Jump to content

Maurice Jarre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maurice Jarre
Background information
Born(1924-09-13)13 September 1924
Lyon, France
Died28 March 2009(2009-03-28) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Composer, conductor
Years active1958–2001

Maurice-Alexis Jarre (French pronunciation: [mɔʁis alɛksi ʒaʁ]; 13 September 1924 – 28 March 2009)[1][2][3] was a French composer and conductor. Jarre is best known for his film scores, particularly for his collaborations with film director David Lean composing all of his films from 1962 to 1984. Jarre received numerous accolades including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, and a Grammy Award.

Jarre won three Academy Awards for Best Original Score for the David Lean films Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984). He was Oscar-nominated for Sundays and Cybèle (1962), The Message (1976), Witness (1985), Gorillas in the Mist (1988), and Ghost (1990). Notable scores also include Eyes Without a Face (1959), The Longest Day (1962), The Train (1964), The Collector (1965), Grand Prix (1966), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Fatal Attraction (1987), and Dead Poets Society (1989). He worked with such directors as Alfred Hitchcock, Elia Kazan, John Huston, Luchino Visconti, John Frankenheimer, and Peter Weir.

Three of his compositions spent a total of 42 weeks on the UK singles chart; the biggest hit was "Somewhere My Love" (to his tune "Lara's Theme", with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) performed by the Mike Sammes Singers, which reached Number 14 in 1966 and spent 38 weeks on the chart. He was the father of musician Jean-Michel Jarre and the adoptive father of screenwriter Kevin Jarre.

Early life

[edit]

Jarre was born in Lyon, the son of Gabrielle Renée (née Boullu) and André Jarre, a radio technical director.[citation needed] He first enrolled in the engineering school at the Sorbonne, but decided to pursue music courses instead. He left the Sorbonne against his father's will and enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris to study composition and harmony and chose percussion as his major instrument.[3] He became director of the Théâtre National Populaire and recorded his first film score in France in 1951.[4]

Film scoring

[edit]

In 1961, Jarre's music career experienced a major change when American film producer Sam Spiegel asked him to write the score for the 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, directed by David Lean. The acclaimed score won Jarre his first Academy Award and he would go on to compose the scores to all of Lean's subsequent films. He followed with The Train (1964) and Grand Prix (1966), both for director John Frankenheimer, and in between had another great success in David Lean's Doctor Zhivago, which included the lyricless tune "Lara's Theme" (later the tune for the song "Somewhere My Love"), and which earned him his second Oscar. He worked with Alfred Hitchcock on Topaz (1969): although Hitchcock's experiences with the film were unhappy, he was satisfied with Jarre's score, telling him, "I have not given you a great film, but you have given me a great score."[citation needed]

Jarre's score for David Lean's Ryan's Daughter (1970), set in Ireland, completely eschews traditional Irish music styles, according to Lean's preferences. The song "It Was a Good Time," from Ryan's Daughter went on to be recorded by musical stars such as Liza Minnelli who used it in her critically acclaimed television special Liza with a Z as well as by others during the 1970s. He contributed the music for Luchino Visconti's The Damned (1969), and John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King (1975).

He was again nominated for an Academy Award for scoring The Message in 1976, for the director and producer Moustapha Akkad. He followed with Witness (1985) and Dead Poets Society (1989), for which he won a British Academy Award.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Jarre turned his hand to science fiction, with scores for The Island at the Top of the World (1974), Dreamscape (1984), Enemy Mine (1985), and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). The latter is written for full orchestra, augmented by a chorus, four grand pianos, a pipe organ, digeridoo, fujara, a battery of exotic percussion, and three ondes Martenot, which feature in several of Jarre's other scores, including Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, The Bride and Prancer. The balalaika features prominently in Jarre's score for Doctor Zhivago.

