003-From
the Italian forum (English) in the Ennio Morricone Official website
on Jan.18-24,2013 （See
here）
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
Replies
from the Editor (qilingren)
on May 7, 2013 （See
here）
|
|
|
|
|
Morricone
fan′s handbook - worth buying?
|
|
Leo
Nikko
2013.1.18 AM 10:24
|
| You
"in the know", so to say: is the newly
published "Morricone fan′s handbook" worth
buying, if you are seriously interested in the Maestro
and his music? I mean, the publisher is Chinese...no
offend meant, but how′s the english, and how informative
is this book, in the first place?
Here′s
where the book can be ordered: ../ns-notes/ns-notes-006-eng.htm
Leo
Nikko
|
|
Laurent
2013.1.23
AM 10:15
|
| Hi
Leo Nikko and everyone out there
Thanks
to a friend who will recognize himself easily,
I've been browsing through this book for say two
hours or so and personally wouldn't recommend
it. The contents merely duplicate hundreds of
pages sourced off straight from the EM Chinese
website, featuring mostly endless lists of films
and/or albums, using a very questionable "methodology",
if I might describe it with such a high concept.
Besides the countless and boring repetitions,
here's just one irritating example: why did they
bother reproducing at least one filmography in
which ALLA SCOPERTA DELL'AMERICA has been erroneously
dated from 1961 whereras we all know for sure
it's a score from 1977, as is clearly demonstrated
by the music itself? I must say that the EMM has
been conceived according to a far more suitable
and adequate approach, even though it inevitably
had some flaws here and there. To got back to
the so-called "Morricone fan's handbook",
I don't understand the purpose of this kind of
effort and I assume this has to do with cultural
reasons in the first place. Please mind that I
either mean nothing pejorative against Asian people
whom I respect a lot in general but let's say
that I feel lightyears away from their conceptions
when it comes to a research of that kind. I think
these "authors" limit themselves too
much with compiling filmographies and discographies
achieved by other people no matter if these lists
are accurate, which means the result can't be
helpful to fans let alone to scholars. This is
the reason why I don't visit this Chinese website
any longer.
Besides, to answer another part of your question,
the English level employed in this thick "book"
or I'd rather say "catalogue" is rather
poor to say the least! And I must add that many
passages are in Chinese.
Laurent
|
|
Didier
2013.1.23
PM 1:10
|
| I
think that the idea of the authors was merely to
share whatever information they have gathered. So
the book should not be seen as a result of a throrough
research, but could be the basis of such a research.
It doesn't analyze the data, it just makes it available,
which is already an important step. Han, the webmaster
and editor of the book, is a delicious person with
whom I have been in contact for years, and he should
be praised for his will to share information with
other fans.
There
now exists a version fully in English and another
one fully in Chinese.
Didier
|
|
Laurent
2013.1.18
PM 6:53
|
| And
Didier is so modest that he didn't mention that
he wrote a contribution for this Chinese publication.
So did Cali as well. Still, as you probably understood
it, the final product isn't my cup of tea but I
hope other persons might be satisfied with it. Does
anyone else want to express his opinion?
Laurent
|
|
Leo
Nikko
2013.1.24 AM 7:58
|
|
Well,
judging by your comments, I think I′ll pass this
one - with hopes of a decent and truly analytical
book being published in the future. Thanks!
Leo
Nikko
|
|
Replies
from the Editor (qilingren)
on May 7, 2013 （See
here)
|
Hello
everyone. I am the webmaster HAN of "Morricone
Fans" and the editor of the book "Ennio
Morricone Fans Handbook". I've seen all the
comments and opinion here and other forums, thanks
for everyone. My response has been published here
( ../ns-notes/ns-not
... d2-eng.htm ),
you are welcome to visit and further discussion.
Thank you |
|
|
|
005-From
American FSM on March 12,2013 （See
here）
|
|
|
| |
Replies
from the Editor (qilingren)
on April 29,2013 （See
here）
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General
Discussion: ENNIO MORRICONE FANS HANDBOOK
|
|
Morricone
2013.3.9
AM 10:41
|
|
Posted:
Mar 9, 2013 - 10:41 AM
By: Morricone (Member)
I
just received this and thought I would say a word
about it.
First let me say all the criticisms about it are
true. The printing looks like xerox, the English
grammar is sometimes unreadable, there are typos
and mislabeled pictures and there is some repetition
and little new that you can't find on the internet.
That
said this is truly a labor of love! The editor Wenguang
Han is a retired chief chemical engineer in China.
He brings some of that engineering disciplines to
this book. It is written from the Chinese perspective
and the last 40 some pages are of him, his friends,
family and travels (including meeting American president
Clinton outside the White House). But the meat of
this 340 page book is from page 80 to 225 where
you find a discography with two color images from
every film Morricone has scored up to 2008, with
track listings. This is indeed meaty and where he
found two images (including the 45 RPM covers) of
things like I MARZIANI HANNO DODICI MANI/ THE TWELVE-HANDED
MEN OF MARS I'll never know, but I do appreciate
them. He also does comparative statistics such as
how many times Morricone worked with various directors,
the IMDB number of films scored by him (506) vs.
the official site's numbers (401) plus many more.
