Edgar Wallace Mysteries

[Aenima]

I haven't seen any of the Edgar Wallace Mysteries for many years. Can someone confirm the theme music. Is it a melody played with a clean electric guitar, kind of jazz meets the Shadows?



I know there are a few fans of the Mysteries here so this should be an easy one.



Cheers,

A

[smudge]

Originally posted by Aenima@Jul 20 2005, 02:58 PM

I haven't seen any of the Edgar Wallace Mysteries for many years. Can someone confirm the theme music. Is it a melody played with a clean electric guitar, kind of jazz meets the Shadows?



I know there are a few fans of the Mysteries here so this should be an easy one.



Cheers,

A

Classic 60s sharp attack yet 'twangy' gee-tars...



Man Of Mystery, later covered by the Shads.



By Michael Carr.



SMUDGE

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

There are in fact several different versions.



The two earliest films (The Malpas Mystery and Marriage of Convenience) use a slow tempo flute based version; sounds very 'wistful'

Then we went onto a slow guitar based version, until circa 1963 when it went up tempo; of which, again there are a couple of different versions; one more 'twangy' and one more 'bassy'



The later films have their own title music (Act of Murder, with the yummy Justine Lord, Change Partners, Game for Three Losers, The Main Chance, Dead Man's Chest, Strangler's Web, Never Mention Murder, Downfall, and We Shall See)

[Aenima]

Thanks Guys,

I think we'll have to cover that track with my band. The melody kind of popped out of my guitar in rehearsal the other week, all be it with quite heavy distortion added. It's almost surf-like in feel.

A

[smudge]

Originally posted by mysteriesofedgarwallace@Jul 20 2005, 06:34 PM

There are in fact several different versions.



The two earliest films (The Malpas Mystery and Marriage of Convenience) use a slow tempo flute based version; sounds very 'wistful'

Then we went onto a slow guitar based version, until circa 1963 when it went up tempo; of which, again there are a couple of different versions; one more 'twangy' and one more 'bassy'



The later films have their own title music (Act of Murder, with the yummy Justine Lord, Change Partners, Game for Three Losers, The Main Chance, Dead Man's Chest, Strangler's Web, Never Mention Murder, Downfall, and We Shall See)

You're right there, Mysteries !



'Fraid I generally snap into 'Shads' mode when I think of it. i love the way they use the wistful theme after a downbeat ending.



Some of those 'independent' themes, for stuff like GAME FOR THREE LOSERS, are wonderfully 'period' too.



SMUDGE

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

Originally posted by smudge@Jul 21 2005, 03:35 PM

You're right there, Mysteries !*



'Fraid I generally snap into 'Shads' mode when I think of it. i love the way they use the wistful theme after a downbeat ending.



Some of those 'independent' themes, for stuff like GAME FOR THREE LOSERS, are wonderfully 'period' too.



SMUDGE

I too love the theme music.

My favourite 'other' theme is 'Act of Murder', very melodramatic, with a very Saul Bass title sequence; which I love.

Also, 'We Shall See' is rather twee.........mind you the story is pretty ropey....attack of the killer bees.................



I agree, though, I think the slow tempo theme is better as an ending, very down beat.



**EDIT**



If you like the twangy 60's guitar stuff, try listening to The Revillos, one track 'Secret of The Shadow', an instrumental, is very MOEWesque.



Also, 'The Trudy' (God, whatever happened to them)

[Aenima]

Ah, if only I had a Fender Jaguar, a Vox AC30 and touch of spring reverb.

[Torquemada]

I've been checking out youtube for ages in the hope some kind soul would upload the music played as the creepy bust of Edgar rotates in the smoke. That was a definitive childhood image I have stuck in my head.

[Klark Crass]

Jeez that was a very poignant intro - that eerie feeling I recall so well - seeing the silhouette turn in the swirls of smoke while the laconic lullaby lures like the siren... yes, I was mesmerised as a little kid. God knows what would happen now if I saw it on YouTube. Prolly keel over!

And all that smoke reminds me of a Peter Cook line on the habit:

One man's (cough, cough...) pleasure is (cough, cough...) is another man's (cough... cough, cough, cough...)

Here's an Edgar Wallace intro - but a faster vershun of the one that affected me!

[billy bentley]

Has anyone compiled these different versions on to a CD ? I'd love to have one !

[Harbottle]

Ah yes love the 'Man of Mystery' theme, and the revolving Edgar in a cloud of fag smoke intro (the cast must have got though a few packets in some of them!). Just noticed that the US 'Mystery Theatre' has a static Edgar. Also there are at least two different busts of the great man used in the various UK titles.

[Harbottle]

EW themes, two slow and two fast versions plus act of murder:



RapidShare Webhosting + Webspace

[mariocki]

Thanks Harbottle

[bhowells]

Ah Tales Of Edgar Wallace usually shown late on a Friday night or in the afternoons in the seventies, I recall Harry H Corbett was in one film in the series.

[bhowells]

I would have loved to have seen the Edgar Wallace fillms when they were shown in the cinemas I was only little lad at the time. Would have been great to see "Scales Of Justice." and "Tales Of Scotland Yard." on the big screen as well. Htv showed a load of these in the seventies usually as the last programme before closedown.