Press Release from Dragon's Domain:
Dragon’s Domain Records presents THE ALBERT GLASSER COLLECTION, VOLUME 6: SCIENCE FICTION III – BACK TO THE STONE AGE. The years 1957-58 were Albert Glasser’s busiest as a film composer, scoring fifteen films that saw release in 1957 and ten in 1958. With this sixth collection of the composer’s music, we are pleased to explore two films that Glasser scored in the 1950s: 1953’s THE NEANDERTHAL MAN, and 1958’s TEENAGE CAVEMAN.
Released in 1953, THE NEANDERTHAL MAN tells the tale of Professor Groves, a modern expert in prehistoric life, who seeks to prove his bizarre theories with an extract that will first regress a cat to a saber-tooth tiger and then, a man – himself – into a Neanderthal. Robert Shayne stars in the title role as Clifford Groves, a manifestly belligerent and unlikable scientist who finds himself ridiculed for his bizarre theories on evolution. Glasser’s score for THE NEANDERTHAL MAN includes a compelling melody induced by unrestrained brass over thunderous drumming, matching the primitivity of the title character when Groves reverses evolution and turns himself into a Neanderthal troglodyte.
Released in 1958, TEENAGE CAVEMAN, was originally filmed as PREHISTORIC WORLD and also known as OUT OF THE DARKNESS in the UK. TEENAGE CAVEMAN stars Robert Vaughn as a young man who defies his tribal laws and searches for answers about the history of his people and what lies in the uncharted jungles beyond his tribe’s campsite and beyond. Glasser’s music for TEENAGE CAVEMAN has a little more finesse in its support of the mild-mannered young caveman and his search to experience wisdom beyond the horizon. Horns and strings interact gracefully and set up a romantic flavoring. In contrast, sturdy brass strengthens the cut-on footage of costumed lizards imported from ONE MILLION B.C. and UNKNOWN WORLD the dinosaur fights. This is a Roger Corman film after all...
Dragon’s Domain Records presents THE ALBERT GLASSER COLLECTION VOLUME 6: SCIENCE FICTION III – BACK TO THE STONE AGE, featuring original music composed by Albert Glasser for THE NEANDERTHAL MAN and TEENAGE CAVEMAN, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland. The booklet contains liner notes written by noted film music journalist and author Randall D. Larson.
