CD / DVD / Blu-ray Reviews
23 February 2003
Geoff Leonard
Right, I’ve now got all the first wave of Bond soundtrack re-issues, so it’s time for my overview. And I won’t be in the slightest influenced by the fact that I had to pay VAT (even though they were labelled as coming from Germany) on my parcel from Amazon!
First of all I can only agree with all those who’ve already said how wonderful the new music is and what an improvement there is in the overall sound. In fact, given the age of some of the masters I doubt we could have expected anything better, so well done to all concerned. I’m not going to carp about the sequencing of the extra music since that has been explained elsewhere as being a legal requirement of some kind. I find it quite baffling but am willing to accept it. I’m not going to analyse all the tracks since many others have already done so. But I will highlight DAF & OHMSS as producing moments I had completely forgotten about or maybe never heard properly in the first place. It is truly like listening to new albums!
Obviously the music is of paramount importance. In fact, many people would say it’s all that matters and I have some sympathy with that view. But only some sympathy. Because if you are going to take on a job like this, you should make every effort to get it *all* done properly. If you haven’t got the time, then pass and recommend somebody else. I’m referring to the packaging. Quite frankly, it isn’t good enough and in my opinion sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison with the music.
Firstly the covers, or the front page of the booklets. I understand EMI had to borrow Jon Burlingame’s original LPs in order to be able to re-create this original artwork. That’s fine and they turned out OK, but was it absolutely necessary to re-create the originals? After all, EMI were working with MGM on this project and I was told had full access to their photo archives. Surely they could have created something new or at least different. Incidentally, in thanking him, they spelt Jon’s name as John throughout every single CD!
Then there are the other typos. Granted, we all make occasional typos, even Play It Again releases usually had at least one error! But we got the names of the artists and the tracks right. What is so difficult about Matt Monro? On the original LP it was Matt Monroe and now it is Matt Munro. And Kerin Bey instead of Kerim Bey, The Chase Bond Theme instead of The Chase Bomb Theme, Afganistan instead of Afghanistan, for example. That’s just some of the obvious ones.
Now, Pete Walker, Gareth Bramley and I were asked to produce chart positions, studios, engineers, musicians etc., for the booklet. In most cases these were utilised. Not, however, in the case of Octopussy, FYEO and TLD. Why not? Well, apparently because they decided to save money and reproduce the original Ryko booklets. But hold on, they did make *some* changes. Like the back cover and the list of ‘thanks’. So what was the big deal which prevented them from including the above info? There was plenty of room. And whilst on the subject of Ryko, it would have been nice to have been told in advance that EMI were going to use the notes Pete and I wrote for The Living Daylights and the notes I co-wrote (so say) with Lukas Kendall for Octopussy. Then we could have made some adjustments in view of the time which has elapsed since they were written. For instance, the notes for Octopussy begin: "At 35 years, with 17 feature films to date …..".
Photographs. Again, slightly disappointing in many cases since they are often poorly reproduced, too dark etc. Some from Diamonds are Forever are actually displayed as a mirror image! At EMI’s request, we supplied them with many photos of John Barry, Vic Flick etc., many of which were free to use. As far as I can see not a single one has been used, though obviously the second batch of CDs have yet to be released. But interesting though the film photos are, they don’t include too many we haven’t already seen and this is a soundtrack album. Wouldn’t photos of the composers and singers be more relevant?
Liner notes. I must be careful here as I don’t want it to sound like sour grapes in that I wasn’t asked to write anything myself (apart from the two I wasn’t told I was doing). However, although Jeff Bond’s summaries are very good, I think in the circumstances (the films being so well-known) he should have written more about the music and less about the plot. Or something about the composer, music and plot. When Pete and I were writing liner notes for, say, Castle, the subject matter was often so obscure (‘May Morning’ anybody?) we felt justified in spending time on the plot, especially as in many cases we knew nothing about the music or much about the composer at the time of writing. But the Bond composers and music? Come on!!!
No, despite the wonderful music, I feel this is a job done only 75% right. No one can persuade me that a company of the size of EMI could not afford a few more dollars for better looking booklets. Let’s be honest, the Octopussy & TLD booklets were awful in that foldout format. It was a great opportunity to put it right.
Finally, John Barry. Was he consulted about this project? I see no thanks to him so I assume not. I just wondered if he might have a copy of the Moonraker masters, for example, since he was at the recording sessions in Paris. Somehow I cannot see him travelling back to America without them! I think it’s always advisable to contact the composers in cases like these. You never know what extra info they might produce.
