Ernie Kovacs' Street Scene / Béla Bartók "Concerto for Orchestra"

[From "Kovacs Corner" on YouTube.com] - This silent thematic production by Ernie might be considered his homage to "film noir". This is my interpretation... Set to encompass a full summer's day in an overheated city, we start at daybreak with Jolene Brand appearing at her doorstep in a pensive but suggestive pose. She catches the menacing glare of a "Brando-esqe" 50's-style street punk, played by Joe Mikolas, ogling her from across the street. A rather offish policeman, portrayed by Steve Blauner, appears to unknowingly thwart the assumed sinister intentions of Mikolas' character...for now. Climaxing their tense reactions, the camera pans and tilts up to an upper story window to show an innocent newborn baby in it's crib and his sweltering mother played by Maggi Brown. She appears to display a new mother's boredom to her day's routine life. Kovacs being Kovacs, he needs to throw in some sort of comedic element to the story, so he has Blauner's policeman pinching and eating one of the fruit vendor's apples. Additionally, Charles Parlato is dressed as an Italian fruit peddler in very stereotypical Chico Marx attire. Nightfall comes and the cycle begins again. Kovacs sidekick Bobby Lauher plays the forlorn newspaper boy under the street light. The classic musical work that Ernie chose to express the mood is fellow Hungarian Béla Bartók's "Concerto for Orchestra". Of course, this is MY take on this work. Tell me yours!

[Updated March 7, 2011] - For more information on Bartok and this composition, go to http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics/bartok.html .

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[bigred997]

probably just ernie's way of saying "look at me. i can do anything with a camera." he could give you broad, vaudeville as well as avant garde but one thing he never could master was pathos.

still, a very relaxing, enjoyable clip.

[rolko52]

@bigred997 - Had he lived I am sure he would have explored a more fully developed sense of drama.

[tonygumbrell22]

This sounds like the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. That recording is still tops in my book. I'll bet many of the musicians were refugees from facsism and/or war torn Europe.

[rolko52]

@tonygumbrell22 If you look under the video box, that's exactly the piece that was identified by the YT music ID software.

[rolko52]

I wonder how much influence Ernie's appearance in "Bell Book and Candle" had in this video's inspiration? After watching the movie, I can see the thematic influence through the movie's dark street sets and, of course, the cat.

[rolko52]

I do recommend that everyone look at the YT clip "Béla Bartók - (1/5) Concerto for Orchestra Sz. 116 - I. Introduzione - Allegro (Mehta)" that is part of my clip's Video Response. It is quite impressive!

[Maryloohoo2]

If he had lived he would have been ranked as the greatest entertainer of that time. Its so sad he died so early. Sure he has left a good amount of movies and tv work but I wish for more. And lots more Narobi Trios.

[mrsticks28]

I saw this when it originally aired. To me, this clip is as contemporary today as it was then. Incredible imagery, fabulous music. Kovacs was so ahead of everyone.

[blackwingy]

This was not only aired in late(October?)'1, but was repeated on the last of Ernie's specials, the one aired on what would have been his birthday(Jan 23rd, 1962). In his introduction on the last show he mentioned it had received quite a response and so they were going to encore it. When I first saw it as a kid in 1977 it was this particular segment that made me sit with my jaw on the floor wondering "who IS this guy?" And I'm still wondering...brilliant.

[rolko52]

@rolko52 ...and of course the music!