Since
my old musicography ended in 1990 and it was cumbersome
to update this will probably be my go-to physical
reference for Morricone from now on. Han has done
his best to make this book as deluxe as he could,
with tissue covered title page, glossy covers and
all pictures in color.
Thank you for your dedication and hard work, Han!
../ns-notes/ns-notes-006-eng.htm
|
|
|
an
the man 2013.3.9 PM 5:52
|
Posted:
Mar 9, 2013 - 5:52 PM
By: dan the man (Member)
Sounds
like a great book to read, because it is REAL, which
is more i can say for so much flashy junk with nothing
on the inside done by people who don't even feel
or love the topic they are doing or know about it
much. All they have is connections and they kiss
a--.. then they think their somebody. As we know
we have some of those types roaming around here,
don't we.
|
|
|
Francis
2013.3.10 AM 11:56
|
Posted:
Mar 10, 2013 - 11:56 AM
By: Francis (Member)
But
the meat of this 340 page book is from page 80 to
225 where you find a discography with two color
images from every film Morricone has scored up to
2008, with track listings. This is indeed meaty
and where he found two images (including the 45
RPM covers) of things like I MARZIANI HANNO DODICI
MANI/ THE TWELVE-HANDED MEN OF MARS I'll never know,
but I do appreciate them.
This I find interesting as Morricone's output is
so extensive and his scores often have multiple
releases I find myself lost in translation. Not
to mention so many european movies are unattainable
and obscure and my knowledge of Italian I picked
up from Argento & Fulci movies does not allow
me to comprehend much of the liner notes
|
Replies
from the Editor (qilingren)
on April 28, 2013 （See
here）
|
Hello
everyone. I am the webmaster of "Morricone
Fans" and the editor of the book "Ennio
Morricone Fans Handbook". I've seen all
the comments and opinion here and other forums.
My response has been published in here
( ../ns-notes/ns-notes-006add2-eng.htm
),
you are welcome to visit and further discussion.
Thank you |
|
|
|
|
|
006-Editor's
response to the comments
|
| 1.
It is a good thing the widespread concern and response caused
by the "Handbook" at home and abroad, especially
Europe and the United States. It can shorten the distance
between us--developing countries fans-- and foreign (developed
country) experienced fans, enhance mutual understanding.
In addition, for many of controversial works, caused the
attention of fans and official, also an important purpose
of this book publication. In the current case, that many
questions always have different opinions,
has been in existence for many years
and has not been resolved, it is good thing that
the questions can cause widespread concern and discussion.
To either praised or criticized, the editor express my heartfelt
welcome and thanks: praise make us
to feel the value and Increase confidence; criticism make
us to see the problem, to facilitate improve. We
especially need it. |
| 2.
Most reviewers gave a positive affirmation for
the chapter 3 "Integrate overview of Ennio Morricone
soundtrack and its films". These repercussions confirmed
our thoughts, such a comprehensive integration chapter is
not done by the predecessors. Especially as a paper written
book, it is to be needed by different levels of fans
including Europe and America many fans. We should
further improve it, and also should make the necessary explanation
for the disputed portion, for promote clarify and resolve
to these Controversial issues in the worldwide area. |
| 3.
The main criticism of the response.
We already know the views of mainly
three points：1："There are some mistakes in the book":
2, Its content is not enough refining, for experienced enthusiasts,
can only be regarded as a "directory"; 3, The
level of English is rather poor. The following is editor's
opinion : |
|
3-1
About "There are some mistakes in the book"
I
have said in the preface and postscript of the "Handbook":
"as the editor 's own level and conditions, this
book can only be a reference for fans. The face of such
huge amount of work, the book inevitably there are some
error or even fallacious, readers are welcome to revise
it, in order to be corrected in the second edition".
We hope to have more friends to give concrete help, pointed
out the mistake, that is exactly what we expect.
|
|
|
|
Page
336 in the "Handbook"
|
|
| But
about Laurent friend's comment "why
did they bother reproducing at least one filmography in
which ALLA SCOPERTA DELL'AMERICA has been erroneously dated
from 1961 whereras we all know for sure it's a score from
1977, as is clearly demonstrated by the music itself?"
the editor has a few words to say. |
| About
this issue, the editor has been aware more or less, and
due to space limitations only write a few words in the book
3-1 NA6101:"And its produced
year is 1964 or 1971 in some info. Here was listed 1961
according to the info of Morricone's official website."
Moreover we stated in the book repeatedly, in the currently
case that has many controversies, the edition of this book
bases on the chronology directory of the official website
(See below image) |
|
|
|
Page
80 in the "Handbook"
|
|
| It
is indeed a annoying problem, but the troublemaker is not
from the editor.
