ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[southendmd]

Composer:  Henry Mancini

Plot:  Inspector Clouseau disappears, and the Surete wants the world's second best detective to look for him. However, Clouseau's enemy, Dreyfus, rigs the Surete's computer to select, instead, the world's WORST detective, NYPD Sgt. Clifton Sleigh. Sleigh obtusely bungles his way past assassins and corrupt officials as though he were Clouseau's American cousin.

[Fran]

Composer:  Danny Elfman

From IMDb:  A hideously scarred and mentally unstable scientist seeks revenge against the crooks who made him like that.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L58rdhCfDIU[/youtube]
Trailer  (1:46)

=aside= Paul
I forgot to mention earlier,
great theme!

[memento]

From IMDB: This Austrian movie is the biography that Beethoven deserves to have. The recent "Immortal Beloved" was a travesty both of Beethoven himself and of the facts of his life, and a travesty of film-making. Being Austrian and the leading role being performed by one of the most distinguished actors of his day, this movie is also probably closer to what the man Beethoven himself was like. The story is good. The selection of the music was apt, and the performances of the music were stirring.

This movie was shown so many times in this country that the pictures became ratty and the sound track scratchy and irritating. I suppose it is too much to hope that the Austrians who made this film will restore the pictures and have the music re-recorded in 5.1; but that is what this movie merits. And it is what the world deserves to see.

[southendmd]

Composers:  Jessica Fogle and Tim Sandusky

Original music; lyrics adapted from Shakespeare

Plot:  Screened in over 75 international film festivals (including the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival), "Fairies" is a musical fantasy come true. Timothy is bullied by homophobic classmates at his all boys high school. While studying A Midsummer Night's Dream, he imagines a world where he isn't so different. With the help of Midsummer, his quirky teacher, a spectacular musical dream and tons of glitter- he creates a way to fit in.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvcOeRnMb5A[/youtube]

N.B.  This short was the inspiration for "Were the World Mine".

[Fran]

Composer:  Thomas Newman

From IMDb:  A Chicago man's hope for a peaceful family vacation in the woods is shattered when the annoying in-laws drop in.

[memento]

Composer: John Williams

Plot: Nicole's father, a legendary art collector, lends his prized Cellini Venus to a prestigious Paris museum. Unfortunately, the Venus was *not* sculpted by Cellini but by Nicole's grandfather. (Her father is a forger as well, but his specialty is paintings.) Before tests can be done which would prove the Venus a fake, Nicole enlists the services of "society burglar" Simon Demott to steal the million dollar statue. 

[Lynne]

Composer:  Marco Beltrami

From Wiki:

I, Robot is a science fiction film set in a world where humans and humanoid robots interact (Chicago in the year 2035). It was directed by Alex Proyas, written by Jeff Vintar, and starred Will Smith. It was produced in the United States, filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and released on July 16, 2004.

Marco Beltrami, composed the original music film score "with only 17 days to render the fully-finished work."  It was scored for 95 orchestral musicians and 25 choral performers with emphasis placed on sharp brass ostinatos. Beltrami composed the brass section to exchange octaves with the strings accenting scales in between. This technique has been compared as Beltrami's "sincere effort to emulate the styles of Elliot Goldenthal and Jerry Goldsmith and roll them into one unique package."  Take for example the Tunnel Chase scene, which according to Mikeal Carson, starts "atmospherically but transforms into a kinetic adrenaline rush with powerful brass writing and ferocious percussion parts."  Also, the Spiderbots cue highlight's ostinatos in meters such as 6/8 and 5/4 and reveals "Beltrami’s trademark string writing which leads to an orchestral/choral finale."  Despite modified representations of the theme throughout the movie, it's the end credits that eventually showcase the entire musical theme.

[Fran]

Composer:  George Delerue

From Spout.com:  An acting couple is forced to assess their life together when the wife falls for a wealthy horse-breeder while shooting a film.
 

~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide   

[memento]

Composer: Mike Oldfield

Plot: Sydney Schanberg is a New York Times journalist covering the civil war in Cambodia. Together with local representative Dith Pran, they cover some of the tragedy and madness of the war. When the American forces leave, Dith Pran sends his family with them, but stays behind himself to help Schanberg cover the event. As an American, Schanberg won't have any trouble leaving the country, but the situation is different for Pran; he's a local, and the Khmer Rouge are moving in.

[southendmd]

Composer:  Randy Newman

Includes his famous song "Short People".

Plot:  Based on the classic theatrical "Our Gang" short subject series. The sanctity of the He-Man Woman Haters Club is threatened when one of its most respected members, Alfalfa Switzer, falls in love with (of all things!) a girl, Darla Hood. It's up to Alfalfa's pal Spanky McFarland to set his pal straight before Alfalfa's indiscretions jepordize the club's chances of winning the big go-cart race in a few weeks.