New Intrada: Love at First Bite by Charles Bernstein

[Jay 46,244]

INTRADA Announces

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

Music Composed and Conducted by CHARLES BERNSTEIN

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 203

George was brilliant in how he made Dracula adorable in his pomposity. And I found that the more super-serious and emotional I made his music, then the more people were likely to laugh.”

- composer Charles Bernstein

Intrada's latest release from the MGM film music catalog features Charles Bernstein's much sought after score for the 1979 film Love at First Bite. The classic image of Dracula brings its own set of musical tropes—including the soulful voice of a Gypsy violin, the sound of a cimbalom, the regal strains representing the count’s royal lineage and the soaring strings that bring on the bite of everlasting life. This richly melodic heritage suffuses Bernstein’s score, beginning with his main theme for Dracula. But Bernstein just as quickly announces this isn’t going to be your grandparents’ Dracula score, as growling synths, electric guitar and a disco beat accompany the din of howling wolves and the Dracula motif is carried over to a florid, Liberace-worthy piano conclusion.

While originally released as a 7-track LP on Parachute Records aimed at a disco-era music audience, this Intrada release features a 56-minute program dramatically expanding on Bernstein's score.

Love at First Bite features George Hamilton as a not-so-dark prince cast from his ancestral castle in Romania into New York City. It’s a funky town distinctly lacking the etiquette this bat out of water has been accustomed to for 712 years, especially when he has to win the hand (and neck) of the very modern American supermodel with whom he’s fallen hopelessly in love.

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 203

Retail Price: $19.99

Available Now

For track listing and sound samples, please visit

http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7637/.f

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume 203

Date: 1979

Tracks: 24

Time = 56:16

At last! World premiere release of fun, evocative Charles Bernstein score for Stan Dragoti vampire tale with George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin. Film melds spooks with humor, romance. Bernstein goes for overall vampire aspect of tale, lets violin, cimbalom, piano plus 55-piece orchestra bring Eastern European color to score, then overlaps everything with uptempo vibe of 1970's disco-era New York. Results are positively infectious! Composer produces CD from 1/4" two-track stereo session mixes courtesy MGM. Intrada presentation also includes lengthy Bernstein-penned disco "Fly By Night" plus "Dancin' Through The Night" from original 1979 LP, both tracks from original masters courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises. Charles Bernstein conducts. Available while quantity and interest remains!

The Score

01. Transylvania Moon/Main Title 2:32

02. Magazine Shoot 2:44

03. Horse/Harlem 0:59

04. Angry Peasants 1:52

05. The Count And The Girl 0:56

06. Sunrise 1:00

07. Cindy 2:46

08. Black Chicken 1:24

09. Salsa Source 2:29

10. Lament 1:08

11. Hypnosis 1:26

12. Rumanian Love Song 2:21

13. Carriage Ride 0:47

14. First Bite 1:29

15. Shrink's Office 0:01:41

16. Burn, Baby! 1:22

17. Manhattan Chase I 2:38

18. Dinner Source 1:52

19. Uptown Church 1:31

20. Elevator 1:40

21. Manhattan Chase II 1:20

22. Love Bites Back 2:03

The Extras

23. Dancin' Through The Night (Original Disco Mix) 4:57

24. Fly By Night (Original Disco Mix) 3:52

Charles Bernstein

Price: $19.99

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Samples are kinda meh. I'll stick with White Lighting and Gator.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

White Lightning was filmed right near my house in Little Rock (one street over). I always loved that film.