New & Upcoming Soundtrack releases

Here's the latest tally of soundtrack releases, both due tomorrow, imminent, and coming in August.

Remember: rent money trumps that I-must-have-it-now! feeling.

Beat Records (Italy)
Lesbo (Alessandro Alessandroni, Francesco De Masi) --- late July; ltd. 500 copies
Milano: Il clan dei Calabresi / The Last Desperate Hours (Gianni Marchetti) --- late July; ltd. 500 copies
Via della prostituzione, La / Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade (Nico Fidenco) --- late July; ltd. 1000 copies
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DigitMovies (Italy)
African Story (Francesco De Masi)
Fatevi vivi la polizia non interverra (Pierro Piccioni)
Misteria (Carlo Maria Cordio)
4 giornate di Napoli, Le (Carlo Rustichelli)

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DigitMovies / Emergency (Italy)
Vincere (Carlo Crivelli)

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Dutton Vocalion (UK)
Mancini’s Angels + The Theme Scene (Henry Mancini) --- late July
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Film Score Monthly / FSM (USA)
Butterfield 8: Bronislau Kaper at MGM Vol. 1 (1954-1962) --- ltd. 1200 copies
Outland (Jerry Goldsmith) --- ltd. To 5000 copies; 2 CD set
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GDM (Italy)
Adio Zio Tom (Riz Ortolani) --- early August
Ag ogni costo (Ennio Morricone) --- expanded
Odia il prossimo tuo / Hate Thy Neighbor (Robby Poitevin)
Tranquillo posto di campagna, Un / A Quiet Place in the Country (Ennio Morricone) --- early August
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Intrada (USA)
Black Bird, The (Jerry Fielding) --- ltd. 1500 copies
George Washington (Laurence Rosenthal) --- 2 CD set; ltd. 1000 copies
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Kritzerland (USA)
Juggernaut + The Bed Sitting Room (Ken Thorne) --- late July; ltd. 1000 copies
Romantic Comedy (Marvin Hamlisch) --- early August; 1000 copies
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Lakeshore (USA)
Countdown to Zero (Peter Golub) --- Aug. 17
Dinner for Schmucks (Theodore Shapiro) --- Aug. 3
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La-La Land Records (USA)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Theodore Shapiro)
Edge, The (Jerry Goldsmith) --- ltd. 3500 copies
Office Space (John Frizzell) + Idiocracy (Theodore Shapiro) --- ltd. 1200 copies
Speed 2: Cruise Control (Mark Mancina) --- ltd. 3000 copies
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MovieScore Media (Sweden)
Centurion (Ilan Eshkeri)
Garbo: The Spy (Fernando Velazquez)
Lightkeepers, The (Pinar Toprak)
Malice in Wonderland (Christian Henson, Joe Henson)
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Perseverance (USA)
No Retreat, No Surrender (Frank Harris)
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Quartet Records (Spain)
Hornet’s Nest (Ennio Morricone) --- ltd. 1000 copies; reissue of FSM release

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Silva Screen (UK / USA)
Get Carter (Roy Budd) --- Aug. 10
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Sumthing Else (USA)
Alan Wake (Petri Alanko) --- July 20; videogame
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Paoline (Italy)
Beatitudini (Alessandro Alessandroni, Ennio Morricone, Egisto Macchi) --- late July
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Screen Archives Entertainment (USA)
Dark Shadows: The Revival Series (Bob Cobert) --- 2 CD set
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Sony (USA)
Iron Man 2 (John Debney) --- July 20
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Varese Sarabande (USA)
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (Christopher Lennertz) --- Aug. 24
Charlie St. Cloud (Rolfe Kent) --- Aug. 17
Spartacus (Alex North) – Aug. 2; 6 CD + 1 DVD set ltd. 5000 copies
Special Relationship, The (Alexandre Desplat) --- Aug. 24
Tudors, The (Trevor Morris --- August 24; 3 CD set
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Zero Day Releasing (USA)
Night of the Living Dead (stock music) --- special edition with stock music cues used in film Tudors, The (Trevor Morris --- August 24; 3 CD set

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Mark R. Hasan, Editor
KQEK.com

A Star is Born, Part Two (A) (1954)

I’ve uploaded the review of the 1954 Judy Garland version of A Star is Born (Warner Home Video) separately because this strep throat thing is now very angry, since it knows its being killed off by stuff. See, the bug likes to throw in distractions like Battery Acid Burning (BAB), incessant coughing, and no way of sleeping for periods longer than an hour or two.

