1
Heard this piece over radio while driving the other day, on a classical station. It's the theme music from an old western, The Big Country (錦繡大地):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWv6wqV6mxc&feature=related
A European composer could never have written such music. It takes a person brought up on or close to, a wide and open sea of untamed land, as aptly suggested by the film title, The Big Country.
Another well known orchestral work that is the theme music of a western, is from The Magnificent Seven (豪勇七蛟龍):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iteRKvRKFA&feature=related
Both remind me of one section in the Yellow River Concerto (黃河鋼琴協奏曲). Big rivers, big land, big continents..., all these inspire people to compose music that expresses vastness and untamed spirit.
My favorite western title music is "The Call Of The Faraway Hills' from the film "Shane" (原野奇俠). It conveys among other things a sense of calm and sereness in contrast to the usual rugged and rough undertone. It's almost pastoral yet still very western.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kA6lCVwKnU&NR=1
Nowadays they don't make westerns anymore but I heard Hollywood is thinking of producing them again. The last such film that's well produced was probably "Dances With Wolves" (與狼共舞).
2
Since we mentioned "Shane", we might as well take a look at "Giant" (巨人), another film by the same director, George Stevens. If you claim to be a movie buff, you've got to watch both. They are two of the best movies ever made.
"Giant", the story of ranches, oil, Benedicts, Jett Rink, love, hate, Texas, racism...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAmiVntsLjk&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50WphCvOubE&feature=related
There are 2 climaxes in "Giant", each for the 2 main themes of the film, the first being the love and hate between Jett Rink and the Benedicts set against a backdrop of cattle ranches and oil in Texas before World War 2, and the second being the racial discrimination against Mexican Americans in Texas.
The first climax takes place at the big hotel dinner given in honor of Jett Rink who is by then very wealthy and powerful. The second takes place in a diner when Benedict, himself a white, stood up against discrimination against Mexican Americans and fist-fought the much younger diner owner. Though beaten, he became a giant in the eyes of his wife, played by the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor.
One has to watch the film to fully appreciate the story.
And the performance of the young James Dean was just too damn good. |
住戶編號:1961896
的日記本
檢舉原因
心情: 
