Herrmann Music in Have Gun Will Travel and - Film Score Rundowns

[NOTE June 13, 2007: New Gunsmoke dvds were released since I wrote this
paper back in April 2006. As given above, there are now “50 th Anniversary” sets
of the series. Volume One (which I own) has 17 episodes with several guest
commentaries, including George Kennedy for his appearance in “The
Blacksmith” episode in Season Six, Dennis Weaver discussing his starring &
directing in the notable “Chesterland” hour episode from Season Seven, and so
forth. I highly recommend it. Later a new dvd set came titled “Gunsmoke: The
Directors Collection” with 15 episodes and various commentaries. Most notable is
the commentary by Dennis Weaver just before he died for the “Love Thy
Neighbor” episode in Season Six.
PERRY MASON
There are no general release dvd sets of this series yet [postscript: Although I just
learned that the first season will be released on dvd on July 11, 2006!—but too late for
this paper’s deadline] so I will simply offer some delineations from the old subscription
dvds released thru Columbia House, starting with the pilot show immediately below.
[Note from June 13, 2007 at 5:41 pm: I do indeed have the full 1 st season set (two
separate volumes). The alignment on the dvds below do not coincide with the old
subscription series because the chapters were cut up differently. After the obligatory
Main Title/Introduction of the series (Chapter 1) we come to the start of the particular
episode (start of Chapter 2). So I’ll adjust below.]
“The Case of the Restless Redhead” September 21, 1957 **** B+
This is a very nice introduction to Perry Mason. It tended to initially offer a rather
romanticized version of Mason with a sort of flair and impatience to his character. The
character, as it quickly evolved this season, tended to become far more even-natured,
although Mason’s craftiness still remained. I always get a laugh in Chapter 3 starting at
2:41 in Mason’s office. He sees Evelyn Bagby (played by Whitney Blake) enter the
office distraught and there’s a camera shot of him running to her aid. It’s fun playing it in
slow motion. After that you hardly ever see Mason running in later episodes!
-Chapter 1 from :42 to 1:17[start of Chapter 2 new dvd]: “Suspense Mysterioso
(Night, Outdoor, Fear, etc)” by Rene Garriguenc. Cue # 192, CBS 8-56-C-3. Bars 1-4, 1-
18. This is a highly Herrmannesque cue so I felt it fitting to include it in this delineation.
-Chapter 1 from 1:18 to 2:27: [???] This is also a Garriguenc cue but I cannot
place its precise title at this moment.
-Chapter 3 from :00 to :34 (actually starting a second before at the end of very
short Chapter 2) [Chapter 2 starting at 3:57 new dvd]: “The Chase” (Police Force) Bars
27-28, 27-32, 37-42, 47-52, 74-83.
-Chapter 3 from :36 to 1:23: “The Chase” mixed bars.[Chapter 3 starting at :01
new dvd]
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