Fantasia is a great film from Disney and this image from a hellish night I thought was apt for my picks of music this week. This was created in 1940, way before Disney becoming the evil empire. I can't help myself, but they just seem to be too big and that's never good. Instead of Monster Mash and Time Warp the one song from Rocky Horror Picture Show, both which I love to dance to, I am going classical. Big surprise but, when I have this music on and the kids come to the door, they really get freaked out by the music and ask me about it, so here we go...
1. NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN FROM MODEST MUSSORGSKY-1867
This scene is actually from the justifiablely famous "Fantasia" that came out in 1940 way before CGI and computers so this was all hand done folks! Mussorgsky wrote this in one night, June 23, 1867, the night when, in Russian legend, the witches come out to dance near some mountain that is near Krakow, present day Poland. Once Rimsky-Korsakov re-worked it, it became famous and this is the version we hear with the great Leopold Stokowski conducting. It's quite scary, I think.
2. DANCE MACABRE BY CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS FROM 1874
The devil, with his nasty violin calls out to the dead to dance with him during the night. I love how the composer uses different instruments to tell a story especially the xylophone which represents the bones. I'd love to see a dance, not modern, done to this.
3. BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA SOUNDTRACK- THE OPENING THEME-1992
I thought Gary Oldman was superb as Dracula and I don't even mind Keanu Reeves who gets too much flack but meh, who cares. From the costumes, the cinematography to this great soundtrack, it really brings an eerie horror. The love theme is exquisite but I went for the opening which is great. So not a classical musician from times long gone, but Wojciech Kilar truly created a great soundtrack which I have on cassette tape...yup, you heard me, cassette! I have to get the CD of this along with Lord Of The Rings.
Ode to Leopold...
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI hope you and my buddy Harley are both well and in good spirits this week. I enjoyed your set of classical spook tunes.
This composition used in Disney's Fantasia is a great example and I remember it well. At the beginning of the piece, the violin flourishes and fanfares convey the sense of creeping danger and dread, monstrous spreading evil. The dance in flames is also perfectly orchestrated.
Dance Macabre, orchestrating the dance of the dead for the fiddling devil's amusement, is uber creepy. As a veteran of hundreds of chainsaw massacre flicks, I can tell you that Bram Stoker's Dracula is a film that evokes more fear and loathing in me than any slasher feature I ever watched. It is genuinely disturbing. I agree that Gary Oldman was superb as the all powerful Dracula. It is also my favorite Winona Ryder film. Spoiler alert: She goes down for the count.
I enjoyed Bugs Bunny's ode to Leopold Stokowski, one of the leading conductors of the early and mid 20th century. Classical music was used quite frequently in Looney Tunes shorts.
Halloween's bustin' out all over at Shady's Place. Now playing for a limited engagement - "Guys and Dolls!"
Have a great Wednesday, dear friend BB. I'll be here waiting for you tomorrow in the balcony-- "At The Movies!"
I like how you went with this theme!
ReplyDeleteMy kids' favorite Disney movie was Fantasia. We watched it many times. I'm sure it fueled their interest in art. I like to dance to the Time Warp song from Rocky Horror, too!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Love your selection of ghoulish classics, Birgit! And yes, Gary Oldman was a perfect choice for Dracula. Thanks for sharing that Bugs Bunny clip! Kids learned a lot about classical music by watching those cartoons. ☺
ReplyDeleteWOW! Spooky mewsic over here👻😸Double Pawkisses from us🐾😽💞
ReplyDeleteRather than getting the CD, check out YouTube. You'd be surprised how much music is streaming there. I just looked, and sure enough, you can find the soundtrack for Bram Stoker's Dracula there.
ReplyDeleteI'd forgotten how clever Bugs Bunny was. Thank you for this delightful reminder, Birgit. Oops, did I say Bugs? I meant, of course, Leopold.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit - loved these ... especially Leopold - fun ... cheers to Halloween - Hilary
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that Disney hired only the best animators and gained his reputation based on that. When he died, so did his policy.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I had never heard of the others, I appreciate the theme you chose for this Halloween season.