Comments on: Remembering Leonard Rosenman, Film and Concert Composer http://www.loudmurmurs.com/2008/03/06/remembering-leonard-rosenman-film-and-concert-composer/ "Be the change you wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:37:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: David Drucker http://www.loudmurmurs.com/2008/03/06/remembering-leonard-rosenman-film-and-concert-composer/#comment-10978 David Drucker Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:42:02 +0000 http://www.loudmurmurs.com/2008/03/06/remembering-leonard-rosenman-film-and-concert-composer/#comment-10978 The direction and score definitely add a whole element of European angst to the story. Kazan really 'got' the whole turbulence of adolescence and Dean was living it (plus, he was an actor with so much talent, perhaps on the brink of true greatness - I sometimes wonder what kind of movies he'd have made if he had lived longer.) Rosenman's music is like an undercurrent of emotion for the whole work. I also didn't mention Julie Harris's performance, which is also phenomenal, given that she has to do the talking for most of the laconic male parts. Who knew that this charming and vulnerable girl-next-door attracted to the 'bad boy' would later become for many, synonymous with roles of woman writers like Emily Dickinson and Charlotte Bronté in later years (and as of today she's still working, according to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364915/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IMDB</a>.) For me, East of Eden towers above Rebel Without a Cause as a work of sheer emotional power, but Rebel is probably more interesting as a cultural snapshot of what it was to be a teen in the early to mid-60's, and hence gets most of the attention when people talk about Dean. I noticed that one of the authors of the book <em> <a href="http://www.livefastdieyoungbook.com/ target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Live Fast, Die Young</a> The Wild Ride of Making Rebel Without a Cause</em> by Lawrence Frascella and Al Weisel</em>, linked to this post. They apparently got to meet Rosenman and hear him play the theme to Rebel not too long before his death. Remarkably, that part of his brain remained intact, even though he could not remember Dean's name or any of the details of his past. The <a href="http://rebel-without-a-cause.blogspot.com/2008/03/leonard-rosenman-rebel-without-cause.html" target ="_blank" rel="nofollow">video of his playing is very touching.</a> The direction and score definitely add a whole element of European angst to the story. Kazan really ‘got’ the whole turbulence of adolescence and Dean was living it (plus, he was an actor with so much talent, perhaps on the brink of true greatness - I sometimes wonder what kind of movies he’d have made if he had lived longer.) Rosenman’s music is like an undercurrent of emotion for the whole work.
I also didn’t mention Julie Harris’s performance, which is also phenomenal, given that she has to do the talking for most of the laconic male parts. Who knew that this charming and vulnerable girl-next-door attracted to the ‘bad boy’ would later become for many, synonymous with roles of woman writers like Emily Dickinson and Charlotte Bronté in later years (and as of today she’s still working, according to IMDB.)

For me, East of Eden towers above Rebel Without a Cause as a work of sheer emotional power, but Rebel is probably more interesting as a cultural snapshot of what it was to be a teen in the early to mid-60’s, and hence gets most of the attention when people talk about Dean.

I noticed that one of the authors of the book Live Fast, Die Young
The Wild Ride of Making Rebel Without a Cause by Lawrence Frascella and Al Weisel, linked to this post. They apparently got to meet Rosenman and hear him play the theme to Rebel not too long before his death. Remarkably, that part of his brain remained intact, even though he could not remember Dean’s name or any of the details of his past. The video of his playing is very touching.

]]> By: MJ Ankenman http://www.loudmurmurs.com/2008/03/06/remembering-leonard-rosenman-film-and-concert-composer/#comment-10976 MJ Ankenman Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:31:38 +0000 http://www.loudmurmurs.com/2008/03/06/remembering-leonard-rosenman-film-and-concert-composer/#comment-10976 I am going to have to watch East of Eden again now that I have this new insight into the music . Very interesting , thanks for sharing. I am going to have to watch East of Eden again now that I have this new insight into the music . Very interesting , thanks for sharing.

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