Topic: THE LEAPING PHRASE (Read 21030 times)

Panni · « **Reply #180 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:04:59 PM »

And that was a perfect topic for Post #500!

Panni · « **Reply #181 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:05:40 PM »

I don't hear trumpets... Wait! I hear a theremin....

Tomovoz · « **Reply #182 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:08:33 PM »

Congratulations Panni. You don't need a green card here.

Panni · « **Reply #183 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:09:58 PM »

Thanks, Tomovoz. At last I'm a citizen.

Panni · « **Reply #184 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:13:50 PM »

Quote from: Charles Pogue on January 26, 2004, 09:12:52 PM

DR Panni, Anyone who is a Miklos Rozsa fan like Bruce knows the theremin...

It's no surprise that Rozsa used the theremin. It's the perfect instrument for a Hungarian.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #185 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:14:32 PM »

Panni, unfortunately, it's always the people who have studied and lived with the script the least who have the most power over it.

Everyone is always very tentative in telling the director how to direct, or the art designer how to design, or the composer how to score,or even the lighting technician how to hang a light, and, God knows, if you told some Iatse guy where to move a prop, you'd probably have a hammer dropped on your head from the catwalk. But everybody and his brother has no compunction or hesitation whatever in telling the writer how to write.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #186 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:17:59 PM »

I'm convinced Rozsa's nationality is why he's the greatest. It's just the gypsy in his soul. My absolute favourite composer. "A gypsy knows how to make a violin cry." A theremin too!

Jed · « **Reply #187 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:18:14 PM »

This evening's conversation instantly made me think of a poster for a concert given by the composition majors in my music department a couple years ago: "Why come to Composers' Night? Two words: Theramin, baby!!!"

Thanks to one of my music theory profs being big into 20th century composition and such, I've actually gotten to play a theramin a couple times.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #188 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:18:58 PM »

By the by, Panni, congrats on your divinity.

bk · « **Reply #189 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:26:23 PM »

You'll soon add composers to the list of the downtrodden. They have so much interference today it's not even funny. Everyone suddenly is an expert - it's all the "temping" films with other music. The director falls in love with his temp track and the composer is forced to imitate it. If he doesn't, they make him rewrite it, if he can't or won't, they bring in someone else to complete his work, or they simply toss the score. This happens to everyone - Jerry Goldsmith has had many scores tossed out of films, most recently, Timeline - so has Elmer Bernstein and Henry Mancini and others that would shock you. Never EVER happened in the old days because producers and directors trusted their composers and pretty much stayed out of their way. The first real public tossing out of a score (at least that I remember) was Herrmann on Torn Curtain. But years before, when Magnificent Ambersons was recut and scenes were shot by someone else, I believe Herrmann refused to score them and Roy Webb came in and did them and they're horrid.

Panni · « **Reply #190 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:27:13 PM »

Thanks for the congrats, DR Pogue. And I agree about Rozsa's nationality making him great. I love being Hungarian. We're an odd lot, true, but there IS something in the blood. I have so many artists, actors, etc in my famlily. A wonderfully eccentric lot. The only problem for me is knowing that I no longer belong there - nor do I fully belong here. It's in a way a good thing for a writer to be always the outsider. But I have to say that when I'm in Hungary (which is not very often) a strange calm falls over me. I'm at home.

Panni · « **Reply #191 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:34:07 PM »

Quote from: Charles Pogue on January 26, 2004, 10:14:32 PM

Panni, unfortunately, it's always the people who have studied and lived with the script the least who have the most power over it.

I remember once saying to a producer who - after a year of work, shortly before shooting was about to begin - was forced by the network to put someone else on my script - saying to her that I highly doubted that someone could waltz in and "fix" something I had bled my soul into for a year. It turned out I was right and once the new script was delivered I was asked if I would come back. When I walked into the production office for the first meeting with the director (a director of considerable renown) he stood up and said, "Ah, the talent is finally here." I think that was the best moment of vindication of my entire life.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #192 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:39:43 PM »

Bruce, it is too, too sad. Goldsmith's original score for LEGEND was superb and they replaced with rock music from Pink Floyd. One of the good things about DVD is that I think they have re-released the film with its original score or it's at least one of the options on the DVD. Nice man, Goldsmith. He wanted to do DRAGONHEART which I thought was a swell idea. I wanted him too...which shows you how much clout the writer has.

Was it Hitchcock that threw out Herrman's score or Universal?

Panni, I know...admittedly on a much smaller scale...what you mean about not belonging to either place...I've lived in LA now longer than anyplace, over 25 years, but I still don't feel like or call myself an Angelean. The roots are still Kentucky and I often moon about, dream of, and/or threaten a return to home, but there is always the fear that I'll find the place so prosaic and be bored out of my gourd within a month or two. Still it instills a soothing peace over me when I'm there. Both my wife and my manager were looking at the pictures of my 35th High School Reunion and both said the same thing: "You look so happy." It must mean something.

Panni · « **Reply #193 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:49:52 PM »

Quote from: Charles Pogue on January 26, 2004, 10:39:43 PM

Panni, I know...admittedly on a much smaller scale...what you mean about not belonging to either place...

Once, many years ago, when I was still an actress, I was visiting Hungary, going from theater to theater and loving it. I decided I was a fool not to be where I belonged. So I asked the head of one of the major theaters in Budapest if i could audition. He was intrigued, said yes - and I did. And he said I could join the company if I took Hungarian lessons of 6 months to get rid of the slight English intonation when I spoke Hungarian. I almost did it. It was something quite ridiculous (and personal) which changed my mind. But had I stayed - who knows who I would be today? (BTW - I'm glad I didn't stay. I'm a much better writer than I ever was an actor.)

Panni · « **Reply #194 on:** January 26, 2004, 10:58:56 PM »

Every goddess needs her beauty sleep. Good-night, all.

S. Woody White · « **Reply #195 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:01:20 PM »

[move=up,scroll,6,transparent,100%]Congratulations on your Ascention, Panni![/move]

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #196 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:04:21 PM »

Panni, I wish I had such tales of vindication. I'm usually only vindicated after they've ruined the film. A pyrrhic victory that.

I don't know if I'm a better writer than I was an actor. Though I was a very polished actor and had lots of panache, qualities I share as a writer, but I think I take more chances as a writer than I ever did as an actor. I think I'd be a much more dangerous actor today because of my writing. And certainly my acting experience enhances my writing every day. I've always been more of an actor's writer than an director's writer.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #197 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:08:57 PM »

An addendum to above. I think I'm glad I endured as a writer rather than actor. I don't envy the life of most of my acting friends. A much more precarious existence, though both writing and acting can be the most emotionally debilitating careers in the world. But as someone once wisely said to me, "If you can write, you'll eventually work in this town. That's not true if you can act." I'm not sure it's true anymore even if you can write. But it was when I started.

bk · « **Reply #198 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:44:15 PM »

Hitch, under pressure from Universal. And it wasn't Pink Floyd but Tangerine Dream - just as bad, though.

bk · « **Reply #199 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:56:36 PM »

Last call, last call - hear ye, hear ye!

bk · « **Reply #200 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:56:51 PM »

And one for Mahler

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Author Topic: THE LEAPING PHRASE (Read 21030 times)