The Artist: an homage to Bernard Herrmann's Vertigo (The 5 Browns)

Director Michel Hazanavicius has definitely paid an homage to Bernard Herrmann in his academy award nominated movie "the Artist". He uses Herrmann's main theme from the beautiful score to Hitchcock's "Vertigo" in the crux of his own movie. The actress Kim Novak (who starred in the Hitchcock movie 50 years ago) had some pretty serious qualms with the theme being taken saying, "This film could and should have been able to stand on its own without depending upon Bernard Herrmann's score from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo to provide it more drama." To which Michel Hazanavicius replied: "The Artist was made as a love letter to cinema, and grew out of my (and all of my cast and crew's) admiration and respect for movies throughout history. It was inspired by the work of Hitchcock, Lang, Ford, Lubitsch, Murnau and Wilder. I love Bernard Herrmann and his music has been used in many different films and I'm very pleased to have it in mine. I respect Kim Novak greatly and I'm sorry to hear she disagrees." In any case, here is a selection of the famous theme on 3 pianos by The 5 Browns (arrangement by Pat Russ).

[@graywade9225]

I thought the portion of the Hermann score used in the Artist was done respectfully and very tastefully. What a climax! The whole thing is deeply emotional and just rips your heart out of your chest.

[@henrywillis5857]

I burst into tears when they quoted Vertigo.

[@TheStockwell]

I'd like to know how the director of "The Artist" broke the news to his film's composer. "Well, you've done a great job scoring an entire motion picture for me, end-to-end. Um, just so you know, at a key moment in this wonderful recreation of the silent era, I'm plugging in music written 30 years after the end of the silent era. After all your brilliant work, you're not going to have a problem with that, are you?"

[@MrScreamask]

I loved it in the movie. Especially because it is perfect for that moment.

[@liv4gunner]

There are masterpieces which belong in their own space, time, and memory. The Bernard Hermann score in Vertigo is such a classic. To insert this masterpiece into THE ARTIST was an artistic blunder.

[@frubtok7]

You're completely wrong.

[@vins1979]

Yesterday evening I was the only one in the cinema who recognized this theme, LOL!

[@StephDianeC]

Beautiful

[@TheStockwell]

Thank you for having REAL information about how this little mess happened. I hope the DVD/Blu-Ray release of this film will have the option to hear both versions. Or, at least, a "sans Herrmann" version! I have not read that Ludovic Bource is upset about the situation - he has done three other films with Michel Hazanavicius; they should be on good terms by now!

[@TheStockwell]

@lukebccb I'm fairly certain North was actually requested by Kubrick. No throat-forcing was needed. Kubrick just changed his mind. When Kubrick showed footage with the pre-existing classical score to MGM brass, they approved and that bolstered Kubrick's leaning towards going for already existing music. That much is certain.

[@hipsterdoofus1026]

I can see why they did this. There was an article that came out about ten years ago in the New Yorker that said that Vertigo's subtext is about how movies are made. I really like Kim Novak and she's entitled to her opinion

[@Humbertogonfer]

Es increiblemente parecido a bso de vergigo

[@Claudg2008]

Humberto González Esto ES Vértigo, sólo que en version para piano, y no la versión orquestal usada en el film de Hitchcock..

[@TheStockwell]

@lukebccb That would be Alex North. Different situation altogether. North didn't know his score (covering the film up to its first spoken words) wasn't in the film until the premiere. Hazanavicius is being disingenuous saying things like Herrmann's "music has been used in many different films." Kubrick was actually being a jerk and never intended to use a note of North's score - and never told him so.

[@TheMadisonMachine]

Why do people put down the Artist for reusing music when Tarantino does the same thing and is praised?

[@mrlopez-pz7pu]

TheMadisonMachine what does Tarantino's use of music have to do with the issues people have with the music of "The Artist"? The genres are apples and oranges.

[@o.l4890]

Tarantino makes film that look cheap (because he wants them to look like that ) but are great in story telling, characters.... etc ,its his style This film is supposed to be one of those classy gourmet shit ,it should've had an original score ,but it ended up depending on a score of a 50's film in a movie supposed to homage the silent era . It ended up feeling cheap . Phantom thread by PTA is a great example of a film that feel and look like an old film without trying, it's just masterfully crafted by a talented director

[@MsSardonicus]

@IamKesyerSoze You seriously should see it. It works so well but the movie is great regardless.

[@TheStockwell]

Beg pardon? We're talking about a film that recycled Herrmann's music. From "Vertigo." It makes more sense to "whine" about Hermann's music rather than "whine" about Korngold's score to "Captain Blood." We appreciate your concern, however.

[@log791]

So this is what I call 'piano cover'

[@guibator]

Richard Wagner

[@bepoondrums7093]

What piece?

[@SL-mu4lp]

boooooo. not the main theme from vertigo at all.

[@nitsujjustin]

SL it's the love theme not the main theme

[@foxybox11]

i would have flipped the biggest shitfit in the entire universe. i would've lit the screen on fire during the viewing at cannes if i was that composer.

[@MrScreamask]

I loved it in the movie. Especially because it is perfect for that moment.