid of this guy" look on his sour old puss.
Well knowing Mancini never worked for Hitch until he scored "Frenzy" in 1972, I doubt Hitch was in any position to get rid of him. At first I thought the photo was taken when Mancini recorded his score for "Frenzy" but doing some comparisons of the podium he's on with the podium at Anvil-Denham, this was taken at Universal, perhaps when Mancini was scoring "Charade" back in 1963. Back then Hitch had his offices at Universal.
By the way, here's Cary Grant outside the Universal scoring stage in 1963:
The scoring stage is directly behind Grant. Past it is the sound department building and next to that is stage 11 which was identical in size to the scoring stage. And it the end of the street is stage 12, the largest soundstage on the Universal lot. It was built in 1929 to house the enormous nightclub set for the early sound film "Broadway." A special camera crane was designed by cinematographer Hal Mohr. It was thereafter known as the 'Broadway' crane.
I don't know- Mancini's sideburns are definitly early 70's in that pic. Oddball for 1963.
Amazon inadvertently posts the Varese CD sound samples for the Fresh Sounds CD; so if you're basing your opinions on sound samples on the Website, you're not adding the conversation and you're misleading yourselves and others (respectfully). The Fresh Sounds samples are not on Amazon.
Amazon inadvertently posts the Varese CD sound samples for the Fresh Sounds CD; so if you're basing your opinions on sound samples on the Website, you're not adding the conversation and you're misleading yourselves and others (respectfully). The Fresh Sounds samples are not on Amazon.
Second:
All of you aging drag queens need to get beyond Hitchcock. He's washed up.
Amazon inadvertently posts the Varese CD sound samples for the Fresh Sounds CD; so if you're basing your opinions on sound samples on the Website, you're not adding the conversation and you're misleading yourselves and others (respectfully). The Fresh Sounds samples are not on Amazon.
Second:
All of you aging drag queens need to get beyond Hitchcock. He's washed up.
Yes. Had to be. Dead, you know.
If he isn't then who's buried in Greenlawn cemetery?
I don't know- Mancini's sideburns are definitly early 70's in that pic. Oddball for 1963.
Holly ----! That photo was taken at Olympic Studios in London during the scoring of "Frenzy" so that means Hitch was showing his disfavor with the score.
I never thought about Mancini's sideburns. Good call!
Olympic Studios:
And here clearing showing it's the same podium with the same clock:
I don't know- Mancini's sideburns are definitly early 70's in that pic. Oddball for 1963.
Holly ----! That photo was taken at Olympic Studios in London during the scoring of "Frenzy" so that means Hitch was showing his disfavor with the score.
I never thought about Mancini's sideburns. Good call!
Olympic Studios:
And here clearing showing it's the same podium with the same clock:
The image on Amazon for the "Fresh Sounds" (?) appears to be the Blue Moon release I bought about 10 years ago or more possibly....and it does sound great.
In defense of Universal, they allowed Welles months to cut the film. He just couldn't finish it. So after he walked off, they recut the film. They did this after a disastrous studio preview. At one point very late in the game, Welles could have attended a studio meeting to argue his side, but according to film editor Aaron Stell, he totally forgot about it. That was Orson.
Then, after previewing it again with notes that weren't that much better, believing it was a loser, Universal released it as a second feature to a Ma and Pa Kettle film.
The film was definitely ahead of its time. But movies should be made for their time since they need to earn a profit. 1957 audiences found the film confusing. Plus Welles had one serious flaw as a film maker. With rare exceptions, there weren't any characters to identify with. As bold and groundbreaking as "Citizen Kane" was, quite frankly I never cared for any of the characters. Oh, I enjoy watching the film. It has so much to offer, especially Herrmann's superb score. But for many years I refused to watch "How Green Was My Valley" simply because it received the Academy Award for Best Picture when I felt it should have gone to "Citizen Kane." Then one afternoon I happened to watch the John Ford film and it hit me. I cared deeply for the people. It's a very moving film expertly directed by Ford who was in many ways a far superior talent.
