New scores for Le Voyage dans la lune

From December 9, 2009:

This project is so very clever. It's amazing to be able to watch a high quality print of the 1904 Georges Melies classic film "Le Voyage dans la lune" with a choice of four musical scores by five composers. Most of us have seen clips of this film many times - especially the scene where the rocket lands in eye of the Man in the Moon. Now we have a chance to watch this pioneering Science Fiction classic in its 12-minute entirety, with the freshness that the new scores bring to the experience.

ERM media has provided both a DVD with the four versions of the film, and a CD with the complete scores. As to the various soundtracks, it's really hard to choose a favourite. Robert Ian Winstin's version for prepared piano and percussion is impressive. (It was Winstin who put the project together.) I like the intimate and immediate sounds Winston provides to accent the action in the film, but also the dramatic sweep he introduces for various scenes: especially the two minutes of music for the Final Credits. Louie Hurwitz & Marie Spinosa provide a clever, post-modern twist on the story, with fun, spaced-out Hammond organ licks and the odd vocal contribution. This is likely to be the score I would most often listen to as a stand-alone work.

James Guymon's full orchestral score (complete with wordless choir) adds a layer of awe to what is basically a comic film, though he also underlines the odd bit of slapstick in the film. Listen especially to the beautiful "Mushrooms and Stars" cue (track 23). Don Myers provides a suite for accordion and various instruments that is full of unexpected sounds.

Perhaps that's what I liked most about this package: at every turn I was surprised, while I watched the film four times over, and then while I listened to the music at my leisure afterwards.