In 2005 John Williams, the undisputed king of
film scores, delivered four landmark scores, for
Revenge of the Sith, War of the
Worlds and the two films we're looking at here,
Memoirs of a Geisha and Munich.
For its considerable adventure pedigree,
Kong is also primarily a love story, albeit
on a grand scale, and the score brings home the
larger-than-life action, the terror and the
climactic emotional wallop.
Just as Williams added a new layer of import to
Star Wars, Shearmur's work brings a certain
brightness, a sense of gravity and heroism, to
Sky Captain.
Angels in America triumphs because it
shows what's possible in the world. The message is
optimistic, even hopeful. The newly released DVD of
director Mike Nichols' cable extravaganza has
raised new interest in Kushner's classic.
Caroline, Or Change is a play
masquerading as a musical. What starts out as a
story of forgotten pocket change becomes a story of
massive sociological change.
Probably no one thought it could be done,
turning Fellini's landmark film 8 1/2 into a
stage musical. But clearly someone -- namely, Maury
Yeston -- believed. And so he transformed 8
1/2 into something a bit more.
The Fame DVD includes commentaries by
Alan Parker and much of the film's cast,
featurettes about the film and the actual High
School of the Performing Arts, and the trailer.
It's a great package.
Signs, for all its flaws, is the third
great film in a row from M. Night Shyamalan.
There's no filmmaker in Hollywood who has a voice
anywhere close to his.
From the first strains of the Bond Theme in 1962
to the somewhat strained overuse of it in 2002, the
music has defined not just 007, but a whole
generation.
Way back when, a young comic artist named Stan
Lee thought up Spider-Man. Though no one thought
the idea was worthwhile, Lee stuck to his guns. In
the decades since, Lee's hero has become a
legend.
Sometimes, when a movie flops, there are good
reasons. In those cases, the only possible reaction
can be a sigh of relief that we were not unduly
inflicted with the film. However, when a good movie
tanks and blips off the radar with barely a trace,
the resultant loss can be close to tragic.
Victor/Victoria is one of those rare
films that simply has to be seen -- and heard.
Everything about it is first-rate, from the
screenplay to the songs, from the direction to the
performances; if the actors hadn't already been
stars, their work here would have made them so.
Contributing editor Tony Buchsbaum looks at the
music and magic of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. From
Jesus Christ: Superstar to Cats and
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
Sir Andrew has becomethe"wunderkind
musical theater composer of our time."
Fiddler on the Roof is celebrating
30 years on film. That anniversary is being
celebrated on both DVD and CD, with the release of
spiffed up editions of the film and its celebrated
musical score.
One look at the "various artists" associated
with this particular project will clue you right
in. Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Sophie B. Hawkins
and Carly Simon, among others. The queens and
princesses of current adult alternative, guaranteed
to leave you smiling, but with pathos.
The Where the Heart Is soundtrack is a
fairly good sampling of what's happening in modern
country. Neophytes brought to the music through the
film could have a much worse introduction to
today's country music.
