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Posted: |
Sep 13, 2010 - 12:24 PM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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Isn't it a bit funny that Williams has scored TWO films about racial differences involving a solitary Jon Voight in a black community? And both of them ripe with traditional Americana?
This 1974 Martin Ritt film is one I've been looking for forever, and finally found a crappy-looking copy. It tells the story of Conroy (nicknamed "Conrack") who gets to teach in a school in a rural, black community in the late 60's. It's part DEAD POET'S SOCIETY, part ROSEWOOD, I guess. It's actually quite good, and the photography is very impressive at times (despite the poor picture quality). Voight is a bit TOO intense and frenetic in the title role, but the kids are believable. Hume Cronyn has an interesting role too, as the reactionary head administrator clinging onto dead values.
Williams' score is great. There isn't a lot of it (which is part of its strength), but it comes in at certain key moments (as the children learn, transportation scenes etc.). Very bluesy, with harmonica, guitar and a very down-to-earth sentimentality. The main titles, which have been released by FSM, represent the short score fairly well, but there are a couple of nice cues that were left off, such as the quasi-baroque Halloween sequence, as well as some classical source cues.
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I remember the movie was a huge dud when it came out in '74. I did not see it until it aired on cable maybe eight years later. It's formulaic, but okay. There was a lot of better stuff to behold theatrically that year.
BLAZING SADDLES and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, anyone? 
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I have bought the Conrack Bluray and it's excellent!
Both transfer and film!
I'm so happy I did. It was a great film and will be watching it again soon.
here's a review of the Bluray:
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Conrack-Blu-ray/91361/#Review
The score amounts to approx. 17-18 minutes (13 cues), + 5-6 source cues.
Is there any chance of releasing this?
I know it has SFX but really it's not THAT distracting and I understand there were cds released that contained SFX (e.g Lassie).
This, perhaps coupled with Paper Chase (as it was in the FSM cd that is OOP now), would be a great release!
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The Bluray is among the ones that are on sale (for $19.95) from TT starting tomorrow.
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I saw the film in the cinema on it's first release and thought it was really good. I also liked the score very much, what a shame the mastertapes are lost.
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