A Weblog of Curious Things.
Media referred to by suffix as follows:
Wednesday, 1st February, 2006, pm
231.D: Chaplin in The Champion, 1915, 30'45"
196.D: J. Mankiewicz: All About Eve, 1950, 132'36"
with Theatrical trailer, 2'58" & Gentleman's Agreement trailer, 2'50"
Thursday, 2nd February, 2006, pm
VHS video bought Prestwich:
297.V: V. Pudovkin: Mat, Mother, 1926, sonorized version, 1963
Compact Discs bought Bolton:
311.CD: Schwarzkopf in Mozart arias, Wolf & R. Strauss Lieder, Virtuoso, Italian bootleg;
312.CD: Rutland Boughton: Symphony No.3 & Oboe Concerto, RPO, Handley, Hyperion, 1989;
LP discs bought Bolton:
5318.M: Fischer-Dieskau in Schubert 6 Heine Lieder & Beethoven An die ferne Geliebte, HMV, 1950;
5319.DS: Rattle conducts Britten Sinfonia da Requiem & A Time There Was, CBSO, HMV, 1986;
5320.S: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Merriman, Haefliger, Concertgebouw, E. Jochum, DGG, 1962;
5321.S: Kodály: Symphony, Minuetto Serio & Háry Janos Suite, Philharmonia Hungarica, A. Dorati, Decca, 1974;
Friday, 3rd February, 2006, pm
135.XCD: Gramophone on CD, March, 2006, bought W. H. Smith, Oldham
LP discs bought Oldham:
5322 - 25.S: Berg-Cerha: Lulu, complete, Paris, Boulez, DGG, 1979;
5273b & c.M: Beethoven Piano Trios, volume one, discs 2 & 3, Mannheim Trio, Vox, 1963
[disc one found in same place on 6th January, 2006]
6 CDs, bought Oldham:
313 - 14.CD: Tchaikovsky: The Four Orchestral Suites, NPO, A. Dorati, Philips, 1967;
315 - 17.CD: Schumann: Complete Symphonies etc, ORR, Gardiner, Archiv, 1998;
318.CD: Schubert: Unfinished Symphonies, Scottish CO, Mackerras, Hyperion, 1997.
Saturday, 4th February, 2006, pm
231.D: Chaplin in Between Showers & Mabel at the Wheel, 1914, 10'30" + 14'38"
206.D: R. D. Webb: Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef, 1953, widescreeen, stereo, 100'35"
Bought Bury, set of 3 Films Noirs:
245 - 47.D: E. Sampson: The Fast & The Furious, 1954; R. Maté: DOA, 1950; E. Ulmer: Detour, 1945.
Sunday, 5th February, 2006, pm
3091 - 96.S: Beethoven: Symphony No.8, BPO, Karajan, DGG, 1977, 24'37"
3099.S: Beethoven: Waldstein Sonata, Op.53, Lupu, Decca, 1970, 26'02"
3115.M: Britten: String Quartet No.1, Op.25, Galimir Quartet. Esoteric-Saga, 1950 c, 21'11"
Britten: Phantasy Oboe Quartet, Op.2, Gomberg, Galimir Quartet, 12'55"
Bought Rochdale:
248.D: J. Schlesinger: The Day of the Locust, 1974
249.D: I. Bergman: The Magician aka The Face, 1958
Monday, 6th February, 2006, pm
231.D: Chaplin in The Bank, 1915, 24'55"
220.D: H. King: The Snows of Kilimanjaro, 1952, 113'14"
Posted on the Hitchcock Message Board: Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:33 am Post subject: Seeing Resemblances
A man, as it were, suspended between life and death, loses the love of his life. On the streets of the city, he sees her everywhere, rushing after women with some resemblance. He thinks he sees her again in the figure of a woman who is entering a car . . . Later, this other woman becomes his lover but she complains of not being loved for herself, only for her resemblance to a dead woman. This drama is played out at considerable length to the accompaniment of a lush romantic score by Bernard Herrmann.
Only it isn't Vertigo, which lies some six years in the future. The man is not played by Jimmy Stewart but by Gregory Peck and the women are Ava Gardner and Susan Hayward. The city isn't San Francisco but Paris and the traumatised man isn't a cop but a writer and big-game hunter, lying near to death on The Snows of Kilimanjaro.