In 1990, Jarre was again nominated for an Academy Award scoring the supernatural love story/thriller Ghost. His music for the final scene of the film is based on "Unchained Melody" composed by fellow film composer Alex North.[3] Other films for which he provided the music include A Walk in the Clouds (1995), for which he wrote the score and all of the songs, including the romantic "Mariachi Serenade". Also to his credit is the passionate love theme from Fatal Attraction (1987), and the moody electronic soundscapes of After Dark, My Sweet (1990). He was well respected by other composers including John Williams, who stated, on Jarre's death, "(He) is to be well remembered for his lasting contribution to film music ... we all have been enriched by his legacy."[5]

Jarre's television work includes the theme for the short-lived 1967 Western series on CBS, Cimarron Strip, his score for the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, Shōgun (1980), and the theme for PBS's Great Performances.[3]

Jarre scored his last project in 2001, a television mini-series about the Holocaust titled Uprising.[3]

He was "one of the giants of 20th-century film music"[6] who was "among the most sought-after composers in the movie industry" and "a creator of both subtle underscoring and grand, sweeping themes, not only writing for conventional orchestras ... but also experimenting with electronic sounds later in his career".[7]

Style and artistry

[edit]

Jarre wrote mainly for orchestras, but began to favour synthesized music in the 1980s. Jarre pointed out that his electronic score for Witness was actually more laborious, time-consuming and expensive to produce than an orchestral score. Jarre's electronic scores from the 1980s also include Fatal Attraction, The Year of Living Dangerously, Firefox and No Way Out. A number of his scores from that era also feature electronic / acoustic blends, such as Gorillas in the Mist, Dead Poets Society, The Mosquito Coast and Jacob's Ladder.

Personal life

[edit]

Marriages and family

[edit]

Jarre was married four times, the first three marriages ending in divorce. In the 1940s, his marriage to Francette Pejot, a French Resistance member and concentration camp survivor, produced a son, Jean-Michel Jarre, a French composer, performer, and music producer, who is one of the pioneers in electronic music. When Jean-Michel was five years old, Maurice split up with his wife and moved to the United States, leaving Jean-Michel with his mother in France.[8]

In 1965, Jarre married French actress Dany Saval; together they had a daughter, Stephanie Jarre. He next married American actress Laura Devon (1967–1984), resulting in his adopting her son, Kevin Jarre, a screenwriter, with credits on such films as Tombstone and Glory (1989). From 1984 to his death, he was married to Fong F. Khong.[9]

Death

[edit]

