Kritzerland is proud to present a CD soundtrack release:
ALFRED THE GREAT
Composed and Conducted by Ray Leppard
HE GAINED A THRONE AND SAVED A KINGDOM!
Alfred the Great was first announced as a film back in 1964 for MGM/UK, with Bernard Smith (How the West Was Won) producing. However, it would take another five years for the film to reach movie screens. David Hemmings was given the title role and an impressive cast was assembled, including Michael York, Colin Blakely, Ian McKellan, Julian Glover, Vivien Merchant, and Prunella Ransome. The unusual choice of director was Clive Donner, who’d never made an epic ? in fact, his biggest hit was the madcap comedy, What’s New, Pussycat. Filming began in Galway, Ireland in 1968. The budget was a then-substantial six million dollars. It was a long and grueling schedule, and when the film was released, it promptly bombed at the box-office and bombed in a huge way with both public and critics. While in the UK it had some exclusive playdates, in the US it was tossed out on a double bill with A Place for Lovers, opening in early December. It made under $200,000 the one week it played, was pulled from every single theater, and then it pretty much disappeared.
Of course, watching it today, it certainly doesn’t seem like it quite deserved its fate, although it’s not a great movie. It’s beautifully photographed by Alex Thomson, who’d go on to photograph Excalibur for John Boorman, and the cast is quite good. But what really stands out all these years later is the superb, atmospheric score by Ray Leppard. Known mostly as a conductor, Leppard had previously scored Peter Brook’s film of Lord of the Flies ? that score ran about three minutes and had no real original music. Then in 1969, he did Tony Richardson’s Laughter in the Dark, for which he was conductor and music arranger. In fact, Alfred the Great was and is his only original film score. His only real film credit after that didn’t come until 1984 with The Hotel New Hampshire, which was yet another conducting and arranging job. He was mostly known and credited as Raymond Leppard, but for whatever reasons, on Alfred the Great it’s Ray Leppard.
The score is majestic, haunting, regal, and with some great action cues. It’s a lush, beautiful score. It’s been lovingly mastered by Chris Malone. The CD contains the original album program plus two bonus tracks.
アルフレッド大王とバイキングの決戦を描く1969年のスペクタクル映画のオリジナル・サウンドトラック。音楽は『蠅の王』のレイモンド・レッパード。アルバム収録楽曲に加え、ボーナスとして2曲追加収録。エリナー・シプリー・ダケットの原作を「大いなる西部」のジェームズ・Ｒ・ウェッブがストーリーに書き、ケン・テーラーと共に脚色。監督は「茂みの中の欲望」のクライヴ・ドナー、撮影は「茂みの中の欲望」のアレックス・トムソン。出演は「バーバレラ」のデイヴィッド・ヘミングス、「できごと」のマイケル・ヨーク、「遥か群衆を離れて」のプルネラ・ランサム、その他コリン・ブレークリー、ジュリアン・グローヴァー、イアン・マッケランなど。製作は「西部開拓史」のバーナード・スミス。メトロカラー、スーパー・シネラマ方式。限定500枚。
トラックリスト八七〇年のイングランドは、好戦的なデーン人の侵略にさらされていた。バイキングたちはイングランド全土に手をのばし、わずかに最南の王国ウェセックスだけがその難を免れていた。だが、そのウェセックスも今や攻撃のマトとなった。国王エセルレッド（Ａ・ドビー）は体が弱く、軍隊の士気もあがらない。重臣アセルスタン（Ｊ・グローバー）は、王弟アルフレッド（Ｄ・ヘミングス）の許へ救いを求めた。アルフレッドは聖職につこうとする矢先牧師アシャー（Ｃ・ブレークリー）の口添えもあって、抗戦の指揮を引き受けた。ただちに、アルフレッドはグートルム（Ｍ・ヨーク）にひきいられたデーン人を撃退した。隣りのマーシア国のビューラド王（Ｐ・ボーム）はそれを聞き、ウェセックスと力を合わせようとした。そして娘のエールスウィズ（Ｐ・ランサム）を伴なってやって来た。アルフレッドはその娘と恋におちた。しかし、ふとした誤解で彼女を遠ざけることになってしまった。王位についたアルフレッドはデーン人との休戦を策し、エールスウィズを人質に送った。そして軍の強化につとめたが、チッペンハムの一戦で敗れ、野盗の巣窟に逃れた。そしてその首領ロジャー（Ｉ・マッケラン）の助けで、エールスウィズと息子を救った。怒ったのはグートルム、ただちに軍勢をくり出した。アルフレッドは盗賊や貴族を統合して陣をかまえた。戦況は一進一退、やがてロジャーのひきいる民軍の助けを得て、アルフレッドは反撃に出た。敵はその勢いにのまれて引きさがるばかりだ。攻撃また攻撃－－。そして勝利、彼は意気揚々と戦場を去った。1969年英。
Kritzerland is proud to present a CD soundtrack release:
ALFRED THE GREAT
Composed and Conducted by Ray Leppard
HE GAINED A THRONE AND SAVED A KINGDOM!
Alfred the Great was first announced as a film back in 1964 for MGM/UK, with Bernard Smith (How the West Was Won) producing. However, it would take another five years for the film to reach movie screens. David Hemmings was given the title role and an impressive cast was assembled, including Michael York, Colin Blakely, Ian McKellan, Julian Glover, Vivien Merchant, and Prunella Ransome. The unusual choice of director was Clive Donner, who’d never made an epic ? in fact, his biggest hit was the madcap comedy, What’s New, Pussycat. Filming began in Galway, Ireland in 1968. The budget was a then-substantial six million dollars. It was a long and grueling schedule, and when the film was released, it promptly bombed at the box-office and bombed in a huge way with both public and critics. While in the UK it had some exclusive playdates, in the US it was tossed out on a double bill with A Place for Lovers, opening in early December. It made under $200,000 the one week it played, was pulled from every single theater, and then it pretty much disappeared.
Of course, watching it today, it certainly doesn’t seem like it quite deserved its fate, although it’s not a great movie. It’s beautifully photographed by Alex Thomson, who’d go on to photograph Excalibur for John Boorman, and the cast is quite good. But what really stands out all these years later is the superb, atmospheric score by Ray Leppard. Known mostly as a conductor, Leppard had previously scored Peter Brook’s film of Lord of the Flies ? that score ran about three minutes and had no real original music. Then in 1969, he did Tony Richardson’s Laughter in the Dark, for which he was conductor and music arranger. In fact, Alfred the Great was and is his only original film score. His only real film credit after that didn’t come until 1984 with The Hotel New Hampshire, which was yet another conducting and arranging job. He was mostly known and credited as Raymond Leppard, but for whatever reasons, on Alfred the Great it’s Ray Leppard.
The score is majestic, haunting, regal, and with some great action cues. It’s a lush, beautiful score. It’s been lovingly mastered by Chris Malone. The CD contains the original album program plus two bonus tracks.
ALFRED THE GREAT is limited to 500 copies only.
• Main Title
Invasion of the Vikings
Alfred Turns Back the Vikings
• First Meeting
First Quarrel
• The First Kiss
Death of King Ethelred
King Buhrud Deserts Alfred
• Queen Aelhswith Leaves Alfred
Aelhswith Surrenders to Guthrum
• Alfred in the Outlaw Camp
A Night in the Forest
The Nobles Rally to Alfred
• Alfred’s Victory
Bonus Tracks
Prologue/Invasion of the Vikings/Ordination (film version)
End Title (film version)
Music Composed and Conducted by Ray Leppard