gagman66 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 So where the devil are the promo's pertaining to this years YOUNG FILM COMPOSERS COMPETITION? I have not seen a thing! TCM generally starts airing them in December too? I certainly do hope that this Annual Event is not being discontinued? That would be terrible! Has anyone else seen a segment on this years contest? Generally, they reveal what will be scored next year. I was anxious to find out what it might be? So far, nothing has been said about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factotum Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I think most people PRETEND to care about the incompetent "young" (read inexperienced) composers events just because it's a way to get TCM to parole another silent film from it's underground dungeons. The tracks are so poor anyway, I say, why not just play the old Tarbox "Meadowlark" score and show those movies? We can all put our own, more appropriate scores on later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 good point..... I really couldn't care less about the competition (sad to say) since that's what takes precedence over the film. BEAU BRUMMEL? I already had it anyway. Did it need a new score? Nope. Just as Jeffrey has argued about the new score for FOUR SONS. It's an advertising gimmick, and one that doesn't really work with most silent films fans. I'm not up to par technically (yet) to tack on my own scores, but when I am able to I'll strip out all the ugly and anachronistic scores and re-copy the films that have been stuck with them. The bottom line (for me) is.... does the music match the film and does it enhance rather than overwhelm the film??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiotelefonia Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I fully agree. I remember the documentary on the writing process of the score of THE TORRENT. And the scored did not reflect the images in the screen, and I am writing with knoledge since I could have come with more clumsy results, but at least sincere and musically authentic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Jorge... I feel the same way. I'm not a professional musician but I can play piano and produce music that matches the time and mood of a film better than a lot of the stuff that's way too overblown for the film. I know you guys hated the new score for FOUR SONS. I rented a copy of WAY DOWN EAST because I thought it would have a better score than the cheapo copy I have. It was the exact same dirge.... my god how awful!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGulch Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Well now, don't you think silent film (and literacy) will make a resurgence because future generations will be hearing-impaired from their iPod earbuds? Kidding aside, I hope the dust never settles on this discussion of new scoring until the vintage scores, which fit the film like a glove in most cases, are given the same attention by preservationists. I am concerned there may be injured and dying new music composers wounded by criticism of their creative efforts. I hope they are able to stand up, square their shoulders and know their work matters. These competitions broaden the appeal of this precious genre placing it in a larger market and shatters the box and constraints of the status quo. Christopher Caliendo's score to FOUR SONS is exceptionally fine, in my opinion after watching this film more than a few times and there should always be a place for new, fresh musical expressionism. However, omitting the vintage score on these restorations is like cutting a masterpiece to fit the frame. As the song goes, money can't buy love but if it's being spent, it should also reinstate the dignity of original scores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factotum Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I hate to tell young people this if they have such tender feelings, but if you have such an urge to be creative, go express yourself with finger paints. You can't be part of the creative team on a silent film, you can't share in the glory with the long dead men who worked on it UP UNTIL NOW. "updating" is wrong. "Updating" doesn't happen in talkies. Ever seen that happen? You've all been exposed to the hated colourisation ventures of about twenty years ago- I have seen and heard the copyright owner's efforts to modernise some Krazy Kat cartoons by not only colourising them but redrawing things not politically correct, as well as replacing one of Joe De Nat's great scores with a funky hip-hop clatter. What a truly horrible thing to do. Naturally, few other examples exist. But why are silent films fair game for "updates"? You know just about every single silent film down to shorts and cartoons had music sheet scores composed for them, and were available from the exchanges. With hundreds of films coming through the theatres weekly, the exhibitor's musician/ musicians couldn't compose his own score for every film- they wouldn't ever have the time. The "seat-of-your-pants" method of just playing as the film flies by for the first time that's favoured by most modern accompanists, usually piano only, would never be tolerated in 1925. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiotelefonia Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 When Max Gl?cksmann wired his Grand Splendid Movie Theater for broadcasting, the theater orchestra that provided background music for the exhibited films, had a half hour radio show between 1925 to 1927 when broadcasting began to adopt its more traditional formats. When I was still living in Buenos Aires, I was able to find authentic cue sheet music scores in English that were unquestionably used at certain theaters to provide background music. I don't have them anymore, but one for an FBO B western called THAT DEVIL QUEMADO is preserved by Kevin Brownlow himself (who didn't have it)... and he also has a print of that film. Local musicians provided background themes, if not cue sheets: Nicol?s Verona for SURRENDER and Cat?lo Castillo for MANTRAP are examples. But in the cheapest theaters that featured the most popular orchestras like Julio De Caro's, there was never an attempt to match the music to the film, and large audiences went there to pay attention to the musicians and not to what was going on in the screen. I guess that there are more variations of these things in different countries around the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gagman66 Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 Factotum, With respect, I am going to have to disagree with you guys to some extent. One I have greatly enjoyed the last 3 Winners scores of this competition. Darrel Raby's effort on THE SHOW last year was exceptional. So was Marcus Sjowell's scoring the previous year on SOUL'S FOR SALE. So I think we actually do have some gifted up and coming talents becoming involved in the medium. Also anything to spark interest among the younger generations in Classic film, and Silent film in particular, is in my mind a noble venture. Ed, I believe that you are confusing the feature that TCM ran on the scoring of THE TEMPTRESS, and not THE TORRENT, which was never selected to be scored as part of this competition? Honestly, I thought Michael Picton's score to THE TEMPTRESS awhile back was quite good. I had very few complaints. Cathy, It is true that had I been seeing FOUR SONS for the very first time, that I may have appreciated Christopher Caliendo's much more than I do? But being used to the Movie-tone track, and having that basis of comparison to draw from, it fails rather dramatically to evoke the same since of awe or emotion. As previously noted I found Caliendo's scores for both A LADY OF CHANCE and THE IRON HORSE to be quite excellent. None of this answers the question I posed in my initial inquiry when I started this thread? Are they still having the competition this year or not? As nothing has been advertised or said about this matter of any kind, what I'm I supposed to think? The competition for 2008 should already be well underway? Shouldn't it??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 huh? I never mentioned either film Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gagman66 Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 Ed, I'm sorry, I guess it was Jorge who brought this up earlier in the thread. I though that it was you? Again, I think He was referring to THE TEMPTRESS, and not THE TORRENT though? In the Young Film Composers Competition portion of this forum, the people are asking them same thing, why have no clips been posted to score for the 2008 event? Why has no film been named for this year as the title to be scored? People are questioning if the Competition is being discontinued? I have not heard anything that it is, but I have seen nothing pertaining to it still taking place either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 wasn't me..... Did TCM have a corporate sponsor for this who bailed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiotelefonia Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I guess that you probably are stating why we are not watching those commercials. The sponsor used to be Guitar Center. And they use to have those ads for months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gagman66 Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 Jorge, Ed, I think that they had a different sponsor last year Todd A-O Magazine or something like that, as I recall? It's certainly appears doubtful, unless the contest is starting much later than usual that there is going to be a YOUNG FILM COMPOSERS COMPETITION is 2008? I myself, am very upset about this? I sure hope that I'm wrong, but maybe they lost the sponsorship? If not this year, hopefully, it will return in 2009? What a dark day this has been on my Birthday too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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