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The UK Versus The USA

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Author	Topic: The UK Versus The USA

Graham Watt Oscar® Winner	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!
posted 09-04-2000 03:12 PM PT (US)

Shaun Rutherford Oscar® Winner	Graham, the answer is obvious, as you say. The British are limey bastards and their music suffers because of it. Shaun
posted 09-04-2000 06:36 PM PT (US)

Guenther Koegebehn Oscar® Winner	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).]
posted 09-05-2000 12:55 AM PT (US)

Graham Watt Oscar® Winner	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.
posted 09-06-2000 01:27 PM PT (US)

JJH Oscar® Winner	he wansn't Briotish, but French,. but I think you could try this sort of experiment on the late, great Georges Delerue.
posted 09-06-2000 01:35 PM PT (US)

Lou Goldberg Oscar® Winner	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).]
posted 09-07-2000 12:52 AM PT (US)

Guenther Koegebehn Oscar® Winner	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.
posted 09-07-2000 02:58 AM PT (US)

Guenther Koegebehn Oscar® Winner	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
posted 09-07-2000 03:05 AM PT (US)

logied Oscar® Winner	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.
posted 09-07-2000 03:43 AM PT (US)

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