Miklós Rózsa's Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) - NEW 2022 Intrada Records 2-CD set

[Jay 37,322]

 

Roger says:

 

"

INTRADA Announces:



DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID
Composed by MIKLÓS RÓZSA
INTRADA ISC 475

In honor or Miklós Rózsa's 115th birthday and as part of the ongoing Universal Pictures Film Music Classics Collection, Intrada presents Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Rózsa was born on April 18th,1907 in Budapest, Hungary. He scored his first film, Knight Without Armour, in 1937 and 45 years later in 1982 he completed his last film score – Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. It was a fitting film on which to end his distinguished career, as it is set in the '40s and brilliantly incorporates clips from noir classics of that time, including several that Rózsa himself had scored. Although Dead Men is a comedy and not a genre at which Rózsa felt particularly adept, its noir setting allowed him to play it straight, as if he was back scoring pictures in the '40s, but relying on decades of artistic growth that had since transpired. He builds the score on two major themes, both introduced in the "Prelude”: an angular, astringent minor-mode tune associated with the darker aspects of the drama followed by a lush, romantic love theme, both of which figure significantly in the score.The recording sessions were led by an esteemed composer and conductor in his own right, Lee Holdridge.

The album was mixed from the 1/2" 3-channel session elements carefully stored in the Universal archives and features 2-CDs worth of Rózsa's score. CD 1 includes the 62-minute score program, with CD 2 covering additional score and alternates.

The film begins when Juliet Forrest (Rachel Ward) hires private dick Rigby Reardon (Steve Martin) to investigate the murder of her father, a noted “cheese scientist.” Rigby accepts the job, with the search for the missing Dr. Forrest taking Reardon, disguised as a little old lady, to prison to get information from a manic James Cagney (White Heat), and later to a supermarket where, dressed in Barbara Stanwyck’s blond wig, he picks up a lecherous Fred MacMurray (Double Indemnity). Ultimately Reardon has encounters with characters from The Lost Weekend; Sorry, Wrong Number; Double Indemnity and The Bribe (among others), all seamlessly integrated into an elaborate tale that concludes in Peru where the Nazis are using Dr. Forrest to create a corrosive cheese mold that will destroy America.

INTRADA ISC 475
Retail Price: $25.99
Barcode: 7 20258 54750 7
Starts Shipping 4/19
For track listing and sound samples, please visit https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12573/.f

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http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8896

 

 

Doug says:

 

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Miklos Rozsa
Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 475
Film Date: 1982
Album Date: 2022
Time: 86:50
Tracks: 53
Price: $25.99

 

Miklos Rozsa’s final soundtrack on new 2-CD set! Released as part of the ongoing Universal Pictures Film Music Classics Collection and in honor of Rozsa’s 115th birthday (April 18, 1907), Intrada presents Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, the composer’s masterful tribute to his own scoring style of the Golden Age and his very final film soundtrack. Carl Reiner directs Steve Martin in this 1982 homage to film noir, replete with murder, mystery and romance. Rachel Ward co-stars with a treasure trove of famous “cameos” by Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Burt Lancaster, Alan Ladd and others in bits from White Heat, The Lost Weekend, The Big Sleep, The Postman Always Rings Twice, This Gun For Hire and other classics. Miklos Rozsa has a most unusual opportunity to compose a rich symphonic score tipping his hat to the edged, aggressive dynamics of his earlier Double Indemnity and The Killers as well as paying tribute to his lush romantic vernacular. 

 

In signature fashion, Rozsa writes an angular motif for the suspense in the movie, full of interval leaps and intensity. Getting equal attention in the other direction is his warm, ravishing love theme, itself full of dips and swirls. Both ideas permeate the score throughout with a degree of forward motion and pace. Keeping the orchestra in tempo is noted film music composer Lee Holdridge, who was brought in to conduct Rozsa’s “swan song” to the art form he so excelled at and earned three Academy Awards in the process. 

 

Intrada’s presentation of this splendid work has been assembled and mastered from the 1/2” three-channel stereo scoring session masters vaulted in pristine condition in the Universal archives. CD 1 contains Rozsa’s entire 62-minute score, CD 2 presents additional scoring cues and alternates. Footnote: Besides being the last soundtrack scored by Miklos Rozsa, this film was also the last to feature the incomparable costume designing of Edith Head. Score recorded in January 1982 by Robert Fernandez at The Burbank Studios. Lee Holdridge conducts, Miklos Rozsa composes. Intrada Special Collection 2-CD set available while quantities and interest remain!

