' ASCENSEUR POUR L'ÉCHAFAUD ': This film by Louis Malle- Lift to the Scaffold-, in the early stage of his career, is archetypal for Noir and suspense moods in modern films music. Miles Davis with some good French Jazzmen recorded the music, of his own composition, during pre-screenings of rushes in Paris (Dec 1957).
Improvisation is palpable in some tracks, and others lose their full musical signification when heard without the picture... which indicates already the high integration for this music with the film. Added to this were the beautiful haunting themes and the art of Davis as a first class Jazz trumpet player, that made these recordings set becoming one of the best examples of how music of quality can re-inforce the impact of a film Noir.
A classic for film music.CD reissued by Fontana/Polygram.

CHARLIE HADEN AND HIS NOIR TOWN : L.A. : Charlie Haden, one of the great American Jazzman, double bass player and talented composer produced two recordings in the recent years that were original for many reasons. First they were 'theme albums', but the theme was not music or Jazz. In fact in 'Haunted Heart' (1992- see cover on the left) Haden reconstructs a subjective L.A. in time (40's, 50's..) and subjects (Hollywood and its films, ancient singers...).
Secondly, the assembly of the tracks is highly innovative, attempting to create a sonic ambience of these bygone days of LA:"...as if it were a film telling a story", is how Haden himself qualifies the recording.
Even if the opening is from the original soundtrack of 'The Maltese Falcon' , movie from the Dashiell Hammett's famous novel, there are direct references to the Los Angeles of Raymond Chandler in many instances on this disc.
Very interesting CD by Haden and his Quartet West, giving their own Jazz music plus old recordings from others, mixed into the continuity of the disc. Nostalgic, brilliant and close to Noir.

'Always say Goodbye', (1994- see CD cover on top of this page) the second album assembled on a similar idea, is even more directly paying tribute to Hollywood's films of quality, most of them from the Noir or crime genre. Opening and concluding tracks are from 'The Big Sleep ' original soundtrack with brief dialogs from the film. Haden declared this film as his all-time favorite... We can only agree with his choice...

Not to be missed: the musical quality of the Jazz from Haden and his musicians. Two great recordings for Jazz fans and old Noir buffs!!
(2 separate Cds issued by Verve)

---

...AND THE JUKEBOX GOES AND GOES !!!
I will underline here some films having good music, but without going into many details. Most are from the post-mid fifties but still cannot always be found as recorded albums.

'THE GETAWAY ' (1972) - by Sam Pekinpah, following a Jim Thompson's very good novel. Harmonica played by the top Jazzman Toots Thielemans in this top film.

'SUGARLAND EXPRESS ' (1974) - by Steven Spielberg. Toots Thielemans for the music again, in this interesting film having a first class montage.

'THE LONG GOODBYE' (1973) - by Robert Altman. Based on Chandler's novel. Very good transposition of the action in more contemporary days. Eliott Gould as Marlowe. Certainly a better film than what the critics of these days reported!
Lots of Jazz music of quality during the film. A curiosity: a musical leitmotiv being reproduced under many different forms by different Jazz players and singers on-screen and off-screen.

' LAURA ' (1944)- by Mamoulian and Otto Preminger. Tragic destiny of the perverted central characters splendidly treated in film Noir style. A haunting music theme by David Raskin became an instant classic. 'Laura' the theme, was later on treated and reworked by endless cohorts of Jazz musicians and became a Jazz standard.

' THE THIRD MAN ' - by Carol Reed (Britain - 1947). Archetypal of musical leitmotiv in a crime/Noir movie. The 'Theme' composed and played by Anton Karas on the zither is a model of short composition reflecting the film's atmosphere and its genre. A classic.

' LE GRISBI ' - by Jacques Becker (France - 1953). Another fine achievement in the leitmotives for film Noir. Played by Larry Adler on the harmonica, the haunting theme of 'Le Grisbi' is by itself a full impressionist rendering in brief of this film (based on a very good French HB novel: 'Touchez pas au Grisbi' - Don't touch the bread!..- by Albert Simonin, also specialist in Parisian and underworld slangs of these days). The tune by Adler was a Mega-Hit...
A classic.

