Bill Wrobel's DVD - Film Score Rundowns

Dragnet shows as well that I am still watching. That fiery refinery scene at night I
mentioned above is located on my dvd at 00:08:51. Murray’s six-note theme is
dramatically sounded here. Incidentally, the sketch score is available in Box 58 of the
Lyn Murray Collection at the University of Wyoming:
http://rmoa.unm.edu/docviewer.php?docId=wyu-ah02928.xml
I’m tempted to order the written score but first I need to get the official dvd since
I have now only a deteriorated copy from LovingTheClassics site. Often the frame
freezes, even on my computer.
About 45 minutes into the movie you get a big surprise—James Mason in a short,
uncredited role! It’s like an Easter Egg nice surprise.
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-Fort Dobbs (1958) *** 1/2 [music ****]
http://www.wbshop.com/Fort-Dobbs-1958/1000182510,default,pd.html?cgid=
Just earlier today (MLK Day, January 17, 2011) I submitted a review of this dvd.
I no longer have it on my clipboard but you’ll be able to read it I’m sure on the link
immediately above. I plan to do a detailed rundown on the written score that I researched
at USC/Warner Bros. Archives about a decade ago. The movie is not a “classic” Western
but it’s solid entertainment. The big plus of course is the vibrant Max Steiner score! He
wrote a great deal of mood underscoring besides the usual “mickey-mousing” technique
he is famous for. The “New Main Title” (Maestoso in 4/4 time) opens with an almost
Herrmannesque flavor with the two-note motif initially. Highly dramatic as Cheyenne
(eh, I mean, “Gar Davis”) enters the town during a dust storm. But the M.T. is basically a
patchwork of various themes used within the picture. One of my favorite action-motion
cues is Reel 6/4 (cue # 37939), Con moto in 6/8 time, especially the first 18 bars as the
Virginia Mayo character and her son race across the open valley floor (dvd starting at
00:46:47). The initial chords are F min (F/Ab/C) to C min (C/Eb/G). The soli violins and
the oboe play the primary motion phrases mf of middle C quarter note to C 8 th to C
quarter note to C 8 th crescendo to (Bar 2) C quarter note to C-C 16ths to C-D-Eb legato
8ths (repeat these two bars in Bars 3-4). Then in Bar 5 they play this on Line 1 F notes to
(Bar 6) F quarter note to F-F 16ths to F-G-Ab legato 8ths (repeated again). Etc.
Murray Cutter did most of the orchestration but, interestingly enough, Michael
Heindorf did at least the “New Main Title” and the “End Title.” The End Title is very
appealing and “bouncy” (as the trio ride off from Fort Dobbs) but I noticed that the cue is
longer than what is put into the scene. Obviously there were some big cuts in the final
edit of the movie. It would be nice if someone decided to re-record the complete cue.
At any rate, I definitely recommend this movie, and I plan to do a full rundown on
the score sometime in the future.
-Quatermass & the Pit (1958) ***
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