Back to the review.

The Blu-ray review is long, detailed, and offers comparisons of the characters, plot changes and dialogue modifications between (primarily) the 1937 and 1954 versions. I’ve also delved into the extras a fair bit, assessing the promo materials as well as the 1942 Lux Radio drama where Garland actually performed an adaptation of the ’37 film.

For more info on the production of WHV's release, I'd suggest checking out Dick Dinman's Classics Corner On the Air. The site doesn't appear to have direct links to the 3 parts, but as detailed at DVD Savant, Parts 1 and 2 feature a dialogue with author and film historian John Fricke, and Part 3 has WHV's bigwig George Feltenstein. Nice to see the hard work of preservationists getting some acknowledgement, and a venue for them to elaborate on their venerable efforts.

Coming next: a tally of new soundtrack releases this week, followed by a review of the 1976 A Star is Born.

Mark R. Hasan, Editor
KQEK.com

A Star is Born, Part One (1932-1937)

I’m writing this while experiencing the vilest strep throat I’ve ever been stricken with, so hopefully this and the next set of blogs will make sense. (The final edit didn’t reveal a rant about potatoes or lyrics to a song about flying green donkeys, so I think all’s well.)

Okay. The first set of new reviews deal with A Star is Born – the myth as handled by filmmakers in four distinct areas: pre-Code Hollywood, Technicolor commercialism, fifties musical hybrid; and a slight counter-culture variation with actors sporting lots of hair and ‘fros.

1932 brought us What Price Hollywood? (currently - and shamefully - not on DVD), where the lure of stardom and the corrupting elements of Hollywood were unsubtle in what was otherwise a drama about a hard-working independent-minded working actress whose marriage is almost destroyed by her studio boss and the press parasites that want details of bedroom activities with location pictures.

Directed by George Cukor for executive producer David O. Selznick at RKO, the story was revamped into a more pro-Hollywood myth of a young girl’s fame and her husband’s destructive alcoholism. That 1937 film, A Star is Born (Image Entertainment), was part of Selznick’s indie streak for his own production shingle, Selznick International – which often made commercial films in the new 3-strip Technicolor process.

The first version was later upgraded as a musical in 1954 (Warner Home Video) and interestingly, was directed by Cukor, whereas in the 1976 version (also WHV), the story was transposed from Hollywood to the rock world. The latter was a logical decision, since seventies audiences seemed to want stories critical of the establishment rather than revisiting bloated studio productions.

Each of the four Star versions kind of got bigger and more ambitious in scope, but unlike the ’32 film, holding a critical camera lens to a corrupt town and chi-chi lifestyle was heavily tempered in the ’37 and ’54 versions; the ’76 was a partial attempt to show conflicts within the music industry, but those elements were inevitably obliterated by emphasizing romance, music, and watching brilliance flame out.

Each of the Star films benefitted from charismatic actresses: Constance Bennett provided a smart, indie-minded heroine named Mary who wins the moral battle at the end of the ’32 film; for the ’37 version, Gloria Gaynor made her Esther a dreamy but dignified heroine who valiantly weathered her husband’s emotional demise; Judy Garland’s Esther in the ’54 film was more of a street-smart crooner whose overtly emotional personality increased her husband’s guilt because he could see more readily the anguish his drinking was causing, making his sacrifice in the end quite poignant; and the ’76 reboot headed by Barbara Streisand as another Esther was a valiant attempt to show how some brilliant creative souls are inexplicably driven to destroy themselves when they have everything that makes a career solid: fame, money, and a rich creative legacy that will impact future generations.

