And that's a shame, because he did some great stuff. Perhaps best known for his (almost annoyingly) catchy TV show theme songs like PUFNSTUF, HAPPY DAYS, WONDER WOMAN and (cringe) THE LOVE BOAT, Charles Fox had a real melodic pop vein to his work, with some of the rhythmic compexities of, say, Burt Bacharach. He put this to good use in great scores like BARBARELLA (sublime), GOODBYE COLUMBUS, and in his enjoyable song score for the basketball movie ONE ON ONE.

Linked to this pop facet, he did some romantically tuneful scores like A WINDOW TO THE SKY (I love that one), and also had a hit with the characteristically Foxy song "Killing Me Softly (With His Song)", made popular by Roberta Flack.

But there's another, largely undiscovered side to the composer, I'm sure. There is some good dramatic stuff in FOUL PLAY and 9 TO 5 (I think), but that's mostly "pastiche" dramatic scoring for comedies. I do seem to recall a splendid end title for the TV movie VICTORY AT ENTEBBE - a stirring march gives way to a beautifully heartfelt piano rendition of the theme. And for BUG (great film about firestarting cockroaches) he composed a cold electronic score, surely the antithesis of what we know (and love?) the composer for. His other credits for fairly serious, yet largely unseen, TV assignments would suggest that there's a whole lot of Charles Fox waiting to be discovered.

Oh well, I only really know his pop stuff and his romantic stuff, but I still like him.

In any event, this score deserves a release.

Musically speaking, most people only remember Dolly Parton's terrific title song, but Fox's music is worth mentioning too. Specific scenes that stand out:

- Violet's (Lily Tomlin) fantasy where she's a Snow White-type about to give Mr. Hart (Dabney Coleman) his coffee. I love the music in this scene; very beautiful (Trivia: this cue was used in the trailer of "Modern Problems". I know this from back in the days when Encore showed trailers of the films they aired.)

- Judy's (Jane Fonda) fantasy where she's hunting Hart. Great music, here as well, particularly when Hart is running from one side to the other, like a carnival game

- the music in the scene where Violet's running around the hospital; some nice psuedo-dramatic scoring here

There's a boot of his more recent score for the cable western THE BROKEN CHAIN, which proves Fox is still a solid composer.

I really liked Fox's THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY score, though...then again, they're probably my favourite comedies, so I'm biased.

Overall, my exposure to Fox is limited. But I've picked up his name on occasion. Didn't he do a film about that famous country singer....what's her name again, Patsy Kline?

By the way, Graham. I really like this obscure composer series of yours. Too bad I'm not really visiting the mm.com board that often...

LRob (or anyone), do you know if the Charles Fox contribution to THE GREEN SLIME was only the song? In some sources he's listed as co-composing the score with Tikitaki Tokamoto (or his brother).

It's been years since I've seen the film - if memory serves, he may only be responsible for the title song -- the rest of the score is pretty unmemorable. If I can run across a copy in a week or so, I can confirm that.

quote:

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Originally posted by Graham Watt:
It may be a bit early to resurrect Charles Fox from the vaults. I think he's still writing, but he's nowhere near as productive as he once was.

And that's a shame, because he did some great stuff. Perhaps best known for his (almost annoyingly) catchy TV show theme songs like PUFNSTUF, HAPPY DAYS, WONDER WOMAN and (cringe) THE LOVE BOAT, Charles Fox had a real melodic pop vein to his work, with some of the rhythmic compexities of, say, Burt Bacharach. He put this to good use in great scores like BARBARELLA (sublime), GOODBYE COLUMBUS, and in his enjoyable song score for the basketball movie ONE ON ONE.

Linked to this pop facet, he did some romantically tuneful scores like A WINDOW TO THE SKY (I love that one), and also had a hit with the characteristically Foxy song "Killing Me Softly (With His Song)", made popular by Roberta Flack.

But there's another, largely undiscovered side to the composer, I'm sure. There is some good dramatic stuff in FOUL PLAY and 9 TO 5 (I think), but that's mostly "pastiche" dramatic scoring for comedies. I do seem to recall a splendid end title for the TV movie VICTORY AT ENTEBBE - a stirring march gives way to a beautifully heartfelt piano rendition of the theme. And for BUG (great film about firestarting cockroaches) he composed a cold electronic score, surely the antithesis of what we know (and love?) the composer for. His other credits for fairly serious, yet largely unseen, TV assignments would suggest that there's a whole lot of Charles Fox waiting to be discovered.

Oh well, I only really know his pop stuff and his romantic stuff, but I still like him.

So what dio YOU think of Charles Fox?

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Back in the late 1980's, Richad Kraft had a film music seminar class at UCLA and I was fortunate enough to go and meet a lot of composers.

Some weeks we'd get someone who wasn't a "big name" like Thomas Newman or Charles Fox. (We had people like Georges Delerue & Henry Mancini there too, so these guys weren't as "hot" at the time.) Most didn't even know what to ask them when it came time for questions.

I do remember talking quite a bit to Mr. Fox, who was there with his son and I have to say of all the composers I met during those weeks, Mr. Fox had to be THE nicest man. He was genuinely open and friendly and very appreciative of the attention and interest in his work. It made up for my meeting with the late Henry Mancini during that class, as he wasn't very good with his "fans."

I'm truly sorry Charles Fox isn't doing as much work as he did back then. But a lot of really talented and good composers aren't working much anymore either. Bruce Broughton, Basil Poledouris, John Scott, Maurice Jarre, Arthur B. Rubinstein, Lee Holdridge, etc. are just some of the people I wish were doing more major projects these days.

Luckily, Mr. Fox is probably doing quite well from all those 70's TV themes he wrote.

Wherever he is. I hope he is well. He's a great guy.

Guess you never know who's going to read these boards.

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I replied to him and asked if I could post it here, which he was more than happy to let me do, unfortunately I had to the Saturn Awards last night and didn't get a chance. (FYI: Howard Shore won the Best Score Award for LOTR:TROTK)

There is more to the letter than LRob posted that goes to show what type of guy Charles Fox is:

"I myself am a screenwriter and director and have hired him several times to do things for me, and plan to do much more together. He'a true filmmaker's composer, selfless, if it's not helping the film, it doesn't matter how great the music is--

The one person on the chat who said he was the "nicest guy" of all the panelists, that surprises me least of all. If that were something they gave "emmies" for, he'd have the most of anyone. He's a great Dad and now a terrific grandfather to my young kids, happily married after 43 years, and yet, with all that behind him, still only 63 years old, in great health, writing constantly and successfully, living the high life more now than ever, composing, travelling the world (mostly Paris) and family.

In any case, I enjoyed running across this dialogue and thought to tell you so, and to tell you what to look forward to of his in the future.

All the best to you all,
Warm Regards,
Rob Fox

PS- if you really want to search something out, the score for a TV film from the mid-70's, it was called "The Stranger within" and then got re-released as "Trespass"-- I believe Barbara Eden was in it. For me, it was one of the most inspired and frightening themes ever recorded, I still hear the piano in my head, were it a feature film at the time of any note, it would have no dbout been given an Oscar and been recognizable like the OMEN or EXORCIST."

Once again I'd like to remind everyone on these message boards that you don't know who is going to be coming along and reading what you wrote, so think twice when you say something.

Thanks to Robert Fox for his rememberances and update and agreeing to let us members repost his e-mail.

James