This indispensable guide is the reference book for anyone interested in musical film. Its fact-packed, alphabetically-arranged pages include over 1600 entries covering not only the most important actors, composers, lyricists, directors, choreographers, and producers but also the most memorable songs and best-loved films. Beginning in 1927 with The Jazz Singer--the first part-sound motion picture--the film entries provide brief plot outlines, behind-the-scenes information, all the songs from the particular film with the names of the singers (including songs ultimately cut from the film), roles played by the particular actors and actresses, plus names of composers, lyricists, directors, and collaborators, and much more. The volume also features listings of Motion Picture Academy nominations and winners, British and American film title changes, who played whom in what films, and a general bibliography and discography. Now in a newly revised paperback edition, it offers updated information on the people included in the book, additional films under existing entries, and the most recent Academy Award winners.

Offers background information and commentary on 1,200 popular songs from a variety of styles and genres written between the mid-nineteenth century and the mid-twentieth century.

A basic reference book for anyone interested in musical films, it contains over 1600 entries covering not only the most important actors, composers, lyricists, directors, choreographers, and producers but also the most memorable songs and films.

For more than a century, original music has been composed for the cinema. From the early days when live music accompanied silent films to the present in which a composer can draw upon a full orchestra or a lone synthesizer to embody a composition, music has been an integral element of most films. By the late 1930s, movie studios had established music departments, and some of the greatest names in film music emerged during Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Alfred Newman, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin, and Bernard Herrmann. Over the decades, other creators of screen music offered additional memorable scores, and some composers—such as Henry Mancini, Randy Newman, and John Williams—have become household names. The Encyclopedia of Film Composers features entries on more than 250 movie composers from around the world. It not only provides facts about these artists but also explains what makes each composer notable and discusses his or her music in detail. Each entry includes Biographical material Important dates Career highlights Analysis of the composer’s musical style Complete list of movie credits This book brings recognition to the many men and women who have written music for movies over the past one hundred years. In addition to composers from the United States and Great Britain, artists from dozens of other countries are also represented. A rich resource of movie music history, The Encyclopedia of Film Composers will be of interest to fans of cinema in general as well as those who want to learn more about the many talented individuals who have created memorable scores.

This book provides a comprehensive and lively introduction to the major trends in film scoring from the silent era to the present day, focussing not only on dominant Hollywood practices but also offering an international perspective by including case studies of the national cinemas of the UK, France, India, Italy, Japan and the early Soviet Union. The book balances wide-ranging overviews of film genres, modes of production and critical reception with detailed non-technical descriptions of the interaction between image track and soundtrack in representative individual films. In addition to the central focus on narrative cinema, separate sections are also devoted to music in documentary and animated films, film musicals and the uses of popular and classical music in the cinema. The author analyses the varying technological and aesthetic issues that have shaped the history of film music, and concludes with an account of the modern film composer's working practices.

A guide to the greatest shows and films in the history of the musical, as well as their stars, lyricists and composers. Over 1600 entries provide facts, figures and critical opinion on all aspects of the field.

A chronologically arranged reference book on the Hollywood musical, with each entry including pertinent facts about a film and a brief essay about the plot and production. Includes hundreds of black & white stills.