Gem for Hugo Friedhofer fans! Premiere release of music from soundtracks for three movies in Paramount catalog, circa 1947 - 1952. Capturing front cover spotlight is knockout Americana score for Tay Garnett wheat field adventure Wild Harvest, with Alan Ladd battling Robert Preston for Dorothy Lamour. Weather, fire, other dangers add to excitement. On heels of landmark, Academy Award-winning score for The Best Years Of Our Lives, Friedhofer tackles debut 1947 project for Paramount with enthusiasm, infuses his signature scoring vernacular with bristling action, vibrant energy. "Wild Harvest Prelude" remains one of composer's most exciting, brass-led main titles while following "From Grain To Wheat" sequence exudes rich, Coplandesque flavor for montage of farmers planting, harvesting grain. Pulse-racing action leads way in "Wheat On Fire". Most of score's major highlights survive courtesy acetates preserved at Brigham Young University. While some restoration was necessary due archival disc wear, no attempt was made to completely eliminate all noise, which admittedly makes disc surfaces quieter but by definition also alters string harmonics in high end and reduces crisp dynamics. Our preference is for authentic sound. No Man Of Her Own takes back cover spotlight, offers Friedhofer score for 1950 Mitchell Leisen drama with Barbara Stanwyck caught in lie that propels suspense, romance, blackmail, shootings and train wrecks. Here, composer creates darker sound world, brings abundance of tension to melodramatic events onscreen. Score presented from 2" transfers of 35mm mono mag originals vaulted at Paramount. Sandwiched between above two scores are sometimes vivid, sometimes atmospheric cues from turbulant 1952 drama Thunder In The East, directed by Charles Vidor, starring Alan Ladd, Deborah Kerr, Charles Boyer. Set in 1947, following India's independence from British rule, drama affords Friedhofer room for moments of his colorful "orientalisms" and percussive trademarks. While major highlights from first two scores are present, for Thunder In The East, small group of surviving cues sadly offer just a glimpse of depth and power Friedhofer brought to project. Happily, impressive "Prelude and Foreword" appears, as do several percussive segments. These precious few cues are also presented from 2" transfers of 35mm mono masters housed at Paramount. Booklet contains informative notes by Jim Lochner while full color reproductions of film posters enhance graphic design by Joe Sikoryak. Hugo Friedhofer composes, Irvin Talbot conducts all three scores. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!
Track listing
No Man of Her Own
01. No Man of Her Own Prelude/ London Bridge Is Falling Down (Traditional) No Man of Her Own Prologue (3:25) 02. The Story Begins/No Answer (1:40) 03. The Train Ticket (1:33) 04. Train Wreck and Hospital (2:23) 05. After the Operation (1:30) 06. The Note (1:34) 07. Memories/The Christening (1:52) 08. The Fountain Pen (0:31) 09. New Year's Eve (1:52) 10. The Telegram (1:41) 11. The Wedding Ceremony (1:18) 12. Helen's Plan, Part 1 (1:00) 13. Sorrow and First Scene (3:45) 14. The Letter (1:24) 15. End Title/End Cast (0:47)
Total Time: 26:45
Thunder in the East
16. Prelude and Foreword (2:41) 17. Proposition Ammo (1:53) 18. Steve and Moti Lal/The Walk Home, Part 1 (1:23) 19. Confiscated Cargo (1:30) 20. The Bus Tragedy (1:13) 21. Steve and Joan (3:01) 22. The Visa/The Plane Crash (1:55) 23. Steve's Payoff (4:56)
Total Time: 18:51
Wild Harvest
24. Wild Harvest Prelude/From Grain to Wheat (2:03) 25. Travel Shot (1:01) 26. Wheat on Fire (5:50) 27. Hygrading (2:52) 28. Caught/The Get Away (6:47) 29. Wild Harvest Finale/Wild Harvest Cast (0:43)
Total Time: 19:26
The Extras
30. Prelude and Foreword (Bride of Vengeance) (2:01) 31. New Year's Eve (film version) (No Man of Her Own) (1:26) 32. Flight Five (Joseph J. Lilley) (No Man of Her Own) (1:26) 33. Piano IV (The Ruby and the Pearl) (Jay Livingston & Ray Evans) (Thunder in the East) (1:12) 34. Molly Malone (No Man of Her Own) (0:57)
Total Time: 7:13
Total Disc Time: 72:34 |
