Oscar-winning film composer Bernstein dies

Less than a month after the loss of Jerry Goldsmith, another giant of film music.

I didn't really notice at the time, but as we bantered about favorites composers and scores, I dont think Bernstein's name came up. That's too bad. His career is remarkable for the sheer sscope of genres and styles it covered; from the classic The Man With The Golden Arm to western scores like The Magnificent SSeven, to comedies like Airplane!, to epics like The Ten Commandments.

Something I did not know about his life, but learned in the linked obituary is that while he was blacklisted in the '50s, he scored B-movies including the camp classic Robot Monster.

I'd be willing to bet he was the only person involved in that movie to receive a career 14 Oscar nominations.

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OK, I'm back. I see that I've completely caused havoc with my crack about "The Exorcist." How do we have such a riot with wong out of the picture? You forgot to mention that David Raksin, who composed many noteworthy scores, but especially "Laura", has passed from the light. I don't want to get into any "subversive" reason about what that might mean. Hey, I loved E. Bernstein from the time he jazzed it up with Frank shooting up in "The Man With the Golden Arm" to ALL the classic western scores (none better than "Seven"), then who can forget "Mockingbird"? Of course, I love the fact that he would hook up with Landis to do most of his scores, including my favorite dead horse, "An American Werewolf in London." Good night, sweet prince.

Welcome back, mark. How was vacation?

I didn't catch Raskin's passing in the news. He is most certainly worthy of note as well.

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