While the name Henry Mancini may not be as famous as some of the
people he’s worked with, anyone who has seen “Breakfast
at Tiffany’s” or hummed the slinky saxophone line to
“The Pink Panther” theme has heard Mancini, loud and
clear.
One of the most celebrated film and television composers of his
time, Mancini infused the traditional orchestral score with a
variety of styles, including jazz and Latin beats, transforming
film music and popularizing the soundtrack album. His compositions,
prolific and diverse, landed him four Oscars, 20 Grammy awards and
seven gold records.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Mancini’s death,
the UCLA Film and Television Archive will highlight Mancini’s
works through its series, “The Coolest Cat: The Film Music of
Henry Mancini,” from April 30 through May 8. The Archive
hopes the series will reflect Mancini’s musical versatility,
said Assistant Archivist Todd Wiener.
“We want to show a myriad of music styles that Mancini was
able to convey by juxtaposing his smaller films with the bigger,
more mainstream films,” Wiener said. “In
“˜Experiment in Terror,’ (Mancini has) this very
twisted, jazzy score that puts you a little on edge, as opposed to
“˜Darling Lili’ and “˜Victor/Victoria,’ which
are French-themed, or “˜Hatari,’ which takes place in
Africa.”
The different styles don’t only illustrate Mancini’s
talent. According to Wiener, film music accomplishes a variety of
goals, from setting a scene to creating a mood to enhancing the
audience’s understanding of the theme.
“When the Archive has silent screenings of movies, it
sometimes feels painful,” Wiener said. “Music is
responsible for sweeping us, for grabbing hold of whatever emotion
the movie is conveying and enhancing it.”
Much of Mancini’s success was rooted in his new sound. In
contrast to the traditional symphonic harmonies at the time,
Mancini mixed in jazz as well as a cultural flair to his
pieces.
“His appeal was in his way of mainstreaming jazz,”
said Mitchell Morris, an assistant professor of musicology.
“He created music that was neither classical nor popular, but
rather in between.”
Mancini’s scores were also some of the first to cater to a
more youthful, jazz-influenced audience and tap into the
era’s growing hipster vibe.
“(His music) was perfect for sipping martinis and watching
the sunset,” Wiener said.
Perhaps those who have heard Mancini find it hard to believe
that film music is sometimes considered a neglected art, especially
when music can easily make or break a movie. Mancini’s music
may have made audiences more aware of music in film, even if it
wasn’t conscious.
“He was able to tap into what a pop culture wanted to
hear,” Wiener said. “That’s why his soundtracks
were so successful. These were songs that people would walk out of
the theater humming.”