When I first watched the film the soundtrack took over me. It was so powerful and translated that thriller so perfectly. Ellis' music is the heartbeat of The French Connection.
I'm desperately hoping that more of the 50 minutes will be found and released. This movie and soundtrack introduced me to Jazz as a teen. I went to many Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson concerts when they came through St. Louis. Never had opportunity to see Don Ellis band live before he passed. What a loss.
Ellis's dissonant, unnerving, and frenetic score to The French Connection is a brilliant work of avant-garde jazz. It's a crime that it lost the Best Score award at the 1972 Oscars to a completely milquetoast and banal soundtrack no one remembers today. One of the innumerable myopic Oscar decisions made by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the past 95 years.
Ellis’ first score and ,wow, what an impact he made. His career and life was tragically cut short. It’s fascinating to me that this was the first film for a number of the key personnel involved in this production.
It wasn't actually his first score (contrary to what lame brained Julie Kirgo says in her liner notes for La La Land Records release of the 'FC' scores) He scored 'Moon Zero Two' in England around 1968/69 (so far sadly unreleased). Some of his ideas from FC actually appeared in that *actual* first score.
I find it interesting that Friedkin did not consider Ellis to score The Exorcist as well. The last cues on The French Connection almost sound like an intro to The Exorcist. The high pitched strings and odd percussive elements would have been a natural for Friedkin's follow-up film.
Lalo Schifrin was originally commissioned to score "The Exorcist", but the results were so disturbing that focus audiences reacted negatively to it. According to Schifrin, Friedkin was so angry he literally threw the score out the window into the parking lot. Maybe he didn't want another avant-garde composer taking a crack at it... or maybe Ellis just wasn't available. (Parts of Schifrin's original score found their way into "The Amityville Horror".)
A great musical artist who sadly died too young
When I first watched the film the soundtrack took over me. It was so powerful and translated that thriller so perfectly. Ellis' music is the heartbeat of The French Connection.
What a great video. Thank you and I played a lot of his music throughout the years back then and studied with Broiles as did Don. .
Excellent.
Fantastic! Whenever I catch the French Connection I savor Ellis's score.
Thank you. This movie never gets old.
50 years later this score still shocks me. Thanks so much for this commentary
Fantastic analysis of a brilliant piece of music.
I'm desperately hoping that more of the 50 minutes will be found and released. This movie and soundtrack introduced me to Jazz as a teen. I went to many Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson concerts when they came through St. Louis. Never had opportunity to see Don Ellis band live before he passed. What a loss.
One of the truly great soundtracks. Masterful
I love that eerie piece at the film's conclusion. A pity it's so short.
Loved it. Great analysis!
A true classic.
Ellis's dissonant, unnerving, and frenetic score to The French Connection is a brilliant work of avant-garde jazz. It's a crime that it lost the Best Score award at the 1972 Oscars to a completely milquetoast and banal soundtrack no one remembers today. One of the innumerable myopic Oscar decisions made by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the past 95 years.
Oh So true! that found was..is..amazing at the opening of French Connection...and i didnt even know why.
Ellis’ first score and ,wow, what an impact he made. His career and life was tragically cut short. It’s fascinating to me that this was the first film for a number of the key personnel involved in this production.
It wasn't actually his first score (contrary to what lame brained Julie Kirgo says in her liner notes for La La Land Records release of the 'FC' scores) He scored 'Moon Zero Two' in England around 1968/69 (so far sadly unreleased). Some of his ideas from FC actually appeared in that *actual* first score.
I find it interesting that Friedkin did not consider Ellis to score The Exorcist as well. The last cues on The French Connection almost sound like an intro to The Exorcist. The high pitched strings and odd percussive elements would have been a natural for Friedkin's follow-up film.
Lalo Schifrin was originally commissioned to score "The Exorcist", but the results were so disturbing that focus audiences reacted negatively to it. According to Schifrin, Friedkin was so angry he literally threw the score out the window into the parking lot. Maybe he didn't want another avant-garde composer taking a crack at it... or maybe Ellis just wasn't available. (Parts of Schifrin's original score found their way into "The Amityville Horror".)