The idea of learning the audience something of the psychological effect and thus meaning of the music and sound in a movie is great. However it has been put on stage very clumsily. Every detail is learned in advance; it is not really an interview or documentary. But it is nice to get familiar with the music composer. You are watching the movie from a different and richer perspective.
4 Reviews
A complete dud from start to finish...
Doylenf8 May 2009
Instead of being what it purports to be, THE BACKGROUND BEAT is a complete misfire. Film composer Lalo Shifrin attempts to show us how he went about composing the music for ONCE A THIEF.
One can only get the impression that it was hardly an inspiring score, although Schifrin is a very talented man. But the few examples shown here are worthless as far as inspiring anyone to be interested in film scoring. This is more of a promotional piece for fans of Ann-Margret and Alain Delon who are shown in a few brief clips from what looks like a very dull film. If anyone thought that this promotional piece was going to make the film click at the box-office, they were mistaken.
It's a dull talk by Schifrin who says all the obvious things about creating mood and atmosphere for a film. Sometimes romantic music. Sometimes violent. For violence, he uses brass and drums. For romance, the violins and piano. No kidding.
Summing up: As an introduction to scoring music for film, this is a complete failure and an insult to anyone seriously interested in the subject.
One can only get the impression that it was hardly an inspiring score, although Schifrin is a very talented man. But the few examples shown here are worthless as far as inspiring anyone to be interested in film scoring. This is more of a promotional piece for fans of Ann-Margret and Alain Delon who are shown in a few brief clips from what looks like a very dull film. If anyone thought that this promotional piece was going to make the film click at the box-office, they were mistaken.
It's a dull talk by Schifrin who says all the obvious things about creating mood and atmosphere for a film. Sometimes romantic music. Sometimes violent. For violence, he uses brass and drums. For romance, the violins and piano. No kidding.
Summing up: As an introduction to scoring music for film, this is a complete failure and an insult to anyone seriously interested in the subject.
"Sadness is part of contemporary living . . . "
pixrox118 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
. . . observes "Ralph N.," director of ONCE A THIEF. Speaking of thieves, Argentinian piano plunk-man "Lalo S." serves as a cautionary symbol during THE BACKGROUND BEAT. Shown doodling away on the ivories as he supposedly composes the musical score for ONCE A THIEF, Lalo promotes Big Tobacco by puffing away at a pipe. Whether your moniker is "Sherlock" or "Lalo," pipe smoking will sic the "Big C" on you IF you live long enough! I once had a great uncle who was a pipe smoker. Before he finally succumbed, he had 17 or 18 surgical procedures performed on his head, face, mouth, throat and neck to deal with the ill effects of his Nicotine Habit. Surgeons ended up removing much of his cheek, about half of this lower jaw, a corresponding percentage of his teeth, some of his tongue, and much of the soft tissue of his palate and throat. Since "Uncle Ned" was one of my Mom's favorite relatives, we ended up visiting him many times during his Pipe Dream Ordeal. With each visit, his visage grew more grotesque. But Unc kept smoking that pipe! It was as if he was Hell-bent upon painting his own PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY right out in the open for all to see! Finally, his pipe sparked a conflagration of his oxygen tent, prompting Mom to sob for days that "Poor Ned is dead!!" So as you watch THE BACKGROUND BEAT, look for the Grim Reaper perched over Lalo's shoulder.
Should Have Been More
Michael_Elliott13 May 2009
Background Beat, The (1965)
** (out of 4)
Semi-documentary talks about the 1965 film ONCE A THIEF as director Ralph Nelson sits down with composer Lalo Schifrin to talk about what would work best in the film. We see the two discussing the psychological impact that the film needs and the best way to get this out of the score. I haven't seen the film in question but it did look mildly interesting but as far as this short goes it was okay but more could have been done. I think the film works best as we get to see the director and composer discussing what should be done.
** (out of 4)
Semi-documentary talks about the 1965 film ONCE A THIEF as director Ralph Nelson sits down with composer Lalo Schifrin to talk about what would work best in the film. We see the two discussing the psychological impact that the film needs and the best way to get this out of the score. I haven't seen the film in question but it did look mildly interesting but as far as this short goes it was okay but more could have been done. I think the film works best as we get to see the director and composer discussing what should be done.
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