'I WANT TO LIVE! ' (1958) - by Robert Wise. Film Noir by its treatment and HB for a part of the story. Very good Jazz music by Johnny Mandel, which was issued as an LP at the time.

'ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW ' (1959)- by Robert Wise. Music all along this HB movie, treated like a thriller, composed by the pianist John Lewis and played by the Modern Jazz Quartet. Very supportive of the action, this music is as good Jazz as good film music. Reissued on CD by Blue Note.

'ANATOMY OF A MURDER' (1959) - by Otto Preminger. Brilliant musical arrangements and compositions, written and played by Duke Ellington with his Jazz orchestra of that time. The courtroom drama, around a dubious murder, is definitely treated with Noir characteristics and some cynical black humor. Filmed in B&W, even being a prime production. This film was considered as offending by the open treatment of sexual misconducts, at the time. Very good Jazz music supporting the film ambiance. Issued as LP and EPs in the early sixties.

'BREATHLESS' - by Jean-Luc Godard (France- 1959). Emblematic film of the French New-Wave. The innovative filming by Godard, the 'free' acting of Belmondo, and a typical HB script are all backed-up by a very good Jazz music written and played by the pianist Martial Solal. A music of improvisation to support a cinema of improvisation!
Integration of the music to the film is perfect. Was issued on EPs at the time. Reissued on CD by EMI, in an anthology of film music by Solal.

'BLACKBOARD JUNGLE' (1955) - by Richard Brooks. This typical B movie was innovative by its musical treatment: it was using 'Rock Around the Clock' by Bill Haley as theme during the credits, that put Rock 'n Roll for the first time in a film. During the film itself, numerous pieces of Jazz were heard. The film had a tremendous social impact at the time, for its music and for its sensitive subjects (racism, juvenile delinquency, inadequate school system). Definitely HB.

'JOHNNY GUITAR' (1954) - by Nicholas Ray. Top film by this top director. His Noir treatment of this Western film (in color) is exemplary. A haunting theme is supporting the moody ambiance, and will become a hit performed by the singer Peggy Lee. Music of the film by Victor Young.

'IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT' (1967) - by Norman Jewison. Rather good film, even if only mild HB. Good supporting music by Quincy Jones, Jazz orientated composer.

'POINT BLANK' (1967) - by John Boorman. Top HB film by one of the best directors of his generation. Music is supportive of the action, as in the classic sequence of a murder by self-defense, developping behind a screen, with a montage in rhythm with the R & B music performed on the other side of the screen. (Still from this film is seen on the right)

'BULLIT' (1968) - by Peter Yates. HB mixed with Noir film themes to form a very good 'cop story' were some spectacular action sequences do not affect the continuity of the plot (like the classic car chase in the San Francisco hilly streets). Major sequences well supporterd by the music of Lalo Shifrin (successful film music composer, originally a Jazz pianist and composer).

'SHAFT' (1971) - by Gordon Parks. HB in Black Harlem, with a Black PI, Shaft. Very good integration of an expressionist music (mix of Jazz and Pop techniques) composed and singed by Isaac Hayes. The theme was a hit at the time. The film is second rate only as it overdoes some inclinations of HB which become close to caricatures. Interesting however, as it is the first Black American production in HB genre, with a Black cast, a Black director, and developing a story in a Black underworls environment.

'GLORIA' (1980) - by John Casavetes. HB with a woman as central mobster character masterfully played by Gena Rowlands. One of the very rare feminine character being really HB in the history of the American cinema!
The beautiful and realistic filming of New-York as background for this hard-boiled story is well supported by first class Jazz arrangements. Noticeable are the sax chords and theme developments, underlined by a string orchestra, in the entry sequence showing pannoramic views of New-York's buildings. A first class film.
(Still from this film on the right)

_{Copyright © 1997, E.Borgers for texts and setup.
See front page of WEBORGERS - Hard-Boiled Mysteries - for complete disclaimer.
Most recent revision: 22 May 1997}