Press Release from Dragon's Domain:
Dragon’s Domain Records presents GERALD FRIED: THE CRIME DRAMAS, featuring music composed by Gerald Fried (THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., STAR TREK, ROOTS) for two films from his extensive filmography, CRY BABY KILLER and MACHINE-GUN KELLY, two early crime dramas produced by Roger Corman and released in 1958.
Released in 1958, CRY BABY KILLER was directed by Justus Addiss, starring Jack Nicholson in his film debut, along with Brett Halsey, Carolyn Mitchell, Harry Lauter, Lynn Cartwright, Ralph Reed, John Shay, Barbara Knudson, William A. Forester, John Weed and an uncredited Roger Corman. CRY BABY KILLER follows Jimmy Wallace (Nicholson) as he confronts Manny (Halsey) and his friends after being beaten up by them over a girl named Carole (Mitchell). Jimmy challenges Manny to a fight outside a café but during the struggle, Jimmy grabs a gun from one of Manny’s friends. After firing off some shots, a nearby police officer corners Jimmy and he is forced to take hostages. A tense standoff ensues...
Also released in 1958, MACHINE-GUN KELLY was directed by Roger Corman, starring Charles Bronson, Susan Cabot, Morey Amsterdam, Richard Devon, Jack Devon, Jack Lambert, Frank De Kova, Connie Gilchrist, Wally Campo, Barbara Morris, Lori Martin, Michael Fox and Larry Thor. MACHINE-GUN KELLY chronicles the criminal activities of the real-life gangster George ‘Machine-Gun' Kelly and features Charles Bronson in his first lead in a feature film. In the film, George Kelly, nicknamed ‘Machine-Gun’ by his partner in crime, Flo Becker (Cabot), robs a bank and then achieves status as a public enemy. Tensions soon rise among his inner circle, and Kelly becomes easily manipulated by Flo. After a botched robbery leaves their partner, Michael Fandango (Amsterdam) without an arm, Kelly is influenced by Flo to kidnap the daughter of a wealthy businessman for ransom. Fandango reveals Kelly's identity to the police only to be killed by one of Kelly's other associates as the house is surrounded. Ultimately, Kelly intends to surrender to receive a more lenient sentence and avoid execution. However, Flo questions his courage, leading to a final confrontation.
Fried’s scores for these projects were masterfully composed for jazz ensembles, featuring some of Hollywood’s most accomplished studio musicians of that era. In CRY BABY KILLER, the title song stands out, written and performed by the talented Dick Kallman, who, alongside Fried, brought the piece to life through intricate arrangements and production that resonated with the film's edgy themes. The scores themselves utilize Jazz not only as a rhythmic and propulsive force but also as a dynamic backdrop that enhances the film’s action sequences, along with rich, sensual interludes that highlight the performances of the female leads.
Born February, 1928 in the Bronx, Gerald Fried’s interest in music found its first fruition at the High School of Music & Art in New York City. He attended The Juilliard School of Music as an oboe major, graduating in 1945. Among his earliest friends was a bright kid named Stanley Kubrick. The two of them used to hang around Greenwich Village and talk about their budding interests, Fried’s in classical music and Kubrick’s in filmmaking. Their interests merged when Kubrick began filming DAY OF THE FIGHT, an 18-minute short about boxing. Knowing Fried was a music major, Kubrick asked him if he could write the score for his boxing picture. Fried agreed, then spent months going to the movies to learn how film scores worked, there being no schools or courses on film music in those days. Fried wrote an effective score, and Kubrick sold the film to RKO Pathé. Fried rejoined Kubrick to score four more of his films, including THE KILLING and PATHS TO GLORY, where the young filmmaker first gained his reputation.
After the success of THE KILLING in 1956, Kubrick moved to Los Angeles, shortly followed by Fried, who was immediately hired to compose and arrange music for several films, including THE VAMPIRE, THE RETURN OF DRACULA, MACHINE GUN KELLY and I, MOBSTER, I BURY THE LIVING, and TIMBUKTU (1959). By the 1960s, Fried moved into television, scoring episodes of such seminal shows of the decade as GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and STAR TREK. By the 1970s Fried was composing music for numerous made-for-TV movies. His best-known score of the decade was for the 1977 miniseries ROOTS, which he took over scoring when Quincy Jones fell behind and was unable to meet the broadcast deadline for the eight-hour miniseries. Both Jones and Fried won Emmy Awards for their musical efforts on the series. During the ‘80s, Fried continued to compose music for television series, movies, and documentaries, and an occasional feature film. These are just two of the many magnificent scores Fried wrote throughout his career. The composer passed away on February 17, 2023 at the age of 95. His work remains a testament to his talent and dedication to the art of composition and he is remembered as a key figure in the evolution of music for film and television.
Dragon’s Domain Records presents GERALD FRIED: THE CRIME DRAMAS, featuring music composed by Gerald Fried for CRY BABY KILLER and MACHINE-GUN KELLY for the first time on compact disc. The music has been mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland and the liner notes have been written by G.B. Kenmer and Scott Davis.