The presence of Leo G. Carroll in the cast creates more diverse Hitchcockian echoes. His name may not immediately mean much but the patrician or avuncular manner made him a favourite character actor for Hitch - he appeared in Spellbound, Rebecca, Strangers on a Train, Suspicion, North by North West and - with Peck - in The Paradine Case. After North by North West, he appears to have become something of a fixture on US television. Did anyone else appear in so many Hitchcock films, apart from Hitch himself? The product of a wealthy English Catholic family, he was named after Pope Leo XIII.
For all its once greatly-admired second-unit cinematography, The Snows of Kilimanjaro has faded in every sense. It has slipped into the Public Domain and can be picked up on DVD for a pound in the UK. Its pre-echoes of Vertigo might not be so noticable but for the Herrmann connection. The score is very similar to that he was to produce for Vertigo - high divided strings for the lingering love-theme, a motif he had swiped from the first act of Die Walküre, where it delineates the forbidden love of a brother and sister.
That love theme has another close relation born within a year. Another epic remembered, if at all, for its spectacular second-unit work. This time we go Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef to show off Cinemascope and stereophonic sound. Herrmann scored the underwater scenes for nine harps and his familiar love-motif accompanies a soggy Romeo & Juliet tale of rival sponge fisherfolk. The young lovers meet in an edenic orchard and the tendrils of the theme wind around them. Another one that has found its way into the bargain bins - surprisingly, some PD prints maintain the original aspect ratio and stereo sound.
Now the music from Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef was a property which 20th Century-Fox appreciated - it was added to their music library and excerpted for other productions over a long period. It is not surprising that even so creative a composer as Herrmann should have borrowed extensively from himself in scoring love music. Even so, Vertigo seems to be one of those iconic productions which creates its own precursors and sheds its light retrospectively on some films which are less often taken down from the shelf. Once sucked into the vortex, the viewer is doomed to be cruising the streets of cinema, forever seeing some resemblance to Vertigo in the frowsy old faces he surveys.
A glance at the credits for Mr Herrmann on IMDB throws up some curious facts about his posthumous career. We thought we knew his last film was Taxi Driver but his music was used with and without permission in many subsequent productions. A lot of the credits on the IMDB are for understandable purposes such as Making of documentaries. However I was startled to discover that the watery associations of Vertigo were revisited in a manner of speaking when parts of the score were filched for a little movie called Water Power. This horrid item is otherwise known as The Enema Bandit! And no, I haven't seen it!
Tuesday, 7th February, 2006, pm
3091 - 96.S: Beethoven: Symphony No.9, BPO, Karajan, DGG, 1975, 66'35"
Tuesday, 7th February, 2006, pm into Wednesday, 8th February, 2006, am
248.D: J. Schlesinger: The Day of the Locust, 1974, 137'29"
Wednesday, 8th February, 2006, pm
295.V: S. Spielberg: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Special Edition, widescreen, stereo from VHS, 1977, 127'02"
Thursday, 9th February, pm
Newspaper DVD, bought Stockport:
250.D: S, Donen: Charade, 1963 - turned out to be a terrible print!
