Bill Wrobel's DVD - Film Score Rundowns

http://www.lovingtheclassics.com/Jamaica-Run-1953-DVD/prod_1329.html
[reviewed Independence Day 2011]
My wife and I watched this movie last evening. She liked it. It was “OK” for me
but my final comment was, “WTP?” (What’s-The-Point?) of making this inconsequential
little drama? I suppose the studios cranked out a lot of movies back then, and most of
them were rather forgettable. I only bought this dvd because I wanted to see Arlene Dahl.
Ray Milland played a good guy nautical Captain here. The music by Cailliet is
inconsequential also. Unless you are an Arlene Dahl fan like I am, then forget this movie.
-Desert Legion (1953) ** [music ***]
http://www.lovingtheclassics.com/Desert-Legion-1953-DVD/prod_726.html
What I just wrote immediately above applies also to this movie that also stars
Arlene Dahl (but Alan Ladd as the Good Guy) except this WTP? movie is slightly more
interesting and exotic to watch. The music by Skinner is also better.
-Star in the Dust (1956) * 1/2 [music **]
http://www.lovingtheclassics.com/Star-in-the-Dust-1956-DVD/prod_2526.html
What a lame western! Instead of going West, it does Deep South (like in thumb’s
down!) immediately. Another WTP? movie (it’s almost a WTF? Movie : ). The only
WTF? movie I reviewed of special infamy is Starship Troopers 2! The music by Frank
Skinner is surprisingly lame too. The guitar Main Title is terrible. At least for the guitars
soli (only!) the music budget was really manageable! The fight scene at around 23
minutes into the movie is laughable, and the solo instrument music is also still lame and
unexciting! That on-screen guitarist always interjecting a verse as he plays the guitar gets
pretty annoying after a while! This is a perfect example of a B (Boring) Western that
could be lampooned in a comedy much as Airplane! Lampooned the previous airplane
dramas! Mamie Van Doren is quite easy on the eyes, however! Richard Boone is not at
his best here but at least we get to hear his fine voice! I think the writer was trying to
imitate the feeling of High Noon but he succeeded only in having the audience asks each
of their companions next to them, “Wake me up when the movie’s over” (as also sung by
that music man guitarist!).
-Big Jake (1971) *** 1/2
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Jake-John-Wayne/dp/B00008CMR4
I must have a copy of this movie since I have already done a rundown treatment
of the score (see the link below) but I cannot find my copy at the moment. It probably got
misdirected in a Big box somewhere, or my name is Jake! Come to think of it, except for
this movie title, I cannot think of one person I knew in my life who had the name of
“Jake.” Very uncommon. “William” (my name) ranks # 5 as the most common male
name in the U.S. (“James” is the top rank). “Bernard” (as in Herrmann) is 142, while
“Max” (as in Steiner) is # 255, and “John” (as in Williams) is # 2. “Jake” is nowhere to
be seen—at least in the top 300 male names. Hmmmm… it is # 419.
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