Stanley Meyers' "The Witches"

[Marcus 390]

Stanley Meyers had the "misfortune" of writing one hit that has utterly eclipsed whatever else he has contributed: The Cavatina from "The Deer Hunter".

I have often been impressed with the quality of his writing, and was again reminded of the man's talent when watching the 1989 film version of Roald Dahl's "The Witches". Has anybody else heard this? It is a delightful score, and I would love to get a recording of it, but have been unable to find one, and I'm not even sure a soundtrack was ever isued, although I suspect that it was, and is simply out of print...Does anybody know?

[Omen II 1,235]

Marcus,

To the best of my knowledge the music for The Witches was never released officially. I know that the score is very highly rated, but have never seen the film myself. The composer's surname is MYERS, by the way (no relation to Michael, I hope ) and you can probably count the number of his soundtrack CD's on the fingers of one hand.

Hans Zimmer worked a lot with Stanley Myers in his (Zimmer's) early years as a film/TV composer. I've got a video review book somewhere that states that The Deer Hunter has "a beautiful score by John Williams." It's in a book so it must be true!

Damien

[Marcus 390]

Damien, thanks for the information (and for correcting my misspelling of his name,-terribly sorry...)!

Zimmer worked with Myers? How interesting... and surprising!

I'm always disappointed when people mistake John Williams the guitarist for John Williams the composer...

Best,

Marcus

[Figo 2]

Like everyone else, I basically knew Myers from The Deer Hunter. Then one night I rented The Witches, and I wasn't able to get the music out of my head. To this day, I can still remember the theme. Very good score, and also a surprisingly fine adaptation of a Roald Dahl novel.

I really underestimated Myers. Too many recordings of the Cavatina.

[Marcus 390]

...Or too few of "The Witches". Yes, it is a good adaptation, although perhaps a little saccharine in its general tone (still, it is frightening for being a late 1980's children's film). I'm actually working on an adaptation on "The Witches" myself: I've been commissioned to make an opera adaptation of it, scheduled for a 2008 premiere, and we've thankfully secured the rights. My music will be a little darker than Mr. Myers', but if it were to be cast as an operetta, I cannot think of a more fitting overture than the one Stanley Myers offered!

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I'm actually working on an adaptation on "The Witches" myself: I've been commissioned to make an opera adaptation of it, scheduled for a 2008 premiere, and we've thankfully secured the rights.

Of Dahl's book? Awesome!

I must say I really preferred the book's ending, rather than the lame happy ending that was tacked onto the film.

[Marcus 390]

There will be no "good" witches in my opera! (which actually makes it more difficult dramatically speaking, as "pure evil" is very hard to portray convincingly). We're sticking to the original ending in Dahl's book.

[deimos 0]

Cool!

[Red 75]

The 80's version used to frighten me when I was younger.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I must say I really preferred the book's ending, rather than the lame happy ending that was tacked onto the film.

Didn't the british release have a different ending then the UK one?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

You the film? And US instead of UK? I think it might have. It probably just didn't have that lame ending the US version had.

[Marcus 390]

Okay, this is just weird trivia, but I had to share this information with someone, and I thought this would be a good forum: I just found out that my mother met Stanley Myers at a pop music festival in Poland in the early 70's, and apparently he was extremely taken with her, and, despite his shyness (my mother remembers him as a very quiet and 'nerdy'), kept trying to beguile her... Theoretically, Stanley Myers COULD have been my father 8O ...