The latest release from La-La Land is a two-disc edition of one of Elmer Bernstein's greatest scores, for the 1981 animated sci-fi fantasy anthology film HEAVY METAL. Disc One features the full score as composed for the film, while Disc Two features the LP sequencing with a different mix than the film version.
Howlin' Wolf has just released the score for MURDER BY DECREE, the 1979 Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper mystery thriller which featured a remarkable cast - Christopher Plummer and James Mason as Holmes and Watson, co-starring David Hemmings, Susan Clark, Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Frank Finlay, Donald Sutherland, and Genevieve Bujold (fun fact: Finlay, cast as Inspector Lestrade, had previously played the role in another Holmes v. Ripper thriller, A Study in Terror). The film was directed by the eclectic Bob Clark (Black Christmas, Porky's, A Christmas Story), and scored by his usual composers, Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza.
CDS AVAILABLE THIS WEEK
Backstairs at the White House - Morton Stevens - Dragon's Domain
Diva Dolorosa - Loek Dikker - Caldera
Dune: Part 2 - Hans Zimmer - Mutant
Franz Waxman: Legendary Hollywood Vol. 1 - Franz Waxman - Citadel
Gerald Fried: The Westerns Vol. 1 - Gerald Fried - Dragon's Domain
Heavy Metal - Elmer Bernstein - La-La Land
The Jim Dooley Collection Vol. 1 - Jim Dooley - Dragon's Domain [CD-R]
Murder by Decree - Carl Zittrer, Paul Zaza
IN THEATERS TODAY
Bad Boys: Ride or Die - Lorne Balfe
Flipside - Adam Samuel Goldman
Maestra - Anne Chmelewsky
Robot Dreams - Alfonso de Vilallonga
Someday We'll Tell Each Other Everything - Christoph M. Kaiser, Julian Maas
The Watchers - Abel Korzeniowski
COMING SOON
June 14
Two Evil Eyes - Pino Donaggio - Rustblade
July 12
The Dead Don't Hurt - Viggo Mortensen - Milan
Coming Soon
Cosa avete fatto a Solange? - Ennio Morricone - Quartet
The David Michael Frank Collection Vol. 4 - David Michael Frank - Dragon's Domain
Death Hunt - Jerrold Immel - Dragon's Domain
Franz Waxman: Legendary Hollywood Vol. 2 - Franz Waxman - Citadel
Furiosa: A Mad Mad Saga - Tom Holkenborg - Mutant
The Golden Age of Science-Fiction Vol. 4 - Elisabeth Lutyens, Ronald Stein - Dragon's Domain
The Humanoid - Ennio Morricone - Quartet
Il cittadino si ribella - Guido & Maurizio De Angelis - Digitmovies
Il ginecologo della mutua - Renato Serio - Beat
La pistole non discutono (Bullets Don't Argue) - Ennio Morricone - Beat
Lacrima Movies Trilogy - Franco Micalizzi - Digitmovies
A Pistol for Ringo/The Return of Ringo - Ennio Morricone - Quartet
Stelvio Cipriani Soundtracks Rarities Vol. 1 - Stelvio Cipriani - Digitmovies
Thrilling - Ennio Morricone - EMCD
THIS WEEK IN FILM MUSIC HISTORY
June 7 - Georges Van Parys born (1902)
June 7 - Franz Reizenstein born (1911)
June 7 - Charles Strouse born (1928)
June 7 - Don Peake born (1940)
June 7 - Lewis Furey born (1949)
June 7 - Giong Lim born (1964)
June 7 - Morton Stevens wins an Emmy for his Hawaii Five-O episode score “A Thousand Pardons, You’re Dead,” and Pete Rugolo wins for his TV movie score The Challengers (1970)
June 7 - David Buckley born (1976)
June 7 - Elmer Bernstein begins recording his score for The Shootist (1976)
June 7 - Daniele Amfitheatrof died (1983)
June 7 - Billy Goldenberg records his score for the Amazing Stories episode "The Amazing Falsworth" (1985)
June 8 - George Antheil born (1900)
June 8 - Cesk Zadeja born (1927)
June 8 - Recording sessions begin for Bronislau Kaper's score for The Wild North (1951)
June 8 - John Williams wins the Outstanding Music Composition Emmy for Heidi (1969)
June 8 - Jean Wiener died (1992)
June 8 - Dennis McCarthy records his score for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “In the Hands of the Prophets” (1993)
June 8 - Caleb Sampson died (1998)
June 8 - Herschel Burke Gilbert died (2003)
June 9 - Jon Lord born (1941)
June 9 - James Newton Howard born (1951)
June 9 - Geir Bohren born (1951)
June 9 - Louis Gruenberg died (1964)
June 9 - Chris Tilton born (1979)
June 9 - Matthew Margeson born (1980)
June 9 - Ron Jones records his score for the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Shades of Grey" (1989)
June 10 - Frederick Loewe born (1901)
June 10 - Don Costa born (1925)
June 10 - Randy Edelman born (1947)
June 10 - Laurent Petitgirard born (1950)
June 10 - Steve London born (1970)
June 10 - Jerry Goldsmith begins recording his replacement score for Chinatown (1974)
June 10 - Marius Ruhland born (1975)
