Alex North

[dcoscina]

He's been gone since 1990 but I'm wondering what people think of scores like Spartacus, Cleopatra, A Streetcar Named Desire (first Hollywood score to introduce jazz), and my favorite Dragonslayer.

North had a very unique style. He often said he could only score a picture that moved him emotionally. I know he had a hard time scoring Dragonslayer because it was such a bleak film but the music he came up with is truly awesome. From the opening credit section where the screen is dark, we get trombones playing a dissonant passage followed by clusters in low winds. It's a friggin amazing introduction to a film and set the tone beautifully.

Another fave that isn't available on any recording is his wonderful score to Good Morning Viet Nam where he composed some incredibly moving elegies.

Wish he could have scored a few more films before he passed. A real music genius.

[Daryl]

Wish he could have scored a few more films before he passed. A real music genius.
Blame 2001 for that. :mad:

D

[PaulR]

Some of the romantic love scene cues in Spartacus are lifted.

[dcoscina]

Blame 2001 for that. :mad:

D

Do you have his rejected 2001 score conducted by his friend, the late Jerry Goldsmith? It's pretty terrific. In fact, I always thought Goldsmith's way of composing was like North's. Taking independent lines and creating harmony through counterpoint. Very cool sound. And both weren't afraid of writing really dissonant music.

[Daryl]

Do you have his rejected 2001 score conducted by his friend, the late Jerry Goldsmith? It's pretty terrific. In fact, I always thought Goldsmith's way of composing was like North's. Taking independent lines and creating harmony through counterpoint. Very cool sound. And both weren't afraid of writing really dissonant music.
Yes I do, and it's interesting to note that Goldsmith chose to conduct it, as I don't think that he would normally conduct anything except his own music.

D

[shnurgle]

I have a lot of respect for North's writing and really enjoy his sound. I think he was an exciting and sensative composer. I would never badmouth Kubrick's descision to oust his 2001 score from the mix, however. I have a respect for Kubrick that goes nearly beyond evaluation, and though in most cases I believe that collaboration is the way to go, in the case of Stanley, I aggressivly defend his totalitarianism. His use of source music is beyond a typical director's. He didn't just get married to a temp track, he made films for specific pieces. Since Kubrick wasn't a composer, using music that he knew back to front and linked inextricably to his vision, was as close as he could get to writing the score himself. His use of Ligetti, Richard, and Johann Strauss serves the film in an extrordinary manner and produces if nothing else, a truly Kubrickian experience (whatever the Schnarff that means. my brothers). Seriosuly though, I feel that his rejection of North's score was more based on his affinity for German snausages and the nickname "Captain Keilbasa" than anything else. To quote the Bard, "The girl's got class."
Seriously though, North rocks, as does "the Koob." (and I aint talking about "Kubiack" from Parker Louis, my brothers) What the hell is this post about?

[TheVamp]

I have a lot of respect for North's writing and really enjoy his sound. I think he was an exciting and sensative composer. I would never badmouth Kubrick's descision to oust his 2001 score from the mix, however. I have a respect for Kubrick that goes nearly beyond evaluation, and though in most cases I believe that collaboration is the way to go, in the case of Stanley, I aggressivly defend his totalitarianism. His use of source music is beyond a typical director's. He didn't just get married to a temp track, he made films for specific pieces. Since Kubrick wasn't a composer, using music that he knew back to front and linked inextricably to his vision, was as close as he could get to writing the score himself. His use of Ligetti, Richard, and Johann Strauss serves the film in an extrordinary manner and produces if nothing else, a truly Kubrickian experience (whatever the Schnarff that means. my brothers). Seriosuly though, I feel that his rejection of North's score was more based on his affinity for German snausages and the nickname "Captain Keilbasa" than anything else. To quote the Bard, "The girl's got class."
Seriously though, North rocks, as does "the Koob." (and I aint talking about "Kubiack" from Parker Louis, my brothers) What the hell is this post about?