Geoff Leonard.
Andy Dickenson
22 February 2003
Not to be beaten this time, I was able to get hold of Thunderball and You Only Live Twice at Cinema Store before they sold out. Worth the extra to avoid the wait. Since I've always fancied a sort of review, I thought I'd share my reactions with you (as nobody else has beat me to it, yet!)
Another reason is that You Only Live Twice holds a special place in my heart. In many ways it's one of my favourite Bonds. I just like the bigness and the outrageousness and have a fondness for all things oriental. And in some ways it's my favourite Barry Bond. Add to that it would have been the first Bond that I remember seeing in the cinema at the tender age of 9.
I haven't listened to the original YOLT tracks yet, but checked to see if the gunbarrell was preceeding Capsule in Space. It isn't. Strange this, as it was done on OHMSS. Time or technical reasons, I wonder?
The bonus stuff (timings are approximate and are derived from me remembering to look at my walkman at the right moment!)
13 James Bond in Japan
At 10.50 a very long piece, which comprises the pre-credits stuff (minus Capsule), the funeral at sea and subsequent Japan walkabout. Also the stuff to do with Henderson and Osato's place. This is a very varied suite and covers a lot of screen time. But it holds together musically extremely well and seems shorter. This track alone proves why it's such an accomplished score. Hard for people to sequence thought, given the gunbarrel addition.
14 Aki, Tiger and Osato
5.42 Begins with an alternate, unused 'Kobe' type arrangement of the theme. Goes on to include Bond's 'capture' by Tanaka, the bath and massage and his return to Osato chemicals. The massage bit is very sensuous and mysterious. A real 'goose pimple' piece.
15 Little Nellie
3.44 speaks for itself. All of the Little Nellie music. A great version of 007. Together with snippets of the Bond theme earlier, reminds one of how little these were represented on the original album.
16 Soviet Capsule
2.04 Differs only slightly from Capsule in Space (shorter). Useful for completists!
17 Spectre and Village
3.44 Actually begins with the descent of the Soviet capsule. Then we have the exciting Piranha bit before going into the Ninja assassin sequence, Bond's transformation and the delicate and affecting 'nightfall' music when Tanaka announces the change of launch date. Very satisfying mix.
18 James Bond - Ninja
7.06 Bond's volcano incursion, knock-out of the astronauts and the crater guns. On into the 'smoking gun' and then..... a very peculiar and funny 'coda' which is difficult to imagine anywhere in the film! You have to hear it to judge. Just a few seconds.
19 Twice is the only Way to Live
2.49 This was on the UK vinyl version and is, for the most part, the same as the vocal end music but with a lush instrumental replacing Nancy! The ending is both peaceful and then triumphant! An achievement.
Altogether, like Diamonds, the pleasure of the score doubles with this expanded version, as does the realisation of the versatility of the music. Unlike Diamonds though, the original was a full and satisfying classic in it's own right. I remember getting the vinyl import (which I still have).
What listening to this made me think was ... how the editing of the music came/comes about. Someone has spoken of a 'musical advisor' brought in by Saltzman. Was it this person? Or Barry? Or Gilbert? But is striking how bits of the score are lifted and inserted into the film at odd moments. Sometimes clumsily. And there is the music not used in the film. If this is at all to do with Gilbert, then it makes one wonder if there are unheard gems in the Moonraker masters.
Altogether a lush, sensual, lyrical yet action-packed score. Wonderful to have. I know Barry doesn't waste much effort examining his approach to these films, but I for one would be fascinated to know what 'turns him on' about certain Bonds (and vice versa) given the terrific turns for such widely different films as Thunderball, OHMSS, YOLT, Diamonds and Moonraker.
That's what I would request Geoff to try and delve into.
All best, everyone. Get it as soon as you can and enjoy! The only sadness is that that's it..... for now!
Andy Dickenson
Matt Manning
7 February, 2003
I shall now attempt, as far as I'm aware, something of an internet scoop - a review of the expanded OHMSS. Just spent the whole night listening and re-listening to it and I'll start by confidentally proclaiming this CD to be one of THE greatest John Barry CD's there has ever been!
As you know, they've kept the original abum sequence followed by the previoulsy unreleased cues. To my surprise, I discovered they have expanded 4 of the tracks in the original album sequence - "This Never Happened To The Other Fella" (which now begins with the gunbarrel logo Bond music), "Ski Chase" (which extends to the music immediately after the avalanche), "Over & Out" (which, instead of fading out, goes the full distance to the brassy punchy end) and "Journey To Blofeld's Hideaway" which is complete (the "We Have All The Time In The World" march which cuts in half-way through on the original album is now the second half of the new track "Journey To Draco's Hideaway". Following me so far? Good!)
