Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to Henry Mancini’s score for Alfred Hitchcock’s motion picture, Frenzy. I have in my possession a trade ad for the film with Mancini listed. I thought then, what a perfect match up. So, when I got invited to an advance screening about two months before the film opened, imagine my surprise to see the score was by Ron Goodwin. I really liked the film and saw it at least five or six times during its release back then. But as much as I like Goodwin, I always found his score a bit bombastic and melodramatic and wondered what the Mancini score sounded like. The party line was that the tapes didn’t exist. Mancini recorded his version of the main title, and I really liked it and played it against the opening titles, and I thought it worked splendidly. Apparently, Hitchcock was jovial and told Mancini how happy he was with the score. But when it came time to dub it into the film, something changed, and Goodwin was brought in to do a new score in two weeks’ time. Well, last year we finally got the Goodwin score and, as a bonus, the Mancini score. Gee, guess the tapes were there all along. Now, someone on YouTube has married rejected scores to their respective films and it’s always fascinating to see it that way. We were all hoping someone would do that for Frenzy. But I checked a few times and there was nothing. Well, about ten months ago someone did it and didn’t really let anyone know. I just happened to search for it two nights ago and there it was. He only does the scenes where there’s music – first the Goodwin score, then the Mancini for whatever scene. The only downside is the Mancini score isn’t really mixed in at correct levels and sometimes the dialogue is there and sometimes it’s not. But it is fascinating, and I have to tell you, I prefer the Mancini every time. Why? Because it’s Mancini in suspense mode (think Wait Until Dark or Experiment in Terror), and suddenly the suspense scenes are much creepier and have more suspense and it’s certainly more subtle. It makes the film darker, although the comic elements with Alec McGowan and Vivien Merchant are unscored in both scores. There are a couple of things that Mancini scores that Goodwin doesn’t, so that’s interesting, too. For me, it feels much more like a classic Hitchcock film with the Mancini. The supporters of Goodwin always point out the main title and how it doesn’t give away the mysterious aspect that’s coming, and that’s certainly true. It’s Elgarian until it stops, and we see a naked body in the water. The only problem is that the film’s title, which is the first thing we see is FRENZY writ large. So, Mancini gives us something that works BOTH ways – and I think it works perfectly. If you’d like to judge for yourselves, and I know you would, here is the link. Will be interested in your thoughts.
https://youtu.be/JgytNAjQt2U?si=wBTn4rcca96numHG
I did manage to watch a motion picture, a Spanish motion picture from Spain, entitled The Absent. It’s very typical of a certain type of film that’s been made several times here and overseas, so you pretty much know what the explanation will have to be given the goings on. I enjoy the genre and the lead actress is very good, but when you get the reveal too much is left unexplained and then it’s just over. Happily, sans end credits, it only runs about eight-four minutes. I did watch some YouTube videos before that, about current cons that are going on – what a world. I dozed off for an hour at st some point. Otherwise, I got eight and a half hours of good sleep, got up, answered e-mails, watched videos for the young people show, and now have only two or three folks left to cast. Still trying to find a pianist for that show. I ordered a tri-salad from the Beverly Glen deli, and it arrived sans the ranch dressing I asked for – it needed it. The scoops of chicken and egg salad were fine, but it was the WORST potato salad and coleslaw. That was the main meal. Later, I had the side of two biscuits in country gravy from Paty’s along with a small slice of chocolate cream pie. And the rest you know.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll try to lock down the last of the young people for the show, I’ll eat, and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I may or may not go out for a nice meal. I’ve wanted to do that since we closed but the timing hasn’t been right. Then next week is very busy with all manner of things.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, set the last couple of people for the show, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: I thought of a great topic earlier and of course forgot to write it down and now I haven’t a clew as to what it was. Well, let’s try – what are your favorite discoveries you’ve made on the Tube of You. And which videos irritate you that you still watch? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have finally seen the Mancini married to Frenzy.