The American Musical Film Song Encyclopedia

by Thomas S. Hischak

Overview

Following the successful, The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 1995), this new encyclopedia reviews in-depth individual songs written for the American musical film over the past seventy years. Over 1,800 songs from over 500 musical films are identified and described. In addition to detailing the songs' authors, original singers, and initial film appearances, the encyclopedia also explains how the songs were used in the film, lists subsequent film and stage appearances of the songs, and notes memorable recordings. From Jolson to Elvis, operetta to rock musicals, and Irving Berlin to the Beatles, the comprehensive scope of this work gathers a wealth of information about film musical songs not readily available elsewhere.

The combination of accurate, thoroughly researched information, commentary, and anecdotal background will appeal to both film scholars and fans. Numerous indexes for easy reference include a list of alternate song titles, famous movie songs from other sources, best song Oscars, Oscar-winning film musicals, and a list of film musicals from 1927 through 1998. A bibliography completes this important reference tool and provides helpful sources for further research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313307379
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/30/1999
Pages:	536
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.19(d)

About the Author

THOMAS S. HISCHAK is Professor of Theatre History and Criticism at the State University of New York College at Cortland and a playwright who is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Inc. His previous publications include The Theatregoer's Almanac, (Greenwood, 1997), The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 1995), which received the 1995 Choice Outstanding Academic Book award, Stage It With Music (Greenwood, 1993), and Word Crazy (Praeger, 1991). He is also the author of eighteen published plays.

Table of Contents

Preface
Glossary of Film Song Terms
Songs
Alternate Song Titles
Famous Movie Songs from Other Sources
Best Song Oscars
Oscar-Nominated Musicals
Film Musicals
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Hischak (SUNY at Cortland) continues his series on musical theater (e.g., Stage It with Music: An Encyclopedic Guide to the American Musical Theatre, LJ 6/15/93) with this comprehensive review of songs written for musical films. Coverage is restricted to songs actually written for film, so one finds "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from Grease but not other songs from the stage version. A useful section on "Songs from Other Sources" includes titles from well-known musical films (e.g., "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific) for readers who don't know whether a song was composed specifically for the film version. Entries, arranged by song title, include vocalist, composer, lyricist, and information on the place of the song in the film, as well as recordings by artists other than those in the film. The concise entries combine a wealth of information not found in other sources. This new reference work will certainly find a place in film and music reference collections.--James E. Ross, WLN, Seattle

Library Journal

An encyclopedia offering brief synopses of a selection of some 1,800 individual songs which were written for American musical films from 1927 through 1998. In addition to detailing the songs' authors, original singers, and initial film appearances, the volume also explains how the songs were used in the film, lists subsequent film and stage appearances of the songs, and notes memorable recordings. Includes a bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

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