As if the unreleased sections of score now appearing in clear, crisp magnificent CD sound quality wasn't good enough, many of these bonus tracks feature music we've never heard before EVER! "Bond Settles In" (when Bond is being shown his room at Piz Gloria) extends far longer than what we hear in the film (with echoy, tinkering piano a la "The Last Deadfall"). "Dusk At Piz Gloria" is completely new and "Bobsled Chase" is in its entirety. The brilliant "Gumbold's Safe" also features a short moment never heard before (presumably meant for when Bond steps out onto the balcony to collect the safecracker) and it was worth staying alive this long to finally hear this superb track on CD.
The cable-car section of "Blofeld's Plot" sounds like it has been edited down but all the musical ideas present in the film cue are here (you'll hear what I mean). As far as I can tell, the only previously unreleased cue NOT present is the ice-rink waltz (when Bond is chased into the village and Tracey rescues him). I'd hazard a guess that they decided not to include this 'source cue' so they could squeeze ALL of the dramatic score onto the disc which, incidentally, runs for 79 minutes and 48 seconds.
The front covers are the same as the original albums but the CD case spines are seethru and black (sporting the words "James Bond 007 remastered") and obviously the back covers are different now with the new tracklistings.
Well now you can set your minds at ease. This CD is as great as it should be. It was worth the wait!!!
I'll spend all of TOMORROW night going through "Diamonds Are Forever"!
Matt
Matt Manning
8 February 2003
After the sheer delight of finding the expanded OHMSS to be as good as I (and indeed ALL of us) had hoped it would be, I was expecting an equally fantastic ride with the new DAF and wasn't disappointed. Basically, everything you're hoping with this CD has been met, ALL the music you've been waiting for is now here so instead of me waffling on about how good each track is (you all know how good it is!) here's just a run-down of how they've structured this new CD (with some humble comments and conclusion from me).
Again we have the original album sequence followed by the bonus material and they have added new music to 6 of the original album tracks. Right from the word go as well: the Shirley Basey song is the one heard in the film opening with the huge clash of brass before gradually settling into the song proper. (The remastered sound unearths some extra instrumentaion I never knew was there before!)
"Bond Meets Bambi & Thumper" extends to the fight music as they throw him into the swimming pool (yes, at last, THAT long-lost fight music: you're gonna get no less than 3 renditions of it on this album).
"Moon Buggy Ride" now begins with Bond stealing the moon buggy from the astronaunt-training stage.
"Death At The Whyte House" opens with the eerie 'mountaineering outside the Whyte House' music.
What was previously just a second instrumental of the main theme is now "Diamonds Are Forever (Bond and Tiffany)" which bookcases the cruise ship lounge piece with the Wint & Kidd motif and the climatic fight between them and Bond.
And "To Hell With Blofeld" encompasses ALL of the music from the oil rig scenes before launching into the old "007" climatic battle music. Even before getting onto the rest of the bonus stuff, this new version of the old album alone demonstrates how gobsmackingly CRAP the score was represented on the original release!!!
The titles of the bonus tracks are all pretty much self-explanatory - what you think they might be, they ARE! ALL the music is there! "Slumber Inc." incoporates all the wonderfully delirious cremetorium music (the first time a choir was used in a Bond score?) and listening to it up-close makes me convinced it's "Mary - Queen Of Scots" in disguise!
The "Additional and Alternate Cue" track comprises of Wint & Kidd visiting Mrs. Whistler, an alternate "Bond Meets Bambi & Thumper" and alternate escape music after "Moon Buggy Ride" followed by source music from the Circus Circus scene (Tiffany at the shoot-the-balloon stand and even the metamorphosising gorilla cage! Yeeees!).
Hearing all this together on the same CD, I was struck for the first time by how wildly varying and tongue-in-cheek the whole score is (all that jazzy casino music, the quasi-religious cremetorium music, the Circus Circus music, the fights, the chases, the sex, the outer space music) and yet how superbly it all seems pulled together as a coherent whole! DAF is a score that demonstrates how amazingly versatile but, at the same time, unmistakably unique Barry could be under one roof!
Matt.
Enigma review
14 April 2002
Soundtrack Net review of Enigma
23 May 2002
Geoff Leonard
15 June, 2002
Next month Silva Screen are to issue the first ever UK CD release of The Ipcress File and I'm fortunate enough to own a pre-release copy of it.
