Wednesday 18 February 2015

I spent ten minutes watching a jet-black cat slinking around our garden this afternoon - which reminded me of this...

...which in turn reminded of this glorious version :


Here's another ultra-cool title sequence from another film based on a Nelson Algren novel, with a theme composed by that genius, Elmer Bernstein (the sound's not too good, but it's worth it for the visuals - I'll post a better version of the theme lower down):


That was the problem with the 1950s - everything was so dull and conventional and unimaginative. Here's a better-quality version of the menacing music:


And here - not for the first time - is my all-time favourite version, by the little man with the enormous instrument, former Shadows bassist Jet Harris:


I'll leave you with another pounding, raucous, menacing Elmer Bernstein classic theme, this time from the John Cassavetes TV series, Johnny Staccato (which I've probably posted before, but who's counting?):

   

2 comments:

  1. Excellent. During most of them, but particularly the Johnny Staccato theme, I kept hearing the words :-"I got home late. Very late. What do I say to my wife? 'Darling I've been beaten up again'?" There could be no greater tribute.

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    Replies
    1. "Normally I pack a rod; in pyjamas I carry nothing but scars from Normandy Beach."

      You're right - it fits perfectly. Of course, I had to listen to it again at once:

      "You're a man with a thousand Gs, right?"
      "A thousand what?" I quipped
      "Why, G-mann- girls, guns, guts. You're my type"
      "Wrong, baby." I slapped her hard. "I'm an L man - strictly liquor, love and laughs."

      In case anybody wonders what the hell we're talking about:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-znH5v2Pqg

      "You got a light, Mac?"

      (All together now) "No, but..."

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