Sunday, May 25, 2008

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL - Bernard Herrmann - "Take Care" (1951)

Now we're talking really classic in "The Day The Earth Stood Still," a movie that left us with images that are iconic to this day. What can possibly be said that hasn't be said before, and in who knows how many languges? Released on September 28, 1951, with a soundtrack scored by the incredible Bernard Herrmann, this film set a standard that has been rarely reached even to this day! 
 
You might recognize Bernard from his musical credits of various sorts, running from composer to arranger, conductor, and music director on some little films with titles like "Citizen Kane" or "Fiend Without A Face." He was the orchestrator for Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and was the composer of the theme for 69 episodes of crack TV western "Have Gun, Will Travel" starring Richard Boone as Paladin, and some of the original "Twilight Zone" episodes, and that just scratches the surface 
 
Hello everybody, I just flew into town, and boy are my arms tired!! Now just put down the guns, please!! 
 
100% PURE GORT!!!! No fat, no frills, no filler! Just get the hell out of the way!!! 
 
Three years later, Patricial Neal would go into space in "Stranger From Venus" a multi-faceted disaster! 
 You couldn't have lived through the 50's in the USA without knowing who Billy Gray was, as he played Bud in ever popular TV series "Father Knows Best!" 
 
This is what Billy was looking at!!! Back then, it was shocking!! 
 
All right folks, gotta go now, so remember to take care, it was nice meeting each and every one of you. Have a nice day and have a nice future too!!!!

4 comments:

bobby4ever said...

As soon as I listened to a little of the Hermann score, all I could hear John Williams and the ET soundtrack.

I checked out the wikipedia entry on the movie, and they mention that the theme was reworked for the pilot of "Lost In Space," the 60's TV sci-fi series. John Williams did the music for that series, though it's not clear he was involved with the pilot episode.

Last time I watched the film, I kept saying out loud "That robot (Gort) kicks ass!" during all the fight scenes. I think the beer I had contributed to my feisty mood.

My other favorite part is the bit of sexual tension between the mom (Patricia Neal) and Klaatu. You can tell she's thinking more than once when she's checking out Mr. Carpenter that "Man, I'd like to tap that alien hottie."

Gail Adrian said...

I don't blame her.

Frederick said...

It's funny, but I was used to hearing many of the cues from Lost in Space for years before I saw the film they were written for.

"Day" is such a classic film, I'm afraid to see what they'll do to it in the upcoming remake with Keannu Reeves as Klaatu. That just sounds incredibly wrong.

BTW, check out my new blog, "Sweet Skulls," at www.SweetSkulls.com and if you like it, add me to you links list. You are on mine. Hope you enjoy it, I am enjoying yours immensely!

-Fred

Greg Goodsell said...

How can you forget Herrmann's classic score for PSYCHO? Norman, is that you indeed?

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