Film music books
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Thanks for the offer, Mark, but no worries. I can wait.
I just realized I have too few composer biographies (plenty for filmmakers, though).
Woo-hoo, the Williams book has arrived! Can’t wait to delve in!
And how is it so far?
Seems Stephen C. Smith who previously wrote biographies of Herrmann and Steiner has a new book coming:
“Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema”The Williams book is pretty good so far. I’m at about page 100, I only read in bed, before I go to sleep, and I usually can’t read more than 10 pages a night. The severe tinnitus also affects my reading concentration, it’s not only music and films that suffer.
But anyway, I would personally have written and structured it somewhat differently here and there, but I can understand why Tim did it the way he did in some situations. I’ll try to write a more detailed post when I’ve finished, and there will probably be a review on the main site (not written by me!) soon.
As for Smith, I’m aware of his earlier books (I don’t own them), but I wasn’t aware he was still active as a writer.
Ah, that damm tinnitus…
I’ll try to write a more detailed post when I’ve finished, and there will probably be a review on the main site (not written by me!) soon.
A double review could also be interesting.
As for Smith, I’m aware of his earlier books (I don’t own them), but I wasn’t aware he was still active as a writer.
I haven’t read any of his. It’s on one of these todo lists “sometime”…
I would personally have written and structured it somewhat differently here and there
Yeah, that sounds like Thor 😅
I ordered my copy of the Tim Greiving book on John Williams yesterday – should arrive on or before next Friday.
I’m selective when it comes to biographies, especially of film-related people. From what I have, too many seem to be written by “fanboys” (thanks to Ford Thaxton, I am now considered such), with very little critical filter, and the others seem largely copied and pasted from Wikipedia.
But I have high hopes for the Greiving book.
By the way Thor, I “know” (infer) that the Greiving bio flummoxed your own plans to eventually write the “definitive” JW biography. Is there anything that you had previously researched (for example, Williams’ ancestry) which is not covered in the new book?
By the way Thor, I “know” (infer) that the Greiving bio flummoxed your own plans to eventually write the “definitive” JW biography. Is there anything that you had previously researched (for example, Williams’ ancestry) which is not covered in the new book?
Yes, some bits and pieces, and especially everything that has to do with his TV work, which he covers somewhat superficially in the book. But I gave over a lot of my research material to him once I decided to support the project and not wallow in my own envy.
I’d love to hear your thoughts once you’ve read it!
I’m not even half-way through the Tim Greiving book, but I’m enjoying its thoroughness. Every paragraph has me scuttling to the copious notes at the end to find the sources of the info.
Having said that – and I know you (Thor) has mentioned this… It’s noticeable how he races through all Williams’ early TV work. Even the Irwin Allen shows get barely a mention (apart from some nice words about LOST IN SPACE’s “My Friend, Mr Nobody”. The author also calls the Irwin Allen themes “songs”. Is that accepted nowadays?
Rather perplexed at his total dissing of DADDY’S GONE A-HUNTING, which I thought was a great score. Other cases are multiple.
It seems that for Greiving, the composer only really flourished after HEIDI, THE REIVERS etc… which might be the case, but it’s a conservative view. Now I’m ploughing through page after page of how great STAR WARS is.
I’m not passing any final judgment until I finish the book, but at the moment I’m seeing that it’s a little lop-sided.
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