Jay 37,287 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Quote Kritzerland is proud our new CD release – a 5-CD set, including the world premiere release of The Gunfighter, new masterings, and a hugely expanded presentation of Prince of Foxes: HENRY KING AT FOX Composed and Conducted by Alfred Newman Henry King was one of Fox’s busiest directors, a mainstay at the studio, who made a whole slew of terrific films during his long tenure there. He began directing in 1915 and continued for decades thereafter. He introduced Ronald Colman to American audiences, discovered Gary Cooper, Jean Peters, and Tyrone Power, and gave Fox some of its most prestigious pictures, not to mention biggest hits. He was nominated for an Academy Award five times, but never won. He did have the honor of winning the very first Golden Globe award for directing, and in 1956 he received a Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award. He worked in just about every genre and excelled at all of them. Just take a gander at even a tiny portion of his films and marvel at the breadth of his work: In Old Chicago, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Jesse James, Stanley and Livingstone, A Yank in the R.A.F., The Black Swan, The Song of Bernadette, Wilson, A Bell for Adano, Captain from Castile, Prince of Foxes, Twelve O’Clock High, The Gunfighter, David and Bathsheba, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, Carousel, The Sun Also Rises and on and on and on. As King said in a 1978 interview, “I’ve had more fun directing pictures than most people have playing games.” King was one of the thirty-six founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and his films received seven Best Picture Oscar nominations. By all accounts he loved the actors he worked with, and eight of them were nominated for Oscars for their performances in his films. For this Henry King at Fox set, we’ve chosen five films, all of which were scored by the brilliant Alfred Newman, the long-time head of the Fox music department, composer of some of the greatest film scores ever written, and the winner of nine Academy Awards. THE BLACK SWAN Based on the 1932 novel by the great Rafael Sabatini, Henry King’s film of The Black Swan was a Technicolor swashbuckler with enough swash and Technicolor for several films. Alfred Newman really delivered the goods, composing a score filled with great melodies, great action music, not to mention passion and romance, a robust full-on buckle and swash Technicolor delight that perfectly captured everything in Henry King’s wildly entertaining film. Newman’s classic score was nominated for an Oscar. For this release, The Black Swan was completely remastered from hi-resolution mono sources CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE Captain from Castile, based on the book by Samuel Shellabarger, was a huge production, budgeted at the then-astonishing figure of $4,000,000, filming in Technicolor on location in Mexico, with a starry cast led by dashing Tyrone Power. Alfred Newman’s score was and is one of his greatest achievements and received high praise from everyone. Newman’s orchestrator, Edward B. Powell said, “It was a picture that allowed him full range as a composer. It had everything: love, death, pomp, circumstance, action, scenery, and The Church.” Newman certainly delivered all of that and more. The score was nominated for an Oscar. For this release, Captain from Castile (on two-CDs) was remastered using Ray Faiola’s initial mixes for the Screen Archives release, with some additional rebalancing and restoration applied to update the presentation. PRINCE OF FOXES Prince of Foxes was also adapted from a novel by Samuel Shellabarger, which became a best-seller in 1947. Set in the year 1500, Prince of Foxes was shot on location in Italy, with interiors done at Cinecitta Studios. The film starred Tyrone Power, Orson Welles, and Wanda Hendrix. What is really astounding is that Alfred Newman’s brilliant score did not receive a nomination – in fact, there were only three best dramatic or comedy score nominations that year. It’s certainly one of his greatest scores, in a career filled with nothing but great scores. Listening to those glorious themes, one simply has to marvel at the diversity of the score, the beauty of it. Prince of Foxes was released previously on CD, but it was not complete and was missing some of its best music – that was all due to what was available and what could be done technically at the time. For this release, there is over twenty minutes of additional music, and in much better sound. It was completely restored, remixed, and remastered from new high-resolution transfers. THE GUNFIGHTER The Gunfighter was director Henry King’s second film with Gregory Peck (they would make a total of six films together). In addition to Peck, the western also featured Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell, Jean Parker, and Karl Malden. Alfred Newman provided the score and given its three-minute duration, it’s more than a little surprising the number of film music fans who have begged for its release over the years. This is the score’s world premiere release and its brief duration packs a surprising punch. It was in “push/pull” format from 1/4” tape made in the 1980s from the original 35mm optical tracks. LOVE IS A MANY-SPLENDORED THING Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, adapted from the 1952 novel A Many-Splendored Thing by Han Suyin (a pseudonym for Dr. Elisabeth Comber), was and is a hugely entertaining film, which starred Jennifer Jones and William Holden. Audiences really responded to the love story between a widowed Eurasian doctor (Jones) and an American correspondent (Holden). Of course, a major asset of the film was Alfred Newman’s stunning score and Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster’s great title song, which because a hit. Newman’s arrangement and weaving in and out of the Sammy Fain tune is perfection, his own themes co-mingling with the tune of the song in endlessly wonderful