L'Estasi Dell'oro

[tthurman]

 

[RIP-Felix]

Epic and classic! Great piece of music. I'm a firm believer that if it wasn't for hollywood the fate of classical music wouldn't have changed as muchas it has in the last 70 years. Now when you hear a Great modern classical composer, you associate the piece with the movie score it appeared in. However, most classical music traditionally was contracted for plays, operas, and theatrical performances rather than for strictly symphonys anyway. So, although the purist in me would rather not have to associate the music to the movie (instead just enjoy it for the emotional journey it is and imagine my own story), I also realize nothing has really changed, the industry has just evolved. Besides, if it wasn't for Hollywood I probably wouldn't know and love half as much classical, symphonic music. And I'm by no means a Fan of classical music. Just the greats, of which the modern era has produced the most (IMO). They are just Hidden among the credits scroll. I'll bet you've heard of Jerry Goldsmith and Hans Zimmer though!

Here are a few examples in keeping with your western theme! First let's use the final duel scene from the movie you quoted: The whole Scene is awesome but you can skip to 1:45 for the score.This is Ennio Morricone:

 

Here's a couple of familiar ones from Elmer Bernstein:

 

 

If you want an example that tipifies my point, good luck listening to this one from John Williams without thinking of the movie it's from!

 

[ClassicGMR]

And to drive the point home - I'm watching some of these clips on my laptop in the bedroom. I played the last one and my wife pipes up and says "YOU'RE watching Star Wars???" (I'm not a fan)

 

Off-topic : Clint Eastwood is such a badass.

[tthurman]

Yes he is!

 

.....this is a keeper too

 

 

[tthurman]

FWIW I picked up both of the last two entries listed here.

The GDM is an Italian import, which I found on Amazon for $15 and some change shipped, and the other is an 2006 EMI UK release that I also grabbed for $8.

I couldn't find a definitive answer on the 2004 digital remix being included on the GDM release, and given some of the sellers had such attractive prices, and these are out of production (I believe), I figured better safe that sorry.  I've got about three or four copies of Mozart's Requiem, and the best one is the $4 el-cheapo I picked up out of one of those huge bargain buy boxes at Wally world, so you never know.

 

[RIP-Felix]

4 hours ago, ClassicGMR said:

And to drive the point home - I'm watching some of these clips on my laptop in the bedroom. I played the last one and my wife pipes up and says "YOU'RE watching Star Wars???" (I'm not a fan)...

What if you wanted to play Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On?" at a eluogy/funeral/wake? Someone would be wondering who's watching titanic or associate the music with the movie and wonder if it's inappropriate. If you take that song by its self, it's one of the most powerful emotional pieces I've ever heard/great song. Tear jerker, and just what you need to cry out the pain of loosing a loved one (it feels better after a good cry). But that damn movie photo bombs the music's glory every time.

I find it interesting how we associate our senses to places, time, things, whatever. Music and especially smells seem to bring me back to a memory way more than seeing a face I haven't seen or tasting a recipe havn't tried in a while. A lot of these movie scores do that for me, but it's almost always the movie not the person or place I remember, except these westerns. My dad liked them and we watched a lot of Clint Eastwood when I was a kid, so I associate the music with watching movies with my dad. That and we went on rock hunting trips all around the west, so I've kinda associated them with that too. I was planning a road trip and thought making a CD with a bunch of old western favorites would be fun to listen to on the way. This is the type of nostalgic crap that annoys the hell out of the kids (If I had any)...lol.

[Draco1962]

5 minutes ago, RIP-Felix said:

What if you wanted to play Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On?" at a eluogy/funeral/wake?

I have asked that my son sing Green Day's "Good Riddance" at my funeral.

[hansolo77]

You know?  I've never actually sat through and watched a Western.  HUGE chunk of cinema missing out of my life.  Same with Noir, and War.  I've been such a Sci-Fi//Fantasy nerd with a bit of Arnold Action thrown in.  I should probably break down and find some of the more popular ones and watch them.

Edit:
I take that back.  I think I've seen Hondo.  There was an episode of "Married With Children" where Al was whining because Peg wouldn't let him watch/record Hondo on TV.  Later I recall seeing it was on and watched it.  Though I couldn't tell you ANYTHING about it.  Also.. does movies like "El Mariachi, Desperado, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico" count?  Or are we looking more for Spaghetti Westerns, like "Blazing Saddles"? 
 

[RIP-Felix]

Well, I wouldn't call myself a western fan, I'm more of a Scify guy, but I enjoy a good western. Here's a top 10 to get you started:

1. Tombstone
2. Dances with Wolves
3. Little Big Man
4. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
5. Young Guns 1&2
6. City Slickers 1&2
7. Unforgiven
8. The Hateful Eight (Just saw this, gruesome with great characters as expected from Quentin Tarantino).
9. A river runs through it
10. The last of the Mohicans

Ok, so some of those are not strictly westerns, but the drama genre blends in for me with Native American period pieces and lawless westerns anyway. My grandpa was in the John Wayne generation so he likes the "Duke" best, my dad was in the Clint Eastwood Camp, but my generation kinda fizzled out on the strong western actor roles. Leo Dicaprio had a few good ones, Robert Duval has had a bunch of good ones, Kurt Russel and Kevin Costner also come to mind. I'd have to say I like movies newer than the mid 70's in general, before that are more of a pain to watch and understand than I prefer in casual viewing. So I guess I'm more in the Clint Eastwood than the John Wayne camp. Frankly, though I prefer the ones I saw growing up in the late 80's and up to present.

[ClassicGMR]

Shane! Come back!