Description
Book SynopsisThis book tells the fascinating story of the evolution of David O. Selznick's style through the many artists whose work defined Hollywood sound.
Trade ReviewIn this meticulous study, which entailed archival research, Platte (music history, Univ. of Iowa) introduces readers to the overlooked others who were responsible for creating Selznick's scores, for example, music editor Audray Granville, who worked on Spellbound. Emphasis is on films that were produced by Selznick himself; therefore, for example, I'll Be Seeing You (1944)produced by Selznick International, is not included. The first in-depth, book-length study to explore Selznick's own role in film scoring, this volume offers early history on Selznick's musical experiments while at Paramount in the 1920s, music examples, transcriptions of Selznick's memos to rewrite music, film stills, premiere programs, and pictures of family members and those who, like Granville, worked behind the scenes. * Choice *
Platte has provided an attractively-written and compelling book that offers not only an endlessly fascinating musical portrait of Selznick himself but also a window on the practices of studio-era music-making. It will, I am sure, be a staple of bibliographies of film-music history for many years to come. * Music, Sound, and the Moving Image *
Engagingly written and with a companion website that offers exemplary film clips, Making Music in Selznick's Hollywood expands the scholarly literature on film musicology, which has tended to focus primarily on composers, to consider the important contributions of others in the studio music department. As such, Platte challenges our understanding of how music was conceived for films and encourages us toward a deeper understanding of the scoring process, making this book a significant addition to any film music collection. * Journal of the Society for American Music *
Table of ContentsContents Foreword by Daniel Goldmark About the Companion Website Introduction Part I: Selznick in the Studio System 1. In the Selznick Family Tradition 2. "Drama Rising Like Might Music": Selznick and Steiner at RKO 3. Variations on a Theme: Selznick and Stothart at MGM Part II: Musically Independent 4. The Start of Selznick International Pictures 5. Music Director Differences: Artful Arbitration through Selznick International's Busiest Years Part III: Music for Hollywood's Prestige Producer 6. Gone with the Wind, Part I: Producing the Score 7. Gone with the Wind, Part II: The Music of "Max Steiner and Co." 8. "I know just what she's going through": Rebecca's Music for Interiors 9. "Together" for the Last Time in Since You Went Away 10. Success in Spite of Itself: The Trouble with Spellbound Part IV: Postwar Experiments 11. From the Ranch to the Drawing Room: Duel in the Sun and The Paradine Case 12. "Our Valedictory to Wild Extravagance": The Curious Portrait of Jennie 13. Selznick Beyond Hollywood 14. Conclusion Acknowledgements Select Bibliography