So in Part One, I go through the first two films to reveal the changes that codified the myth of a starlet’s dream to succeed in Hollywood, whereas in Part Two (due Wednesday) I address the myth being goosed with music, and later transposed to a different section of the entertainment industry. Part Three will deal with the music of the films (with an emphasis on the 1937 and 1954 films).

And since What Price Hollywood? was produced before the implementation of the restrictive Production Code rules that neutered the portrayal of vivid female characters, I’ve added a review of the 2003 TCM documentary Complicated Women (not on DVD), based on the book by Mick LaSalle.

Price isn’t highlighted in the doc, but it’s part of that wave of pre-Code films (a period that basically ran from early sound films produced up to and including part of 1934) that featured smart, savvy, sleazy, unrepentant and gutsy women. The doc helps places Price in context, and it’s worth a peek if you can catch it on TCM.

I should point out that in the Star reviews I fixate on comparing the basic story’s journey from anti-Hollywood to a commercially digestible myth, and the chances each subsequent batch of screenwriters made to ensure each new version reflected the period in which it was produced.

It is fascinating to see how the same simple story has been handled by filmmakers after 15-20 year breaks. Theoretically, there should’ve been another in the nineties, but that never materialized.

Joel Schumacher was reported to have developed a version set in the music world, and in her commentary track for the 1976 Star DVD, Streisand describes producer Jon Peters suggesting she direct a new version, with the gender roles flipped - the fading star is a woman, and the up-and-comer is a man (hopefully not named Esther). That would in fact be the next logical change, since it’s hard to see the same story working in another realm like fashion, painting, or TV.

A planned 2012 remake with Nick Cassavetes is in the works, but what’s striking is how all three of the proposed remakes were set in the music world. No one seems to care about resetting the myth in Hollywood again, and maybe it’s a sign that it’s too easy to critique Hollywood today: the news media feeds on stories of destruction and career implosion, and the details – in picture, video or audio evidence (like Mel Gibson’s reported rant to ex-lover Oksana Grigorieva that was released yesterday) – are more graphic than any film could be, making an anti-Hollywood drama kind of pointless.

Besides, keeping it in the music realm means soundtracks can be sold; why settle for a theme song in a drama when you can have a whole score of songs to sell?

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Mark R. Hasan, Editor
KQEK.com

2010 Prime Time Emmy Award Nominees on Home Video

The Prime Time Emmy Award Nominations were announced early this morning, and I've done the usual routine of linking titles available for purchase or pre-order to Amazon.com. I've also added links to available soundtracks, with further details at Soundtrackcollector.com.

For more info as well as the full list of nominatees and categories, visit the official Emmy site HERE, or just scan down, since the main info of nominated series, thespians, and composers is already on this page. Also note the irony Conan O'Brian must be feeling, knowing his version of The Tonight Show receieved a nod... Coco did good in spite of getting the shaft by NBC.

The Emmies will be broadcast live on Sunday August 29th at 8pm on NBC.

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Academy of Television Arts & Sciences -
62nd Primetime Emmy Award Nominations

Outstanding Comedy Series

-Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

-Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

-Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

-Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production

-The Office • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios

-30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

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Outstanding Drama Series

-Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

-Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions

-The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions

-Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

-Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

-True Blood • HBO • Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment

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Outstanding Miniseries

-The Pacific • HBO • Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO

Miniseries

-Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead

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Outstanding Made For Television Movie

-Endgame (Masterpiece) • PBS • Channel 4, Target Entertainment Group and

Masterpiece present A Daybreak Pictures Production

-Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television

-Moonshot • HISTORY • Produced by Dangerous Films LTD for History

-The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

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Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

-The Colbert Report • Comedy Central • Hello Doggie, Inc. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions

-The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central • Central Productions, LLC

-Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO • Bill Maher Productions and Brad Grey Television in association with HBO Entertainment

-Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video

-The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien • NBC • Conaco & NBC Universal

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Outstanding Animated Program

-Alien Earths • NGC • SkyWorks Digital, Inc.