One wondered how different it would be from the expensive Japanese release, but I'm very, very pleased with it.
The sound is certainly improved (the Jap CD turns out to have been remastered from vinyl) and not only that, there has been a slight adjustment in the running order of the tracks so the number of 'Man Alone' cues are broken up somewhat. 'Goodbye Harry' has been rejoined (the way it originally was on the UK LP).
There are some dialogue clips. Now, I already know this will be disliked by some people but, in my opinion, they work really well - in fact, far more so than the kind of thing we heard on some of those Ryko releases. They actually help towards creating the atmosphere and appreciating the story-line of the film, and, as such, were well-chosen. There is even a secret bonus track - something I asked for but didn't expect to get!! For those who really just want to hear the music, well, it's easy enough to programme out the dialogue.
The booklet. This is something of a departure, too, since it's not the normal glossy paper affair. Virtually all black and white contents within, I'm sure deliberately, it really does enhance the idea of a secret 'dossier'. There are details about the original book, the making of the film, details of the cast and the music.
I feel sure all John Barry fans will buy it anyway, but more importantly it should have more general appeal. I can see magazines like Mojo, Empire and Loaded etc., loving it. This is good news because if it does well, maybe we shall see 'Tamarind Seed' at long last - Carlton being the same licensing company involved.
Geoff Leonard
(by James Southall)
Attractive but surprisingly uninspired-sounding thriller score.
John Barry fans have for many years had to deal with taunts that all of his scores are alike, a notion that is of course ludicrous. But the signs are that finally he has succumbed to the ultimate laziness because his two 2001 projects, Enigma and the concept album Eternal Echoes are so predictable that it's difficult to get as excited about them as about new Barry works in previous years. Enigma should be the most inspiring film for Barry in ages - a spy thriller with an element of romance, it seems like the sort of movie he is born to score. But we get music that is so familiar, it is very difficult to see why Barry got so excited about scoring the film - surely if he had been that excited, he would have written something that would have reflected the energy and enthusiasm he had for the project?
While scores like Mercury Rising hardly set the world alight, this was essentially put down to the fact that Barry just wasn't inspired by the material, but quite frankly if he doesn't get inspired by Enigma then it is hard to see him ever getting that spark of inspiration for a project that has provided three of the best scores of the 1990s (and his career) in Dances with Wolves, Chaplin and Playing by Heart.
There is nothing wrong with the music, dramatically note-perfect for the movie. It's just that it sounds like recycled music from The Living Daylights and Mercury Rising and not like something Barry really cared about. The love theme is very pleasant but very minor in the annals of similar themes the composer has penned for other movies - a piano solo is accompanied by the usual wash of strings, but it's less pleasant and less memorable than even things like Simon's Theme from Mercury Rising or the theme from Indecent Proposal . Slightly more interesting is the version performed without the piano in "Is That What Happened?" Trivia note: the theme has exactly the same chord progression as Hans Zimmer's theme from Pearl Harbour but, even though the album is only now being released for Enigma , Barry wrote his theme long before Zimmer started work. It seems a bizarre coincidence that two film composers could have written virtually identical themes for movies about World War II in the same year.
Barry plays the tension and suspense in his usual way, with very simple brass ostinatos and gradually-building string accompaniment. Best is "The Convoy", almost six minutes long and by far the most impressive cue of its type on the album. Aside from this, there are basically just a series of repeats of the main theme, with very little variation. Yes, it is very pleasant, but no it is not pleasant enough to warrant such repetition without anything being done to it.
Ultimately, despite the complaints, Barry is a superb musical craftsman and it is great to see him back in the business after such a long period has elapsed since his previous score. After a string of rejected scores (one of which, Goodbye Lover, reportedly features heavily in Enigma ) and fall-outs with directors, it is good that he found a director with whom he did not have a problem working; bad, though, that he was hired pretty much without the consent of the director, whose choice of composer was David Arnold. Enigma is a good album, a good score, but the inspiration that formed the basis for all of Barry's best works just seems to have deserted him, and really there's nothing new here at all.
