SHAMUS

World premiere release of Jerry Goldsmith score for Burt Reynolds private eye film! Buzz Kulik directs, Barry Beckerman scripts, Columbia Pictures presents, Burt Reynolds stars with  Dyan Cannon, Joe Santos, John Glover, Larry Block, John P. Ryan, opera star George Tozzi plus “Morris the Cat” (an animal shelter rescue feline made famous in 70’s television commercials as well as Robert Altman’s feature The Long Goodbye). Goldsmith had already worked with director Kulik on Warning Shot (1967) starring David Janssen and he followed Shamus with Kulik’s Babe, earning an Emmy Award for his sensitive score. Shamus McCoy is an extremely low-rent private detective who finds himself on a case involving murder, stolen diamonds, doubler crosses, chases (with some fancy stunt work largely performed by Reynolds)… and, of course, romance. Jerry Goldsmith offers the picture just under 26 minutes of original music, following a trend of relatively brief scores he sometimes wrote for pictures as varied as Von Ryan’s Express, Patton, Chinatown, Escape From The Planet Of The Apes and others. Goldsmith launches from the outset with his “Main Title” in easy-going style, featuring light percussion, fender bass, organ and gentle piano on his primary theme. Both lengthy and melodic, Goldsmith illuminates McCoy’s humble beginnings with simplicity and breeze. It’s a tune that recurs several times throughout  the score, each with a guise of its own. Additional charm can be heard as the idea plays throughout both parts of “Getting Acquainted”. Note an especially gentle embellishing figure on harp during the second part. New thematic material opens “Surprise Visit”, featuring guitar, organ, harp, percussion and strings in relaxed manner albeit with forward motion. But not everything is soft-spoken. With “Here I Come” and “A Broken Limb”, Goldsmith propels the chase sequences with crisp, driving percussion and left-hand piano rhythms playing underneath zig-zagging upper string figures. Excitement! Spotlight goes to “The Warehouse”, especially where Goldsmith highlights the suspenseful search and discovery of surplus military supplies with eerie, transparent violins sliding in one direction above opposing basses underneath while violas and cellos move about with their own figure. Signature Jerry Goldsmith menacing scoring! While complete score is under half an hour, Goldsmith ensures considerable variety in both style and orchestral colors. Booklet includes informative notes by Scott Bettencourt, original campaign artwork and graphic design work by Kay Marshall, cue assembly and musician’s list details. Jerry Goldsmith conducts. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!