The Incredible Sarah, 1976
The Shootist, 1976
Slap Shot, 1977
Animal House, 1978
Billy Jack Goes to Washington, 1978
Blood Brothers, 1979
Meatballs, 1979
Zulu Dawn, 1979
From the 1980s
Trust Me, 1980
Airplane!, 1980
The Blues Brothers, 1980
The Great Santini, 1980
Saturn 3, 1980
An American Werewolf in London, 1981
The Chosen, 1981
Going Ape!, 1981
Heavy Metal, 1981
Honky Tonk Freeway, 1981
Stripes, 1981
Five Days One Summer, 1982
Genocide, 1982
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, 1983
Trading Places, 1983
Ghostbusters, 1984
Marie Ward - Zwischen Galgen und Glorie, 1984
Prince Jack, 1984
The Black Cauldron, 1985
Spies Like Us, 1985
Legal Eagles, 1986
Three Amigos!, 1986
Amazing Grace and Chuck, 1987
Leonard Part 6, 1987
Da!, 1988
Funny Farm, 1988
The Good Mother, 1988
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, 1988
My Left Foot, 1989
Slipstream, 1989
From the 1990s
The Field, 1990
The Grifters, 1990
Cape Fear, 1991
Oscar, 1991
A Rage in Harlem, 1991
Rambling Rose, 1991
The Babe, 1992
Mad Dog and Glory, 1992
The Age of Innocence, 1993
The Cemetery Club, 1993
The Good Son, 1993
Lost in Yonkers, 1993
Devil in a Blue Dress, 1995
Frankie Starlight, 1995
Roommates, 1995
Search and Destroy, 1995
Bulletproof, 1996
Buddy, 1997
Hoodlum, 1997
The Rainmaker, 1997
Twilight, 1998
The Deep End of the Ocean, 1999
Wild Wild West, 1999
From the 2000s
Far From Heaven, 2002
Photos of Elmer and the Family
Elmer at work on the score for the film Saturday’s Hero, 1950
Pearl and Elmer contemplate their new addition to the baby boom generation in their Hollywood Hills home, 1951
Pearl, Elmer and their son Peter enjoy the as yet unblemished beach at Santa Monica, 1952
Pearl and Peter exchange their views on the meaning of life and other complexities in Malibu, 1952
Elmer calls balls and strikes for his sons at a Sherman Oaks baseball diamond, 1961
Gregory (in the driver’s seat) discovers the perks of a celebrity father, namely a visit to the Paramount lot (where Elmer had scored The Ten Commandments) and a ride in the Batmobile, 1963
Pearl and Elmer with Carl Rowan, JFK’s new ambassador to Finland, at an LA dinner, 1963
ELMER’S TUNES
To read a book about the world and the work of Elmer Bernstein without hearing the music—well, it’s like looking at a sunset in black-and-white, or like reading about van Gogh without seeing his brushstrokes. To see the colors and the brushstrokes of Elmer’s music, and even enjoy a taste of the films, just click on one of the links listed below.
Elmer Bernstein: A Musical Tribute
To Kill a Mockingbird—Stephen Bennett on harp guitar
The Magnificent Seven Suite—Elmer Bernstein
Cat Women of the Moon (1953)
The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)
Elmer Bernstein on “Walk on the Wild Side”
Slipstream (1989)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Chapter One: The Door Opens
Chapter Two: Rise and Fall
Chapter Three: The De Millennium
Chapter Four: Eine Kleine Moses Musik
Chapter Five: The Big O
Chapter Six: Atticus
Chapter Seven: The Magnificent Elmer
Chapter Eight: “That David Copperfield Kind of Crap”
Chapter Nine: Things Change
Chapter Ten: Hollywood Be Thy Name
Chapter Eleven: To Russia with Love
Chapter Twelve: Next Year in Jerusalem
Chapter Thirteen: Odets, Where Is Thy Sting?
Chapter Fourteen: Sweet Smell of Hollywood
Chapter Fifteen: Art Isn’t Easy
Chapter Sixteen: Thoroughly Modern Elmer
Chapter Seventeen: Fine and Danny
Chapter Eighteen: Ole Blue Eyes
Chapter Nineteen: Comedy Tonight
Chapter Twenty: The Maestros
Chapter Twenty-One: Bernstein’s Complaint
Chapter Twenty-Two: “Her or Me”
Chapter Twenty-Three: Score One for Me
Chapter Twenty-Four: I’m Still Here
Chapter Twenty-Five: Tribute
Chapter Twenty-Six: Why Is This Woman Laughing?
Author’s Note and Acknowledgments
Appendix: The Elmer Oeuvre
Photos of Elmer and the Family
Elmer’s Tunes