June 10 - David Shire begins recording his score to Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
June 10 - Dennis McCarthy records his score for the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Basics, Part II” (1996)
June 10 - Marc Fredericks died (2004)
June 11 - Carmine Coppola born (1910)
June 11 - Shelly Manne born (1920)
June 11 - Lennie Niehaus born (1929)
June 11 - Alexander Balanescu born (1954)
June 11 - David Shire begins recording his score for Paternity (1981)
June 11 - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial opens in New York and Los Angeles (1982)
June 11 - Alan Silvestri begins recording his score for Fandango (1984)
June 12 - Maurice Ohana born (1914)
June 12 - Richard M. Sherman born (1928)
June 12 - John Ireland died (1962)
June 12 - Klaus Badelt born (1967)
June 12 - Dave Grusin begins recording his score for …And Justice for All (1979)
June 13 - Filip Kutev born (1903)
June 13 - Richard Peaslee born (1930)
June 13 - Paul Buckmaster born (1946)
June 13 - J.S. Zamecnik died (1953)
June 13 - Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter begin recording their score for Jack the Giant Killer (1961)
June 13 - Andre Previn begins recording his score for The Fortune Cookie (1966)
June 13 - Bruce Broughton begins recording his score for Last Rites (1988)
DID THEY MENTION THE MUSIC?
THE DEAD DON'T HURT - Viggo Mortensen
"The movie can be as florid as the language at times, but it also packs a punch and knows how to use the tropes it’s twisting. There’s a saloon with swinging doors and an assortment of gunslingers, but there’s also a recurring vision of a medieval knight in the forest. The music, which was also written by Mortensen, is long on Western-style fiddle tunes that contain echoes of the classic trail laments, but it may also shift into serene classical chamber music if that sits better with the dialogue. Or those chords can get downright portentous when the title appears on the screen in red about five minutes and six dead bodies in."
Steve Pond, The Wrap
"Krieps brings a soft focus to the role of Vivienne, and her effortless poise grounds a character who otherwise might have been crushed beneath a mountain of machismo. This depth isn’t enough to save the film’s desultory romance scenes, though, which fall consistently flat. A partial culprit is the cliched dialogue, which -- full of empty pauses and set to a sentimental score -- would fail to move even the sappiest moviegoer. But most of the blame falls on the cinematography. On only a handful of occasions does Mortensen hit on an interesting image or a striking tableau, and characters are consistently shown in dull medium close-up."
Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire
"Mortensen’s crosscutting between different pasts and the present is disorienting and a tad clunky, and yet his patient pacing, plaintive score, and evocative cinematography (by Marcel Zyskind) conjure an affecting mood of gentle longing, tentative happiness, and looming danger. It’s not long after their first meeting that Holger shows Vivienne the dusty and unimpressive abode and land that he calls home. Despite its general dreariness, epitomized by its lack of flowers (which she previously sold on the streets of San Francisco), Vivienne moves in and sets about transforming it into a suitable residence for them both -- a mission aided by Holger, a taciturn man whose fondness for Vivienne is unmistakable and highlighted by his acquisition of materials for a garden and a barn."
Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
EZRA - Carlos Rafael Rivera*
"The supposed transformation of the characters is also extraordinarily pat and by the numbers. Several of Ezra’s concerns, like not wanting to eat with a metal spoon or not wanting to be hugged, are overcome instantaneously in an encounter with a young girl who is the daughter of Vera Farmiga’s character, Max’s old flame, whom they meet on the road. Such tropes perhaps have a place in movies wanting to be crowd-pleasers, but the execution here doesn’t do it any favors. They seem cynically applied to illicit aww reactions and tears from the crowd -- another instance of the film’s overreliance on narrative shorthands and templatized storytelling. The modest production is directed by Goldwyn in a strictly pedestrian point-and-shoot manner, rendering it anonymous and undistinguished. Overusing the score to generate emotion contributes to the overall feeling of manipulation."
