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Post by kims on Oct 19, 2023 18:20:22 GMT
I think background/incidental music is frequently over-used and sometimes repeated so often throughout a film that I either laugh or get annoyed-frankly, the HIGH NOON theme gets monotonous. Seems more true in more recent films, making films seem more like a two hour music video or an aid to cover an actor's inability to act. Most films have wonderful scores.
In the religious genre, the score is essential. I recently re-viewed AGONY AND THE ECSTACY, SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN, BEN HUR AND THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. I'm not always satisfied with the adoration moment-often played like the person is about to go into a trance. A meeting with Christ is the usual moment. But then, how do you portray the moment of divine inspiration, of increased spiritual understanding without looking like you've been mesmerized by a cult leader?
Probably underplay it a bit and depend on the background music, like Heston in Ben Hur. Then again, maybe my experiences of spiritual enlightenment have been joy, less than awe; gratitude and less a kind of paralysis.
My "hat's off" to those composers who have created just the right music for the religious genre.
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Post by topbilled on Oct 20, 2023 2:08:35 GMT
Sometimes I think the background music is added in to cover up poor sound recording and inaudible dialogue. It's cheaper to add in the music instead of going back to reshoot/re-dub the scene.
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Post by kims on Oct 20, 2023 12:28:49 GMT
That's a good idea. Maybe music is used to cover audio problems. Maybe moments I think actors mumble and the music is too loud is really sound recording problems. This is also known as rationalization of the elderly.  |
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 20, 2023 13:35:15 GMT
Also, movie themes were starting to be sought after by the recording industry, especially in the 1950's, which meant added revenue for the composers and publicity for the film. The themes from movies like A Summer Place, Exodus and The Magnificent Seven were huge hits, so moviemakers may have been inspired to repeat the themes throughout to plant them in the minds of potential consumers, whether on the radio, jukeboxes or recordings for purchase. High Noon was probably a good example of that; I remember hearing it a lot on TV variety shows. Tex Ritter sang it under the movie credits and it was recorded by other artists like Frankie Laine and Eddie Fisher (and my favorite 50's singer, Jimmie Rogers). It also won the Academy Award for Best Song, which gave moviemakers a whole other reason to saturate their movies with a marketable theme.
Miklos Rosza was particularly good at the "inspirational" genre. Ben Hur was probably his triumph, but I also liked his score and theme for King of Kings. I especially remember the theme swelling at the end, sending the audience out of the theater with a sense of uplift. My favorite of the genre was Elmer Bernstein's score for The Ten Commandments. In the scene of Moses receiving the Commandments instead of hushed and reverential he went for dramatic and percussive, as the flame emblazoned the words on stone and that otherworldly voice recited the words out loud.
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Post by kims on Oct 20, 2023 22:35:09 GMT
Themes of the films you mention-all great. I did find theme in A SUMMER PLACE used too often. I think it could have used at least some variation as the film progressed.
Elmer Bernstein did a phenomenal job on TEN COMMANDMENTS. Whenever I hear the music, I know what film it's from and I do not ever remember a moment the music overwhelmed the action. Thank goodness the receiving of the commandments was not passive reverential. This is the moment THE LAW is revealed and people are freed from tyrants.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 20, 2023 23:55:25 GMT
It's not a "religious" film, but I love how this beautiful 19th Century hymn was worked into the beginning and end credits of The Trip to Bountiful (1985). Stunning.
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Post by kims on Nov 28, 2023 18:29:44 GMT
I watched my dvd of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) again. Obviously a favorite of mine. When the Red Sea crashes together, those are real actors, real horses and real chariots in the Paramount water tank being inundated by water. In DeMille's 1920's version, dummies were used and it was obvious to the filmgoers. DeMille wanted the 1956 version as authentic as possible. Henry Wilcoxen, commander of the host and assistant producer tells in his book THE LIONHEART IN HOLLYWOOD, that he immediately regretted agreeing to do this as soon as the water began to hit. After he climbed out of the tank, he tells DeMille-I hope you got that. I'm not doing that again. DeMille concedes rather sheepishly -Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.
