Alex North (1910-1991) was one of America's most renowned film composers. His musical scores enhanced more than 60 major motion pictures--
A Streetcar Named Desire, Cleopatra
and
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
among them. He had 15 Oscar nominations, and received the Lifetime Achievement Oscar.
This book begins with his early life in Pennsylvania, and moves through his studies at Juilliard and in Russia and Mexico, his early experiences in modern dance, documentaries, and theater, and his major work in film. The book also offers analyses of North's musical scores for
Streetcar, Spartacus, The Misfits, Under the Volcano
, and
Prizzi's Honor
. Appendices include a bibliography, a filmography, a listing of other North compositions, a discography, and a listing of awards.