Wings (1927) Several New Scores? Which One Will We Hear???

[Gagman 66]

It appears that several new scores to William Wellman's WINGS have been preformed live over the past few years at screenings around the world! While I am still hoping TCM airs the film with the Carl Davis score, two other scores with a "feminine touch" have been touring about at festivals. One is by a somewhat familiar name to Silent Movie Music fans, "Gillian Anderson". The other was composed by "Alexandra Gordon", who I am sorry to say I am not familiar with in the least?

Don't be surprised if it turns out to be Robert Israel either? He has scored many Silent films for TCM in the past. I will be very disappointed if the movie debuts with the Gaylord Carter Wurlitzer score recorded for the Paramount laser-disc release in 1985. Not that the Carter Score isn't good, it's one of his better scores, but why would TCM air an over 20 year old transfer of this picture, when it was newly restored just a few years ago? Makes no sense!

As Paramount is providing the print though, they may have been just plain to lazy to spring for an upgraded scorng? As they were on the DVD extra of Cecil B. De Mille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1923). I sure hope not!

I expect to see the film fully re-mastered, and hopefully with a brand-new recording of the Davis score from the rarely seen Thames presentation of the film. The Thames edition aired on British Television only once as far as I have been able to determine, and may have never been seen in the United States before?

WINGS has been shown on Television here in America, it aired a few times on the old American Movie Classics between 1990, and 1991, with the Gaylord Carter's Wurlitzer score. But the Thames presentation as far as I know, has not been run? It could have aired on PBS back in the late 80's to early 90's, but I know that I never saw it personally?

The restored version shown at the ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES in April of 2003, reinstated the original tint's, and contained a Full-Orchestral score with sound effects. But the notes on the TCM Movie-Base under "Alternate Versions", do not specifically state that this was the Carl Davis score?

The Original film in 1927 also had a few sequences that were filmed in 2-Strip Technicolor. Unfortunately, I do not know if those still exist?
Some sources say that WINGS had a Vintage recorded score in 1927, while others state that it contained only sound-effects on a separate strip of film. Which was played right along with the live accompaniment in some of the big movie palaces hastely wired for sound. In any case, score or sound-effects this material is apparently lost?

Although, that's what I though about the vintage William Axt-David Mendoza score to Garbo's A WOMAN OF AFFAIRS (1928). Carl Davis composed a new score in 1989, so the original must be lost, right? Wrong! Incredibly, thanks to my good friend Jorge, I just ran across a version of this film the other day with the vintage Western Electric track still in-tact! So now I have two different scoring versions of one of Garbo's very best Silent films, and both prints are I am very pleased to say of excellent quality!

[charliechaplinfan]

I bought a CD of Carl Davis silent scores called the Silents. It has on it the score for Wings amongst others. I only wish it was as easy to find the films with the Carl Davis scores. I appreciate your frustration.

[SSO Admins]

Looks like TCM stuck us with the Gaylord Carter organ score, and it wasn't a new restoration either. I already have a decent copy of the one they showed. I would have much preferred a Davis score, but no such luck.

[Ollie]

Yes, the calliope style of music was certainly poorly cued in the dramatic sequences, the action and fight scenes, and the occasional sweet interludes, too. While "love can be a carnival", I didn't really think they were spooning and June-ing with Ferris wheels and cotton candy out there.

I think I'd have stuck on the low-end of the organ for all of those machine-gunning of ground-troops and civilians, the bombing of the small village, and leave the BENEFIT OF MR. KITE sounds to traveling circuses.

But TCM shows what they can. I'm glad they found some copy. It'd be great to have them deliver another one.

[vallo]

Loved the film. But I had to Mute the sound. The organ music was getting to me. My days at the Roller Rink are over....


Bill

[Gagman 66]

Unfortunately, the print of WINGS TCM ran last night looked like it had been run over with A Bakery Truck! Very soft and murky!

At least the DVD extra Paramount released of De Mille's 1923 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS was all re-mastered, and looked beautiful, even if it had the same score as the LD! Sadly, the transfer of WINGS that I got from my good friend Kyle a couple years ago, looks dramatically better! Even though, it was processed from the same worn-down master!

Thought the Laser-disc was released in 1985, I'll bet this Telecine transfer was no more recent than 1972?, And could have been done as much as another 10 or 15 years earlier? Even by the standards of that day, it was a sub-par transfer!

Paramount should be well, and truly ashamed! TCM can't feel so chipper about it either! Don't know if we will ever see the restored version??? Or even the forgotten Thames presentation???

[jdb1]

Loved the movie, but I have to agree about the score. I really can't take more than 10 minutes at a time of organ music, and I thought the score was a bit on the "cute" side, even when the action onscreen was far from cute. I kept looking for the carousel. If there isn't to be a full orchestra, I think even a solo piano would have been preferable.

[Gagman 66]

jdb1,

Well, I am used to the Gaylord Carter score for WINGS, since it is the only one that I have ever heard with the film. I never saw the Thames version with the Carl Davis score, and it was never released on Laser-disc. I actually think about 5 or 6 melodies in the Carter score are very good. The Main Title, The Mary Preston Theme, The Sylvia Theme, The Cabaret theme, and so on. The rest of the scoring could have used a little work. But it is not a bad score overall.

What depresses me though, is that this looked more like a VHS tape, than the Paramount Laser-disc that was played! My own DVD-R transfer I re-did up about 9 months ago, looks significantly sharper, and brighter, than what TCM aired on Monday evening!

Paramount should be completely, and totally ashamed! TCM probably doesn't feel to good about it either! If the Paramount suits had any integrity, and class whatsoever, (apparently, they don't), they would issue a "Public Apology"! The ought to be Tarred and Feathered for embarrassing the company!

I just got a copy of the Eddie Cantor Comedy with Clara Bow, KID BOOTS another Paramount release from 1926. This is the Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society Version, put out on DVD-R by them a couple years ago. Guess what? The print is just beautiful! Dramatically sharper, and clearer than WINGS was last night??? Now, what's up with that???

In-fact I have seen a couple dozen Paramount Silent's now, that looked significantly better than WINGS does! All of them do!!!

The Camera Negative of SUNRISE burned up in the 1937 Fox Vault fire. It did not look allot better, than WINGS did until Mid-way through the film. The remainder was in pretty good shape. But as far as I know the Negative of WINGS still exists? So there is no excuse for this poor of a print to air in Prime-time! Probably processed in the 60's, if not the 50's! Positively None!

As I mentioned earlier in this thread better print's have been made, a restored version has been screened at several venue's in recent years. So it's out there someplace! TCM's own Data Base confirms this look at the info listed under "Alternate Versions"! Plus I have found several other references on the web! Why can't we see this brand-new restoration on Television???