SOUNDTRACKS
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Soundtracks are a lot more than movie music...
...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre. So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category. Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations. You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks. In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre. So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category. Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations. You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks. In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
Film composer Leigh Harline was at the end of a long, interesting career when
producer/director George Pal hired him to write the music for what would be his last feature
film, the 1964 oddity 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Now Harline’s charming, idiosyncratic music for the
film has been released as part of the Film Score Monthly’s line-up of pristine and
meticulously remastered scores. The FSM release, as usual, includes not only an expanded
version of the score with bonus tracks but a detailed, lavishly illustrated booklet that gets in-
depth about both the making of the film and its composer. There’s also a track by track
description that breaks down the score, cue by cue, and ties the music to the action on the
screen.
7 Faces offered Tony Randall the chance to play seven different characters that make up the
fantastic, magical circus of Dr. Lao (although, according to the booklet, one of the
characters, the Abominable Snowman, who doesn’t speak and has his face is a mask was
played by a stunt man). Set in a struggling town in the Old West, Dr. Lao’s circus –
complete with Medusa, Merlin the Magician, Pan, and assorted others – arrives just in time to
help the inhabitants learn much needed life lessons. The result is not quite for children and
perhaps a little too sugary for adults but for devotees like myself, it's the perfect Sunday
afternoon "family classics" type fare.
Harline’s score, not surprisingly, bridges the typical music of the Old West and the Far East.
Thus, a hurdy gurdy is used repeatedly to instantly transport one back to the era of cowboys
and Indians while typical Oriental instruments and a distinctly Oriental flavored melody
serves as Dr. Lao’s theme. There is also a perky early 60s quality to the score that is very
much a delightful product of its time. The many unusual characters of the circus also allows
Harline to compose distinct themes for each – thus, Appolonius, the fortune teller forced to
reveal the sad truth, is given a somber yet beautiful theme, while Pan is given a pan flute to
trill upon and excite the town widow (a comely Barbara Eden pre-I Dream of Jeanie).
Standout tracks include “Pan’s Dance” (and a piano only version in the bonus tracks is also a
nice addition), “Appolonius Sad,” “Magic Word/Philosopher” and “Mike Comforts Merlin” in
which the widow’s young son, desperate to believe in the magic of the circus, soothes the
ancient conjurer after he has failed to impress the assembled crowds. Best is Harline’s
peppy theme for Dr. Lao – heard in myriad variations throughout the disc – which is
introduced at the beginning of the picture as the wizened Lao makes his way into town.
Harline had begun his career working for Disney and its fitting that this last feature is a
combination of whimsy, fantasy and morality tale that his old boss would have probably liked
a great deal. As with all FSM releases (The Swimmer was another) – these are limited to
3,000 copies – so get those orders in quickly. These won’t last.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't forget to check out previous soundtrack recommendations by visiting the ARCHIVES
Next Recommendation: TBA
producer/director George Pal hired him to write the music for what would be his last feature
film, the 1964 oddity 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Now Harline’s charming, idiosyncratic music for the
film has been released as part of the Film Score Monthly’s line-up of pristine and
meticulously remastered scores. The FSM release, as usual, includes not only an expanded
version of the score with bonus tracks but a detailed, lavishly illustrated booklet that gets in-
depth about both the making of the film and its composer. There’s also a track by track
description that breaks down the score, cue by cue, and ties the music to the action on the
screen.
7 Faces offered Tony Randall the chance to play seven different characters that make up the
fantastic, magical circus of Dr. Lao (although, according to the booklet, one of the
characters, the Abominable Snowman, who doesn’t speak and has his face is a mask was
played by a stunt man). Set in a struggling town in the Old West, Dr. Lao’s circus –
complete with Medusa, Merlin the Magician, Pan, and assorted others – arrives just in time to
help the inhabitants learn much needed life lessons. The result is not quite for children and
perhaps a little too sugary for adults but for devotees like myself, it's the perfect Sunday
afternoon "family classics" type fare.
Harline’s score, not surprisingly, bridges the typical music of the Old West and the Far East.
Thus, a hurdy gurdy is used repeatedly to instantly transport one back to the era of cowboys
and Indians while typical Oriental instruments and a distinctly Oriental flavored melody
serves as Dr. Lao’s theme. There is also a perky early 60s quality to the score that is very
much a delightful product of its time. The many unusual characters of the circus also allows
Harline to compose distinct themes for each – thus, Appolonius, the fortune teller forced to
reveal the sad truth, is given a somber yet beautiful theme, while Pan is given a pan flute to
trill upon and excite the town widow (a comely Barbara Eden pre-I Dream of Jeanie).
Standout tracks include “Pan’s Dance” (and a piano only version in the bonus tracks is also a
nice addition), “Appolonius Sad,” “Magic Word/Philosopher” and “Mike Comforts Merlin” in
which the widow’s young son, desperate to believe in the magic of the circus, soothes the
ancient conjurer after he has failed to impress the assembled crowds. Best is Harline’s
peppy theme for Dr. Lao – heard in myriad variations throughout the disc – which is
introduced at the beginning of the picture as the wizened Lao makes his way into town.
Harline had begun his career working for Disney and its fitting that this last feature is a
combination of whimsy, fantasy and morality tale that his old boss would have probably liked
a great deal. As with all FSM releases (The Swimmer was another) – these are limited to
3,000 copies – so get those orders in quickly. These won’t last.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't forget to check out previous soundtrack recommendations by visiting the ARCHIVES
Next Recommendation: TBA
| The Cover of FSM's latest spectacular release and composer Leigh Harline back when he was working for Disney. |
