Great score. I was about to say that it reminded me a lot of Psycho, and what do you know?...Herrmann did that too.
I can't believe I am the only message on here for such a great film.
"It is but a shadow and a thought that you love."
I'm posting this just to mention that I searched this forum for the sole purpose of finding a thread about the score, which I absolutely adore!!!
Strange, btw, that the original was never released OFFICIALLY (read on) in full, and never remastered/replayed, as were many other Herrmanns. And it is Bernard Herrmann, not Herman! Lol
When you consider the great work that was done on "Psycho", "Marnie", "Trouble with Harry", "Vertigo", etc... you just wonder: where's the modern production for "Cape Fear"?
And don't be fooled by Berstein's version for Scorcese's remake: a very fine piece of work, but only a lavish reinterpretation of Herrmann's score.
Since I'm at it: I was also saddened that the remake of "Psycho" wasn't given it's proper CD production, what's with the great "Imagine" logo introduction, and the even greater ends credit coda. Sigh... Anyone know of a bootleg production of this score?
As for "Cape Fear", I own a bootleg edition of the original score: pretty good as it is, but I would love to see an official release of it, either from the original scoring sessions, or replayed.
Anyone else?
Tracks of a score such be included on the DVDs we buy, but I don't know of any film companies that do this.
Paul, I'm a little baffled by your answer! Are you answering to me?
In the first part, you imply that on the DVD, the score is a separate track? Ok, maybe. Do you mean to say that it's technichally feasible to extract the score? I once met someone who boasted he could. So ok.
That's still not an official production.
Also, tracks on DVDs still mean you (most often) get an inferior sound quality, AND (as with DVDs with the isolated score option) it means you get variations of sound intensity due to sound engineer choices (such as music mixed with dialogues or sound effects). Not ideal.
Like I said: for Cape Fear, I have the bootleg anyway. What I would like is a proper release, either from original master tapes, or replayed and rerecorded digitally.
I'm just saying that DVD makers should include the score as audio clips or in a 'jukebox' feature, but this is almost never done :(
Ooops, sorry, paul. Apart from the "such/should" mix-up, your message was pretty clear.
I guess I was trying to find more into it than was.
And now that you mention it, I vaguely remember one DVD that the score as a sound clip. Anytime one clicked on a menu, music started, and cues were played in full...
Scores as sound clips are very unusual indeed.
Any titles you can recall?
No problem, my friend.
'The Apple' came out on DVD with a jukebox feature, which is for lovers of campy 1980s techno music. I think I've come across one other film, but I can't remember which one at the moment. Maybe Xanadu?
Although I loved the score in the later stages of the movie, I found it's application really irritating in the first few scenes. Every time Mitchum made a move there were loud obvious "bad news" music cues, which detracted from the subtlety of his performance. We weren't given a chance to feel how ominous he was, because the music kept telling us "Be afraid! He's a scary bad man!"
By comparison, Psycho is scored very subtly.
The score is brilliant, and maybe one of Herrmann's better compositions,
outside of the major Hitchcock classics.
They used the same music for the remake 30 years later.
The music score really kicked this movie up a notch.
The score was impeccable throughout the entire film!!!!! Excellent!!! This is great movie and far superior to the "over the top" remake.
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