Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann

The movie was absolutely brilliant, especially the music. Bernard Herman has shown his brilliance once again with this review of all his work. Well done.

What can you say about the man whose first score is Citizen Kane and his last Taxi Driver? One the best filmmusic composers of all time or just simply the best? This is also an excellent documentary about the scores he made inbetween. Amongst them Psycho, Vertigo, Fahrenheit 451, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, All that money can buy, The Day The Earth Stood Still and many others. Interviews with people who worked with him, other filmmusic composers and film directors who admired him. This is a must see for people who love dramatic filmmusic at its best and the way he conceived it.

This documentary is a good introduction to the genius that was Bernard Herrmann. It is a good overview of his turbulent personality as well as providing brief examples of his music. More of the film should have dealt with his brilliant work with Hitchcock on such notable films as "Vertigo" and "Psycho". And the production quality is rather sub-par. Still, this is a must see for people interested in film music and a good foundation for establishing Bernard Herrmann as one of this centuries greatest composers.