Robin and Marion (1976) is one of three simultaneously issued re- recordings of scores by John Barry on the Silva Screen label, the other two being The Lion in Winter (1968) and The Last Valley (1970). As the title suggests, the film tells the love story of Robin Hood and Maid Marion, but is a sequel of kinds, recounting events twenty years after the famous tales. It is a romantic, melancholy tale, and despite starring Sean Connery, Audry Hepburn, Richard Harris and Robert Shaw, failed to find an audience. There is a direct link to The Lion in Winter, the best of the three scores re-recorded by Silva, and indeed, the finest score Barry has ever composed, in that both films were written by James Goldman. Barry's music, while highly effective with the film itself, is not as effective an experience in isolation as the score for the earlier picture. The problem may be that it was a replacement, written in three weeks, when the original score by Michel Legrand was rejected by producer Ray Stark. Barry's score itself was partly reworked, with the American composer Richard Shores re-scoring some of the action music and reorchestrating Barry's 'riding motif'. This new album includes both Shores' rearrangements and Barry's original music in two versions of 'The Ride to Sherwood/The Ride to Nottingham'. The album also includes the Barry cues 'Over the Wall/Escape', replaced in the film by 'Trapped,' the one original cue written by Shore. It is obvious to anyone that Barry's work is superior, having a greater artfulness and subtlety. Inevitably Barry's famed romantic strings are much in evidence, though the melodic heart of the score is most memorably carried on a selection of wind instruments, flute, oboe, bassoon. The action cues are dominated by simple drumming, carrying a fatalistic portent and dramatic urgency. The central love theme has a beautiful poignancy yet is somehow not as memorable as the composer's very finest romantic melodies. It may be that the very obscurity of this score (there has never been an official soundtrack release) has elevated it in the minds of those who have not seen the film for a long time, so that as a self-contained album it somehow fails to inspire. Well crafted certainly, but not essential Barry. The performances are good, though the digital sound is so perfect it lacks a little character, missing that distinctive 1970's sound which made such Barry soundtrack albums as King Kong (1976) such a pleasure.
Gary S. Dalkin
Mark Hockley adds:
- After a score written by Michel Legrand was rejected by the film's producers, Oscar winning composer John Barry was brought in to save the day. Of course, without having the opportunity to listen to Legrand's original music, it's impossible to say whether Barry's contribution was an improvement. But whatever the case, to be frank this is not one of his more notable compositions, allowing for the fact that the music is never anything less than agreeable. Although the actual 'Main Title' is surprisingly dissonant and atmospheric, the true central theme is first introduced on 'The Ride to Sherwood/The Ride to Nottingham (Film Version)', a very typical Barry piece of melodic, lyrical romanticism, here incorporating a jaunty rhythm with plenty of percussive energy. However, this version was rearranged by Richard Shores in a higher key than Barry intended (at the request of those demanding producers), making it both a good deal livelier and lighter than the original (a version of which is also included on the disk). Certainly the original take is more sedate, but for me it works far better in the quieter moments, the orchestration more emotive and affecting. Setting aside this artistic discrepancy, the rest of the work is entirely dominated by this key theme, although more often than not it appears in more genteel romantic form ('First Love Theme', 'Second Love Theme' etc.) and these incarnations are very much in the composer's Somewhere in Time style, although unquestionably that wonderful theme was vastly superior. Even so, it's all still quite likeable in a refined and sweet-natured way. In other places we encounter this theme in more subtle variations, as with the pastoral 'Dawn in Sherwood', while what remains elsewhere only amounts to a few brassy, reasonably suspenseful pieces such as 'In the Church/This Way' and 'In Position/Preparation For Battle' and although these are effective enough they never really rise above being merely satisfactory. On the bonus side the sleeve notes are quite informative, although there is one amusing gaff when the credits proclaim that Will Scarlet was played by none other than Will Scarlett! A case of real typecasting it would seem (actually the role was performed by Denholm Elliott). Indeed, it's worth noting that this film featured some truly outstanding actors (Sean Connery, Nicol Williamson, Robert Shaw, Richard Harris and Ian Holm). The problem with this score and it applies to so many others, is its over reliance on a single motif. I've said it before and will no doubt say it on a regular basis in the future, but after a while even the most attractive theme can lose its appeal. The music ultimately lacks the depth and overall emotional texture that gives so much of Barry's best work real resonance. All the same, as with most of the output from this particular composer, there are always pleasing moments and it makes for a solidly enjoyable listening experience. Just don't expect this to figure near the top of your list of John Barry favourites.
Mark Hockley
Deeply personal account of Robin Hood legend Robin Hood has appeared in cinemas many times: his most prominent appearances were in cinema's earlier days, when Erich Wolfgang Korngold applied his unmistakable style to Errol Flynn's swashbuckling antics; and then in more modern times, when Michael Kamen's thematically-strong but obviously-rushed action score accompanied Kevin Costner, supping with his father in 'Notting-HAM'. In the mid-70s, an oft-overlooked (not, it has to be said, without reason) take on the Robin Hood legend was released. Directed by Richard Lester and starring the dream partnership of Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn, this time the film tried to be more serious and was set in the latter years of Robin Hood and Maid Marian.
