British film music and film musicals

Abstract

Description British film music is one of the unsung stars of British culture. British cinema should be most proud of it, and yet it barely receives a mention in scholarly or popular writing. Yet during the 1930s, British-made musicals, starring actors such as George Formby and Gracie Fields, were the most popular films seen by British audiences. Any consideration of British music, or indeed of film music, could not fail to note William Walton's outstanding score for Olivier's Henry V (1944) and Malcolm Arnold's music for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). Yet these are never mentioned in the kind of scholarly books and histories produced in the area of 'British film' studies. This book aims to open up debate on the subject as well as map a terrain that has for a long time been lost. This book will address music in British films, both as musical scores ,in the first half of the book and as British film musicals, in the second half. Each section will start with a detailed chronological review history. Contents Introduction British Film Music Wicked Sounds and Magic Melodies: Music in Gainsborough Melodramas Did You Hear the One about the Irishman? Sound and Music, Forging Ethnicity in Odd Man Out (1946) Experimenting with Film Scores, 1967-1970 Pop Music Culture, Synergy and Songs in Films: Hardware (1990) and Trainspotting (1996) History of British Film Musicals Stage to Screen: Whatever Happened to the British Musical Adaptation? The Perpetual Busman's Holiday: Sir Cliff Richard and the British Pop Musical The Musical Revolution: The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night White Labels and Black Imports: Music, Assimilation and Commerce in Absolute Beginners (1985)