Every time I watch the scene, I have a giggle. I think with DeMille's reputation, the actors were lucky DeMille didn't demand that the stunt people figure out a way to really part the sea.
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Post by kims on Mar 15, 2024 23:44:06 GMT
Recently, friends and I watched three films from the 50's: DAVID AND BATHSHEBA 1951, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956, and SOLOMON AND SHEBA 1959. Only THE TEN COMMANDMENTS seems to receive regular viewing-ABC has some long term right to air it. (March 30th at 7 pm this year)
We had to laugh at the posters for DAVID AND BATHSHEBA. Looks like Steve Reeves body with Gregory Peck's head. It got good reviews, good box office-but what happened to the Bible? Bathsheba entices, lures David instead of David taking Uriah's wife from her home for the King to take to bed. Good acting, good sets, good costumes. Our consensus was why give the story characters from the Bible-it should have been a "sword and sandal" film.
We can't complain about THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. We're biased, we appreciate the years of work to be correct according to what was known then about Egypt and ancient sources of the story of Moses besides the Bible and that theologians were advisors.
SOLOMON AND SHEBA took more license than DAVID AND BATHSHEBA. No Biblical account of a conspiracy of the Egyptian pharoah against Solomon, no love affair between Solomon and Sheba. This is the film Tyrone Power had begun, but died while doing the dueling scene with George Saunders. Why was Saunders cast as Adonijah? He looked older than his father, David, played by Findlay Currie. Maybe the stress of the dueling with Power leading to his death affected Saunders?
Why wasn't this film shelved? In a rush to find an available actor to replace Power, Yul Brynner was hired. One source claimed that one partner cast him without consulting the others. Director King Vidor was unhappy with Brynner for not playing Solomon with anguish about following God or succumbing to the pagan Sheba. You have a cast and crew re-filming the previously finished scenes, people who must have been shaken by Powers death, Brynner given little time to learn the script, and not everyone happy that Brynner was hired without all partners agreeing. But everyone gallantly slogged through it.
The story is so far removed from the Bible, we wondered why Vidor thought this story would be great and what was his vision for the film? It's not a horrible film, though unlikely you'd watch it more than once-well, maybe the orgy scene and the final battle with the Egyptians. More people went to church in the fifties-and there was a period of Biblical films produced, but who was the intended audience if the story isn't found in the Bible? Was SOLOMON AND SHEBA intended to be another "sword and sandal" film or did Vidor have a moral? Oddly enough this film, like DAVID AND BATHSHEBA and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, it made money in spite of bad reviews.
Vidor apparently did not talk about SOLOMON AND SHEBA-he was devastated that in his opinion Power would have made the film great. It's too bad, my friends and I would like to know more about his ideas for the film.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 22, 2024 18:35:18 GMT
Recently, friends and I watched three films from the 50's: DAVID AND BATHSHEBA 1951, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956, and SOLOMON AND SHEBA 1959. Only THE TEN COMMANDMENTS seems to receive regular viewing-ABC has some long term right to air it. (March 30th at 7 pm this year) We had to laugh at the posters for DAVID AND BATHSHEBA. Looks like Steve Reeves body with Gregory Peck's head. It got good reviews, good box office-but what happened to the Bible? Bathsheba entices, lures David instead of David taking Uriah's wife from her home for the King to take to bed. Good acting, good sets, good costumes. Our consensus was why give the story characters from the Bible-it should have been a "sword and sandal" film. We can't complain about THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. We're biased, we appreciate the years of work to be correct according to what was known then about Egypt and ancient sources of the story of Moses besides the Bible and that theologians were advisors. SOLOMON AND SHEBA took more license than DAVID AND BATHSHEBA. No Biblical account of a conspiracy of the Egyptian pharoah against Solomon, no love affair between Solomon and Sheba. This is the film Tyrone Power had begun, but died while doing the dueling scene with George Saunders. Why was Saunders cast as Adonijah? He looked older than his father, David, played by Findlay Currie. Maybe the