Ghostly images of Abraham Lincoln
The Home Video Lab West has received an early test DVD featuring the new score for the John Ford silent epic, 'The Iron Horse' (1924).
The new score for the film was composed and conducted by Christopher Caliendo, who came to the project via music producer and film-maker Nick Redman. Mr. Redman has directed a new, feature length documentary 'Becoming John Ford,' as part of the upcoming 'Ford at Fox' collection. Part of the collection features key silent movies from Ford's early years at the studio. During the course of development, the question arose; what to do about the music?
When released originally in 1924, 'The Iron Horse' featured a score for full orchestra by Erno Rapee. Rapee scored a number of Ford's early films - and the effect of the movie accompanied by a full orchestra must have been thrilling back in the day. Indeed, the original engagement at Los Angeles' Egyptian Theater not only included the orchestra, but there was a prologue pre-show, featuring a cast of hundreds that set the scene for the movie itself.
Born in 1891, Rapee came to the United States from Hungary in 1912. He worked as a musician at the Café Monopole before becoming director of the Hungarian Opera Company of New York. Movie work came his way as he conducted movie-theater orchestras, becoming musical director of the Rialto Theater. In the 1920s he scored many films for William Fox's studio - as well as for UFA in Germany, Warner Brothers and First National Pictures. In 1931 he joined the NBC radio network as general music director. He finally became chief musical director for the Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center where he presented the wide gamut of classical music. Rapee died of a sudden heart-attack at the age 54.
Rapee's written score for 'The Iron Horse' still exists, but was not accessible to the development team for this project (although there are rumors of a Japanese TV broadcast that featured a synthesized version of Rapee's score).
Christopher Caliendo had formerly re-scored Sam Peckinpah's 'Major Dundee' for Sony Pictures, and with his infectious spirit and enthusiasm, he took on the challenge of a new score for 'The Iron Horse.' Qualms about musical authenticity were outweighed by the possibilities of bringing the restored film to DVD with a full 5.1 Dolby Digital experience. In 1995, the brilliant Kevin Brownlow had re-scored the movie with a score by John Lanchberry, but that version wasn't available.
And so it was that the Fox Home Video Lab West got to witness the new version of 'The Iron Horse' - and the effect was sublimely moving. Visions of Abraham Lincoln filled the giant screen. Mr. Caliendo has delivered a full, robust score, with outstanding themes for Davy Brandon and his love interest, Miriam Marsh, Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickcok, wonderfully evocative instrumentations for the Indian themes and cacophony of tubular bells accompany the completion of the Transcontinental Railway at Promontory Point, Utah.
Look for news of 'The Iron Horse' coming soon from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
