Rakesh's movie talk
John Barry












Home | Movie Reviews | Movie talk | Film Personalities | Misc Articles | Contact Me | Tamil Time





His name is Barry, John Barry.

johnbarry.jpg














I don't know music. I can't read notes nor play cords. But I am a damn good listener. The trouble is, I don't listen to serious composers (say Wagner) worth raising highbrows eyebrows (aren't they supposed to be permanently raised?), but I know that the names like John Barry and John Williams can catch their attention. The truth is, I like them. Why? Simply because when you can see films, you can also hear them. The composers are highly responsible for that. Of course, the Editor and the music editor should co-operate as well. Remember, during the silent days, it was music that helped to tell stories. It still does.

Mention John Barry's name to fellow James Bond fans, and there will be tremendous excitement. I don't care what the court or media think about the creation of the classic Bond theme (Monty Norman or John Barry?), to me it is definitely Barry's work. Bond fans are eternally grateful to him for the brilliant job he had done to the following Bond films: Dr.No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesties Secret Service, Diamonds Are Forever, The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, and the final Barry/Bond teaming in The Living Daylights. The other composers in the series, like George Martin, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen and these days, David Arnold, did not stray too far from the flavour and theme that Barry created, and made music in their respective films (Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, Licence to Kill, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough) just as enjoyable, audio-wise. I didn't mention Eric Sera, who composed an unbelievable mess in Goldeneye, though on his own Serra is good.

Coming back to Barry, need I say more? I can put down his credits, but they speak for themselves in the filmography listed below. But I can say this; he was nominated six times for Oscar and won four. 

I can go on and on. As I said, I don't know much about music. But they are prerequisites of film making. Barry's music usually acts like another instrument of hypnotising the audience. Usually good performance and cutting does the trick, but with Barry on board, you are in to be mesmerised by his music.

Since his influence is the biggest in the Bond series, you can check out his work in Bond film soundtracks - of course, most of you don't even have time to listen to radio. In the Bond File section of this site, I will discuss each Bond film and in it I will talk about composers contribution. You will hear about Barry a lot over there.
















