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David Porter » Entries tagged with "recycling ideas"

Movies and Pop Songs Draw Deep from the Wells of Classical Music

Far from being an exclusive, elitist world, classical music is a rich source of inspiration for movie soundtracks, TV commercials and popular songs. A broad definition of classical music is: ‘Western and European art music created 1600-1900, and music created after 1900 that follows the style and tradition and is created for the sake of music itself – not as song melody nor movie score’. Reusing old tunes is widespread; nothing is sacred in pop music or Hollywood. 1965’s Seekers’ hit The Carnival Is Over by Tom Springfield, used the melody of a Russian folk song Stenka Razin, though some hear Berlioz too. O solo mio, an 1898 Napolitan tune, found its way into opera, TV commercials and films and is in It’s Now or Never, Elvis Presley’s 1960’s hit. Classical Music Feeds … Read entire article »

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Old Film and Musical Ideas Never Die

Films and Musicals That Inspire More Films and Musicals In the showbiz world the best new ideas for movies and musicals are often born from old ideas, recycled and reshaped for today’s hungry entertainment media. While the arts are the personification of freedom of expression and the joys of creativity, often they are also about self-promotion and are totally inward looking. But if works of art about works of art and artists succeed in show business, and clearly they do, why would their creators need to look anywhere else for ideas, inspiration and income? Films about Films Films from novels we’re used to; films of plays often work. Even films of cartoon/comic book characters also work: Superman (1978), Batman (1989), Spiderman (2002), Watchmen (2009). From the beginning of … Read entire article »

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Visual and Performing Arts Reuse the Old

Films, Plays and Songs That Inspire Films, Plays and Songs In today’s cost-conscious world of entertainment media, it’s often apparent that old ideas revisited and reinterpreted are valid inspirations. That one art form can, and does, inspire many sons and daughters in other art forms may be clear from films about films, films about musicals, films of books you have seen, or songs from shows that go on to be used elsewhere. Cabaret Illustrates the Phenomenon. Liza Minelli’s film masterpiece of 1972 is often cited as a great work of that decade. Cabaret, the film, came out of the 1966 Broadway musical that derived from John van Druten’s 1951 play I Am A Camera, which in turn was inspired by Christopher Isherwood’s novel, Goodbye to Berlin. The play Sleuth had a life on stage, and … Read entire article »

Filed under: Articles at Suite 101