1 Main Title 1:44
2 This is Tokyo 2:37
3 Jim Meets Steffi 2:07
4 Source Montage 1:43
A. Virgin Wood Nightclub
B. Knickerbocker Club
C. Hula Club
5 Jim Sees Taro 1:24
6 Steffi is Tired 1:57
7 Kamikazi Class 2:05
8 The Telegram 1:36
9 The Big Shrine 3:15
10 At the Russian Consulate 1:34
11 The Kubuki Theater 1:18
12 Jim Gets the Third Degree 1:18
13 Newspaper Headline 0:28
14 Hello, Mamiko 1:13
15 Mamiko is Kidnapped 0:52
16 Taro In Hospital 3:25
17 Steffi Cries 2:10
18 Jim Gives Her a Gun 1:18
19 Railroad Strike 0:32
20 Mamiko Dies in Taro’s Arms 1:42
21 Taro Gets Caught 1:19
22 Taro Commits Suicide 0:59
23 End Title 0:18
Total Time 37:50
Tokyo Files 212 is the second part of the Albert Glasser collection 2 CD set which also includes Huk. This 1951 film also takes place in 1951 but this time in Japan. The music was originally released on Starlog LP SAAG 10.002 by Screen Archives Entertainment. The film focused on the very real Communist evil and had a huge selling point of being the first film shot on location in Japan providing realism to the scenes as well as saving money for RKO pictures. It starred Florence Marly as Steffi Novak and Robert Peyton as Lee Frederick. The film co-starred Katsuhiko Haida as Taro Matsuto, Reiko Otani as Namiko,Tatsuo as Mr. Matsuto,Tetsu Nakamura as Mr. Oyama, Suisei Matsui as Joe, and Ichimaru as Geisha singer who played herself.
Jim Carter is hired to pose as a reporter in order to gather information about Communist activities. He quickly meets Steffi Novak who is a woman without a country and refers to herself in the third person. She is helping Mr. Oyama head of the communist party to get her sister Christine out of North Korea. Trying to learn information from Taro Matsuto, who he went to college with, he learns he went to kamikaze school which was cut short by the surrender of Japan. The film cuts to war films from the japanese of the kamikaze pilots who are trained to die. This section of the film seems to be a bit out of place. I understand Taro was trained to die and does at the end of the film but is this really necessary?
When Jim returns to his hotel room he is beaten and told to stay away from Taro. Steffi meets Taro's old girl friend, she is kidnapped by Oyama who throws her out of a car injuring her enough to send her to the hospital. While having dinner Jim is told that the meal is poison, they have learned he is an agent. Jim arrests her and tells Steffi that her sister is dead and she agrees to help him. Taro agrees to set up a strike in the railway system to halt the communist movement. When he goes to Namiko telling her of his love she has already died. When he learns of the communist plan and rebels he is stabbed and to save Steffi, Jim, and Matsudo from the bomb planted jumps from the window saving them from the bombing. Jim, completing his mission is seen off by Steffi and Matsudo with door left open for Jim to return and be with Steffi.
The film was a flop and a lot of the 700,000 spent by RKO wasn't recovered. Today there is a colorized version of the film which has been cleaned up and is available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4KOIwJ1Mh4. It has never been blue rayed into a quality print which would have greatly improved the watching experience of the film. My second watch of the film was a lot better and I enjoyed it. Albert recorded all of his material on reel to reel and this became the master recording for some of his releases. There was a lack of a smooth transition between some of the tracks, that is they just jumped into the next track without delay. There wasn't an even spacing. This is a minor point and nothing more than an annoying distraction.
Main Title sets the Japan mood for the picture with a sweeping melodic theme playing over the titles, beginning with cymbals followed by an introduction to the violins offering the main theme with harmony from the brass. This is Tokyo is strictly background music for the narrative Jim Carter gives about their meeting at the end of the film and what happened two weeks before. Jim Meets Steffi starts off as a dramatic cue then shifts as the camera pans to Steffi who has slipped in unannounced. The main theme is played with solo violin and then the strings. Virgin Wood Nightclub, Knickerbocker Nightclub, and Hula Club are source music big band style and Hawaiian short cues likely written by Glasser.Jim Sees Taro is tension mounting strings as Taro runs away from Jim. Steffi Is Tired repeats a romantic moment that was not to be with sweet strings playing the main theme. Kamikaze Class plays music for the war theme of the film they show plus the class. It returns to Glasser music brass distorted chords but also includes Japanese and American music along with string chords.Telegram is a fun filled track of different styles including a variation of the main melody.The Big Shrine set in a large building Jim goes to, is cut short by editing, but is a varied multi background track. At The Russian Consulate we hear a Russian dance with someone singing in his native tongue the instruments being on some sort of guitar like instruments. Jim hears this in the apartment across the alley from him so it has a hollow sound to it intentionally.The Kubuki Theater is Ichimuru singing a song in Japanese while she is dancing. Jim Gets The Third Degree is a Glasser dramatic score with the ending being the variation of the main theme we heard in the Telegram Newspaper Headline is a short track featuring the full orchestra playing the main melody in a sweet style with the full orchestra. Hello Mamiko is introduced as she agrees to help to the beautiful main theme, strings without brass. Mamiko is Kidnapped is Glasser dissonant brass orchestrated as only he knows how to do, a short track again.Taro In Hospital is a sentimental track playing the main theme and variations of it. Steffi Cries as Jim puts the cuffs on her causing her to breakdown in tears. It is a variation of the main theme along with dramatic strings playing with a solo violin.Jim Gives Her A Gun is action music that quickly shifts to the main theme, a softer romantic version.Steffi has confessed to dramatic music and is given a gun and announces she will kill Yomama. The music shifts to a romantic version of the main title. Railroad Strike is a short cue dramatic cue without theme but has drumroll at the end of track. Mamiko Dies In Taro's Arms starts with main title and quickly shifts to a yearning and dramatic cue denoting her death. Taro Gets Caught is an action cue where Oyama's men capture him. Taro Commits Suicide combines part of the main title theme and dramatic music with brass as Taro falls to his death saving his father, Steffi, and Jim who come to aid in the falling not knowing it is Taro who gave his life. A few seconds later the bomb explodes. The End Title is a full orchestra playing of the main title.
Glasser is a great 'B' movie composer and should be explored for your collection. There are many which could be released and are still available for remastering.Limited to 500 copies and getting two soundtracks on two CD's means you should act soon and send your order into BSX https://buysoundtrax.myshopify.com/collections/new-releases. While there check out their other digital downloads as well as CD's.
Film and Classical Music: Neglected Art 