stress of the dueling with Power leading to his death affected Saunders? Why wasn't this film shelved? In a rush to find an available actor to replace Power, Yul Brynner was hired. One source claimed that one partner cast him without consulting the others. Director King Vidor was unhappy with Brynner for not playing Solomon with anguish about following God or succumbing to the pagan Sheba. You have a cast and crew re-filming the previously finished scenes, people who must have been shaken by Powers death, Brynner given little time to learn the script, and not everyone happy that Brynner was hired without all partners agreeing. But everyone gallantly slogged through it. The story is so far removed from the Bible, we wondered why Vidor thought this story would be great and what was his vision for the film? It's not a horrible film, though unlikely you'd watch it more than once-well, maybe the orgy scene and the final battle with the Egyptians. More people went to church in the fifties-and there was a period of Biblical films produced, but who was the intended audience if the story isn't found in the Bible? Was SOLOMON AND SHEBA intended to be another "sword and sandal" film or did Vidor have a moral? Oddly enough this film, like DAVID AND BATHSHEBA and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, it made money in spite of bad reviews. Vidor apparently did not talk about SOLOMON AND SHEBA-he was devastated that in his opinion Power would have made the film great. It's too bad, my friends and I would like to know more about his ideas for the film. Regardless of what King Vidor thought he was doing with Solomon and Sheba, the marketing would have been in the hands of the studio and they went for the standard promotional angle of highlighting the physical allure of the leads and, in that case, Gina Lollobrigida certainly gave them a lot to work with. A lot of the promotional material featured that spectacularly designed molded metal brassiere she wore, which really pushed the envelope for women's costuming.  The Biblical overlay often gave permission to put on a peep show because it was all going to be redeemed in the end by the "gravity" and "holiness" of the Biblical origins. Robert Aldridge's Sodom and Gomorrah (1962) was a French/Italian/American co-production and you could really see the slant toward European sensibilities, with the naughtiness starting before the titles were even over. Sure, God smote the sinners, but meanwhile they had plenty of screentime. A story like the one told in David and Bathsheba would have had trouble clearing the censors in 1951 if it had been set in suburbia, but throw those adulterers into a Biblical setting and you're good to go, as long as God got the last word. I thoroughly enjoy these Biblical epics but I'm resigned to the idea that, with few exceptions, the moviemakers were serving God and Mammon both. Another one I enjoy, though it's not related to the Easter season, is The Story of Ruth (1960). It's Hollywood-ized for sure, but has a good cast, especially Viveca Lindfors as a pagan priestess and Peggy Wood as Naomi.  |
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Post by kims on Mar 22, 2024 22:01:17 GMT
THE STORY OF RUTH has been appearing on FXM.
Most Biblical films end up as "sword and sandal" and better suited to the mythology genre. As I saw these movies when young, I was a bit confused that the stories differed from my required Bible lessons. They are definitely entertaining, more so than most films accurately trying to tell the story, where those concerned seem to think they must have a pious attitude.
Not just religious films, but I would love to see a director's cut of many films of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Thank heaven's LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was restored. According to Peter O'Toole, when it first opened in USA, the film had been unskillfully cut to shorten the film running time.
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Post by kims on Mar 28, 2024 19:44:34 GMT
Others are excellent at writing reviews, not me. I'll call this my promotional bit for the film THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956.
I have many favorite films. This time of year THE TEN COMMANDMENTS from 1956 is my favorite. I play the dvd several times before Easter. When ABC airs it I watch though there are too many commercials and interrupt at wrong places. If ABC's ad placement bothers me, why watch? I like knowing over 3 million others are also watching same time as me.
Crucially, I think ABC errs not showing Demille's intro. The theme of the story, Demille says, is should man be governed by the will of a tyrant or by the law? It's a relevant question in any era.