I don't blame Kubrick for not using North's score on 2001 either. However, the way he handled the rejection was pretty shoddy.
Yes, he only used North on MGM's insistence. And, yes, the reason he strung North along as long as he did was so that MGM wouldn't get wind of his plan to use source cues. But the man didn't know his score was being totally replaced until the premiere! North sat in the audience crushed. It was a pretty shitty thing for Kubrick to do. Not cool.

[shnurgle]

Wow. I didn't know he played it out like that. That is pretty coldblooded. Although I can't say i'm surprised. Kubrick was pretty notorious for not giving a "horse's cadusia" about breaking a few hearts to realize his vision. Ah well, se la vie. You can't make an omlette without putting on a g-string backwards.

[TheVamp]

Yeah. And it's not like Kubrick never collaborated on an original score. He used Gerald Fried, a childhood friend from The Bronx, on his early films. From 1953's Fear and Desire to 1957's Paths of Glory.

[Daryl]

I don't blame Kubrick for not using North's score on 2001 either. However, the way he handled the rejection was pretty shoddy.
Yes, he only used North on MGM's insistence. And, yes, the reason he strung North along as long as he did was so that MGM wouldn't get wind of his plan to use source cues. But the man didn't know his score was being totally replaced until the premiere! North sat in the audience crushed. It was a pretty shitty thing for Kubrick to do. Not cool.
Yes, it was absolutely appalling to treat anyone the way Kubrick treated North. It virtually destroyed the man.

D

[shnurgle]

It virtually destroyed the man.
Because of that one film? or is there other dirt I don't know about? Because if we're just talking about the one film, with all due respect to North, maybe he should have just moved on. I feel like I read a new story every month about some poor composer who gets the royal shaft by a director or producer (who aren't even 1/100 the visionary Kubrick was). Seems like that's just the way it goes sometimes. I'm not saying Kubrick was nice guy, but whatever he did to get it done is justified in my opinion because his work is so extrordinary. Of course he's unique in that sense. I mean if, like, Sonnenfeld walked around acting like a toolbox, it wouldn't be so excusable, know what I'm saying my brothers?

[TheVamp]

Because of that one film? or is there other dirt I don't know about? Because if we're just talking about the one film, with all due respect to North, maybe he should have just moved on. I feel like I read a new story every month about some poor composer who gets the royal shaft by a director or producer (who aren't even 1/100 the visionary Kubrick was). Seems like that's just the way it goes sometimes. I'm not saying Kubrick was nice guy, but whatever he did to get it done is justified in my opinion because his work is so extrordinary. Of course he's unique in that sense. I mean if, like, Sonnenfeld walked around acting like a toolbox, it wouldn't be so excusable, know what I'm saying my brothers?

Well, I don't know about "destroyed," but he was bitterly, bitterly disappointed. I wasn't there, :rolleyes: but from what has been written by those that knew him (including Goldsmith), he was pretty upset about it.
I think part of it was the time that he spent on it. Plus, Kubrick shlepped him all the way to London to work on that thing for months. Shit, if it was me, I'd be pretty pissed.
Then again, he did reuse parts of the score on other projects like Dragonslayer, so he must have gotten over it somwhat.

[Daryl]

Because of that one film? or is there other dirt I don't know about? Because if we're just talking about the one film, with all due respect to North, maybe he should have just moved on. I feel like I read a new story every month about some poor composer who gets the royal shaft by a director or producer (who aren't even 1/100 the visionary Kubrick was). Seems like that's just the way it goes sometimes. I'm not saying Kubrick was nice guy, but whatever he did to get it done is justified in my opinion because his work is so extrordinary. Of course he's unique in that sense. I mean if, like, Sonnenfeld walked around acting like a toolbox, it wouldn't be so excusable, know what I'm saying my brothers?
Maybe so, but get back to us on that when you have reached North's level and have the same standing in the profession;)

D

[shnurgle]

http://yougoonie.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/album15/shortroundtr.jpg ?

[sinkd]

Whatever could the dear boy be talking about?

[shnurgle]

Karma? Nay, nay. Cameleon.