Jazz In Film
ZIG-ZAG: aka False Witness is a competently directed 1970 film by Richard A. Colla, starring George Kennedy, Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach.
A dying man frames himself for the kidnapping and murder of an industrialist so his wife and daughter can benefit from the reward money. However, his plan goes awry when he is cured! Though an ingeniously plotted thriller, it lets itself down by failing to compel interest in its two-dimensional characters.
The music is composed, arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson and features pianist Artie Kane, saxophonist Buddy Collette, bassist Joe Mondragon, drummers John Guerin and Victor Feldman with Anita O’Day making an appearance.
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Jazz In Film
Young Dillinger: This 1965 film directed by Terry O. Morse and stars Nick Adams, Robert Conrad and John Ashley. The movie brings together three of America’s most infamous criminals – John Dillinger (Adams), Baby Face Nelson (Ashley) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Conrad) in this uninspired gangster film.
The story goes… John Dillinger lands in jail after attempting to rob his girlfriend’s father at her suggestion. Falling in with the likes of Baby Face Nelson and Floyd, he arranges their escape and together they start on an escalating series of holdups.
This film was notorious in its time for its gratuitous violence, so much so that public outcry prompted CBS to cancel plans to air it in early 1968. In a grim coincidence, star Nick Adams died a few days later.
Trumpeter, arranger and composer Shorty Rogers composes and conducts the music score.
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Jazz In Film
Wayward: This 1932 Paramount Productions drama about family intrigue brought on by a jealous mother-in-law was directed by Edward Sloman and starred Nancy Carroll, Richard Arlen and Pauline Frederick.
Taken from the novel Wild Beauty by Mateel Howe Farnham it features the song ”What’s the Difference”. Edward Heyman wrote the lyrics and the music composed by Johnny Green. The film also featured music by pianist Claude Hopkins and his Orchestra.
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Jazz In Film
Violer er blå(Violets are Blue) is a 1975 film made in Denmark and directed by Peter Refn. The movie made in Denmark stars Lisbet Lundquist, Annika Hoydal and Lisbet Dahl and is about a group of professional people unable to accept their roles in modern life.
Music Director Bent Fabricius Bjerre uses as source music two Duke Ellington small group recordings featuring Johnny Hodges plus Ben Webster playing How Long Has This Been Going On?
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Jazz In Film
The Unsuspected: This 1947 film directed by Michael Curtiz, starred Claude Rains, Joan Caulfield, Audrey Trotter and Constance Bennett follows the story of a girl that has been murdered. A woman cannot remember a man who claims to be her husband. Her uncle hosts a radio murder mystery show called “The Unsuspected”. Who killed the girl? Why? And who is this mystery husband? Are all question to be answered.
This highly polished and thoroughly enjoyable thriller includes a chilling performance by Rains and features a nightclub sequence with drummer Jo Jones leading the group performing “I Got Rhythm”.
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