New Classic Movie Scores, Books for Tots and More
Burbank, California—One need not be a fan of the literary-themed pictures to enjoy the first two recordings from Tribute Film Classics (TFC), a new label premiering with a couple of definitive compact disc editions of composer Bernard Herrmann's scores for Mysterious Island and Fahrenheit 451. The CDs alone are impressive.
Besides the score for Francois Truffaut's 1966 adaptation of a novel about a totalitarian regime that bans books, Universal's Fahrenheit 451, TFC offers the complete 61-track score for Mysterious Island. The release includes entire cue cuts, with notes by TFC principal William Stromberg, who conducted the Moscow Symphony Orchestra's performance, and TFC co-founders Anna (Mrs. Stromberg) Bonn and John Morgan. Their approach is admirably meticulous.
The 1961 adventure classic, Mysterious Island (Columbia Pictures), based on the novel by French writer Jules Verne, features two Union prisoners of war (POWs) who escape in a hot-air balloon during the American Civil War. They drift to the titular fantasy isle, encountering giant creatures, a volcano, an earthquake, a honeycomb and another famous Verne character, Captain Nemo (Mr. Verne's Mysterious Island is a sequel to his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea).
Mr. Herrmann's memorable music accentuates the movie's thrills and the accompanying 32-page booklet is more intelligent and informative than most books, with time stamps and notes on chords, instruments and scenes. That doesn't really do this labor of love, which must be seen to be appreciated, justice. The same caliber of top production values is present on TFC's booklet for Mr. Herrmann's complete Fahrenheit 451 score, which includes notes from author Ray Bradbury and composer Christopher Young. Both CDs are a rare accomplishment in today's movie-related products: they take motion pictures—their artists, scores and history—seriously.
Producers
Taking movies seriously defines two British-born artists who died this week, actor Paul Scofield (1922-2008) and writer, producer and director Anthony Minghella, who was 54. Mr. Minghella made thoughtful, story-driven movies—Cold Mountain, The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley —while Mr. Scofield made rare, momentous movies about men embroiled in life-changing moral crises. In his most famous role, for which he won the Best Actor Oscar, Mr. Scofield portrayed Sir Thomas More in the excellent adaptation of Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons. He was the noble, intellectual father in Robert Redford's compelling Quiz Show. He was a witch trial judge in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Unlike many of today's esteemed actors, he did not play parts beneath his ability, and, like Anthony Minghella, Paul Scofield leaves behind a relatively small number of distinctive motion pictures.
Books
Most of those movies—Fahrenheit 451, Mysterious Island, Cold Mountain, A Man for All Seasons—are based on books, which continue to fuel Hollywood's most interesting pictures. On the other hand, Disney is doing the reverse; turning to its movies to publish new books. The studio's Disney Press has introduced a line of books called Bunnies.
These are a few books featuring an iconic movie character named Thumper from Walt Disney's 1941 animated classic, Bambi. The CD-sized print editions, using pastel colors with a tactile approach aimed at pre-schoolers, are nicely illustrated by Lori Tyminski and Giorgio Vallorani. Thumper's Fluffy Tail ($6.99) follows Bambi's energetic best friend through the forest as he chases a butterfly—he doesn't eat the insect—allowing the child to feel nature's elements and to touch Thumper's coat and tail.
For the same price, kids can hold the waterproof Thumper Makes a Splash in the tub and track the boisterous rabbit as he chases a frog and ponders whether to cool off with some ducks. A third book, the hide-and-seek-themed A Surprise for Thumper ($5.99), in which he looks for his younger sisters (also seen in the movie), features a flap on each thickened page. Watching Bambi on DVD might make for a smooth transition to introducing a young child to reading these wispy tales about Thumper, a delightful character who's as bright as a sunny, spring day.
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RELATED LINKS
• Scott Holleran Column Index
• CD - Mysterious Island soundtrack
• CD - Fahrenheit 451 soundtrack
Besides the score for Francois Truffaut's 1966 adaptation of a novel about a totalitarian regime that bans books, Universal's Fahrenheit 451, TFC offers the complete 61-track score for Mysterious Island. The release includes entire cue cuts, with notes by TFC principal William Stromberg, who conducted the Moscow Symphony Orchestra's performance, and TFC co-founders Anna (Mrs. Stromberg) Bonn and John Morgan. Their approach is admirably meticulous.
The 1961 adventure classic, Mysterious Island (Columbia Pictures), based on the novel by French writer Jules Verne, features two Union prisoners of war (POWs) who escape in a hot-air balloon during the American Civil War. They drift to the titular fantasy isle, encountering giant creatures, a volcano, an earthquake, a honeycomb and another famous Verne character, Captain Nemo (Mr. Verne's Mysterious Island is a sequel to his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea).
Mr. Herrmann's memorable music accentuates the movie's thrills and the accompanying 32-page booklet is more intelligent and informative than most books, with time stamps and notes on chords, instruments and scenes. That doesn't really do this labor of love, which must be seen to be appreciated, justice. The same caliber of top production values is present on TFC's booklet for Mr. Herrmann's complete Fahrenheit 451 score, which includes notes from author Ray Bradbury and composer Christopher Young. Both CDs are a rare accomplishment in today's movie-related products: they take motion pictures—their artists, scores and history—seriously.
Producers
Taking movies seriously defines two British-born artists who died this week, actor Paul Scofield (1922-2008) and writer, producer and director Anthony Minghella, who was 54. Mr. Minghella made thoughtful, story-driven movies—Cold Mountain, The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley —while Mr. Scofield made rare, momentous movies about men embroiled in life-changing moral crises. In his most famous role, for which he won the Best Actor Oscar, Mr. Scofield portrayed Sir Thomas More in the excellent adaptation of Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons. He was the noble, intellectual father in Robert Redford's compelling Quiz Show. He was a witch trial judge in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Unlike many of today's esteemed actors, he did not play parts beneath his ability, and, like Anthony Minghella, Paul Scofield leaves behind a relatively small number of distinctive motion pictures.
Books
Most of those movies—Fahrenheit 451, Mysterious Island, Cold Mountain, A Man for All Seasons—are based on books, which continue to fuel Hollywood's most interesting pictures. On the other hand, Disney is doing the reverse; turning to its movies to publish new books. The studio's Disney Press has introduced a line of books called Bunnies.
These are a few books featuring an iconic movie character named Thumper from Walt Disney's 1941 animated classic, Bambi. The CD-sized print editions, using pastel colors with a tactile approach aimed at pre-schoolers, are nicely illustrated by Lori Tyminski and Giorgio Vallorani. Thumper's Fluffy Tail ($6.99) follows Bambi's energetic best friend through the forest as he chases a butterfly—he doesn't eat the insect—allowing the child to feel nature's elements and to touch Thumper's coat and tail.
For the same price, kids can hold the waterproof Thumper Makes a Splash in the tub and track the boisterous rabbit as he chases a frog and ponders whether to cool off with some ducks. A third book, the hide-and-seek-themed A Surprise for Thumper ($5.99), in which he looks for his younger sisters (also seen in the movie), features a flap on each thickened page. Watching Bambi on DVD might make for a smooth transition to introducing a young child to reading these wispy tales about Thumper, a delightful character who's as bright as a sunny, spring day.
$
RELATED LINKS
• Scott Holleran Column Index
• CD - Mysterious Island soundtrack
• CD - Fahrenheit 451 soundtrack