ways. It’s a textbook example of using a title song’s tune in the underscoring of a film, and both song and score won Oscars. Kritzerland released Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing in improved sound back in 2012 and it sold out quickly – it’s been one of our most requested titles for reissue. This 5-CD box set is also Kritzerland’s tribute to the late Nick Redman, who was responsible for restoring and getting released an amazing number of Fox scores that would have otherwise languished and been lost forever. The twenty-four-page full-color booklet contains liner notes and tributes from Julie Kirgo, Jon Burlingame, Mike Matessino, producer Bruce Kimmel, and David Newman. HENRY KING AT FOX is limited to 1000 copies only and priced at $59.98, plus shipping. This is a PRE-ORDER – CDs will ship by the second week of October, but never fear, we’ve actually been averaging three to five weeks early in terms of shipping ahead of the official ship date. Quote CD 1 THE BLACK SWAN 17 Tracks CD 2 CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE 11 Tracks CD 3 CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE (continued) 14 Tracks CD 4 PRINCE OF FOXES 27 Tracks THE GUNFIGHTER 3 Tracks CD 5 LOVE IS A MANY-SPLENDORED THING 20 Tracks http://www.kritzerland.com/kingfox.htm http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/39094/ http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/39094/ https://www.moviemusic.com/soundtrack/M11934/henry-king-at-fox/ crocodile and Yavar Moradi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,590 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 This set looks to be freakin’ awesome... Yavar Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,059 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 I have the first 3 scores from their FSM / SAE releases. Been debating getting this. Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,287 Posted September 12, 2019 Author Share Posted September 12, 2019 The description of how improved Prince of Foxes is from the old release to the new one is pretty exceptional Quote Prince of Foxes was released previously on CD, but it was not complete and was missing some of its best music – that was all due to what was available and what could be done technically at the time. For this release, there is over twenty minutes of additional music, and in much better sound. It was completely restored, remixed, and remastered from new high-resolution transfers. Plus Mr Kimmel added on FSM: Quote Prince of Foxes is completely redone - couldn't have ever been done the first time around - completely restored, remixed, and remastered from NEW hi-def sources - it sounds glorious and the twenty-plus new minutes are spectacular. Also, it's funny that no one has mentioned The Gunfighter - I cannot tell you how many times on this very board people were saying it was their Holy Grail - well, here it is folks. The Black Swan is also a great upgrade, and Captain from Castile has had some TLC done on it - they all sound great. https://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=136618&forumID=1&archive=0 Plus, Mike M chimed in on FSM to add: Quote For Prince of Foxes we started with the 1/4" tapes of flat optical transfers done in the 1980s and the score was done completely over from scratch. Two decades ago, cues would get summarily rejected from an assembly if they didn't sound good on the first listen. As you know, FSM often included "damaged" cues at the end, which was one solution but not ideal. Now we can micro-surgically go in and figure out what the problem is and how to get the material to the point where it's presentable. In this case it was not just wow, but also balance issues, drop-outs and optical noise, all of which can be dealt with using a variety of digital repair tools. https://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=136672&forumID=1&archive=0 Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Improved sound quality for those first two are pretty welcome too! Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,590 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Yeah this is gonna be good...Mike Mattesino on the job and all... Yavar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,465 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 The King/Newman relationship is so overlooked in the film music pantheon. I mentioned it in a magazine about film music I recently edited, and none of those I spoke to afterwards had heard about it (although they had heard about King and Newman separately). Although directors and composers didn't communicate as closely in the studio era as they do today, it's still a relationship worth celebrating. This seems like an excellent box (if you disregard the whole expansion thing). They could perhaps have added Newman's name on the cover, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,590 Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Yeah the omission of Newman's name from the cover is super strange, especially since there are no other composer collaborators of King's represented here. It's not like Henry King wrote these scores! Other Newman/King collaborations not represented in this lovely box set: Alexander's Ragtime Band* The Song of Bernadette+ Wilson* Margie~ Twelve O'Clock High* David and Bathsheba# Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie~ O. Henry's Full House (one segment of this anthology film; score released by Kritzerland) * released on CD by Screen Archives + released on CD by Varese Sarabande # released on CD by first Intrada and then later, Kritzerland (the more complete and better sounding version which is a MUST BUY!) ~these two scores have never been released and Margie, at least, is lovely...it's a shame they weren't premiered here, but perhaps they are lost... Oh yeah, and Newman did the arrangements and some underscoring for Carousel, directed by King, as well. The Bravados (cool scored released by FSM) was his last collaboration with Alfred Newman (but *not* Hugo