2 x VHS videos, bought Stockport:
298.V: M. Curtiz: Angels with Dirty Faces, 1938
299.V: Hitchcock Double Bill: Dial M For Murder, 1954 & North By North West, 1959
Thursday, 9th February, pm into Friday, 10th February, 2006, am
295.V: W. Herzog: Nosferatu, 1979, full screen, English dubbed version from VHS. 96'17"
Friday, 10th February, 2006, pm into Saturday, 11th February, 2006, am
249.D: Ingmar Berman: The Magician AKA The Face, 1958, 96'52" & Bergman Collection trailer, 2'57" & stills gallery
Saturday, 11th February, 2006, pm into Sunday, 12th February, 2006, am
232.D: Chaplin in The Rink, 1916, 23'25"
103.V: Daniels: Road Block, 1951, 70'12"
247.D: E. Ulmer: Detour, 1945, 67'50"
Sunday, 12th February, 2006, pm
250.D: S. Donen: Charade, poor quality print from newspaper DVD, panned & scanned, poor sound, 1963, 112'56"
Monday, 13th February, 2006, pm
2 X Cheap DVDs, bought Bury:
251.D: Felix The Cat Cartoons, mainly from early 1920s
252.D: Hawks: His Girl Friday, 1940 with Cary Grant Documentary etc
LPs bought Bury:
5328.M: Bruckner: 4th Symphony, Pittsburgh, Steinberg, Capitol, 1957;
5329.S: Beecham: Sibelius Tapiola etc, RPO, Beecham, HMV-WRC, 1957 c;
5330.E: R. Strauss Lieder, H. Gueden, Decca, 1954
LP set, bought Heywood:
5326 - 27.S: Verdi Requiem, VPO, Solti, Decca, 1968;
Tuesday, 14th February, am
232.D: Chaplin in The Floorwalker, 1916, 24'05"
291.V: C. Crichton; The Lavender Hill Mob, 1951, 77'31"
Wednesday, 15th February, am
252.D: Trailer to Gunga Din, 1'35" Introduction to My Girl Friday by Tony Curtis, 2'13" Cary Grant Documentary, 28'50"
225.D: A. Hitchcock: The Lady Vanishes, 1938, beginning, 63'59" [this faulty DVD ends at this point]
11.D: A. Hitchcock: The Lady Vanishes, 1938, conclusion, 30'32"
Wednesday, 15th February, pm
3 X Cheap DVDs, bought Oldham:
253.D: Chaplin, Volume III
254 - 55.D: Betty Boop Cartoons
Wednesday, 15th February, pm into Thursday, 16th February, 2006, am
232.D: Chaplin in By The Sea & His Regeneration, 1915, 14'00" + 14'45"
245.D: E. Sampson: The Fast & The Furious, 1954, 72'37"
Thursday, 16th February, 2006, pm into Friday, 17th February, 2006, am
59.D: J. Blystone: Great Guy, aka The Pluck of the Irish, 1937, 66'10"
298.V: M. Curtiz: Angels with Dirty Faces, 1938, from VHS version, 93'12"
Friday, 17th February, 2006, pm
254.D: Betty Boop: BB's Kerchoo & Crazy Inventions, 1933, 6'12" + 6'35"
233.D: Chaplin in One AM, 1916, 20'28"
Saturday, 18th February, 2006, am
223.D: A. Hitchcock: Jamaica Inn, 1939, 89'55" [NB: This is a cut version which slices about 9 minutes from middle of film]
41.D: Missing section of Jamiaca Inn, runs about 8'46"
Sunday, 19th February, 2006, am
293.V: D. Lean: Lawrence of Arabia, restored version, 1962, 217'28"
Sunday, 19th February, 2006, pm
254.D: Betty Boop: Is My Palm Read? & Betty in Blunderland, 1933 - 34, 5'10" + 6'40"
233.D: Chaplin in The Pawnshop, 1916, 24'49"
226.D: A. Hitchcock: The Man Who Knew Too Much, 1934, 75'08"
12.D & 80.D: comparison of print quality of TMWKTM & Trailer from 12.D, 0'30"
Monday, 20th February, 2006, pm
254.D: Betty Boop: BB's Rise to Fame & Poor Cinderella - black & white print, 1934, 8'42" + 9'55"
177.D: Betty Boop: BB's Rise to Fame, alternative print, 1934, 8'42"
176.D: Betty Boop: Poor Cinderella - colour print, 1934, 10'20"
233.D: Chaplin in His New Job, 1915, 30'12"
Monday, 20th February, 2006, pm into Tuesday, 21st February, 2006, am
222.D: A. Hitchcock: The 39 Steps, 1935, 86'17"
Tuesday, 21st February, 2006, pm
254.D: Betty Boop: Baby Be Good & BB & Grampy, 1935, 7'43" + 7'04"
