Burt Bacharach was one of the most distinguished and successful composers of the last century.
Working most fruitfully with the lyricist Hal David, his addictively intelligent songs embodied unconventional time signatures, shifting chords and a fusion of pop and rock, jazz, and Latin elements. With Bacharach’s adventurous song structures married to David’s words, often bittersweet lyrics as though from a cinematic school of realism, the duo were like the personification of New York’s Brill Building hit factory.
Although not all these songs were with David, Bacharach, who has died aged 94, enjoyed more than 50 UK Top 40 hits, and more than 70 in his native US. A remarkable 38 of these tunes were with the classically trained former gospel singer Dionne Warwick with whom the pair began working in 1962. Several of Bacharach’s compositions were bigger hits in the UK than in America.
The pair first hit the charts in 1957 with...
Working most fruitfully with the lyricist Hal David, his addictively intelligent songs embodied unconventional time signatures, shifting chords and a fusion of pop and rock, jazz, and Latin elements. With Bacharach’s adventurous song structures married to David’s words, often bittersweet lyrics as though from a cinematic school of realism, the duo were like the personification of New York’s Brill Building hit factory.
Although not all these songs were with David, Bacharach, who has died aged 94, enjoyed more than 50 UK Top 40 hits, and more than 70 in his native US. A remarkable 38 of these tunes were with the classically trained former gospel singer Dionne Warwick with whom the pair began working in 1962. Several of Bacharach’s compositions were bigger hits in the UK than in America.
The pair first hit the charts in 1957 with...
- 2/11/2023
- by Chris Salewicz
- The Independent - Music
Blacklisted screenwriter and president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The screenwriter Fay Kanin, who has died aged 95, was the only female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in its 86-year history (apart from Bette Davis, who resigned after two months in 1941). She served as president from 1979 to 1983, for the maximum of four consecutive one-year terms. Kanin, who committed herself to the preservation of early Hollywood movies, was first elected president by a board consisting of 34 men and one woman.
"I'm a big feminist," she declared at the time that her play Goodbye, My Fancy opened on Broadway in 1948. "I've put into my play my feeling that women should never back away from life." The serious comedy, with Madeleine Carroll as a powerful congresswoman revisiting her alma mater to receive an honorary degree, ran for more than a year and was made into a 1951 film starring Joan Crawford.
The screenwriter Fay Kanin, who has died aged 95, was the only female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in its 86-year history (apart from Bette Davis, who resigned after two months in 1941). She served as president from 1979 to 1983, for the maximum of four consecutive one-year terms. Kanin, who committed herself to the preservation of early Hollywood movies, was first elected president by a board consisting of 34 men and one woman.
"I'm a big feminist," she declared at the time that her play Goodbye, My Fancy opened on Broadway in 1948. "I've put into my play my feeling that women should never back away from life." The serious comedy, with Madeleine Carroll as a powerful congresswoman revisiting her alma mater to receive an honorary degree, ran for more than a year and was made into a 1951 film starring Joan Crawford.
- 4/1/2013
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
This was the first time I've seen a film featuring Marilyn Monroe. Let's cut the embellishments: the film is certainly worth your time if you're into musicals (which I'm not). Other than that, Let's Make Love's romance story between the two leading characters suffers from a serious lack of elaboration.
Jean-Marc Clément (Yves Montand) is a billionaire. His PR specialist (Tony Randall) apprised Jean-Marc that according to an article in Variety (my reaction: it's that old??!!?), he'll be parodied in an upcoming theatre production. By going to the production's rehearsal, Jean Marc snags a role as... himself. Furthermore, the show's cast didn't recognize him and this is why he goes around by using another name and by pretending that he's not a billionaire. However, Jean-Marc has a crush on Amanda Dell (Marilyn Monroe), his co-star. Will improving his stage skills make him win Amanda's affection?
Let's say straightforwardly that...
Jean-Marc Clément (Yves Montand) is a billionaire. His PR specialist (Tony Randall) apprised Jean-Marc that according to an article in Variety (my reaction: it's that old??!!?), he'll be parodied in an upcoming theatre production. By going to the production's rehearsal, Jean Marc snags a role as... himself. Furthermore, the show's cast didn't recognize him and this is why he goes around by using another name and by pretending that he's not a billionaire. However, Jean-Marc has a crush on Amanda Dell (Marilyn Monroe), his co-star. Will improving his stage skills make him win Amanda's affection?
Let's say straightforwardly that...
- 12/3/2009
- by [email protected] (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
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