A Name For Evil/The Unknown/Frontiere

 

One of the good things about enjoying soundtracks is that you don’t have to like the movie as is the case with A Name For Evil,aka The Grove,aka There Is A Name For Evil, the 1973 horror film starring Robert Culp and Samantha Eggar. If you are addicted to horror films your going to watch it no matter what I say, but in one word the film is awful! That does not apply to the music especially if you enjoy the work of Dominic Frontiere (husband of the L.A. Rams owner Georgia from 1980-88). For those of you who are wondering about Dominic, he is the composer of the now cult Hang ‘Em High (Clint Eastwood) and the television series The Outer Limits (it began with a garbled screen and you were told there is nothing wrong with your television set). Outer Limits, was somewhat of an icon as far as science fiction music is concerned, many considering it far better than many of the soundtracks from the same era (1963) and certainly some of the very best television scoring of all time. The Unknown was the last episode of the first season of the series, starring David McCallum, Barbara Rush, Vera Miles, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Budgets seemed to be less of an issue on this show as Dominic had the benefit of a 42 piece orchestra. However, the theme was re-cycled and became the main theme for the 67-68 Roy Thinnes series The Invaders.

“The Major” starts out with a statement from the percussion indicating the clock chiming and then one of his famous Outer Limits chords leads us to something we just know is going to be thrilling and terrorizing. Well, the film is not but the music is! “Dogs Barking/The Kill” gives you some additional Outer Limits goodies and then Dominic comes up with some different sounding percussion which sounds like amplified scissor cutting with muted horns adding their own calling staccato sounds. “Make Love To Me” and “Happiness” are quieter tranquil tracks in a way almost out of place on this soundtrack. “Happiness”, a scant minute or so could very easily be a meditation type piece but be quick because the second part of it “Meanwhile…” changes right back to a cue straight out of you know what again. “This Is The End” is the ending and it returns to the motif from the first track. After many many listens this is not one that has any sort of dominant main theme. It has a couple of motifs that are used throughout the piece but none that standout at all. To keep the record straight this is a mono transfer source. The Graunke Symphony Orchestra of Munich performs the score fine. I noticed a bit of tape hiss at the beginning of some of the tracks but it is certainly nothing to be concerned with as most people who are investing in this music are interested in the Frontiere material.

The longer version of the title “The Forms of Things Unknown” is likely a perfect example of why there has always been so much buzz about Outer Limits music. Remember, this is a television episode, not a feature film but it sure sounds like one. The “Unknown Main Title” is a theme that you will remember as well as “Andre’s Theme”. “Toy Dancer” is yet another theme, a very slow almost musical box style with triangle. The score is complemented by a harpsichord on “Andre’s Theme”, harp in “Lake”, as well as other unusual instrumentation. “Postlude”, however, almost seems out of place! You have this theme which sounds like it could have come out “Chinatown” in some romantic moment. It was a theme that did not appear due to re-editing reasons explained in the usual excellent liner notes from Randall Larson.

Frontiere fans, science fiction and television collectors all need to have this in their collections. Again, not to harp, this is only a 2000 piece limited edition. Even those who are not familiar with Dominic’s work would be happy to have this also as it is a step above so much of the material available today. Recommended.

Golden Scores Rating (***)

Track Listing:

1. The Major (03:11)

2. Dogs Barking / The Kill (03:11)

3. Make Love To Me (01:14)

4. Major & Manor / Walkaway (03:55)

5. Flashback / The Grove (03:58)

6. It’s Marvelous (03:07)

7. Culp Walk / Pyrotechnics / He’s Back (03:01)

8. My Back (04:12)

9. Happiness / Meanwhile… (02:09)

10. Is This All There Is? (05:01)

11. This Is The End (02:03)

tracks 1-11 “A Name For Evil”

12. Unknown Main Title (01:46)

13. Andre’s Theme (02:46)

14. Fast Drive / Lake/ Poison / Andre’s Death (03:42)

15. Body In Trunk / He Blinked / Rain (03:05)

16. Toy Dancer /Enter Tone / My Father (02:40)

17. Andre’s Return / Finale (01:06)

18. End Credit (01:01)

19. Postlude (01:59)

tracks 12-19 “The Unknown”

Total Duration: 00:53:07

Digital Transfers and Mastering by James Nelson (Digital Outland)

released in 2006

executive producers are MV Gerhard, Matt Verboys and Dominic Frontiere

CD# is LLLCD 1051