Classic Pairings

Due to time restraints, today’s blog is a reprint from May 2012. I’m sure no one noticed it should have been published last Friday.  I'll leave it at that.

My Top 10 Favorite Uses of Classical Music in Film

Classical music is used in countless films.  It can be used in brief, repeatedly as a theme, or supply an entire soundtrack. It can be heard in everything from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (believe it or not) to Ed Wood, Mrs. Doubtfire to 10, or Kramer Vs. Kramer to The Witches of Eastwick. This week’s blog is at most a very casual list, and I am sure I am not the only one who has ever created a list and then said at a later date, “How could I have ever forgotten…?” But, when I think of classical music in films, these most always come to the forefront for me.  And hopefully, as my blog always intends, this list is to get you to think of your own favorites as well. So, with that in mind, here we go!

 

#10 – ANIMATED Fantasia (1940)

Although this is not a favorite film of mine, this Disney feature film brings classical music to the masses.  Mussorgsky’s "Night on the Bare Mountain" is a tour-de-force of intensity and fright, while Dukas’ "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" mixes the charm of the beloved Mickey Mouse with exposure of consequences of irresponsibility.  Schubert’s "Ave Maria" is a hallowed piece within this masterwork that must be watched again and again.

#09 –LEGEND Excalibur (1981)

I love the legend of King Arthur, and this adaption is an all-encompassing one. With the use of Orff's "Carmina Burana,” Wagner’s "Prelude to Tristan & Isolde" & his "Siegfried's Funeral March for Gotterdammerung, " the tale becomes even more mystical in its telling.

#08 – WAR The Dirty Dozen (1967)

How can you not love the escapades of Major Reisman and his rag-tag crew of military inmates in their quest to assassinate a hive of German top ranks, all the while we hear Joseph Hayden's "Emperor" and Johann Strauss II’s "Emperor Waltz"?  It just works!

#07 ROMANCE Somewhere in Time (1980)

Rachmaninoff's "Variations on a Theme of Paganini" becomes the background of one of the most romantic movies ever made; the beauty of Mackinac Island, Michigan, the idea of time-travel; and the beauty of both Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve are increased by the haunting melodies of this piece.

#06 SCI-FI Rollerball (1975)

The spine-chilling, hair-raising use of Bach's “Tocatta in Fugue” at the onset of the title sequence grabs the viewer from the start.  What in the world does this Baroque piece have to do with the future? At first glance, this science-fiction classic looks to have lost its effectiveness due to age; however, the storyline goes deeper than its 1970’s appearance, and the visionary message is louder than ever today than it was 40 years ago.

#05 MUSICAL An American in Paris (1951)

I fell in love with musicals around the age of 13 and soaked up as many as possible. With the use Gershwin’s signature piece to create Jerry Mulligan’s (played by Gene Kelly) dream sequence, it surrounds and enraptures us in the marriage of dance and music. For me, An American in Paris is the opera of musicals, and leads me to my next selection.

#04 OPERA Philadelphia (1993)

The depth of writing in this film not only makes Tom Hanks’s character an attorney, but a lover of opera.  This deepens our knowledge of Andrew Beckett and serves as a catalyst for our interest and concern for him. The score is woven with operatic fare, and Umberto Giordano’s “La Momma Morta” provides the backdrop for an emotionally moving motion picture sequence.

#03 – DRAMA/COMEDY The Four Seasons (1981)

Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” is the canvas of this how 'friends stay friends' story written & directed by Alan Alda. Alda weaves these love-hate relationships among the threads of Vivaldi’s composition, and the seasons turn, we see how friendship can be tried and tested. This is one of my Top 10 favorite films, and I will be bringing it back to the blog for more exposition in the future.

#02 BIOPIC Amadeus (1984)

This has to be the ‘father’ of all biopics, especially when it comes to the use of the subject's craft used within the story.  Aside the fact that this film garnished eight Oscars, Mozart’s music is used as the soundtrack that mimics the master’s life. I am always amazed at how 2 hours and 40 minutes can go by so quickly. This is mostly due to the perfected use of the song to story relationship.  My favorite are in the brightness of the "Symphony No. 25" & the darkness of the "Requiem."

#01 OVERALL Gallipoli (1981)

This sleeper film introduced me to Mel Gibson. But it had more impact than that – it is the briliant choices of music for this historical drama set in World War I. Bizet's "Duet from the Pearl Fishers and Paganini’s "Centone di Sonate No 3" are lovely pieces that add to our knowing the story's destiny; yet it is the haunting recurring theme of Albinoni’s "Adagio" that will solidifies the visual images in our minds of the unfortunate fate of subject.

