Episode 65 Show Notes: Scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926)
On this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about Ben’s process for scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926) for a home video release. The new restoration was produced and released by Ben’s Undercrank Productions home video label.
Introduction
The release of Roland West’s The Bat (1926) by Undercrank Productions and its very positive reception from film fans and reviewers
Kerr mentions bonus title A Fraternity Mix-Up , known for the Worst Gorilla Suit Ever
Given the Batman connection and the quality of the film, how did The Bat become an overlooked title?
Ben summarizes the preservation and restoration of The Bat
The Bat Whispers release by VCIKerr and Ben compare The Bat and The Bat Whispers
A music cue sheet survives for The Bat , and Ben discusses why he prefers to compose an original score, and that the clips heard on this episode are copyright © 2024 Undercrank Productions LLC
Clip 1 – Suspense, tension and release throughout the filmBen discusses the process of composing via recording and editing short pieces
Clip 2 – Accompanying Eddie Gribbon, Louise Fazenda, and other comedy reliefKerr notes a parallel with the “Pink Panther Theme”
Ben cites the alternation between major and minor modes to match Gribbon’s character
Clip 3 – The climactic gathering of the characters and chasing The BatSuspense, intrigue, and the theme for The Bat himself
When scoring a homevideo, how does Ben decide what to keep and what to rework?
Why Ben avoids complete silence in his scores, and a couple of exceptions
Clip 4 – Dale is trapped in a room and meets the very scary BatBen and Kerr discuss how comedy and suspense alternate consistently throughout the film
Kerr asks Ben his feelings about his own recorded legacy.
We revisit the term “Audience Preservation”
Coming next week: Some live dates in the second half of 2024
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