Ankit Jhunjhunwala, The Playlist
SHIN ULTRAMAN - Shiro Sagisu
"Higuchi and Anno’s latest high-toned pastiche starts with a dizzying montage of pleasure-center-dinging retro signifiers and images. A conga line of aliens has crash-landed in Japan, so now the Japanese government must figure out how to stop these creatures from destroying everything around them. We hear that show’s surf-guitar-and-musical-saw-infused orchestral theme music and also see some of the flamboyant monsters from 'Ultra Q,' the black-and-white 1966 monster-of-the-week serial that preceded the first 'Ultraman' TV show. (He’s not featured in 'Ultra Q')."
Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com
"Higuchi’s visual direction is inventive and arresting, and the film frequently has the feel of covert intelligence video. Wide-angle images from high above characters mixes with footage shot from inside desk drawers and other stationary objects, as if cameras were secretly placed there. At some points, it seems we’re watching a slick spy thriller with artsy flourishes, at others a hard-boiled war movie, and others still, a kooky human fantasy-comedy. Like the eclectic music score by Shiro Sagisu ('Evangelion' series, 'Shin Godzilla') that pivots on a dime from groovy jazz to thunderous orchestral bursts and lilting folk guitar riffs, the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising 'Shin Ultraman' into the top rank of superhero movies. Any number of sequels, prequels and spinoffs would not surprise."
Richard Kuipers, Variety
THELMA THE UNICORN - John Powell
"Everyone in the cast still pales compared to Howard, and the opportunity to hear her sing is likely the main attraction for any adult who would choose to watch. There’s no clear breakout of the original roots-inflected pop rock songs featured in the film (the music is credited to Dreamworks vet John Powell), but Howard is so lovely performing them that it doesn’t matter. Her rich, powerful voice makes every note hit with incredible force, and supplies emotion that makes the pivotal turning points in the film far more powerful than the script can manage."
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire
WICKED LITTLE LETTERS - Isobel Waller-Bridge
"There’s a mild sense of subversion from the opening seconds of Thea Sharrock’s ('Me Before You') new film, as the usual cosy British movie score -- you know, the one with the gently tinkling piano keys -- is undercut by a steel guitar more reminiscent of a western showdown at high noon. What’s fun is that both feel appropriate to this odd comedy, based on a true story. Here the duellers here are Olivia Colman’s pious middle-aged spinster and an uninhibited Irish single mother played by Jessie Buckley. Their weapons of choice? The kind of bad language that would have your granny reeling."
Helen O'Hara, Time Out
"Director Thea Sharrock’s work behind the camera is solid and unvarnished, and the tech credits are generally serviceable. The set design and costumes have the quiet competence of countless British productions -- achieving believable period verisimilitude on modest budgets. In one unfortunate faux pas, composer Isobel Waller-Bridge’s score (yes, that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s sister) shockingly pilfers Howard Shore’s score for Martin Scorsese’s 'Hugo' almost note for note several times during the film right from the opening moments -- enough to take you out of the film. Temp-track love has been a problem in movie scoring for quite some time, but this is an especially egregious example. Elsewhere, Colman makes her producing debut in this film, matching several other A-list actresses who have begun producing their own movies and developing their own material. She produces alongside her husband, Ed Sinclair, and three different producers."
Ankit Jhunjhunwala, The Playlist
WILDCAT - Latham Gaines, Shelby Gaines
"A similar strategy of staging O’Connor’s key stories also powered Elizabeth Coffman and Mark Bosco’s illuminating 2021 'American Masters' documentary about the author, 'Flannery' -- a good resource for people interested in learning more about her, slightly more open to engaging with accusations of racism and speculation about her sexuality (per one letter, 'If you do not sleep with the opposite sex, it is assumed that you sleep with your own'). There, the filmmakers used animation to illustrate. Ethan Hawke favors striking widescreen re-creations, crippled by a theatrical acting style and distracting sound design. O’Connor’s vernacular-infused dialogue is so vital to these twisted parables, but it’s often drowned out here by ambient noise (train engines, farm animals and other background distractions) and a busy, shape-shifting score from Latham and Shelby Gaines."
Peter Debruge, Variety
*not Nick Urata, as originally, erroneously listed in this column.
THE NEXT TEN DAYS IN L.A.
Screenings of older films in Los Angeles-area theaters.
