“The Last Valley” (1971) is set during the Thirty Year’s War, where (at the beginning) in Europe a religious war was fought to the cost of way too many. A teacher named Vogel (Omar Sharif) tries to make his way through the woods of Germany where he finds an unharmed village. Shortly after The Captain (Michael Caine) and his group of mercenaries find it too, the peaceful Vogel tries to convince them to not destroy it and instead tries his best as an Intermediary between the two very different groups that will be stuck together during the coming winter… Directed by James Clavell, and with great performances by all the actors, this story about conflicting ideologies gives a not overloaded Hollywood-like impression on how things could have been during these dark times. Praised musical accompaniment came from John Barry, who, with his Oscar-winning “The Lion In Winter” (1968) made him the ideal choice for “Last Valley” and it is safe to say that he succeeded the expectations. The score, wonderfully detailed, was written for choir and orchestra with especially exquisite passages for choir. Though the original soundtrack recording seems to be destroyed or lost to time, we still got the album-material, which gives an overall great listening-experience. Enjoy!
It's always a beautiful day when you feature my favorite film composer Fred! I too have this excellent Barry LP. Barry is so magnificent with these type of majestic scores like The Lion In Winter and Mary, Queen Of Scots. Have a wonderful weekend my fellow soundtrack lovers!!
I have never heard of this film. John Barry is always excellent; I will seek out this film for sure. Have a great weekend thanks so much for your channel, Fred
Hello, Fred! One of John Barry 's ten best works outside of 007 franchise! The " Thirty Years War "(1618 _ 1648) involved twenty five European nations and left a trail of around eight million dead. The power of imminent destruction is represented by brass winds ( especially the horns, characteristic of Barry's orchestrations ); martial drums and a mixed choir sung in German ( because within the Germanic Empire, cradle of Protestant Reformation, there were kingdoms commanded by Catholics, reaching the political field, and generating permanent tension ). The reflective part is represented by female choir, a children's choir, woodwinds and tubular bells ( like church bells, always a tone of desolation ). The strings ensure the balance between dramatic and grandiloquent, extracting a bitter romanticism from a situation that, in some places, has not yet been resolved. Thanks and bye!!
Never quite bought Omar Sharif as a German, but apart from that the film is not too shabby with an essential Michael Caine performance. BTW, the lyrics of the main theme are from Andreas Gryphius, Tränen des Vaterlandes XXIV: Die Türme stehn in Glut / die Kirch ist umgekehret. Das Rathauß ligt im Grauß / die Starcken sind zerhaun / Die Jungfern sind geschändt / und wo wir hin nur schaun Ist Feuer / Pest / und Tod / der Hertz und Geist durchfähret.
I've always wondered about those lyrics in the main title. Thanks for sharing that great information! They're so appropriate for the film and add real power to the music.
Tendría 3 años cuando se estrenó la película, y a fecha de hoy, en 2024,sigo diciendo que es una de las mejores partituras jamás escritas de toda la historia del cine... 🤗🤗❤️
“The Last Valley” (1971) is set during the Thirty Year’s War, where (at the beginning) in Europe a religious war was fought to the cost of way too many. A teacher named Vogel (Omar Sharif) tries to make his way through the woods of Germany where he finds an unharmed village. Shortly after The Captain (Michael Caine) and his group of mercenaries find it too, the peaceful Vogel tries to convince them to not destroy it and instead tries his best as an Intermediary between the two very different groups that will be stuck together during the coming winter…
Directed by James Clavell, and with great performances by all the actors, this story about conflicting ideologies gives a not overloaded Hollywood-like impression on how things could have been during these dark times.
Praised musical accompaniment came from John Barry, who, with his Oscar-winning “The Lion In Winter” (1968) made him the ideal choice for “Last Valley” and it is safe to say that he succeeded the expectations. The score, wonderfully detailed, was written for choir and orchestra with especially exquisite passages for choir. Though the original soundtrack recording seems to be destroyed or lost to time, we still got the album-material, which gives an overall great listening-experience. Enjoy!
Too bad the movie just wasn't that good. Great soundtrack though
It's always a beautiful day when you feature my favorite film composer Fred! I too have this excellent Barry LP. Barry is so magnificent with these type of majestic scores like The Lion In Winter and Mary, Queen Of Scots. Have a wonderful weekend my fellow soundtrack lovers!!
One of the most beautiful scores ever. Always brings goosebumps. The film appeared as a roadshow in some parts of the world and presented in Cinerama.
I have never heard of this film. John Barry is always excellent; I will seek out this film for sure. Have a great weekend thanks so much for your channel, Fred
Another winner from one of my favorite film composers. John Barry, always kicking ass.
Always beautiful and elegant. Thanks for more John Barry.
Hello, Fred! One of John Barry 's ten best works outside of 007 franchise! The " Thirty Years War "(1618 _ 1648) involved twenty five European nations and left a trail of around eight million dead. The power of imminent destruction is represented by brass winds ( especially the horns, characteristic of Barry's orchestrations ); martial drums and a mixed choir sung in German ( because within the Germanic Empire, cradle of Protestant Reformation, there were kingdoms commanded by Catholics, reaching the political field, and generating permanent tension ). The reflective part is represented by female choir, a children's choir, woodwinds and tubular bells ( like church bells, always a tone of desolation ). The strings ensure the balance between dramatic and grandiloquent, extracting a bitter romanticism from a situation that, in some places, has not yet been resolved. Thanks and bye!!
Never quite bought Omar Sharif as a German, but apart from that the film is not too shabby with an essential Michael Caine performance.
BTW, the lyrics of the main theme are from Andreas Gryphius, Tränen des Vaterlandes XXIV:
Die Türme stehn in Glut / die Kirch ist umgekehret.
Das Rathauß ligt im Grauß / die Starcken sind zerhaun /
Die Jungfern sind geschändt / und wo wir hin nur schaun
Ist Feuer / Pest / und Tod / der Hertz und Geist durchfähret.
I've always wondered about those lyrics in the main title. Thanks for sharing that great information! They're so appropriate for the film and add real power to the music.
John Barry and Ennio Morricone. The best in film music. Sorely missed.
German lyrics sound quite unusual in a John Barry score. But it's great.
Que elegancia y sensibilidad tenía el maestro jhon Barry. Gracias fred
Dare it be said....?
...Sounds like James Bond!
Except vastly less cliched.
Tendría 3 años cuando se estrenó la película, y a fecha de hoy, en 2024,sigo diciendo que es una de las mejores partituras jamás escritas de toda la historia del cine... 🤗🤗❤️