“Incidentally… About THAT ‘Alien’ Music…”

mrrsm

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If you are an aficionado of Science Fiction and have ever watched Ridley Scott’s 1979 Classic Movie: The Alien… a lasting and impressive Sci-Fi Movie Franchise enduring well nigh on 40 years now… it may have escaped the notice of many that one vital segment of “incidental music” that married perfectly with the emotional climax of the movie was NOT entirely composed by Jerry Goldsmith. But rather, this important contribution was selected over his own score at the suggestion of the Movie Editor Adrien Brody. Goldsmith was later said to be distraught over this rejection of around eight solid weeks of his hard work.

Nonetheless, it must be considered that much of the music also used in The Alien had been previously composed by Goldsmith, while having created the same score in part for the Montgomery Clift movie, “Sigmund Freud”. In any case… Brody’s Movie Editing sensibilities did us a great service as the movie-going public for all time when he made his argument for the “other music” to Ridley Scott. He felt this way because The Alien was a film that would completely and relentlessly compress the unbelievable tension felt by the audience for the entire length of this amazing film.

Adrien believed that Howard Hansen’s Symphony #2 “Romantic” would fill that sound space with the gush of emotional relief that all in the audience would want more than anything in the world in those closing moments as Lieutenant Ellen Ripley manages to outsmart and kill the dreadful and nightmarish Xenomorphic Creature; borne of the imagination of Hans Rudi 'H.R.' Giger.... and at just the right moment, too.

For anyone too impatient to sit through this fine, sentimental and romantic 30 minutes of good listening and want to dial right in on the segments used in The Alien Film… start at around 4:30...again at 11 minutes in, then at around 16:45... and listen for the overarching movie theme as it returns in crescendo towards the very end of this fine symphony… played not by the Musicians of The London Philharmonic Orchestra as it was for 20th Century Fox in the film… but by a group of what appears to be High School and College Age kids...(from Wheaton College) and they give this music a sterling performance.

“Incidentally...” Howard Hansen was not only a composer of Romantically Thematic Symphonies… He was also the Head Conductor of the Rochester New York Symphony Orchestra, as well. Though Hansen is deceased... I wonder if Adrien Brody would have liked to mention to him, "Nice Work, Mr. Hansen… You’ve unintentionally written an Important, 'incidental' piece of music ...that will last forever in cinema history to be heard on our film: The Alien...":

NOTE:

The Wheaton College Video version is no longer available to be linked...So the Peabody Institute Orchestra of Johns Hopkins University plays the same piece here instead. Although the entire Symphony Number 2 is worth listening to, the Key Parts used in the “Alien” Movie occur at 4:10, 10:30 and at the Finish… with 26:15 for the Crescendo:



 
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northcreek

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Nice!...If you liked that, I know you would like this classic, the comments below it are pretty funny too.
 

mrrsm

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You would have had to grow up in America at a time when your "AM Radio" was actually built right inside of a decent piece of bulky but ostensibly attractive Monolithic Mahogany Furniture made by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) occupying a substantial piece of Real Estate in practically everyone's 'Living Room' in homes across the country. This was The Norm in North America during the 1940s and 1950s.

People routinely ate their Breakfasts and Suppers together around a single table back then and looked forward to being entertained as the Sun went down right after that "Last Piece of Blueberry Pie" was polished off.

It was there in their Living Rooms, night after night that entire families would often gather around the Brown Fabric covered speaker cabinet of the Old RCA and listen to their favorite 'Radio Programs'. Unlike now... there was a complete absence of having their vision bombarded by so much intense High Definition Television imagery. Instead... It was Human Imagination that fueled these experiences and allowed them to 'Fill in the 'Blanks' using their Minds to bring the Sounds of all those Stories, Comedies, Dramas and Sports Events ...to Life.

These 'Radio Broadcast Programs' could be anything from live Baseball Games, to Boxing and Wrestling Matches for Dad that blared out all of the gaudy details in splendid variations of English ...punctuated by the regional dialects pleasing of their Listeners. The Kids would follow "The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin" and "Dick Tracy" night after night as well.

Then there were the Comedy Sketches and the Romantic Novelizations or Mystery Drama Programs for 'Mother'; sometimes Serialized to "Keep you on the Edge of Your Seats"...as the Announcers would often say with sincerity at the end of many segments:

"Until We Meet Again... Same Time... Same Station."

It sounds Pretty Damned Corny right now; what with nearly every single person old enough to hold a Cell Phone or Tablet in their mitts (and their midst) having access to EVERYTHING POSSIBLE in the World of Information and Multi-Media. I defy anyone here to lay claim to having their meals with each other in which the Cell Phone is not prominently along for the ride at all times taking Center Stage over every moment of our lives.

But ..with tongue in cheek... I'll say, 'Hold The Phone' for just a minute. If YOU are a Dyed-In-The-Wool Science Fiction Fan of the Alien Series that leaped off the Theater 'Movie Screams' back in 1979 and realize that we have NOT Lost One Single Fan ever since... you might be surprised to find out what that original "Mystery Radio Theater" sensation feels like when an updated version of Alien is the subject at hand.

For Starters ...Try listening to THIS Four Hour Plus Long Audio Book called, "Alien: Out of the Shadows" linked below. THIS will be a Brand New Experience for you that will make you wonder Why the Voice Actors and the Special Effects People who created this SCFI Masterpiece in SOUND have not been engaged to Create Brand New, Totally immersive Alien Movies on YouTube.

(No...NOT that Fan-Made Drivel). But now you can find out first hand for yourself with this First Installment of MANY other "ALIEN" Audio-Books. Download and Save these and Enjoy One Hell Of a Roller-Coaster Ride...Starting with THIS One:

 
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Redbeard

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I defy anyone here to lay claim to having their meals with each other in which the Cell Phone is not prominently along for the ride at all times taking Center Stage over every moment of our lives.
The mrs & I have a trac phone, but it stays in the car (it ain't even a "smart" fone) for emergency use. Your story recalls good memories of the A.M. radio and listening to Dark Shadows (if I recall correctly) in the late '60's while spending my time with grandparents. I do wish children of today would have some good times with the older generations that I can recall having.
 
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