Those who don't read credits think 10 COMMANDMENTS is based only on the Bible. The credits include 3 works of fiction by authors who did their research. (The Pillar of Fire written by Ingraham is interesting for those who like history. Written in 1879, compare his citations for accuracy to what was known in 1950's and what is known today). Four scholars from Metropolitan Museum of Art NY; Department of Antiquities Luxor Egypt, Oriental Institute University of Chicago, and Jewish Community Library LA are credited for their cooperation. Some of the ancients texts listed are the Quran, Josephus, and Eusebius. The main researcher for the film was Henry S. Noerdlinger. His research was extensive and he was encouraged to print his research: MOSES AND EGYPT printed in 1956.
To begin writing the script, Demille separated the story into 4 parts: Moses Prince of Egypt; Moses Outlaw Shepherd; Moses Chosen Deliverer; Moses the Lord's Lawgiver. Jesse Lasky Jr., Fred Frank, Aeneas Mackensie, and Jack Gariss were each given a section to write to begin the process. Noerdlinger had to be consulted for accuracy-and he was thorough to the point that associate producer Wilcoxon said Egyptians weren't allowed to have heads in the film because the colossi of Ramses in Luxor didn't have heads.
What is so accurate about this film?
Before Moses is led in chains before Seti, women in green costumes, tied to the end of their long hair are red balls. That dance is reconstructed from a mural in the tomb of Visier Mehou in Saqqarah
The blue war helmet and winged armor worn by Ramses II is from murals at Abu Simbel
The tablets with the commandments is written in early Canaanite lettering. How do we know that is the alphabet used by Hebrews at the time? The graffiti at archeological digs of the 19th dynasty.
Sokor, the death god statue, jewelry, costumes all modeled on artwork at the time period.
Should Joshua ride a horse during the exodus? Artwork always shows horses drawing carts and chariots. Joshua riding was not okayed until artwork was found showing a groom riding a horse to return it to stables.
Scribes are in Egyptian scenes because of the quantity of artwork showing scribes as writing witnesses to court events.
and many more
What was changed to be acceptable to 1950's audiences and censors?
Nefertiri is probably Seti's daughter and sister of Ramses (today we know Ramses was not descended from many kings, but generals and marriage to Nefertiri who was royalty made Ramses the legitimate pharaoh-subject to change of course as new discoveries are made). Notice in the film, there is no explanation why she must marry the next pharaoh or what is her relation to Seti.
The Ethiopian princess is Moses' wife (in the Bible Miriam and Aaron want Moses to cast her away, but he refuses). It is decided the polygamy of the era, the mixed race marriage will not be accepted. In the film she is an Ethiopian princess.
and many more.
Come on, what's not to love about a film that the Paramount logo was altered to resemble Mt. Sinai? Truly the cast of thousands-how do you get all those people to do the right thing during the orgy scene and the exodus? The creation of the plagues, the hand of God before the hail and the creeping death of Egypt's first born without computers? The Red Sea closing on the Egyptians-those are real men and horses, not dummies.
After Ramses tries to convince Seti that Moses is a traitor, isn't it delightful to hear Ramses tell Nefertiri that he will love her more than his horse, his dog and his falcon, but trust her less? and a bit later she tells Ramses she could never love him-he replies, does that matter? In one short sequence the screenwriters have told us the attitudes and practice of the time period without a long boring lecture? Moses telling Nefertiri she may be the lovely dust that makes the pharaoh let the Hebrews go?
Sure it's dated, there's not the obligatory battle scenes, but the film doesn't drag. I like good screenwriting and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS has it. At least watch the second half with the plagues and wonder how they did that without computers.
And probably next Easter I will try to sell you on the film again. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is one of the very few biblical films NOT turned into a sword and sandal film and quite accurate for knowledge at the time and not made with a pious aura that the characters know they will be revered in the Bible.