Friedhofer, who co-wrote the score with Alfred and scored King's later This Earth Is Mine, as well as, previously, The Sun Also Rises). King also worked more than once with Franz Waxman (Beloved Infidel, Untamed) and Bernard Herrmann (The Snows of Kilimanjaro, King of the Khyber Rifles, and his final film, Tender Is the Night). I'd also really love to hear the score that Sol Kaplan composed for him, on 1951's I'd Climb the Highest Mountain. Maybe that'll get unearthed from the Fox vaults someday. Yavar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,287 Posted September 12, 2019 Author Share Posted September 12, 2019 I was also surprised to not see Alfred Newman's name in the cover! I cant think off the top of my head of any specialty label CD that doesn't list the composer on the cover. I'm sure his name is on the spine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,590 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t. What’s strange is they did one director themed release before — Fuller at Fox — and still gave composer credits on the front cover even though there was more than one composer! http://www.kritzerland.com/fuller.htm And for the actor (John Wayne) themed release previously, they also credited the composers on the front cover even though there were three! http://www.kritzerland.com/johnWayne_Fox.htm So with this essentially being an Alfred Newman set with five of his scores on five CDs, it’s a real head scratcher to leave his name off the front cover entirely and have HENRY KING in huge letters even though he didn’t write a note and only provided the films to inspire the artistry of Alfred Newman... Yavar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,465 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 8 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said: Oh yeah, and Newman did the arrangements and some underscoring for Carousel, directed by King, as well. ....plus a little bit of uncredited arrangements by John Williams, let's not forget. It's where the whole Williams connection to the Newman family started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,030 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 9 hours ago, Thor said: This seems like an excellent box (if you disregard the whole expansion thing). 2 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said: What’s strange is they did one director themed release before — Fuller at Fox — and still gave composer credits on the front cover even though there was more than one composer! http://www.kritzerland.com/fuller.htm And for the actor (John Wayne) themed release previously, they also credited the composers on the front cover even though there were three! http://www.kritzerland.com/johnWayne_Fox.htm Preminger at Fox also had composer credits on the cover. Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh500 1,615 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 Love is A Many-Splendored Thing... One of the best songs ever! There's even a recording of it that JW did back in the 80s with the BPO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 Splendid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 452 Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 I'm all in just for Castile and Foxes. I discovered A. Newman's work recently and marvel how colorful and gorgeous his scoring was. The guy was a powerhouse, 4-5 scores a year sometimes! Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 Why does the Kritzerland website look like Geocities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Gruesome Son of a Bitch said: Why does the Kritzerland website look like Geocities? http://www.godzillamonstermusic.com/godzilla.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 What?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 What's the matter? Don't you surf the internet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,030 Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 Does Kritzerland help you to avoid customs when the shipping address is outside the USA? Have you bought it, @Pieter Boelen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 11 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: Does Kritzerland help you to avoid customs when the shipping address is outside the USA? Have you bought it, @Pieter Boelen? Haven't, sorry. So I wouldn't know the answer to that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,030 Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Pieter Boelen said: Haven't, sorry. So I wouldn't know the answer to that... Too bad. Well, their website looks rather shabby, like a front for criminal operations, so I'll just assume they won't mind declaring a low value. Pieter Boelen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,030 Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 On 9/28/2020 at 8:27 AM, Pieter Boelen said: Haven't, sorry. So I wouldn't know the answer to that... What about now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 18 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: What about now? Uhm... Nope. I'm well behind on music things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,030 Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 Is this release a jewel case box or a cardboard box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce marshall 1,315 Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 On 28/09/2020 at 12:59 AM, Jurassic Shark said: Too bad. Well, their website looks rather shabby, like a front for criminal operations, so I'll just assume they won't mind declaring a low value. Well, look who runs it! 1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said: Is this release a jewel case box or a cardboard box? A coffin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,590 Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: Is this release a jewel case box or a cardboard box? a clamshell jewelcase — great set! Yavar Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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