His filmography and links in IMDB
 
  1. Enigma (2001)
    ... aka Enigma - Das Geheimnis (2002) (Germany)
  2. Goodbye Lover (1999) (score withdrawn)
  3. Playing by Heart (1998)
  4. Mercury Rising (1998)
  5. Swept from the Sea (1997)
    ... aka Balayé par la mer (1997) (Canada: French title)
  6. Across the Sea of Time (1995)
    ... aka Across the Sea of Time: New York 3D (1995)
  7. Scarlet Letter, The (1995)
  8. Cry, the Beloved Country (1995)
  9. Specialist, The (1994)
    ... aka Especialista, El (1994) (Peru)
  10. Making of Escape Through Time: Behind the Scenes, The (1993) (V) (from "Chaplin (1992)") (uncredited)
  11. My Life (1993)
  12. Ruby Cairo (1993)
    ... aka Deception (1993) (USA: video title) (recut version)
    ... aka Missing Link: Ruby Cairo, The (1993)
  13. Indecent Proposal (1993)
  14. John Barry - Moviola (1992)
  15. Witness, The (1992) (TV)
  16. Chaplin (1992)
    ... aka Charlot (1992) (Italy)
  17. Dances with Wolves (1990)
  18. Masquerade (1988)
  19. Hearts of Fire (1987)
  20. Living Daylights, The (1987)
  21. Happy Anniversary 007: 25 Years of James Bond (1987) (TV)
  22. Golden Child, The (1986)
  23. Howard the Duck (1986)
    ... aka Howard: A New Breed of Hero (1986)
  24. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
  25. Killing Affair, A (1986)
    ... aka My Sister's Keeper (1986) (UK)
  26. Out of Africa (1985)
  27. Jagged Edge (1985)
  28. View to a Kill, A (1985)
  29. Cotton Club, The (1984)
  30. Until September (1984)
  31. Mike's Murder (1984)
  32. Golden Seal, The (1983)
  33. High Road to China (1983)
  34. Octopussy (1983)
  35. Svengali (1983) (TV)
  36. Hammett (1982)
  37. Verdict, The (1982) (from "Lion in Winter, The (1968)")
  38. Frances (1982)
  39. Legend of the Lone Ranger, The (1981)
  40. Body Heat (1981)
  41. Inside Moves (1980)
  42. Murder by Phone (1980)
    ... aka Bells (1980) (Europe: English title: video title)
    ... aka Calling, The (1980)
    ... aka Hell's Bells (1980)
  43. Night Games (1980)
    ... aka Jeux érotiques de nuit (1980) (France)
    ... aka Love Games (1980)
  44. Shi di chu ma (1980) (uncredited) (Chinese version)
    ... aka Young Master, The (1980)
  45. Somewhere in Time (1980)
  46. Touched by Love (1980)
    ... aka To Elvis, with Love (1980)
  47. Raise the Titanic (1980)
  48. Black Hole, The (1979)
  49. Hanover Street (1979)
  50. Moonraker (1979)
    ... aka Moonraker (1979) (France)
  51. Willa (1979) (TV)
  52. Starcrash (1979)
    ... aka Adventures of Stella Star, The (1979) (USA)
    ... aka Female Space Invaders (1979)
    ... aka Scontri stellari oltre la terza dimensione (1979) (Italy)
    ... aka Stella Star (1979)
  53. Corn Is Green, The (1979) (TV)
  54. Game of Death (1978)
    ... aka Bruce Lee's Game of Death (1978)
    ... aka Si wang you ju (1978)
  55. Betsy, The (1978)
    ... aka Harold Robbins' The Betsy (1978)
  56. First Love (1977)
  57. Gathering, The (1977) (TV)
  58. Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy (1977) (TV)
  59. White Buffalo, The (1977)
    ... aka Hunt to Kill (1977) (USA: TV title)
  60. War Between the Tates, The (1977) (TV)
  61. Deep, The (1977)
  62. Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977) (TV)
  63. Robin and Marian (1976)
  64. Sporting Chance (1976) (The Persuaders theme)
  65. King Kong (1976)
  66. Eleanor and Franklin (1976) (TV)
  67. Day of the Locust, The (1975)
  68. Love Among the Ruins (1975) (TV)
  69. Dove, The (1974)
  70. Mission: Monte Carlo (1974) (The Persuaders theme)
  71. Man with the Golden Gun, The (1974)
  72. Tamarind Seed, The (1974)
  73. "Great Mysteries" (1973) TV Series (theme)
    ... aka "Orson Welles' Great Mysteries" (1973)
  74. Bang Bang (1973)
  75. Doll's House, A (1973/I)
  76. Glass Menagerie, The (1973) (TV)
  77. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)
  78. "Adventurer, The" (1972) TV Series (theme)
  79. Follow Me (1972)
    ... aka Follow Me! (1972) (UK)
    ... aka Public Eye, The (1972) (USA)
  80. Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
  81. They Might Be Giants (1971)
  82. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
    ... aka Ian Fleming's Diamonds Are Forever (1971) (USA: complete title)
  83. "Persuaders!, The" (1971) TV Series (theme) (inline)
  84. Walkabout (1971)
  85. Murphy's War (1971) (main theme)
  86. Last Valley, The (1970)
  87. Monte Walsh (1970)
  88. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
    ... aka Ian Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) (USA: complete title)
    ... aka O.H.M.S.S. (1969) (UK: promotional abbreviation)
  89. Appointment, The (1969)
  90. Lion in Winter, The (1968)
  91. Deadfall (1968)
  92. Petulia (1968)
  93. Boom (1968)
    ... aka Boom! (1968) (USA)
  94. You Only Live Twice (1967)
    ... aka Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice (1967) (USA: complete title)
  95. Dutchman (1966)
  96. Four in the Morning (1966)
  97. Quiller Memorandum, The (1966)
  98. Whisperers, The (1966)
  99. Wrong Box, The (1966)
  100. "Vendetta" (1966/I) TV Series (theme)
  101. Born Free (1966)
  102. Party's Over, The (1966)
  103. Chase, The (1966)
  104. King Rat (1965)
  105. Knack, The (1965)
    ... aka Knack... and How to Get It, The (1965) (USA)
  106. Thunderball (1965)
  107. Ipcress File, The (1965)
    ... aka Len Deighton's The Ipcress File (1965) (UK: complete title)
  108. Mister Moses (1965)
  109. Jolly Bad Fellow, A (1964)
    ... aka They All Died Laughing (1964) (USA)
  110. Sophia Loren in Rome (1964) (TV)
  111. Zulu (1964)
  112. Séance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
  113. Goldfinger (1964)
    ... aka Ian Fleming's Goldfinger (1964)
  114. Man in the Middle (1964)
    ... aka Winston Affair, The (1964) (USA)
  115. Elizabeth Taylor in London (1963) (TV)
  116. From Russia with Love (1963)
  117. Amorous Prawn, The (1962)
    ... aka Amorous Mr. Prawn, The (1962) (USA)
    ... aka Playgirl and the War Minister, The (1962)
  118. L-Shaped Room, The (1962)
  119. Dr. No (1962) (uncredited)
  120. Girl on a Roof (1961)
  121. Never Let Go (1960)
  122. Beat Girl (1960)
    ... aka Wild for Kicks (1960) (USA)
  123. "Drumbeat" (1959) TV Series