234.D: Chaplin in A Night Out, 1915, 34'01"
Wednesday, 22nd February, 2006, pm
3113.S: Vivaldi: Concerto Op.3/2; Corelli: Concerto Op.6/3; Marcello: Concerto Op.1/4, 10'32" + 10'13" + 9'23" Bohuslav Martinu CO, Tesík, Supraphon, 1975
3111.M: Madrigals by Luzzaschi, Rore, Verdelot, Willaert, Arcadelt, A. Gabrieli, 20'27"
& Part-songs by J. Haydn, 8'48" Abbey Singers, Brunswick, 1964
3113.S: Geminiani: Concerto Op.3/2; Pergolesi: Concerto Armonico No.5, 11'14" + 7'51"
Bohuslav Martinu CO, Tesík, Supraphon, 1975
3112.S: Beethoven played on the organ, Krumbach, side one, Musica Sacra, 1967, 25'50"
3116.M: Beethoven: Cello Sonata No.1, Starker, Sebök, Erato-WRC, 1960, 21'27"
2009.M: Beethoven: Cello Sonata No.2, Starker, Sebök, Erato-WRC, 1960, 22'56"
Wednesday, 22nd February, 2006, pm into Thursday, 23rd February, 2006, am
203.D: L. Olivier: King Richard III, 1955, scanned & panned version, 150'28"
Thursday, 23rd February, 2006, pm
2009.M: Beethoven: Cello Sonata No.3, Starker, Sebök, Erato-WRC, 1960, 28'57"
3112.S: Beethoven played on the organ, Krumbach, side two, Musica Sacra, 1967, 24'16"
3114.S: Couperin: L'apothéose de Corelli & Rameau: Pièce de clavecin en concert No.1, 14'47" + 8'43"
Ars Rediviva Ensemble, Prague, M. Munclinger, Supraphon, c 1965
Friday, 24th February, 2006, am
284.V: S. Lumet: 12 Angry Men, 1957, 91'50"
Saturday, 25th February, 2006, am
254.D: Betty Boop: Judge for a Day & Making Stars, 1935, 7'20" + 5'07"
234.D: Chaplin in Kid Auto, Cruel, Cruel Love & A Film Johnny, 1914, 6'20" + 9'11" + 7'28"
246.D: R. Maté: DOA, 1950, 83'37"
Saturday, 25th February, 2006, pm
3114.S: Couperin: L'astrée & Rameau: Pièce de clavecin en concert No.5, 9'25" + 12'46"
Ars Rediviva Ensemble, Prague, M. Munclinger, Supraphon, c 1965
3116.M: Beethoven: Cello Sonatas Nos.4 & 5, Starker, Sebök, Erato-WRC, 1960, 15'28" + 22'01"
3119.M: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.4, Arrau, Philharmonia, Galliera, Columbia, 1955, 34'28"
Sunday, 26th February, 2006, pm
183.D: The Third Man, Extras: Trailers: 2'15" + 1'43'; US Opening voice-over, 2'27"; gallery, untimed
Sewer newsreel, 1'07"; Karas newsreel, 1'56" Ticket to Tangiers, audio, 28'40"
Lux Radio version, 1952, audio, 60'29"
254.D: Betty Boop: BB With Henry & Not Now, 1935 - 36, 6'36" + 6'20"
234.D: Chaplin in Behind the Screen, 1916, 23'10"
Sunday, 26th February, 2006, pm into Monday, 27th February, 2006, am
7.D: D. Fincher: Se7en, 1995, 121'35" version with commentary No.2: The Story
8.D: D. Fincher: Se7en, Extras Disc: Title Sequence, 2'50" x 3 commentaries
Deleted Scenes, takes, 18'57"; alternate endings, 12'57'; production design, 8'54'
Still photos with audio, 33'13"; notebooks, 8'16" filmographies, untimed
Home Theatre Remastering, 22'52"
Monday, 27th February, 2006, pm
255.D: Betty Boop: We Did It & A Song a Day, 1936, 5'48" + 6'56"
235.D: Chaplin in Tango Tangles & The Rival Mashers, 1914, 12'32" + 12'12"
224.D: A. Hitchcock: Murder, 1930, 92'22"
Tuesday, 28th February, 2006, am
193.D: A. Hitchcock: Notorious Extras: Conversation with Hitchcock, 3'05" Kim Newman Interview, 15'13"
Tuesday, 28th February, 2006, pm
3117.S: Ravel: Mother Goose & Rapsodie Espagnole, Los Angeles PO, Giulini, DGG, 1979, 18'01" + 16'02"
3130.S: Ravel: Pianno Concerto in G & Left Hand Concerto, W. Haas, Monte-Carlo, Galliera, Philips, 1969, 20'59" + 17'33"
3117.S: Debussy: La Mer, Los Angeles PO, Giulini, DGG, 1979, 25'13"
Tuesday, 28th February, 2006, pm into Wednesday, 1st March, 2006, am
296.V: R. Altman: Short Cuts, 1993, 180'09"