 

TRACK LIST

 

CD 1 RÓZSA’S DRAMATIC SCORE
01. New Universal Signature (Jimmy McHugh) (0:18)
02. Prelude From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid/Stormy Meeting (3:56)
03. The Front Page (0:14)
04. The Exterminator (3:00)
05. The First Bullet (0:36)
06. First Clue (0:41)
07. Cleaning Woman No. 1 (0:42)
08. Memories (1:07)
09. Wild Jazz Piece No. 2 (1:34)
10. Looking For Hastings (2:21)
11. Love Theme From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (0:48)
12. The Swede (2:56)
13. Marlowe Appears (2:06)
14. The Railroad Car (1:23)
15. Embracing Hands (Original) (2:28)
16. A Meal Ticket (1:13)
17. Alias Sam Novak (1:26)
18. One-Sided Passion (Alternate) (1:34)
19. Cleaning Woman No. 2 (0:46)
20. Peace Offering (0:50)
21. The Hoods (3:21)
22. Transformation (0:38)
23. False Pretenses (2:27)
24. Mistaken Identity (4:00)
25. Love At Last (1:50)
26. Prison Break (1:02)
27. Trust (0:55)
28. Delusions/Carlotta (3:44)
29. Carlotta/Carlotta Café (2:01)
30. The Visit (1:20)
31. The Drink (0:55)
32. The Big Fish (2:55)
33. Final Instructions (1:15)
34. Final Cleaning Woman (0:16)
35. Finale From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1:34)
36. End Credits From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (4:05)
CD 1 Total Time: 61:48

 

CD 2 ADDITIONAL SCORE AND ALTERNATES
01. Love Theme From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Orchestra Demo) (1:56)
02. Fruitcake (1:13)
03. The Brentwood Club (1:28)
04. Fancy Restaurant (1:58)
05. The Party Crasher (1:18)
06. The Party Crasher (Alternate) (1:24)
07. Seduction (1:04)
08. Piano Solo (1:07)
09. Wild Jazz Piece (1:21)
10. Embracing Hands (Revised) (1:15)
11. Fancy Dinner Waltz (1:30)
12. One-Sided Passion (1:21)
13. “Dead Man’s Bolero” (2:30)
14. Carlotta Café (Alternate) (0:16)
15. Finale From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Alternate) (1:34)
16. Finale From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Short Version) (1:14)
17. End Credits From Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Alternate) (3:53)
CD 2 Total Time: 25:04

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https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12573/.f

 

 

 

[Thor 7,478]

Since this release does not include it, am I right to assume this never had a curated OST? There's the Prometheus release from the 90s, but that seems pretty similar to this, not assembled for listening. And otherwise on Discogs, I've only been able to find the 'finale' track on some compilations.

[Jay 37,322]

Correct, the film never had an OST album

[GerateWohl 4,343]

It is some time ago, that I saw the movie. But I remember, I thought the movie just resembled original music from the period. I wasn't aware that this was even an original score.

 

But this is really a great release. A second disk with about 25 minutes of alternates and jazzy source music composed by Rózsa or improvised by the musicians based on Rózsa's themes.

 

Of course you should like Rózsa's film noir style. And for this comedy and a film of so much irony as this one it is sometimes a little over the top. But still it is really a musical treasure. Countless great moments in the score. A rich work, probably the last of its kind.

 

 

 

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Well, this should go oop soon....

[MrJosh 892]

This is really a fun, great and lovely score. Cool to hear a score done in the 80s, which harkens back to an earlier golden-age Hollywood sound, and by a composer who's sound was a part of that golden age. The sound quality is great. All of the cues have interesting material, and I love the sweeping, 'classic Hollywood' theme that happens often throughout the score. The source cues are fun too. 

 

 

[Yavar Moradi 2,593]

21 minutes ago, MrJosh said:

This is really a fun, great and lovely score. Cool to hear a score done in the 80s, which harkens back to an earlier golden-age Hollywood sound, and by a composer who's sound was a part of that golden age.

 

I agree it's cool. And it was also cool a couple decades later when Elmer Bernstein got to do essentially the same thing with his own swan song(s) -- Far from Heaven and the DeMille documentary score.

 

Yavar

[MrJosh 892]

2 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said:

 

I agree it's cool. And it was also cool a couple decades later when Elmer Bernstein got to do essentially the same thing with his own swan song(s) -- Far from Heaven and the DeMille documentary score.

 

Yavar

I will seek out that score next. I saw the movie at some point, but it's been a while, and I never listened to the music outside of the film. 

[Yavar Moradi 2,593]

1 hour ago, MrJosh said:

I will seek out that score next. I saw the movie at some point, but it's been a while, and I never listened to the music outside of the film. 

It’s quite lovely; and cool because Bernstein in the 50s and 60s wrote for the same kind of film being homaged.

 

But his actual final score for the DeMille documentary on TV is also an impressive full-circle thing considering The Ten Commandments really jump-started his career after he was grey-listed and scoring stuff like Robot Monster and Cat Women of the Moon (wonderfully).

https://www.tadlowmusic.com/2017/05/cecil-b-de-mille-american-epic-elmer-bernstein/
 

Here’s the doc itself:

Yavar

 

[Jay 37,322]

Less than 400 left until this goes Out Of Print

[Jay 37,322]

Less than 275 now

 

https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/sc.16/category.66697/.f

[Yavar Moradi 2,593]

I really like this score. Rozsa wrote a few chamber works after this, but for a final film score it's honestly a pretty cool way for him to end his career, with a throwback to his earlier noir greatness.

Yavar

[Jay 37,322]

Less than 250 now

 

https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/sc.16/category.66697/.f