Disney Prep & Landing • ABC • Walt Disney Animation Studios

-The Ricky Gervais Show • Knob At Night • HBO • W!LDBRAIN and Media Rights Capital in association with HBO Entertainment

-The Simpsons • Once Upon A Time In Springfield • FOX • Gracie Films in

association with 20th Century Fox Television

-South Park • 200/201 • Comedy Central • Central Productions

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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

-The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper

-Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

Larry David as Himself

-Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester

-Monk • USA • Universal Cable Productions in association with Mandeville Films and ABC Studios

Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk

-The Office • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios

Steve Carell as Michael Scott

-30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

-Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Bryan Cranston as Walter White

-Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan

-Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44

Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor

-House • FOX • Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions

Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House

-Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard

-Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Jon Hamm as Don Draper

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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

-A Dog Year • HBO • Duopoly in association with HBO Films

Jeff Bridges as Jon Katz

-The Prisoner • AMC • AMC, ITV Productions and Granada

Ian McKellen as Two

-The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

Michael Sheen as Tony Blair

-The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian

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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

-Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

Lea Michele as Rachel Berry

-The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS • Kari's Logo Here in association with Warner Bros. Television

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell

-Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production

Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton

-Parks And Recreation • NBC • Produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios

Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

-30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

-United States Of Tara • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Dreamworks Television

Toni Collette as Tara Gregson

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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

-The Closer • TNT • The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television

Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson

-Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions

Glenn Close as Patty Hewes

-Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44

Connie Britton as Tami Taylor

-The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions

Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick

-Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC • Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios

Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson

-Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

January Jones as Betty Draper

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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

-Capturing Mary • HBO • A talkbackTHAMES Production in association with the BBC and HBO Films

Maggie Smith as Mary Gilbert

-Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television

Joan Allen as Georgia O’Keeffe

-Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead

Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty

-The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

Hope Davis as Hillary Clinton

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

Claire Danes as Temple Grandin

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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

-Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel

-How I Met Your Mother • CBS • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson

-Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell

-Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker

-Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy

-Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television

Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

-Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

-Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions

Martin Short as Leonard Winstone

-Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Terry O'Quinn as John Locke

-Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Michael Emerson as Ben Linus

-Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

John Slattery as Roger Sterling

-Men Of A Certain Age • TNT • TNT Original Productions

Andre Braugher as Owen

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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

-Emma (Masterpiece) • PBS • A co-production of BBC Productions and WGBH Boston

Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse

-Hamlet (Great Performances) • PBS • production of Illuminations and Royal

Shakespeare Company for BBC in association with Thirteen for WNET.org and NHK

Patrick Stewart as Ghost / Claudius

-Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead

Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Buxton

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

David Strathairn as Dr. Carlock

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

John Goodman as Neal Nicol

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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

-Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester

-Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy

-Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett

-Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video

Kristen Wiig as Various Characters

-30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney

-Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television

Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper

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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

-Burn Notice • USA • FOX Television Studios in association with Fuse Entertainment

Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen

-Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions

Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons

-The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma

-The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

-Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris

-Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

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Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

-Alice • Syfy • A Reunion Pictures and Studio Eight Production in association with RHI Entertainment

Kathy Bates as Queen of Hearts

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

Julia Ormond as Eustacia (Temple's Mom)

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

Catherine O'Hara as Aunt Ann

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

Brenda Vaccaro as Margo Janus

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

Susan Sarandon as Janet Good

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Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

- Glee • Pilot - Director's Cut • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

- Modern Family • Pilot • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

- The Office • Niagara • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios

- 30 Rock • Anna Howard Shaw Day • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

- 30 Rock • Lee Marvin Vs. Derek Jeter • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

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Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

-Friday Night Lights • The Son • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44

-The Good Wife • Pilot • CBS • CBS Productions

-Lost • The End • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

-Mad Men • Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency • AMC • Lionsgate Television

-Mad Men • Shut The Door. Have A Seat. • AMC • Lionsgate Television

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Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special

-The Pacific• Part Eight • HBO • Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO Miniseries

-The Pacific• Part Ten • HBO • Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO Miniseries

-The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

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Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)

