Listening to Stanley Kubrick: The Music in His Films
This is a fascinating look at the films of Kubrick as well as the importance that music plays in setting a scene in a film. It is appropriate for larger universities with extensive film studies collections.(American Reference Books Annual)In a study that focuses on Kubrick's use of music in both his full-length features and his documentaries, Gengaro (Los Angeles City College) succeeds in her aim to reach readers both with and without musical background. As is well-known from the literature on Kubrick, especially Paul Merkley's article "'Stanley Hates This but I Like It!': North vs. Kubrick on the Music for 2001: A Space Odyssey" (published in the fall 2007 issue of The Journal of Film Music), there are behind-the-scenes twists and turns with the director's decision making vis-à-vis music: for example, his opting to use a temp score rather than composer Alex North's original music. This aspect, sometimes believed to be simply Kubrick's own sense of directorial authority, makes the history of the music difficult to track down. Gengaro offers analyses that will satisfy those who know the film music and at the same time enable those new to the study of film music to find a place to begin their explorations. An engaging read, this book is the most comprehensive study of its kind in English. Summing Up:Essential. All readers.(CHOICE)