Providing the score was John Barry. The politics that preceded that decision still rankle the parties involved today: director Lester hired French composer Michel Legrand to write the score for his movie but, after it was recorded, the movie's producer decided it wasn't commercial enough so turned instead to Barry, who had written music for Lester in the past but this time was very much hired against his will. To this day Lester mentions how much he hates Barry's score; he must be the only person who does. Barry is also never slow to aim a quick aside at Lester.
It hardly needs me to say that Barry emphasises the romantic aspects of the story above any other, but what may surprise listeners is just how incredibly dark much of the score is. The characters are in turmoil and Barry, always one to delve into the emotions of the characters in any movie he is scoring, represents this by his sometimes-brooding music. There is also a share of action music (more than would be expected in a Barry score) that is precisely written and orchestrated and very exciting.
Despite only having two weeks in which to write his score, the producer still found time to dislike certain aspects of Barry's music and tv composer Richard Shores was drafted in to write some generic action music for a couple of scenes. There is no coherent explanation for why this could have been. (One Shores cue appears on this recording and sounds very out-of-place - I wish it had been excluded.)
The cornerstone of Barry's score is his love theme, considered by his fans to be among his finest. It appears in a few variations, most poignantly in the very last cue on the album. It really is very beautiful, more restrained than similar pieces penned by the composers in more recent years, and arguably all the better for it. This recording is new, with the City of Prague Philharmonic conducted as ever by Nic Raine. The recording is tight and the performance precise: perfect for this score. Jon Burlingame's liner notes are brilliant (he's the best in the business) and Robin and Marian is another essential entry in Silva's burgeoning Barry collection, especially given that the score has never been available in any format before.
MMMM
Review by Stephen Woolston
The troubled musical history of this film is famous. And understandable. The movie is an enjoyable affair but a narrative mess. Is it a sincere study of the sadness of old age? Is it making a nonesense of the construction of myths? Is it a good old British period comic romp? Or is it a love story? At different times it is each of these, but it doesn't know in which of these themes to rest it's final moral. It seems the creative forces involved - director Lester, writer Goldman, and producer Stark - all wanted to pull the film in different directions. Stark, in hiring John Barry to replace Michel Legrand's score, plays his ace card to finally win.
Ordinarily, a producer bringing in a composer to write a good old fashioned Hollywood romance score against the director's more profound conceptions would smack of the low brow. Barry himself is unlikely to have approached this any more profoundly than as a job of work. After all, his life was in a hurry, he had only two weeks and a producer's brief that said little more than 'don't get smart, just give me a love theme they'll remember'. Yet Barry pulls it off tremendously. His theme is one of the greatest love themes in cinema history. And the score has much more. Militaristic marches, pastorals for the country, and some dark study of the internal angers that drive the main characters. He successfully ignores the tug-of-war going on in the film to bring it the only unity the film has. This is one of those examples where, through a coherent music score, Barry most definitely improves an otherwise messy film.
The score was originally issued in short supply on a promotional LP, containing the two Barry cues that were replaced in the final film. It was, however, mono. A more recent bootleg CD was lifted from the isolated score track of the American laser disc, but this did not include the two unused tracks and presented the music with varying sound levels and crude cuts. This is a complete recording in stereo (Dolby Surround, in fact), and having the unusual advantage of being recorded from the original manuscripts, the score is captured in almost perfect form. Only in a very few places can you feel the difference. It clearly becomes the new champion for authenticity in Silva's repertoire. Jon Burlingame's notes reveal interesting facts about the score and Richard Shore's previously little known involvement. Another must-have for lovers of Barry, and for lovers of romantic film music in general.
Stephen Woolston
One of John Barry's very finest scores brought to stirring, vivid life in this new digital recording. It could be said that in some ways this is a companion piece to his Oscar winning The Lion in Winter (1968), but for me this work is even stronger in stylistic and melodic terms, but whatever your own opinion, it is undoubtedly a bold and striking soundtrack that cries out for attention and appreciation.