-Batman: The Brave And The Bold • Mayhem Of The Music Meister • Cartoon Network • Warner Bros. Animation

Michael McCuistion, Music By

Lolita Ritmanis, Music By

Kristopher Carter, Music By

Michael Jelenic, Lyrics By

James Tucker, Lyrics By

-FlashForward • No More Good Days • ABC • ABC Studios

Ramin Djawadi, Music By

-Lost • The End • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Michael Giacchino, Composer

-Psych • Mr. Yin Presents • USA • Universal Cable Productions in association with Tagline Pictures

Adam Cohen, Music by

John Robert Wood, Music by

-24 • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association w/Teakwood Lane Productions

Sean P. Callery, Music by

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Outstanding Music Composition For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special

(Original Dramatic Score)

-Blessed Is The Match • PBS • Katahdin Productions and Balcony Releasing Presents

Todd Boekelheide, Music by

-Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television

Jeff Beal, Music by

-The Pacific • Part Ten • HBO • Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO Miniseries

Blake Neely, Music by

Geoff Zanelli, Music by

Hans Zimmer, Music by

-Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

Alex Wurman, Music by

-When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story (Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation) • CBS • Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, Inc. in association with E1 Entertainment

Lawrence Shragge, Music by

-You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

Marcelo Zarvos, Music by

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Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

-Human Target • FOX • Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Wonderland Sound & Vision, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Television

Bear McCreary, Music By

-Justified • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television and FX Productions

Oscar Owens, Music By

Jason Keaton, Music By

-Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production

Wendy Melvoin, Music By

Lisa Coleman, Music By

-Parks And Recreation • NBC • Produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios

Gaby Moreno, Music By

Vincent Jones, Music By

-Warehouse 13 • Syfy • Universal Cable Productions

Edward Rogers, Music By

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Mark R. Hasan, Editor
KQEK.com

To browse the complete archive of the Editor's Blog and other blather, please visit Mondomark.blogger.com or Mondomark.com.

Soundtrack News & Reviews

The big news this past week in the soundtrack realm is Varese Sarabande’s announcement that Alex North ‘s score for Spartacus (1960) will be released in a deluxe 6-disc edition featuring every extant note recorded for the score, in terms of the re-recorded soundtrack album, the final film mix, the pre-release cues, and re-recorded versions and interpretation of North’s Spartacus “Love Theme.”

The set, limited to 5,000 copies, also comes with a DVD featuring interviews with contemporary composers, but the fact producer Robert Townsend included the Ramsay Lewis Trio’s version of North’s theme means he’s really done his homework and gone uber-obsessive for this release, timed for the film’s 50th anniversary.

I’ll have a review of the set when it arrives, but those curious about the score’s history on LP and CD will find it interesting that the only release of the actual score recordings appeared on Criterion’s laserdisc and DVD, in the form of alternate and demo cues; the other CDs were, well, legally grey.

Only MCA’s album was internationally legit, but it contained re-recorded themes; the 'grey' editions were culled from other sources: the SVC 2-disc edition featured ‘reconstructions’ of cues from earlier 'pre-release' edits of the film, whereby some scenes and the intermission had different placements; the Tsunami CD was culled from material from the Criterion and SVC sources; and the Soundtrack Library 3-disc set was a mish-mash of those sources, as well as what the label reported to be an unreleased follow-up soundtrack album that was never released.

Varese’s set, due August 2nd, will feature surviving stereo cues in chronological order (CD 1), the full score in mono (CDs 2 + 3), alternates and demos (CD 4), rerecorded versions & jazz interpretations (CD 5 + 6) from giants such as Bill Evans, Lalo Schifrin, the Ramsay Lewis Trio, and others, and a 96 mins. DVD featuring interviews with contemporary composers reflecting on the score, plus a recording of the theme with Mark Isham and Diego Navarro.

I can’t wait to hear the set, but I also can’t wait to learn why so many of the cues only exist in mono. It’s an all-too common problem with some of the best-known scores from classic films that aren’t really that old, but whose master tapes no longer exist, were damaged, erased, destroyed, or whatever.