Jarre died of cancer on 28 March 2009 in Los Angeles.[10]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Director Notes
1957 Burning Fuse Henri Decoin Composed with Louis Gasté & Philippe Gérard
1958 Head Against the Wall Georges Franju
1959 Les Dragueurs Jean-Pierre Mocky
Beast at Bay Pierre Chenal
Stars at Noon Jacques Ertaud
Marcel Ichac
Vous n'avez rien à déclarer? Clément Duhour
Eyes Without a Face Georges Franju
1960 La main chaude Gérard Oury
Lovers on a Tightrope Jean-Charles Dudrumet
Crack in the Mirror Richard Fleischer
Recourse in Grace László Benedek
1961 The President Henri Verneuil
Spotlight on a Murderer Georges Franju
The Big Gamble Richard Fleischer
Three Faces of Sin François Villiers
Famous Love Affairs Michel Boisrond
1962 Les oliviers de la justice James Blue
Sun in Your Eyes Jacques Bourdon
Thérèse Desqueyroux Georges Franju
The Longest Day Ken Annakin
Andrew Marton
Bernhard Wicki
Sundays and Cybele Serge Bourguignon
L'oiseau de paradis Marcel Camus
Lawrence of Arabia David Lean
To Die in Madrid Frédéric Rossif
1963 A King Without Distraction François Leterrier
Judex Georges Franju
1964 Mort, où est ta victoire? Hervé Bromberger
Behold a Pale Horse Fred Zinnemann
The Train John Frankenheimer
Weekend at Dunkirk Henri Verneuil
1965 The Collector William Wyler
Doctor Zhivago David Lean
1966 The Professionals Richard Brooks
Is Paris Burning? René Clément
Gambit Ronald Neame
Grand Prix John Frankenheimer
1967 The Night of the Generals Anatole Litvak
The 25th Hour Henri Verneuil Composed with Georges Delerue
1968 Villa Rides Buzz Kulik
5 Card Stud Henry Hathaway
The Fixer John Frankenheimer
Isadora Karel Reisz
1969 The Extraordinary Seaman John Frankenheimer
The Damned Luchino Visconti
Topaz Alfred Hitchcock
1970 The Only Game in Town George Stevens
El Condor John Guillermin
Ryan's Daughter David Lean
1971 Plaza Suite Arthur Hiller
Red Sun Terence Young
A Season in Hell Nelo Risi
1972 Pope Joan Michael Anderson
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean John Huston
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds Paul Newman
1973 Ash Wednesday Larry Peerce
The Mackintosh Man John Huston
1974 The Island at the Top of the World Robert Stevenson
1975 Mandingo Richard Fleischer Composed with Muddy Waters
Posse Kirk Douglas
The Man Who Would Be King John Huston
Mr. Sycamore Pancho Kohner
1976 Shout at the Devil Peter R. Hunt
The Last Tycoon Elia Kazan
The Message Moustapha Akkad
1977 The Prince and the Pauper Richard Fleischer
March or Die Dick Richards
1978 Like a Turtle on Its Back Luc Béraud
Two Solitudes Lionel Chetwynd
1979 The Tin Drum Volker Schlöndorff
Winter Kills William Richert
The Magician of Lublin Menahem Golan
1980 The American Success Company William Richert
The Black Marble Harold Becker
The Last Flight of Noah's Ark Charles Jarrott
Resurrection Daniel Petrie
1981 Lion of the Desert Moustapha Akkad
Chu Chu and the Philly Flash David Lowell Rich Composed with Pete Rugolo
Circle of Deceit Volker Schlöndorff
Taps Harold Becker
1982 Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder Peter Werner
Firefox Clint Eastwood
Young Doctors in Love Garry Marshall
The Year of Living Dangerously Peter Weir
1983 For Those I Loved Robert Enrico
1984 Top Secret! Jim Abrahams
David Zucker
Jerry Zucker
Dreamscape Joseph Ruben
A Passage to India David Lean
1985 Witness Peter Weir
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome George Miller
George Ogilvie
Themes by Brian May
The Bride Franc Roddam
Enemy Mine Wolfgang Petersen
1986 Tai-Pan Daryl Duke
The Mosquito Coast Peter Weir
Solarbabies Alan Johnson
1987 Tokyo Blackout Toshio Masuda
No Way Out Roger Donaldson
Julia and Julia Peter Del Monte
Gaby: A True Story Luis Mandoki
Fatal Attraction Adrian Lyne
1987 Distant Thunder Rick Rosenthal
Wildfire Zalman King
Moon over Parador Paul Mazursky
Gorillas in the Mist Michael Apted
Le palanquin des larmes Jacques Dorfmann
Cocktail Roger Donaldson Rejected score; Replaced by J. Peter Robinson
1989 Chances Are Emile Ardolino
Dead Poets Society Peter Weir
Prancer John D. Hancock
Enemies, A Love Story Paul Mazursky
1990 Solar Crisis Richard C. Sarafian
Ghost Jerry Zucker
Jacob's Ladder Adrian Lyne
Almost an Angel John Cornell
1991 Only the Lonely Chris Columbus
Fires Within Gillian Armstrong
1992 The Setting Sun Rou Tomono
School Ties Robert Mandel
Shadow of the Wolf Jacques Dorfmann
Pierre Magny
1993 Mr. Jones Mike Figgis
Fearless Peter Weir
1994 The River Wild Curtis Hanson Rejected score; Replaced by Jerry Goldsmith
1995 A Walk in the Clouds Alfonso Arau
1996 The Sunchaser Michael Cimino
White Squall Ridley Scott Rejected score; Replaced by Jeff Rona & Hans Zimmer
1997 Day and Night Bernard-Henri Lévy
1999 Sunshine István Szabó
2000 I Dreamed of Africa Hugh Hudson