End of this promotional announcement. Thank you
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Post by Fading Fast on Mar 28, 2024 20:51:06 GMT
Others are excellent at writing reviews, not me. I'll call this my promotional bit for the film THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956. I have many favorite films. This time of year THE TEN COMMANDMENTS from 1956 is my favorite. I play the dvd several times before Easter. When ABC airs it I watch though there are too many commercials and interrupt at wrong places. If ABC's ad placement bothers me, why watch? I like knowing over 3 million others are also watching same time as me. Crucially, I think ABC errs not showing Demille's intro. The theme of the story, Demille says, is should man be governed by the will of a tyrant or by the law? It's a relevant question in any era. Those who don't read credits think 10 COMMANDMENTS is based only on the Bible. The credits include 3 works of fiction by authors who did their research. (The Pillar of Fire written by Ingraham is interesting for those who like history. Written in 1879, compare his citations for accuracy to what was known in 1950's and what is known today). Four scholars from Metropolitan Museum of Art NY; Department of Antiquities Luxor Egypt, Oriental Institute University of Chicago, and Jewish Community Library LA are credited for their cooperation. Some of the ancients texts listed are the Quran, Josephus, and Eusebius. The main researcher for the film was Henry S. Noerdlinger. His research was extensive and he was encouraged to print his research: MOSES AND EGYPT printed in 1956. To begin writing the script, Demille separated the story into 4 parts: Moses Prince of Egypt; Moses Outlaw Shepherd; Moses Chosen Deliverer; Moses the Lord's Lawgiver. Jesse Lasky Jr., Fred Frank, Aeneas Mackensie, and Jack Gariss were each given a section to write to begin the process. Noerdlinger had to be consulted for accuracy-and he was thorough to the point that associate producer Wilcoxon said Egyptians weren't allowed to have heads in the film because the colossi of Ramses in Luxor didn't have heads. What is so accurate about this film? Before Moses is led in chains before Seti, women in green costumes, tied to the end of their long hair are red balls. That dance is reconstructed from a mural in the tomb of Visier Mehou in Saqqarah The blue war helmet and winged armor worn by Ramses II is from murals at Abu Simbel The tablets with the commandments is written in early Canaanite lettering. How do we know that is the alphabet used by Hebrews at the time? The graffiti at archeological digs of the 19th dynasty. Sokor, the death god statue, jewelry, costumes all modeled on artwork at the time period. Should Joshua ride a horse during the exodus? Artwork always shows horses drawing carts and chariots. Joshua riding was not okayed until artwork was found showing a groom riding a horse to return it to stables. Scribes are in Egyptian scenes because of the quantity of artwork showing scribes as writing witnesses to court events. and many more What was changed to be acceptable to 1950's audiences and censors? Nefertiri is probably Seti's daughter and sister of Ramses (today we know Ramses was not descended from many kings, but generals and marriage to Nefertiri who was royalty made Ramses the legitimate pharaoh-subject to change of course as new discoveries are made). Notice in the film, there is no explanation why she must marry the next pharaoh or what is her relation to Seti. The Ethiopian princess is Moses' wife (in the Bible Miriam and Aaron want Moses to cast her away, but he refuses). It is decided the polygamy of the era, the mixed race marriage will not be accepted. In the film she is an Ethiopian princess. and many more. Come on, what's not to love about a film that the Paramount logo was altered to resemble Mt. Sinai? Truly the cast of thousands-how do you get all those people to do the right thing during the orgy scene and the exodus? The creation of the plagues, the hand of God before the hail and the creeping death of Egypt's first born without computers? The Red Sea closing on the Egyptians-those are real men and horses, not dummies. After Ramses tries to convince Seti that Moses is a traitor, isn't it delightful to hear Ramses tell Nefertiri that he will love her more than his horse, his dog and his falcon, but trust her less? and a bit later she tells Ramses she could never love him-he replies, does that matter? In one short sequence the screenwriters have told us the attitudes and practice of the time period without a long boring lecture? Moses telling Nefertiri she may be the lovely dust that makes the pharaoh let the Hebrews go? Sure it's dated, there's not the obligatory battle scenes, but the film doesn't drag. I like good screenwriting and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS has it. At least watch the second half with the plagues and wonder how they did that without computers. And probably next Easter I will try to sell you on the film again. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is one of the very few biblical films NOT turned into a sword and sandal film and quite accurate for knowledge at the time and not made with a pious aura that the characters know they will be revered in the Bible. End of this promotional announcement. Thank you
My comments on the movie from three year ago here: "The Ten Commandments" |
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