That of course brings us to this week’s CD reviews, which include La-La Land’s new disc of John Williams’ The Poseidon Adventure, which existed mostly as mono tracks until stereo versions were created from surviving sources using cutting edge digital technology. Also reviewed are a pair of comedy scores – Marc Shaiman’s Speechless (La-La Land) and Rolfe Kent’s Killers (Lionsgate)

This month’s issue of Rue Morgue features my reviews of Steve Jablonsky’s A Nightmare on Elm Street (Water Tower Music), and James Burrell’s review of Big Finish’s latest audio drama of Dark Shadows tales, The Night Whispers. The 85 year old actor recorded the vocal parts for vampire Barnabas in Toronto, and John Karlen appears as weasel Willie Loomis, and Barbara Steele as the mysterious Celeste.

No details on whether it includes any of Bob Cobert’s themes, but some of Nigel Fairs’ cues from scores for the other audio DS dramas have been collected in Dark Shadows: Music from the Audio Dramas, due July 31, 2010 on CD.

Coming Wednesday will be the first of three detailed examinations of the mythic story that evolved into A Star is Born.

--- The first part will contain comparative reviews of What Price Hollywood? (1932) which starred Constance Bennett, and A Star is Born (1937) with Janet Gaynor and Frederick March.

--- Next will be the 1954 Judy Garland-James Mason version of Star (just released in a fat Blu-ray edition from Warner Home Video), and the 1976 Barbara Streisand-Kris Kristofferson version.

--- That’ll be followed by reviews of Max Steiner’s 1937 score, and the musical score for the 1954 version. (There will be NO review of the 1976 version, because going there will cause my brain to bleed.)

Lastly, here are some new soundtrack announcements for July:

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Beat Records (Italy)

Da Corleone a Brooklyn / From Corleone to Brooklyn (Franco Micalizzi)

Voglia di donna + Maliizia erotica (Ubaldo Continiello)

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DigitMovies (Italy)

African Story (Francesco DeMasi)

Fatevi vivi la polizia non interverra (Piero Piccioni)

Le 4 Giornate di Napoli (Carlo Rustichelli)

Misteria / Body Puzzle (Carlo Maria Cordio)

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GDM (Italy)

Addio Zio Tom / Goodbye Uncle Tom (Riz Ortolani) --- August

Ad ogni costo (Ennio Morricone)

La mogile giapponese (Nino Oliviero)

Nico Fidenco: I mei pimri 50 anni da cantante e compositore / My First 50 Years as a Singer and a Composer (Nico Fidenco) --- 6 CDs

Vendo cara la pelle / I’ll Sell My Skin Dearly (Marcello Marracchi, Enrico Ciacci)

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Intrada (USA)

Black Bird, The (Jerry Fielding) --- limited to 1500 copies

George Washington (Laurence Rosenthal) --- 2 CDs, limted to 1000 copies

Mr. Atlas (Terry Plumeri)

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Kritzerland Records (USA)

Juggernaut + The Bed Sitting Room (Ken Thorne) --- limted to 1000 copies

Promises, Promises (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) --- 2 CDs, limited to 1000 copies

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Kronos Records (Malta)

Aragosta a colazione (Piero Umiliani) – limited to 500 copies

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Legend Records (Italy)

La spina dorsale del diavolo / The Deserter (Piero Piccioni)

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Quartet Records (Spain)

Hornet’s Nest (Ennio Morricone)

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Screen Archives Entertainment (USA)

Champion (Dimitri Tiomkin) --- 1500 copies

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Silva Screen (USA / UK)

Drumbeat: The John Barry Seven (John Barry)

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Varese Sarabande (USA)

Knight and Day (John Powell)

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Vocalion (Dutton Vocalion) (US)

Mancini’s Angels + The Theme Scene (Henry Mancini)

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Water Tower Music (Warner Bros.) (USA)

Inception (Hans Zimmer)

Sex and the City 2 (Aaron Zigman)

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Mark R. Hasan, Editor
KQEK.com