Right from 'The Last Valley-Main Titles (part 1)' with its sparkling Germanic choral sound, the entire score is a powerhouse of both grand operatic gravitas and sonorous beauty. While elements of this main theme can be found on many cues such 'The Rape of Khutal' and in more subdued form on 'Vogel Leaves the Valley' (one of several previously unrecorded cues included), it really does the composer great credit the way he varies his interpretations and conjures some remarkably powerful variations, particularly 'The Plague Pit', where guttural male voices lead into a tremendously affecting descending motif and the dynamic 'The Villagers Fight for the Shrine' which packs a real wallop. To contrast this moody material Barry counters with 'Entry into The Last Valley', an expressive cue in his best sensitive, romantic manner and this represents another significant theme which he uses tellingly on the low- key 'Vogel's Dream-The Last Valley' and more assertively on 'Departure From Rhinefelden' and finally utilises both of the major motifs in 'Death of Captain/End Title', where a soft, almost mournful recalling of 'Entry into the Valley' segues into a restrained version of the 'Main Title'.
Among the previously unavailable cues that appear, 'Why Not Winter in the Valley?/The Death of Eskesen' is appealingly subtle, as is the moving 'Captain Meets Erica/Winning Erica'. Add to this a number of acapella choir pieces like 'An Evening Song', 'A Children's Song' and the wonderfully evocative 'The Giving Away of the Women-An Offertory Chant' and you have a score with more than its fair share of variety and invention. And when I add that there are a number of other tracks I haven't named that are very worthy of recognition, it becomes clear that this is a rounded work of great depth and merit.
All in all, an extraordinary accomplishment by the composer, superbly performed and orchestrated, brimming with emotion and vitality, darkness and light, wonder and tragedy. If only John Barry had the opportunity to write music such as this again. That's one dream we all should share.
Mark Hockley
Gary S. Dalkin adds:
- In 1965 John Barry composed the music for Bryan Forbes screen version of James Clavell's novel, King Rat, while between 1964 and 1968 Barry scored four Michael Caine films Zulu (1964), The Ipcress File (1965), The Wrong Box (1966) and Deadfall (1968). In 1970 Clavell wrote and directed The Last Valley , which was not only to be the filmmaker's last work as a director before devoting himself to his much more successful literary career, but the final Michael Caine film which Barry has scored to date.
The film is a dark, complex philosophical story of war and adventure involving a group of mercenaries who find shelter is an isolated, peaceful valley during the Thirty Years War. It was one of the last of the 70mm films of the 1950's-1960's, the commercial failure of this and several other titles such as Ryan's Daughter (1970) killing the format. This was filmmaking on the grand scale, with Barry being given a full six months to write his score. It shows, the complete work being among the most thematically rich in all of Barry's canon, this album presenting a new recording of all the music featured on the original soundtrack LP, plus an additional approximately twenty minutes of material. Indeed, hearing this album now I have little hesitation in saying this is a work to rank only a little way behind Barry's masterpiece, The Lion in Winter (1968).
That however may be because in a sense The Last Valley is "The Lion in Winter Part II". It is again a boldly dramatic, Gothic work filled with rich choral writing - women's voices for the peace of the valley, the male chorus for the mercenaries and the war - with no less than six separate choral settings. The main title itself is a stunning martial/choral setting, full of menace and portents of things to come as the male voices take over from wordless female chorus to intone a 17th Century German lament over relentless snare. Elsewhere there is a "A Christmas Song", "A Children's Song", settings of two liturgical texts and a fragment, "The Plague Pit". Between these the lyrical beauty of "Vogel's Dream - The Last Valley", complete with as lovely a melody as Barry has written contrasts with some of the most savage music the composer has written. Against this, there are familiar 1960's Barry touches, some of the string writing, especially when accompanied by tuned percussion, is reminiscent of the early Bond scores.
Even those who don't like Barry, who consider him merely an elevated "pop" composer or someone capable of little more than lush string arrangements should find much to appreciate in this exception score. The time the composer had to work on this music is strikingly evident compared to Silva Screen's simultaneously re-recorded score for Robin and Marion (1976), a work Barry had to produce in three weeks. For Barry fans it is essential, doubly so for anyone such as myself who particularly consider The Lion in Winter to be so exceptional. The recording and performances are excellent. Incidentally, Silva Screen have also released a new recording of The Lion in Winter, coupled with a suite from Mary Queen of Scots (1971).
The Lion in Winter is a highly literate, intelligent movie set in France in 1138: starring Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, it tells the story of how Eleanor, wife of King Henry II, seeks revenge on her husband as he releases her temporarily from prison in order to name his heir to the throne from his three sons; meanwhile, they are busy plotting against each other. John Barry was already well-known by the time, having scored many Bond movies and Born Free, but must still have seemed like a strange choice to score the movie: a highly classical and refined score was required for the movie, something Barry hadn't really written up to that point. He blew away any misconceptions with his brilliant work on the movie, and deservedly won an Oscar for his troubles.
