Customer Reviews

The Bride Of Frankenstein (1993 Rerecording Of 1935 Film Score)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Considered by many to be Waxman's magnum opus, the music for "The Bride of Frankenstein," its entourage of melodic variety, orchestral pomp, and exemplary wit, clearly evidence its appropriateness for such a claim! As an aural chef d'oeuvre, one that stands alone, it belongs in the collections of every lover of classic filmusic. The album also includes a five-minute suite (too short!) of splendor from Waxman's "The Invisible Ray."

I first heard segments of "BRIDE" at the age of 7 in 1953. Much of this score was used in the serial; "Flash Gordons Trip to Mars". I did not find out the origin of this film score some years later. Now exists a recording of this score in excellent digital sound closely resembling the 1935 film score with the nuances and artistry that one could only hear on a cd. "BRIDE" features what I consider to be the single best segment of music ever written. On track 7, it is "chase"; on band 8, it is repeated in "monster breaks out". My only criticism is track 7,"chase" whose segment from 2:51 through 2:58 is not repeated and thus is incorrect. Fortuately it is correct on track 8;"monster breaks out. A superb disc of a original classical film score that virtually has no equal.

Franz Waxman, Academy Award winner for A PLACE IN THE SUN and SUNSET BOULEVARD, was one of the finest of the Golden Age of Hollywood composers. This 1993 recording of his score for THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is one of his best and, up until Bernard Herrmann's PSYCHO, was arguably the greatest horror film score ever. The ten plus minute cue THE CREATION is a film music classic. With splendid digital sound, crackerjack liner notes, and a suite from the film THE INVISIBLE RAY, this is a must have for any serious film music collector. First rate!

When we think of legendary composers, icons of music in the early days of film scoring...the name Franz Waxman comes to mind, recall his work and career with such classics as..."Captain Courageous"..."The Philadelphia Story"..."Rebecca"..."Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde"..."Woman Of The Year"..."Destination Tokyo"..."God Is My Co-Pilot"..."Sunset Boulevard" and "A Place In The Sun", both won Academy Awards for Waxman.

But in 1935 Boris Karloff was about to recreate his role of the monster, but this time there was to be a female creation, thus we have "THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN", the score was fresh and original, with tones of something supernatural that completely kept you glued to your seat...listen as The Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Kenneth Alwyn perform the complete score...as an added bonus we have "THE INVISIBLE RAY SUITE", composed in 1936, this vehicle starred once again Karloff, and his acting rival Bela Lugosi, who portrayed Dracula in 1931 for Universal Studios.

Listening to this CD, brings back memories of "THE BRIDE", played by Elsa Lanchester, perfection was her performance, she even scared me more than the Frankenstein Monster...so my fellow "film-score-buffs", this is a SILVA SCREEN CLASSIC not be missed...music from the "Silver Screen", at their finest hour!

Total Time: 46:27 on 13 Tracks ~ Silva Screen Records SSD-1028 ~ (1993)

I grew up a great fan of Flash Gordon, seeing him on evening television shows, a serial chapter a week. I have long searched for the music from the serials. A number of years ago I heard someone perform part of the Bride of Frankenstein and bought a Waxman collection that contained it. I was happy that it contained some of the music but longed for the rest. I did an 'Amazon dot com', i.e. searched and discovered there was a CD of the entire movie score. The listing had a review by another customer who noted it contained Flash Gordon music. My quest of nearly forty years is now completed. Thank you Amazon. I must say that I was disappointed that the enclosed notes on the CD did not mention Flash Gordon. I now realize Waxman wrote the music first for the Bride and later used it for Flash Gordon, but, if I am not mistaken, this is the music that inspired John Williams many years later for his score of Star Wars.

Max Steiner's King Kong of 1931 may have been a hallmark in the use of dissonant harmonics and large scale blocked chords, but it is Waxman's Bride score that set the benchmark for orchestral atmospherics. The first appearence of the Frankenstein monster has wonderful beginnings in the minimalistic, pulsating beat of muted timpani,leading directly into the ominous five note monster motif. Waxman definitely understands the importance of subtle nuance and complete character music motifs,over the oft used practice of large scale orchestration. The recording quality is impecable; with the defining track being the music accompaning the creation of the female monster. Waxman fans will also recognize his adept talent at beautiful string pastoral melodies (later to be seen in Rebecca, and other such scores); early on in the film. I highly recommend this cd; especially to film music fans, for its' historical significance as one of the few defining horror/sci-fi movie scores( along with Steiner's King Kong, Tiomkin's The Thing, and Herrmann's The Day the Earth Stood Still and Vertigo).

This is a magnificent score filled with melody and color. Exquisitely orchestrated, the score is very well balanced and conducted. It would make a great ballet. Please bring these forgotten and obscure film scores to life again. The composers, mostly late romantics, are so worthy of being heard! A major plus and welcome addition to any collection! If you like this, look for the Alfred Newman complete recording of the score to "The Song of Bernadette". Not great quality but wonderful music and so inspiring!

For several years classic movie soundtrack aficionados were content with
the original soundtrack recording made from the 1935 film "Bride of Frankenstein"
with composer Franz Waxman conducting the studio orchestra. Since most critics feel
that this was director James Whale's best monster film, they welcomed this cleaned up
contemporary version by Kenneth Alwyn and the Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra.
It will motivate new people to watch the film on TCM or other TV outlets and they will
realize that "Bride" had a much larger influence on "Young Frankenstein" than the
original film --- among other delights.

Don't let the name, The Bride of Frankenstein, make you skeptical about this soundtrack. It remains, along with King Kong, Gone With The Wind, Citizen Kane and Vertigo, as one the of best film soundtracks ever composed.

Fans of the old Buster Crabbe Flash Gordon series will recognize the music because Bride's soundtrack was recycled for that serial (plus many other films).

I remember well one evening at the Hollywood Bowl which featured the L.A. Philharmonic playing the entire soundtrack followed by a standing ovation from the audience. Sample the soundtrack on line and be seduced.

Peter Masters

I have been looking for an original version of this 1935 classic, and one of the greatest films ever made, but I have yet to find it. I was in NY a few days ago, and picked up this version in the Virgin Records Mega Store. I decided, "what the hel, can't be that bad." And, as I suspected, it wasn't.

The reason that I only gave this rerecording 4 stars, is that Ieven though it is a great updated version of the score, it just lacked something. Something that the original Waxman score has. Its still a great buy, and with Halloween approaching, it is a must have for any horror film buff, like myself. Until the original film score is rereleased, this will be more than adadquate to hold me over. Finally, I have something to play in the background when I enter the world of "gods and monsters."