TunePlay - MAVERICK (1994) Randy Newman
One of
TV history's most enduring / endearing tentpoles, the western adventure/comedy (and sometimes mystery) series MAVERICK was created by novelist turned showrunner, the late
Roy Huggins - who'd later give audiences the every-bit-as popular THE FUGITIVE and THE ROCKFORD
FILES.
Running on
ABC from
1947 - '62, the "horse opera with a sense of humor" originally starred the affable
James Garner in the career defining role of
Brett Maverick: cardsharp gambler, con man, lover, and often (in spite of himself) heroic knight of the underdog who found themselves oppressed, in the early days of the
American west, by barons and businessmen every bit as "ethically challenged" as Maverick himself
... only not as honest in admitting so. The easy-going persona of the Maverick character, a reflection of Garner himself, would stick to the actor like a well worn / well loved Stetson the rest of his life.
Later lite Garner characterizations in THE
GREAT ESCAPE, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL
SHERIFF!,
SKIN GAME, THE ROCKFORD FILES, and even more dramatic portrayals in 36 HOURS, THE AMERICANIZATION OF
EMILY,
GRAND PRIX, HOUR OF THE
GUN (as
Wyatt Earp), MARLOWE and THE NOTEBOOK, would all very much continue to extend from the super-chill demeanor firmly established with MAVERICK.
When the time came for director
Richard Donner and actor
Mel Gibson's big screen homage to the venerable western chestnut (this in the days before
Gibson's public fall from grace), the creative team - who had previously cranked out three immensely popular LETHAL
WEAPON films; and still had one more, along with CONSPIRACY THEORY, to come, chose an equally affable cadre of co-creators.
Chief among this lineup was Garner himself - in the new film portraying a lawman with more up his sleeve than initially anticipated; novelist/screenwriter
William Goldman (BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE
KID, THE GREAT
WALDO PEPPER, THE PRINCESS BRIDE) concocting the tonally appropriate story; and composer
Randy Newman doing the same with the musical score.
Born and raised in LA,
Newman is famous kin to the greatest film music dynasty in cinema history, which includes his uncles
Alfred Newman (HOW THE
WEST WAS
WON, THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD) and
Lionel Newman (HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE, NORTH TO ALASKA), as well as cousins
Thomas Newman (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, ROAD TO PERDITION,
WALL-E) and
David Newman (HOFFA, THE
WAR OF THE ROSES,
ICE AGE, SERENITY). His original claim to fame however wouldn't be via film, but rather as the popular songwriter of vocal hits for the likes of
Nina Simone, the
Everly Brothers,
Pat Boone,
Wilson Pickett,
Peggy Lee and more, as well as his own satirically crooned standards "
Short People" and "
I Love L.A.". Upon turning his attention to film music
Randy would rapidly become one of the most lauded practitioners of the craft; the
Grammy and
Oscar winning musical soul behind THE NATURAL, RAGTIME, AVALON, AWAKENINGS, the
TOY STORY trilogy, and many others, ultimately including MAVERICK.
While doffing it's brim to
Aaron Copland ("
Runaway Stage" in particular), Newman's MAVERICK is very much his own. Never stooping to camp, his patented sense of satire is still clearly on display in the over-the-top-ness of "
Annabelle" (mirroring
Jodie Foster's deliberately over-the-top, none-too-subtle love interest / gambler femme fatale "
Mrs. Annabelle
Bransford"), as well as in the rollicking, surly and brass empowered, near cartoony adventure motifs of ""Heading For
The Game" and "
The Fight".
While MAVERICK would surprisingly not garner
Emmy or
Oscar nods (as had Newman's MONSTERS
INC., PLEASANTVILLE,
CARS, A
BUG'S
LIFE, JAMES AND THE
GIANT PEACH, SEABISCUIT and others), it remains one of the most complex (and downright enjoyable) efforts of the legendary composer's entire musical canon.
Judge for yourself.
CEJ
1) Runaway Stage (0:00 of 13:09)
2) Annabelle (04:47 of 13:09)
3) Heading For The Game (07:15 of 13:09)
4)
Fight (08:47 of 13:09)
5)
Magic Cards,
Maybe /
Lucky Shirt (10:53 of 13:09)
6)
Bath House (12:25 of 13:09)
For more "TunePlay" mini movie music suites go to
http://www.gullcottageonline.com/TunePlay-ClarkeApril_12
.html
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