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On this page: soundtrack details | album track listing | sleeve notes | movie music credits - UK video - UK TV | notes | movie release info | classification | links |sources
German title:- Die letzten Tage in Kenya
Set in Happy Valley, Kenya, 1940. Based on a true story - the unsolved murder of the Earl of Erroll (Charles Dance), who has an affair with Diana (Greta Scacchi) wife of Sir Jock Delves Broughton (Joss Ackland).
Director: Michael Radford
Music by George Fenton (except video release)
I know of two versions of this film, UK TV, and UK rental video.
In both:-
Tim Finn makes a very brief appearance in front of a dance band, setting up a microphone, wearing a white dinner jacket and a moustache - a few seconds, 18-20 minutes into the film. He's not listed in the cast credits.
In the UK TV version:-
Tim appears briefly as above, and the music he wrote called "White Mischief" is played during the scene. However, "The Alphabet Song" sung by Sarah Miles is played for the closing credits. The song "White Mischief" by Tim Finn is listed in the closing credits, but without the words "Sung by Tim Finn" (as he doesn't sing the song at all during the film).
UK Rental Video release:-
Music by Keff McCulloch (see Notes)
Tim Finn - "White Mischief" (Tim Finn) accompanies the closing credits.
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Soundtrack |
album
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Album track listing |
From the soundtrack album, cassette, ZCTER1153 (UK)
Side One:
Side Two:
All music by George Fenton except:
(a) Tchaikovsky, arranged and conducted
by Eric Banks
(b) Cole Porter, arranged by John
Warren
(c) Fenton/Chamberlain
(d) Tim Finn
Orchestrations by George Fenton, John Warren and Simon Chamberlain.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, Snake
Ranch and Twickenham Music Studios.
Engineer: Keith Grant
Digital Remix at Twickenham Music
Studios
Cover Artwork: Baker Tamborini
Produced for records by George Fenton
UK album release co-ordinated by
Bruce C. Rowley
Executive Producer for records:
John Yap
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Sleeve notes |
by George Fenton:-
White Mischief is the true story of a displaced community in Kenya during the Second World War. Its infamous decadence, an unsolved mystery and an extraordinary combination of period and location, all provided a marvellous opportunity for me to experiment with an unusual group of instruments. This led, in part, to the rather curious line-up of White Mischief's score: solo violin and viola, solo clarinet, four saxophones, trumpet, trombone, ukulele, guitar, accordion, piano, two percussion (including lujon, ye stones) bass harmonica, double bass, violin sextet.
The idea for the score began with a dance band. I wrote some "source" music for the club and graveside scenes before the film was shot and Michael Radford was keen that the identity of this music should be preserved throughout the score.
In this respect, the personality of the score owes much to the wonderful playing of Henry Mackenzie on Clarinet and Johnny Van Derrick on violin and viola. They, with all the other musicians and technicians, in particular Keith Grant, are a vital part of the soundtrack's character.
Many thanks to Mike Radford, Simon Perry and White/Umbrella Films for a good time.
George Fenton's recent film and television scores include Gandhi, Jewel In The Crown, Company Of Wolves, The Monocled Mutineer, Clockwise, [and] 84, Charing Cross Road.
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Movie music credits |
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From the UK video release:- |
Opening credits:-
Music Keff McCulloch
From the closing credits:-
Music score by Keff McCulloch published by the Sparta Florida Music Group
"White Mischief"
Words and
Music by Tim Finn
© 1987
Bocu Music Ltd
Sung by Tim Finn
"Begin the Beguine"
Words and Music by Cole Porter
© 1935
Harms Inc copyright renewed
"The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"
Arranged and directed by Eric Banks
Original Soundtrack available on TER Records, Cassettes and Compact Discs
Music Mixer Keith Grant
Solo Clarinet Henry Mackenzie
Additional Orchestrations John Warren,
Simon Chamberlain
Orchestral Contractor Isobel Griffiths
Re-recording Mixers Gerry Humphreys,
Dean Humphreys
Music recorded at Abbey Road Studios
Music mixed at Twickenham Music
Studios
Soundtrack re-recorded at Twickenham
Film Studios
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From UK TV:- |
Closing credits:-
All music arranged and conducted by George Fenton
"The Alphabet Song"
Sung by Sarah Miles
"White Mischief"
Words and
Music by Tim Finn
© 1987
Bocu Music Ltd
[Sung by Tim
Finn] is missing from the TV credits, but is on the video and album
credits.
"Begin the Beguine"
Words and Music by Cole Porter
© 1935
Harms Inc copyright renewed
"The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"
Arranged and directed by Eric Banks
Original Soundtrack on TER Records, Cassettes and Compact Discs
Music Mixer Keith Grant
Solo Clarinet Henry Mackenzie
Additional Orchestrations John Warren,
Simon Chamberlain
Orchestral Contractor Isobel Griffiths
Re-recording mixers Gerry Humphreys,
Dean Humphreys
Music recorded at Abbey Road Studios
Music mixed at Twickenham Music
Studios
Soundtrack re-recorded at Twickenham
Film Studios
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Notes |
For information, along the lines of film classification: - "The Alphabet Song" sung by Sarah Miles contains 'strong language'.
Video release - the sleeve and the movie credits at the end say:- "Music by Keff McCulloch". The reason for this was given on Keff McCulloch's website (now offline) where he explains that due to contractual difficulties George Fenton's music could not be used on the video release, so Keff re-wrote it.
Keff McCulloch is not mentioned on the soundtrack cassette or the Internet Movie Database in connection with the movie.
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Movie release information |
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Classification |
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Links |
White Mischief (GB 1987) - White Mischief Soundtrack (Internet Movie Database)
Movie
Review by Edwin Jahiel
White
Mischief (www.cosmopolis.ch)
George
Fenton (Internet Movie Database)
George
Fenton (SoundtrackNet)
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Sources of information |
Discography; Halliwell; Internet Movie; MusicMaster; Maltin; "White Mischief" video and cassette, BBC1 broadcast
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updated 4th March, 2009.