Klaatu re-underscored with Messiaen

Scene from The Day the Earth Stood Still rescored with the music of Olivier Messiaen. The original score by Bernard Herrmann is great of course. But it does seem likely that Messiaen's Trois Petites Liturgies de la Presence Divine (1942) could have been an influence on Herrmann and other composers of scifi soundtracks in the 50s and 60s. In this case, I felt that the highly contemplative nature of Messiaen's music gave a feeling of reverent mystery and made Klaatu seem a higher being, and the light more mysterious, even in B&W. Herrmann's score has a lot of mystery and strangeness and a Javanese style of sound, but nonetheless seems a bit more earthbound in comparison. Any thoughts?

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Day
• Earth
• Stood
• Still
• Klaatu
• Gort
• Messiaen
• Herrmann

[tijuanagringo]

very thought provoking thank you

[RogueRotting360]

They both work well, but I think Herrmann's scintillating ostinato-like pattern of glocks, harps, vibes, celesta, piano, electric guitar, theremins and Hammond Organ, better accompanies Klaaltu's activation of those panels. Distant, yet driving the pace along.

The Messiaen work is almost too trance-like, and draws too much emphasis (due to the lack of a tight pulse) on the scene. Overstatement.

[3investigators]

Well, they're both so similar in tone so I'd certainly choose Hermann's score for this film as he was, after all, the guy who scored it to begin with:) Hermann, just as Max Steiner before him, was without a doubt a musical genius. Film scoring continues to owe it's debt to these men.

[spence900]

COOOOOOOOL.

[Ahbootsybaby]

Very very good, I've always thought messiaen's music could be used for film's just never tought what? Herrmann was a genius at scoring for film, though, vertigo. citizen cane, pyscho and the day the earth stood still are every bit as good as Messieans masterpieces, god i love em both!!!

[whatshendrix]

I also think that Messiaen's score is better for this scene.

[spacepatrolman]

Pull that string [ ribbon ] on the ondes martenot ,make it sing ...imray klattu narowat microprovow baratu lukedinsu ...

[MikeNichols50]

Interesting contrast, Herrmann v. Messiaen....to me Messiaen [being French, if I'm not mistaken] was [kind of]

the 'next step' after the 'impressionism' of Ravel & Debussy. [Obviously, one cannot forget the contributions of Stravimsky, Bartok, Scriabin, et al, and I would never do so, either]

I am not a Messiaen 'expert', but i definitely have always liked his style & 'sound', which is perhaps why I must,

in conclusion, "ditto" the comments of

Wesleyan97 below....

[wesleyan97]

You're right