It has been way too long since I have entered a CineTV contest; and when I seen the topic for this one: favourite film score - there was one that just leapt straight into my mind and took me back to the swinging deco jazz bars of a bygone era! How could I not put in an entry?
Let me begin by evoking that trusty tune:
What did the Pink Panther say when he stepped on an ant?
Dead ant, Dead ant. Dead ant, dead ant, dead ant, dead ant.
And of course, you now have the iconic Pink Panther theme song in your head? At 117 beats per minute, it is a smooth jazzy tune which takes you into the world of the narrative. The theme was composed by Henry Mancini - who is well known in the industry (indeed, he did win 20 Grammy awards!)
Pink Panther Theme:
And, for me - this is one song that just evokes nostalgia. It takes me back to cartoons after school. I'd get home, and dump myself in front of the television - and would spend hours lost in fantastical worlds. Now, I wasn't quite born when the cartoons originally made their way onto the tele in the late 1960s, but I certainly lived through the re-runs, and was prime-age for cartoon loving when a new series was animated in 1993!
From that early age, I was hooked on the sound of the jazz. The trumpets and saxophones and the pianos and glorious sensation that instantly brought a smile to my face - in fact, I would suggest it would be impossible to hear the score and be anything but elated. It starts off slow, it lures you into the world, and then the rhythm picks up as the baseline comes on and you're clicking your fingers and bopping your head. There can be no greater feeling than that head-bop.
Even now as I write this, I can't quite get away from that feeling of euphoria. But how's this for strange? I can't remember a single seconds worth of content form any 'The Pink Panther' cartoon or film. This strikes me as odd, as I have a very good memory, and have catch phrases and plot points stored in my noggin' - but, not a single thing about this sow, except the music.
Now, as an adult - the sounds linger - and, it's made me reflect on some of my favourite things - BBC Audio Productions of old books which they turn into an ensemble performance. I'm talking productions of Oscar Wilde of Fitzgerald's Gatsby - where the jazz makes the interlude between scenes - but, my absolute favourite: the BBC productions of Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe detective stories. Glorious!
Have a listen to the first five seconds of the opening of 'The Big Sleep' BBC production - you can certainly hear how it evokes Mancini!
And, with a ting of my triangle, and with a few piano keys, I thank you for joining me for this splendid tune! If you'd like to get onto the CineTV prompt, here's the link: @cinetv/cine-tv-contest-27-favorite-movie-score-or-soundtrack
