Alexander the Great [Original Soundtrack] (1956)

Alexander the Great [Original Soundtrack] (1956) Composed by Mario Nascimbene (1913-2002) Tracklisting: 1. [00:00] Main Titles 2. [02:06] Philips Return to Pella 3. [03:36] Olympias' Party and the Burning of Alexandropolis 4. [05:04] Alexander and Eurydice 5. [08:06] The Battle of Cheronea 6. [11:03] Barsina and Alexander 7. [11:57] Battle of Granicus 8. [14:34] Memnon's Death and Storming of Miletus 9. [16:03] Battle of Guagamela 10. [22:27] Chase and Death of Darius 11. [24:04] Alexander's Death Dive into the dramatic life, epic battles, and political intrigue of the legendary Macedonian king and military leader Alexander III, better known as Alexander the Great. Featuring Richard Burton (1925-1984) in the titular role, this engaging historical epic was written, produced, and directed by Robert Rossen (1908-1966) and also stars British actress Claire Bloom (known for her distinguished stage career), French actress Danielle Darrieux (1917-2017), Fredric March (1897-1975), regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930's and 1940's, English actor Murray Hordern (1911-1995), Mexican actor Rubén Rojo (1922-1993), and legendary Hammer horror icon Peter Cushing (1913-1994), who appears in a short role as an Athenian commander whose wife (played by Claire Bloom) harbors hidden affections for the man he is about to oppose in battle. Starting from his childhood and education under Aristotle, the film captures the complexities of Alexander's character and his relentless pursuit of glory. It also explores the personal costs of his conquests as well as his relationships with his generals and family, particularly with his father, King Philip II (Fredric March), whose own conquests significantly influenced him, and his mother, Olympias (Danielle Darrieux), who claimed he was a son of Zeus. With lavish sets and costumes, decent location cinematography (from Robert Krasker), and well-staged battle sequences utilizing thousands of extras (thanks to the co-operation of the Spanish military), this is a visually impressive but often historically inaccurate portrayal of one of history's most iconic figures. Adding to the dramatic storytelling is a spectacular score from Italian composer Mario Nascimbene that not only ticks off an impressive number of boxes but rightfully deserves its place alongside his most cherished works from the same period. Dialogue on the opening and closing tracks was voiced by Dennis Lotis (1925-2023), a South African-born actor, singer and entertainer. Though best known for scoring Hollywood epics such as 'The Barefoot Contessa (1954), 'The Vikings (1958), and 'Solomon and Sheba (1959) among others, Nascimbene also worked on the British films 'One Million Years B.C. (1966) and 'The Vengeance of She (1968) and the critically acclaimed 1969 Egyptian film 'The Night of Counting the Years. He was also known for his close working relationship with celebrated Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni (1924-1996) and his contributions to Italian neorealism, including the scores for the often neglected 'Rome Eleven O’clock (1952) and 'Violent Summer (1959). Some of his other notable works include 'Operation Mitra (1951), 'The Adventures of Mandrin (1952), 'Tragic Ballad (1954), 'A Farewell to Arms (1957), 'Room at the Top (1959), 'Carthage in Flames (1960), 'Constantine and the Cross (1961), and 'Swordsman of Siena (1962), earning him a place among the leading Italian film composers of his generation. This video is for promotional use only. I do not own the rights to the music. All rights belong to the artist / band.