A Little Romance

 

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I thought the most appropriate list for this week’s blog would be my favorite romantic movies.  This poses a slight conundrum for me, as I am not a fan of ‘chick flicks’ or romances, although there are a few movies that have caught my fancy that lie within this category.  There are, as well, movies that have good love stories within them; however, the movie itself, for me, would not be considered a romance.  So, I have taken some time to ponder which films I do love that qualify.  

 

Honorable mention goes to these four films (in no particular order), although for me, they have a bigger truth than the romance within them:

 

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Ghost (1990) 

Roxanne (1987)

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

 

This fifth honorable mention is a ‘romance,’ but doesn’t make the Top 10 Cut:

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

 

My Top Ten Romance Films:

 

#10 - Rocky (1976) – Breaking the rules from the start! The romance should be secondary to the

             underdog story of the boxer, but I Rocky’s love for Adrian supercedes any ring

             challenge. 

 

             R.I.P. Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed) – you were/are loved.

 

#09 – Pillow Talk (1959) – A ‘comedy’ for the list. 

 

#08 – Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) Although I have never been a fan of Andie

             MacDowell (nor do I NOT like her), for me, the romance of this movie is about Charlie

             and his cohort.  Will he discover love the way of his friend in the weddings, or will he

             ‘settle’ and live life attending wedding with his cohort for the rest of their lives.  Although

             it isn’t a ‘kissy kissy’ movie, I feel for Charlie and his desire for a life-long love

             relationship.

 

            And ‘thank you,’ to my son, Logan, for giving me my own personal dvd copy this past

               Christmas.

 

#07 – Hope Floats (1998) – This film surprises many of my friends when I mention this as a

             favorite, as they know Sandra Bullock is NOT a face I care to watch in any film!  The

             romance comes from Harry Connick, Jr.’s sweet, country boy character.  Oh, to have

             someone pursue in such a gentle way. Boy, howdy!

 

#06 – Love Actually (2003) – A Christmas season movie for the list! This hyperlink film is filled

             with a dynamite cast.  Christmas is the backdrop, but the stories of these intertwined

             characters and how they traverse through the story of love makes me happy. 

 

            This is Hugh Grant’s second appearance in the list.  This is purely coincidental.

 

#05 – Shall We Dance (2004) – This entry is the ‘youngest’ of the list films. It has several things

            going for it:

            1 – Wanting to know how to dance and actually taking classes to do so,

            2 – Jennifer Lopez looks absolutely stunning,

            3 – Richard Gere is not only a ‘birthday buddy’ (Aug 31), but has a permanent home on

                      ‘Denise’s Yummy List.’

 

            John wanting to learn so he can dance with his wife, Beverly, and then actually doing just

             so, melts my heart, and I cry every time.

 

#04 – Crossing Delancey (1988) Amy Irving’s first appearance in the list.  The chemistry

             between her and Peter Riegert is absolutely delicious.  It is organic and fresh, and as in

             Hope Floats, Sam’s gentle pursuit of Isabelle, let her come to him.  THAT’S romance.

 

#03 – The Competition (1980) Here is Amy’s second appearance for the list.  It truly is

             coincidence; perhaps she knows just what films to choose to make me love them.  Co-

             starring one of my favorite actors, Richard Dreyfuss (my go-to dream lunch date), this

             sleeper focuses on a young man’s (final) pursuit of the Van Cliburn scholarship award

             and another competitor with whom he has met in prior years.  Again, for us nerds,

             another organic and honest relationship story.

 

#02 – The Good-Bye Girl (1977) The romance of romances.  An out-of-shape dancer and an

             actor get tangled up in an apartment misunderstanding and then well… Neil Simon’s

             writing is superb (when is it not?) and the chemisty between Richard Dreyfuss (list

             appearance number 2) and Marsha Mason (Simon’s wife at the time) makes me ‘warm

             and fuzzy,’ especially when Elliot makes Paula the rooftop dinner. Richard Dreyfuss won

             an Academy Award for his role as Elliot, which at the time, earned him the title of

             youngest male to have won the Best Actor trophy. He held the title for 26 years.

 

#01 – Somewhere in Time (1980) If The Good-Bye Girl is the ‘romance of romances,’ 

             Somewhere in Time is the ‘love story of love stories.’  Starring two of the most beautiful

            faces of the day (Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour), these star-crossed lovers navigate

             their story of time travel with full-blown passion.  I bawl like a baby each and every time

             I see it.  Director Jeannot Szwarc took these photogenic faces and used them to their

             fullest potential by placing them in the beauty of the Grand Hotel of Mackinac Island, 

            Michigan. This film also makes my all-time tear jerkers list.

 

If you haven’t seen any film on this list, I highly recommend any of them, but since most of them are well-know, I’m sure you have seen at least one.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!