June 7
ARMY OF SHADOWS (Eric Demarsan) [Egyptian]
BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III (Alan Silvestri) [Alamo Drafthouse]
HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE (Patrice Rushen, Udi Harpaz) [Vidiots]
JU DOU (Zhao Jiping) [Los Feliz 3]
LILYA 4-EVER (Nathan Larson) [Los Feliz 3]
MAELSTROM (Pierre Desrochers) [BrainDead Studios]
MIRACLE MILE (Tangerine Dream) [Los Feliz 3]
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (Herbert Stothart), DUCK SOUP [New Beverly]
KILL BILL: VOL. 2 (RZA, Robert Rodriguez) [New Beverly]
PURPLE RAIN (Prince, Michel Colombier) [New Beverly]
SERIAL MOM (Basil Poledouris) [Nuart]
TEEN WITCH (Richard Elliot) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE TOUCH [Aero]
12 MONKEYS (Paul Buckmaster), LA JETEE [BrainDead Studios]
TWIN PEAKS FIRE WALK WITH ME (Angelo Badalamenti) [Egyptian]
2010 (David Shire) [Vista]
June 8
ADAPTATION (Carter Burwell) [Egyptian]
BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (Carter Burwell) [Egyptian]
BULLITT (Lalo Schifrin) [Los Angeles]
BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER (Pat Irwin) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (Theodore Shapiro) [Los Feliz 3]
DR. SUESS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (James Horner) [New Beverly]
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Jon Brion) [Egyptian]
GASLIGHT (Bronislau Kaper) [Los Angeles]
GLORIA (Bill Conti) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE GREAT RACE (Henry Mancini) [Vista]
HACKERS (Simon Boswell) [BrainDead Studios]
HAIRSPRAY (Kenny Vance) [Vidiots]
INTERSTELLAR (Hans Zimmer) [Fine Arts]
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (John Williams) [New Beverly]
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (Herbert Stothart), DUCK SOUP [New Beverly]
PADDINGTON (Nick Urata) [Los Feliz 3]
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Richard O'Brien, Richard Hartley) [Nuart]
SHAFT (Isaac Hayes) [Los Feliz 3]
SICARIO (Johann Johannsson) [BrainDead Studios]
SPELLBOUND (Miklos Rozsa) [Vidiots]
SPIRITED AWAY (Joe Hisaishi) [Vidiots]
SUPER TROOPERS [Vidiots]
2010 (David Shire) [Vista]
WATCHMEN (Tyler Bates) [Landmark Westwood]
June 9
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Alan Menken) [Vidiots]
BUCK AND THE PREACHER (Benny Carter) [Vidiots]
BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER (Pat Irwin) [Alamo Drafthouse]
DODES'KA-DEN (Toru Takemitsu) [Los Feliz 3]
DON'T LOOK BACK [Vidiots]
8 1/2 (Nino Rota) [Los Feliz 3]
THE GREAT RACE (Henry Mancini) [Vista]
INTERSTELLAR (Hans Zimmer) [Fine Arts]
LOCAL HERO (Mark Knopfler) [Aero]
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (John Williams) [New Beverly]
MOONSTRUCK (Dick Hyman) [Egyptian]
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (Herbert Stothart), DUCK SOUP [New Beverly]
THE NIGHT IS SHORT, WALK ON GIRL (Michiru Oshima) [BrainDead Studios]
PADDINGTON 2 (Dario Marianelli) [Los Feliz 3]
PRESSURE [Los Feliz 3]
SOME LIKE IT HOT (Adolph Deutsch) [Egyptian]
STEEL MAGNOLIAS (Georges Delerue) [Alamo Drafthouse]
June 10
THE HEROIC TRIO (William Hu) [Los Feliz 3]
IMAGINE ME & YOU (Alex Heffes), SAVING FACE (Anton Sanko) [New Beverly]
PRESSURE [Los Feliz 3]
STEEL MAGNOLIAS (Georges Delerue) [Alamo Drafthouse]
June 11
BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III (Alan Silvestri) [Alamo Drafthouse]
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Stephen Trask) [Landmark Pasadena]
IMAGINE ME & YOU (Alex Heffes), SAVING FACE (Anton Sanko) [New Beverly]
ONCE UPON A TIME...WHEN WE WERE COLORED (Steve Tyrell) [Los Feliz 3]
STEEL MAGNOLIAS (Georges Delerue) [Alamo Drafthouse]
June 12
ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL, THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT [New Beverly]
BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III (Alan Silvestri) [Alamo Drafthouse]
THE LEOPARD (Nino Rota) [Academy Museum]
OPERA [Alamo Drafthouse]
POLYTECHNIQUE (Benoit Charest) [BrainDead Studios]
Q (Robert O. Ragland) [Alamo Drafthouse]
June 13
ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL, THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT [New Beverly]
GILDA [Aacdemy Museum]
MADAME SATA (Sacha Amback, Marcos Suzano) [Aero]
PRESSURE [Los Feliz 3]
SHAFT'S BIG SCORE (Gordon Parks) [Los Feliz 3]
June 14
CONAN THE DESTROYER (Basil Poledouris) [Nuart]
DUNE (Toto) [BrainDead Studios]
HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL [Vista]
HOLLYWOOD 90028 (Basil Poledouris) [Alamo Drafthouse]
JODOROWSKY'S DUNE (Kurt Stenzel) [BrainDead Studios]
KILL BILL: VOL. 2 (RZA, Robert Rodriguez) [New Beverly]
QUIZ SHOW (Mark Isham) [Vidiots]
REPO MAN (Steven Hufsteter, Humberto Larriva) [New Beverly]
SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS (Rolfe Kent) [Academy Museum]
VANISHING POINT, DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY (Jimmie Haskell) [New Beverly]
June 15
ALADDIN (Alan Menken) [New Beverly]
AMERICAN PSYCHO (John Cale) [Los Feliz 3]
THE BIRDCAGE (Jonathan Tunick) [Alamo Drafthouse]
CITIZEN KANE (Bernard Herrmann) [Egyptian]
DOUBLE INDEMNITY (Miklos Rozsa) [Academy Museum]
FIELD OF DREAMS (James Horner) [Alamo Drafthouse]
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (John Barry) [Palace]
GO FISH (Brendan Dolan, Jennifer Sharpe) [Academy Museum]
GRINDHOUSE: DEATH PROOF [New Beverly]
HARD TO BE A GOD (Viktor Lebedev) [Los Feliz 3]
HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL [Vista]
HOLD THAT BLONDE! (Werner Heymann) [Vista]
MEN IN BLACK (Danny Elfman) [Landmark Westwood]
MI VIDA LOCA (John Taylor) [Palace]
OCEAN'S ELEVEN (David Holmes), OCEAN'S TWELVE (David Holmes), OCEAN'S THIRTEEN (David Holmes) [Aero]
THE ROAD WARRIOR (Brian May) [Egyptian]
ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL [BrainDead Studios]
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Richard O'Brien, Richard Hartley) [Nuart]
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (Nacio Herb Brown, Lennie Hayton) [Academy Museum]
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE (David Byrne, Will Oldham) [Egyptian]
VANISHING POINT, DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY (Jimmie Haskell) [New Beverly]
June 16
ALADDIN (Alan Menken) [New Beverly]
BLADE RUNNER (Vangelis) [BrainDead Studios]
CREMASTER 4 (Jonathan Bepler), CREMASTER 1 (Jonathan Bepler) [Egyptian]
THE GODFATHER (Nino Rota) [Egyptian]
THE GODFATHER PART II (Nino Rota) [Egyptian]
HOLD THAT BLONDE! (Werner Heymann) [Vista]
THE HOURS AND TIMES [Academy Museum]
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (John Williams) [Alamo Drafthouse]
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT [Academy Museum]
THE THIEF AND THE COBBLER [Academy Museum]
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Elmer Bernstein) [Los Feliz 3]
VANISHING POINT, DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY (Jimmie Haskell) [New Beverly]
THINGS I'VE HEARD, READ, SEEN OR WATCHED LATELY
Heard: Bound (Davis); Here We Are (Sondheim); It's My Party (Poledouris); Tom and Jerry & Tex Avery Too! Vol. 1: The 1950s (Bradley); Lilies (Danna); Bank Robber Music Compilation 14.5 (Glass); Love and Death on Long Island (Insects/Grassby-Lewis); Love! Valour! Compassion! (Wheeler); Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (Lazar, various); Gods and Monsters (Burwell); High Art (Shudder to Think); The Object of My Affection (Fenton); The Opposite of Sex (Daring); Velvet Goldmine (Burwell, various); Purple Noon (Rota); All About My Mother (Iglesias); Wim Wenders' Roadmusic (Knieper); Filmmusik (Larson); The Velocity of Gary (Angell); Billy Elliot (Warbeck); Stranger Inside (Danna/Lockington)
Read: The Tower, by Richard Martin Stern
Seen: The Dead Don't Hurt; Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes; Boogie Nights: In a Violent Nature; Los Angeles Plays Itself; Carol; Atlas [2024]
Watched: Heat Wave [1954]; UFO ("Sub-Smash"); Hot Rods to Hell; Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ("Memento Mori"); Action! ("One Easy Piece"); Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
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