Author
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Topic: The UK Versus The USA
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Graham Watt
Oscar® Winner
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No, there isn't a war, I was just wondering how many of you out there feel that there is a great difference between the scores written for British films of up to the 60s (and maybe beyond), and those for Hollywood from the same era...To my ears, the music of Clifton Parker, Alan Rawsthorne, Tristram Cary, Benjamin Frankel et al is nothing like that composed by their contemporaries in the States. Bearing in mind that many composers working in Hollywood in those days actually came from Europe only adds to the mystery. I say "mystery", but not for long, knowing you bright sparks out there! So make me feel stupid and tell me the obvious answer!
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posted 09-04-2000 03:12 PM PT (US) ip
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Shaun Rutherford
Oscar® Winner
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Graham, the answer is obvious, as you say. The British are limey bastards and their music suffers because of it.Shaun
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posted 09-04-2000 06:36 PM PT (US) ip
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Guenther Koegebehn
Oscar® Winner
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quote:
Originally posted by Graham Watt:
To my ears, the music of Clifton Parker, Alan Rawsthorne, Tristram Cary, Benjamin Frankel et al is nothing like that composed by their contemporaries in the States.
No, most of the Brit stuff is much better  It's the "splendid isolation" thing again.
Many of the 1940ies/50ies British films are
very "special affairs". Guys like Powell,
Lean, Asquith, Mackendrick, etc. made very
very special films, nothing like that was
found anywhere else in the world. Hollywood films of the 50ies were very much
mainstream melodramas or comedies. Hitchcock
(another Brit) was not into that, which got
him an excellent critical response in Europe
but not the US. The oscars went to melodramas
not "sophisticated spy thrillers". The same logic can be applied to the
composers and their music.
[This message has been edited by Guenther Koegebehn (edited 05 September 2000).]
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posted 09-05-2000 12:55 AM PT (US) ip
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Graham Watt
Oscar® Winner
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Hmmm...but if Clifton Parker had ever gone to America to write a one-off score for a typical Hollywood film, it would still have sounded different from the scores done by those regularly working there. At least I think it would.Maybe someone can give us some examples of oldish Hollywood films scored by people usually resident in the UK, or of British films scored by someone usually working in the States, and we can try to decide if they sound...like British films or like American ones.
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posted 09-06-2000 01:27 PM PT (US) ip
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JJH
Oscar® Winner
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he wansn't Briotish, but French,. but I think you could try this sort of experiment on the late, great Georges Delerue.
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posted 09-06-2000 01:35 PM PT (US) ip
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Lou Goldberg
Oscar® Winner
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I'm someone very partial to the sound of British film music. I guess it's like comparing apples and oranges. The Brits had their own guidelines too I'm sure--but the end result doesn't sound like what I would call typical Hollywood scoring (whatever that is). But didn't Clifton Parker come over and do Disney's Treasure Island or was that filmed in England? In any case, all you have to do is look at Addison and Barry to ask if Hollywood changes things. [This message has been edited by Lou Goldberg (edited 07 September 2000).]
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posted 09-07-2000 12:52 AM PT (US) ip
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Guenther Koegebehn
Oscar® Winner
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quote:
Originally posted by Lou Goldberg:
But didn't Clifton Parker come over and do Disney's Treasure Island or was that filmed in England?
This was English Disney, they had some great
scores by Parker, Alwyn, Chagrin, etc.
( I want a CD release !!!) To the other question...
Would Hollywood change things? YES!!!
In directors terms it did. See what happened
to Mackendrick, J.L. Thompson, Ronald Neame
even David Lean after they went over the
pond. (Lean didn't physically, but mentally) Barry and Addison are good examples.
I've forgotten the film, but there was one
scored by Frankel in the UK, that got a
Waxman score in the US. Or HIS MAJESTY
O'KEEFE that had a Farnon score in the UK,
Tiomkin in the US! OTOH, William Alwyn turned out a splendid
CRIMSON PIRATE for Lancaster! G.
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posted 09-07-2000 02:58 AM PT (US) ip
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Guenther Koegebehn
Oscar® Winner
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Not to forget Malcolm Arnold, who had
several Hollywood assignments after the
success of "River Kwai", but he wrote them
all in London or Cornwall and recorded it
in London. That must be it
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posted 09-07-2000 03:05 AM PT (US) ip
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logied
Oscar® Winner
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I have felt that british music for the movies has always had a harsh edge over
american comparision, Much like the movies.
British music has always had a life like texture, more autobiographic than fiction.
British movies have a life
like and natural feeling to me and the music
follows this trend. When you want to go to sea, fall down drunk in a foggy street, stand to attention and pop your tunic buttons, and bite your lower lip when life
seems to be going nowhere, british music
can say it bloody well.
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posted 09-07-2000 03:43 AM PT (US) ip
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