An addition to our ongoing series of 50s soundtracks on 12-inch LPs. This time we have 1957's The Strange One, an interesting, jazzy Kenyon Hopkins score for a film about hazing in a Southern military academy. Ben Gazzara is the title character. The title music is one of the best jazz-influenced tunes of the time, with a sinister edge that suits the film's theme very well.
Technical note for those who care about such things: as sometimes happens with records of this vintage, the sleeve says it should be played back with RIAA preemphasis, but the record actually seems to have been processed with NAB preemphasis, which I've used for the transfer. Nice sound on this one - the record had never been played.
REMASTERED VERSION
9 comments:
I enjoy Hopkins' work and always wondered why he hasn't been re-issed on CD... Thanks, Buster
Thanks Buster - Looking forward to this one.
I was just watching Tennessee Williams'"The Fugitive Kind" the other night on Turner Classic Movies. Kenyon Hopkins' score is heart-wrenching. I bought the LP because the film and its music have always meant so much to me. Why has one of the most respected score writers of the 50s and 60s fallen into such undeserved obscurity? Thanks for this post. May it serve as the beginning of a long-overdue corrective to the neglect.
Wow! I just watched "The Strange One" last week on a DVD sent to me from overseas. What a great surprise to hear the score from your incredible collection! (I wonder who did the cover sketch of Ben Gazzara as "Nightboy..." Tom of Finland?) FANTASTIC!
Thanks to all for your comments - Moe, loved your comment about Tom of Finland. David, I agree about the neglect of Hopkins. It's hard to understand.
Thanks for this!
On a completely different subject (because I can't figure out how to e-mail you) do you know the music of Marais and Miranda? They put out several 10" records, as well as 12", and they might be considered 'weird' enough to be post-worthy (check out http://www.maraisandmiranda.com/) Thanks!
@david79801,
I do have at least one 10" lp of Josef Marais, yes - Songs from the Veld, Vol. 2. I suspect I have at least one other, 12" LP as well.
Remastered version (Apple lossless):
https://mega.co.nz/#!uVMl2ILZ!DkfozXU0M0ApYsARXBwUfwB3iJgHsGALbj9Z7XThfJc
missed the remastered version so thanks!! belated
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