Howard Keel, has retained a remarkably loyal following among fans of the musical film ever since its release in 1954. Although it was filmed in state-of-the-art CinemaScope, Stanley Donen was obliged to direct much of the film on Metro's sound stages, where the artificial sets and painted backdrops don't inevitably live up to the scenes shot on location in Oregon. Viewers coming fresh to the picture may find this visual discrepancy jarring and some too may find Miss Powell's singing a shade plummy. The screenplay, by husband and wife team Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich with Dorothy Kingsley, tells the story of seven brothers living in the Oregon hills and their adventures to find themselves wives. The casting of each brother with his rugged, masculine looks and ability to dance with grace and athleticism, presided over by an authoritative Howard Keel, gives the film a dynamic impetus second to none in an MGM musical. The lengthy barn-raising episode under choreographer Michael Kidd's intrepid direction, where the music and the incredibly agile and energetic male and female dance ensemble unite as one, produces a square dance without parallel. The music and lyrics by Gene De Paul and Johnny Mercer--including the mating chorus, "Spring, Spring, Spring", the rollicking "Bless You're Beautiful Hide", the rousing "Sobbin' Women" and the visually enchanting "June Bride"--are both tuneful and mindful of the plot's exposition. Adolph Deutsch and Saul Chaplin won the Academy Award in 1954 for their arrangements and conducting.On the DVD: The digital remastering has created a clearer picture of what had been a faintly muddy Ansco colour system on the original print while the polish and attack with which the MGM Studio Orchestra play the music on this full-bodied stereophonic soundtrack remains a thing of wonder. Howard Keel, standing tall and erect in his 80s, hosts the "making of" documentary. Director Donen, choreographer Kidd, Jane Powell and several of the dancers recall how the film was considered a "sleeper" during production and wasn't expected to do as well asBrigadoon, in production at the same time. The documentary also highlights the care taken over the casting of the brothers, two of whom including Keel were not dancers and their often brave and brilliant feats of acrobatic dancing executed on precarious planks and other props. When Howard Keel takes his farewell walk down the main street lot at MGM, breaking into a few brief dance steps, it's impossible not to feel a moment of regret that the curtain had to come down on MGM's most treasured possession. --Adrian Edwards
Howard Keel, has retained a remarkably loyal following among fans of the musical film ever since its release in 1954. Although it was filmed in state-of-the-art CinemaScope, Stanley Donen was obliged to direct much of the film on Metro's sound stages, where the artificial sets and painted backdrops don't inevitably live up to the scenes shot on location in Oregon. Viewers coming fresh to the picture may find this visual discrepancy jarring and some too may find Miss Powell's singing a shade plummy. The screenplay, by husband and wife team Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich with Dorothy Kingsley, tells the story of seven brothers living in the Oregon hills and their adventures to find themselves wives. The casting of each brother with his rugged, masculine looks and ability to dance with grace and athleticism, presided over by an authoritative Howard Keel, gives the film a dynamic impetus second to none in an MGM musical. The lengthy barn-raising episode under choreographer Michael Kidd's intrepid direction, where the music and the incredibly agile and energetic male and female dance ensemble unite as one, produces a square dance without parallel. The music and lyrics by Gene De Paul and Johnny Mercer--including the mating chorus, "Spring, Spring, Spring", the rollicking "Bless You're Beautiful Hide", the rousing "Sobbin' Women" and the visually enchanting "June Bride"--are both tuneful and mindful of the plot's exposition. Adolph Deutsch and Saul Chaplin won the Academy Award in 1954 for their arrangements and conducting.On the DVD: The digital remastering has created a clearer picture of what had been a faintly muddy Ansco colour system on the original print while the polish and attack with which the MGM Studio Orchestra play the music on this full-bodied stereophonic soundtrack remains a thing of wonder. Howard Keel, standing tall and erect in his 80s, hosts the "making of" documentary. Director Donen, choreographer Kidd, Jane Powell and several of the dancers recall how the film was considered a "sleeper" during production and wasn't expected to do as well asBrigadoon, in production at the same time. The documentary also highlights the care taken over the casting of the brothers, two of whom including Keel were not dancers and their often brave and brilliant feats of acrobatic dancing executed on precarious planks and other props. When Howard Keel takes his farewell walk down the main street lot at MGM, breaking into a few brief dance steps, it's impossible not to feel a moment of regret that the curtain had to come down on MGM's most treasured possession. --Adrian Edwards
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers - Original Soundtrack
Main specs
Title: Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
Performer: Original Soundtrack
Genre: Soundtracks
Sub Genre: Film
Release Date: 01/02/1999
Original Release Year: 1996
Label / Distributor: EMI Gold / EMI
Engineer: Doug Schwartz
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Format: Performer
EAN: 724385304729
Additional notes
Album Notes: The Rhino version of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS is the first to feature the soundtrack in its entirety. It also includes outtakes from the film and four previously unreleased demo recordings performed by songwriters Gene De Paul and Johnny Mercer.
Advantages: Blues music, what more can be said? Many great legends of blues and soul. Disadvantages: Not enough songs
...’re wondering about the storyline or the film itself, go to:
http://dvd.ciao.co.uk/TheBluesBrothersWideScreen35057
THE SONGS
11 tracks are included on this album; all are from the original movie, although some are slightly edited so that they are suitable for a soundtrack album. This editing is barely noticeable though.
1 – She Caught The Katy – As always, this is a great intro to the album. It’s the first song you’ll hear on the film and is very much in the style of blues. A continuous guitar rhythm is followed by an equally continuous drum beat. Brass instruments, such as trumpets are occasionally heard but the real joy is the harmonica. Jake Blues (John Belushi) sings the, typically blues, lyrics well. – 8/10
2 – Peter Gunn Theme – This instrumental follows a same beat as the previous track, as well as style. A continuous...
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Advantages: A number of highly infectious, incredibly catchy songs Disadvantages: The tracks don't sound as good on CD as they did live
...Adequate Seven were a UK band that use to often get misplaced in the genre bracket of 'Skacore', however their sound was always far more than this in truth; bridging the divide between Funk and Hardcore, fusing the two in order to produce their own unique brand of music. I feel that the band were always at their best when they opted to show off their more Hardcore side, however the band do this less so on their second album 'Here On Earth' in favour of exploring their funkier nature. Unfortunately in the December of 2006, having been around for 6 years and after playing over 500 gigs the band decided to call it a day. This was a great loss for UK music as Adequate Seven were an exceptional live band; however their music still lives on today through the records that they released.
'Here On Earth' kicks off with the catchy single...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: A top collection of tracks for a top film! Disadvantages: None
...Badly Drawn Boy first shot to prominence with his debut album The Hour of Bewilderbeast, in 2000. This was a fine debut and was recognised with a Mercury Music Prize for Best Album.
Born Damon Gough, he began recording after meeting the like-minded Andy Votel at a Manchester nightclub. The pair formed the Twisted Nerve label.
His fantastic lyrics and simple yet catchy guitar riffs led Author Nick Hornby to ask the singer to score and record the soundtrack to the film being made of this book About a Boy.
The fact that Badly Drawn Boy crafted this soundtrack to such a good modern film is not suprising although it must be said that he could not have done this unless he was indeed a fan of the original book. The some times odd, quirky tracks he produced sit so well within the film that this was a marriage made in heaven...
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![Seven Brides For Seven Brothers [1954]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65513022.jpg)
![Seven Brides For Seven Brothers [1954]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65486312.jpg)
![Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (2 Disc Special Edition) [1954]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65497143.jpg)
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