Thursday, March 25, 2010

Antoine Duhamel- 'Pierrot le Fou/Week-End'



Many of Godard's best movies have incredibly powerful music, not bombastic powerful, more for how it affects the film. Basically, giving it some of that good ol' movie magic. The music, from the director's viewpoint, is very important to those films. He is extremely creative with the music and its placement in or out of rhythm of the action on screen, especially with dynamics in editing. It gives the films a strange energy.
He also uses great film composers. Some scores are jolly, some are tragic, some are dense, but Antoine Duhamel's are the most raw, ominous, and at times frightening.
'Pierrot Le Fou' is a perfect example. One of my absolute favorite movies, and the music undoubtedly aids the film in completely overtaking the viewer. But I must say that I prefer the movie versions of the vocal songs, and (rant time) where is the music that the guy on the dock kept singing (that scene is a favorite of mine), and the song when they're in the car when he's taking her home the first night (I have a version sung by Jeanne Moreau, accompanied by the composer, Cyrus Bassiak-seen in "Jules and Jim" playing guitar while Moreau sang), the song at the very end, etc.? More Bassiak originals? I want it all! Oh, well. Not that there's anything wrong with what we have here. Especially "Le Morte Bleue" (and that scene!).
I have to say that it isn't the music that came to mind when i remember things about 'Week-End," but hearing the score now, I really appreciate the fact that the music doesn't try to outdo what is happing on screen (how could it?), while still affecting it and resultantly amplifying what is happening. Something subtle in Week-End. Huh...
This movie needs to be re-released, dammit. It's important!

http://www.mediafire.com/?2gmgqtdn42j

2 comments:

  1. I think the Delerue score for Pierrot le Fou is even better that the one he made for Contempt, which is one of the beautifulest score ever.
    Pierrot is fantastic, I do agree !

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  2. Hi, do you think you could re-upload some of the JLG movie soundtracks? If I'm not mistaken all the links are broken and I would really appreciate it!

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