Attached are some screenshots, they can explain this problem |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
IMDB
web site shows 1964
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well,
In the face of such a chaotic data, (Similar such problems
what official data and other sources are inconsistent, at
least more than 100. See the book of 2-3 "A research
on Morricone filmography" and below image), In the
present conditions, the editor does not have such ability
to find reliable answers one by one. The editor had no other
choice, only the first choice of the data of the official
website that should be the most authoritative data. And
as far as possible to join such annotations in order to
attract attention. It has been the editor best efforts that
the editor can do in that time! If
there is a troublemaker, then, first of all should be the
Ennio Morricone official website! The editor was merely
a "victim". All senior fans, in the face of such
long-term unresolved problems, also there is a responsibility
to promote its effectively and practical solution, before
its official website has not made revises finally, can points
out problem, but allows everybody to discuss, do not impose
one's views on others, and even more was not suitable to
blame other fans . In this book, the editor also has issued
a appeal, hope to get the attention and resolve of the Morricone's
official website and Italian government relevant departments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page
55-56 in the”Handbook"
|
|
| In
fact, the official website's problems, the editor has found
long time ago (See here
and here).
As early as in 2009, the editor had send many time emails
to the official website for this kind of problem, but there
has been no any reply, so I have to give up. Ennio Morricone
has been 85 years old this year, his official website at
least has been established in more than a decade.
Like this kind of Important issues remain unsolved for a
long time, the authority of the official website also can
exist? Besides continue
our efforts, we hope that Europe and the America senior
fans common pay more efforts for this issue. Because of
the history, geography, culture, language and other favorable
conditions, they can more easily and directly contact the
official website, ask them or make
an authoritative explanation, or modify the error data,
fundamentally solve this annoying confusion issues. So that
as not to continue to mislead the world fans and future
generations. |
|
3-2
About
"Its content
is not enough refining, for experienced enthusiasts, can
only be regarded as a "directory"
The view have certain reason,
I fully can understand that not all senior fans need such
a book, but this is
just a characteristic of the book.
Because its name is "Handbook" rather than "review",
"research" etc. Thus, it must have a lot of
the basic datum and information. This is indeed deliberate
arrangement for general beginner and fans' need. The comments
of the friend Didier is appropriate, He said: "So
the book should not be seen as a result of a throrough
research, but could be the basis of such a research. It
doesn't analyze the data, it just makes it available,
which is already an important step". Especially
as a paper book, there is different convenience relative
to the web page. The face of hundreds of movies, thousands
of alias, thousands of music such complicated issues,
Not only for beginners, just is for experienced fans,
they sometimes also need that a basic informative book
can be picked up at random in around the desk. This
also is an important object of the book publishing.
For senior fans, they think that the depth of of this
book can not meet their needs, this is completely understandable.
The editor also hope to improve own knowledge level, and
then write some more in-depth book for fans in the lifetime,
and now has begun efforts (See
The column of Belgium and France on-line fanzine Chimai-"Maestro”
in China).
Also need to point out is, this book is not just a simple
"directory", besides the chapter 2 ( total of
about 70 pages,only the 1/5 of the book) as a real "directory"
of the "Handbook" (it also contains many useful
and special content, example the catalogue of film in
years or in alphabetical order, the alias contrast, the
chronology of different sources and the research article
and so on). The most important chapter 3 (a total of 150
pages , is about 1/2 of English version), although it
can also be called the "directory", But its
content is far beyond the "directory" concept,
and indeed was loved by many readers. here the editor
is not much to say.
|
|
3-3
About "The level of English is rather poor"
Yes,
this criticism is entirely correct. The editor as a people
who start self-study English from 50-year-old , deeply
self-knowledge for this point. In order to be responsible
for English readers, will take effective measures to solve
this problem in the next official version.
|
| 4
The new version of the measure:
in order to make this book more in line with internationally
accepted standard, since May 2013, the book will be officially
published by China global culture publishing house |
| in
response to readers' comments and requests, intends to take
the following measures: |
| 4-1
Chinese
version was separately released the full version and simplified
version. The simplified version will delete chapter4 and
5 of most content, the total number of pages was reduced
about 150 pages, approximately 1/3 of the original book.
Take into account the overall level of foreign readers,
English version is only issued an official version, a large
cuts the chapter 1,2,4,5 part of most content, more suitable
for a certain depth request of the fans. |
| 4-2
A
careful review of existing content, the controversial content
will be added more detailed explanation, in order to facilitate
the reader to identify and discuss |
| 4-3
Re-examine
of English version , as much as possible to improve English
level |
| 5
The
editor would also like to take this opportunity to say a
few words. Through the edit and publishing work
of this "Handbook", I really feel for Morricone's
understanding still is very superficial. As friend Laurent
said the other word:"I feel lightyears away from their
conceptions when it comes to a research of that kind".
Although the light year said that is not quite accurate,
but decades of gap and as well as history, culture and so
on of gap, still exists objectively. We must admit this
point. For example, the question about "Chimai"
Music, for western fans may be very simple or very primitive,
but this step actually must cross for us. So we should more
efforts, more humbly learning, including learning to the
West experienced fans. Efforts to narrow the and make up
for this gap. This is also all we Morricone lovers common
goals and tasks! Hope everyone. |
| Finally,
once again express my heartfelt gratitude to all friends
who pay attention to the book . I hope more friends comment
this book, and make continuous efforts to improve the quality
of the book. |
| The
editor and webmaster HAN April 5, 2013. |
|
|