The score features by far Barry's most extensive use of choral music set to lyrics: the opening choral theme is his most portentous, and the choral writing of other cues such as "Allons Gai Gai Gai", "Eya, eya, nova gaudia" and "Media vita in morte sumus" features much variety but a consistent beauty and relevant dramatic thrust. While not up front, the chorus is still usually heard behind the orchestra, and the dramatic piece "To Rome" is nothing short of stunning, becoming one of the most influential pieces Barry has written (though it is rarely acknowledged as such). In my opinion "We're All Jungle Creatures", the finale, is the ultimate piece of Barry film music, beyond comparison with anything else he has written: he wraps up the score with one last use of the heraldic fanfare from his main theme and throws the choir into the mix for an astonishing climax.
The score has been released twice on CD before, both by Varèse Sarabande in the early days of CDs and later by Sony Legacy in 1995. Sound quality was not the best and so Silva Screen decided to augment their growing Barry collection still further, with a re-recording of the entire score, featuring the few minutes of music from the movie that did not appear on the original release. (Most notable among the "new" music is "Fanfare for Philip / The Great Hall Feast" - certainly a welcome inclusion.) I'm pleased to say that both the City of Prague Philharmonic and Crouch End Festival Chorus have done themselves proud with a superb performance, marvellously captured in the detailed recording by engineers John Timperley and Mike Ross-Trevor. Film scores don't get much better than this, and re-recordings don't get any better than this.
Also featured on the album is a 15-minute suite from Mary, Queen of Scots , another period score by Barry. Sadly it has never been released on CD in any form and therefore it would have been nice to have had a lengthier reconstruction, but we should be grateful for what we are offered and this suite is a good representation of the score as a whole. Terry Walstrom's liner notes are a step above from the norm, and ultimately I can't recommend this album enough. A true classic.
EMI 7243 5 35934 2 1
Geoff Leonard
EMI have just issued yet another John Barry compilation, this time calling it 'The Ultimate John Barry'. Of course it is far from being that, but it is a fairly interesting mix of tracks ranging from the sublime (Cutty Sark) to the ridiculous (Twelfth Street Rag). The full track listing is:
1. Walk Don't Run
2. Beat For Beatniks
3. Blues For Beatniks
4. Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White
5. Hit And Miss
6. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
7. Black Stockings
8. Get Lost Jack Frost
9. Blueberry Hill
10. Volare
11. Cutty Sark
12. Keep A Walkin'
13. I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time
14. The Stripper
15. The James Bond Theme
16. Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey
17. Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey
18. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Shirley Bassey
19. The Magnificent Seven
20. Midnight Cowboy
21. Never Let Go
22. Unchained Melody
23. Spanish Harlem
24. Twelfth Street Rag
Listening to this compilation brings home just how much Vic Flick contributed to the success of John Barry’s early career. I haven’t counted, but I reckon his guitar features prominently on two-thirds of these tracks, and is quite probably present on most of the others, too!
When I originally told John EMI was going to release his recording of ‘Unchained Melody’, he told me he had never recorded it! What he did record was a vocal version by Johnny De Little which he arranged and accompanied. The latter is included on ‘John Barry – The Hits & The Misses’, and although I’ve not compared the two, it does seem possible that he simply took his orchestral backing track and added a solo saxophone in place of the vocal.
Anyway, as I was looking through the list I saw ‘Keep A Walkin'’ as the 12th track. I knew the title but only as the 'B' side of a single released by an obscure singer called Tony Rocco, which JB did accompany back in ‘62. In fact, we included the A-side, ‘Stalemate’, on ‘The Hits & The Misses’.
So, I thought maybe there was an orchestral version of this song available, although as JB didn't write it, that seemed unlikely. On playing it, it *is* the Tony Rocco vocal but according to the credit, EMI appear to think it's a JB7 track! Maybe it’s not that important but it seems amazing to me that a company like EMI can release a CD like that, and include a wrong track. Because, I can't see how they could have meant to include it - it sticks out like a sore thumb, amongst the only other vocals – all by Shirley Bassey!!
The booklet has four pages of sleeve notes by Chris White. They are certainly good enough for a basic guide to John Barry but reveal nothing new to the committed fan. No photos are included, save for the quite striking images of John on the cover, but remember this is at best a mid-priced release.
Geoff Leonard
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