Television

[edit]
Year Title Notes
1974 Great Expectations Television film
1975 The Silence Television film
1977 Jesus of Nazareth Miniseries
1978 Ishi: The Last of His Tribe Television film
The Users Television film
Mourning Becomes Electra Television film
1980 Shōgun Miniseries; 5 episodes
Enola Gay Television film
1982 Coming Out of the Ice Television film
1984 Samson and Delilah Television film
1986 Apology Television film
1988 The Murder of Mary Phagan Miniseries; 2 episodes
2001 Uprising Television film

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Jarre received three Academy Awards and received a total of nine nominations, eight for Best Original Score and one for Best Original Song. He also won four Golden Globes and was nominated for ten. The American Film Institute ranked Jarre's score for Lawrence of Arabia #3 on their list of the greatest film scores. His scores for the following films were also nominated for the lis: Doctor Zhivago (1965), A Passage to India (1984), and Ryan's Daughter (1970). Numerous additional awards include ASCAP's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.[11] He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[12]

Year Association Category Project Result Ref.
1962 Academy Award Best Original Score Lawrence of Arabia Won [13]
1963 Best Original Score Sundays and Cybele Nominated [14]
1965 Best Original Score Doctor Zhivago Won [15]
1972 Best Original Song The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean ("Marmalade, Molasses & Honey") Nominated [16]
1976 Best Original Score The Message Nominated [17]
1984 Best Original Score A Passage to India Won [18]
1985 Best Original Score Witness Nominated [19]
1988 Best Original Score Gorillas in the Mist Nominated [20]
1990 Best Original Score Ghost Nominated [21]
1985 BAFTA Awards Best Film Music A Passage to India Nominated [22]
Best Film Music Witness Won
1989 Best Film Music Dead Poets Society Won [23]
1962 Golden Globe Award Best Original Score Lawrence of Arabia Nominated [24]
1965 Best Original Score Doctor Zhivago Won [24]
1966 Best Original Score Is Paris Burning? Nominated [24]
1973 Best Original Score The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Nominated [24]
1975 Best Original Score The Man Who Would Be King Nominated [24]
1984 Best Original Score A Passage to India Won [24]
1985 Best Original Score Witness Won [24]
1986 Best Original Score The Mosquito Coast Nominated [24]
1988 Best Original Score Gorillas in the Mist Won [24]
1995 Best Original Score A Walk in the Clouds Won [24]
1999 Best Original Score Sunshine Nominated [24]
1962 Grammy Award Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Lawrence of Arabia Nominated
1965 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Doctor Zhivago Won
1970 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Ryan's Daughter Nominated
1984 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media A Passage to India Nominated
1985 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Witness Nominated
1987 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Fatal Attraction Nominated
1980 Saturn Award Best Music Resurrection Nominated
1985 Best Music The Bride Nominated
1990 Best Music Ghost Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ McLellan, Dennis (31 March 2009). "Maurice Jarre dies at 84; composer for 'Lawrence of Arabia'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  2. ^ Weber, Bruce (31 March 2009). "Maurice Jarre, Hollywood Composer, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e allmusic Biography
  4. ^ "Maurice Jarre: Information and Much More from". Answers.com. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Award Winning Musical Film Composer Maurice Jarre Dies From Cancer At 84". Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  6. ^ McLellan, Dennis (31 March 2009). "Maurice Jarre dies at 84; composer for 'Lawrence of Arabia'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  7. ^ Weber, Bruce (31 March 2009). "Maurice Jarre, Hollywood Composer, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  8. ^ Stuart, Julia (22 August 2004). "Jean Michel Jarre: Smooth operator". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Oscar-winning movie legend Maurice Jarre dies". Cnn.com. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  10. ^ Corliss, Richard (30 March 2009). "Obituary". Time.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Maurice Jarre - Awards". IMDb.com. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Maurice Jarre". IMDb.com. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  13. ^ "35th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "36th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  15. ^ "38th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "45th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  17. ^ "49th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  18. ^ "57th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  19. ^ "58th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  20. ^ "61st Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  21. ^ "63rd Academy Awards". Oscars.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  22. ^ "39th BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  23. ^ "43rd BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Maurice Jarre - Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
[edit]