Recently purchased a soundtrack called RED JOAN solely on the basis of George Fenton’s name. Goodness knows what the film is about but on second listen so far , this is the Fenton we have missed.
It has that 90’s quality around the era of Mary Reilly (masterpiece) or The Crucible (masterpiece).
RED JOAN didn't do much for me, I'm afraid. But I'm a huge Fenton fan (have about 20 albums of his), and have been kinda waiting for a return to the lush style he's so known for. In the last years, he's been doing a lot of films for Loach and Frears and the like, his usual collaborators, but rarely a big canvas for a lot of memorable music. The two most recent albums I have are THE ZERO THEOREM and BEARS from 2014, which are both OK, but FROZEN PLANET from 2013 is the last time he was really on fire, the kind of "Fenton fire" I'm looking for, at least. He needs a big canvas and a director that trusts him to go 'all in', that's when you get the good stuff that is also soundtrack-listening-worthy.
This film tells the story of Britain's own Ethel Rosenberg, i.e., a woman who gave Britain's atomic bomb secrets to the Russians. Most of the film is told in flashback, with Sophie Cookson playing the young "Joan Stanley," while her older self (Judi Dench) is being questioned by British authorities after her arrest at age 80.
Fresh out of Cambridge during WWII, the young Joan (a physics major) had gone to work for Britain's atom bomb research organization. But she fell in love with a Stalinist Jew (Tom Hughes) who was working for the KGB. The rest, as they say, is history. Cookson has most of the screen time in this film, and she's quite good. She had a supporting role in the two KINGSMAN films, but I didn't remember her from those. The film is loosely based on the real life case of British civil servant Melita Norwood.
Trevor Nunn (1986's LADY JANE) directed the film, his first directorial assignment in 10 years. George Fenton provides a reflective score. (It's good to see him back again so soon after this year's Liam Neeson thriller COLD PURSUIT.)
I think it's fair to say that George Fenton never really 'went away'. He's been working for his regular collaborators often enough, while still getting projects like Red Joan and the Liam Neeson thriller. He's hardly in the Bruce Broughton, Cliff Eidelman or Lee Holdridge category. Now THEY have Gone Away!!
27 years after its release, yesterday I finally watched the beautiful film, Shadowlands. Fenton's score has been one of my favorites since it came out, and now hearing it in context with the film only refreshes. A gorgeous emotional and very English score. I also love his scores for Cry Freedom, Fisher King, Object of my Affection, White Castle, and Final Analysis. But I think Shadowlands is his best, followed by Memphis Belle, In Love and War, and White Mischief.
In Love & War is a particular favourite of mine too. Really good old-fashioned film scoring, that one. And the last few tracks of The Crucible are both heartbreaking and gorgeous. When he was on, HE WAS ON!!
Well, as long as we're sharing Fenton interviews, I might as well tout my own horn and share the 1-hour one I did with him back in 2015 (audio, not video):
I must be living in an alternatiive universe in that any discussion about George Fenton's output and no mention of his 'ultimate' masterpiece...Anna and the King'.
Oh, I could be here all day if we were mentioning favourites, Paul. As I said, I have about 20 Fenton albums, and love 'em all -- including ANNA AND THE KING. But I assumed it was more about his 'return' (which isn't a really return, as he never went away) than a general Fenton thread.
For anyone looking to dip their toes in the George Fenton lake (I know!!), this is a nice 2 CD promo/sampler set, from Music Sales Creative, with disc one covering things like Gandhi, Groundhog Day, Company Of Wolves, High Spirits, Handful Of Dust and Zero Theorem (plus many others) and disc 2 devoted to scores for the films of Ken Loach.
Eidelman seems to have largely transitioned into writing concert music (actually Broughton writes it fairly regularly too)... his Symphony and Night in the Gallery recorded with the LSO I think would be *right* up your alley Kev!
Holdridge I know less about (need to interview him sometime I guess, haha) but IMDb does credit him with another of the Moria Films documentaries on Jewish subjects, just in 2018: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8172146/?ref_=nm_flmg_com_1
I wonder if Intrada might get around to releasing it. I can't see how it wouldn't be good, judging from the many others he's done.
COMPANY OF WOLVES is the film where I first encountered Mr Fenton, and remains my favorite score of his - one of those rare, exquisite marriages of brilliance and creativity between director and composer, where each heightens the other's work.
Thanks Yavar. I have that Eidelman CD and yes, it's fantastic. I just meant that those 3 I mentioned, when compared to the regularly scoring Fenton, have pretty much dropped off the map, re scoring any film or TV work.
COMPANY OF WOLVES is the film where I first encountered Mr Fenton, and remains my favorite score of his - one of those rare, exquisite marriages of brilliance and creativity between director and composer, where each heightens the other's work.
I too was totally struck by this film and score. For all the wished for expansions this one never seems high on folks lists which is a shame. There’s just something perfect about the mix of visuals and music as you say. ‘The wolfgirl’ is just beautiful musical perfection.
COMPANY OF WOLVES is the film where I first encountered Mr Fenton, and remains my favorite score of his - one of those rare, exquisite marriages of brilliance and creativity between director and composer, where each heightens the other's work.
I too was totally struck by this film and score. For all the wished for expansions this one never seems high on folks lists which is a shame. There’s just something perfect about the mix of visuals and music as you say. ‘The wolfgirl’ is just beautiful musical perfection.
Glad you agree, spook! Hearing 'The Wolfgirl' never fails to make my eyes water, as well as the glorious sequence where the young heroine climbs the tree and finds the nest. Glorious stuff!
Here's a (youthfully effusive!) analysis I wrote at the time of the film's release:
