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		Daddy's Gone A-Hunting
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting The Film | The Music Audio | Video References | Links Compositions: Films Previous: Heidi Next: Goodbye, Mr. Chips Chronological filmography Alphabetical filmography Television films Miscellanea		The Film Release date: July 16, 1969 Studio: National General Running time: 108 minutes Director: Mark Robson Cast: Carol White, Scott Hylands, Paul Burke, Mala Powers, Rachel Ames, Barry Cahill, Matilda Calnan, Andrea King, Gene Lyons, Ron Masak, Dennis Patrick, James B. Sikking. Technical information: Technicolor Mark Robson followed up his trashy adaptation of Valley of the Dolls with this more modestly budgeted exploitation film. Young artist Cathy Palmer (White) has just arrived in San Francisco when she meets Kenneth Daly (Hylands), an out-of-work photographer who helps her find a job at an ad agency. They begin living together, but soon Cathy realizes all is not right with Kenneth. Just as they are breaking up, she discovers she is pregnant and has an (illegal) abortion. Kenneth learns of the pregnancy and is elated to become a father; when Cathy tells him of the termination, he becomes distraught and goes off the deep end. A few years later, Cathy meets and marries a lawyer running for Congress (Burke). Pregnant once again, she has a chance meeting with Kenneth and he begins stalking her; after the child is born he tells her she must kill the baby to atone for killing his child years earlier. Kenneth manages to kidnap the infant (transporting him around San Francisco in a cat carrier), and leads the authorities on a chase which ends at the top of the Mark Hopkins hotel. While Daddy's Gone A-Hunting does not aspire to greatness, it succeeds at creating suspense and a general aura of creepiness. Although the subject matter may have been shocking in its day, most of it seems rather tame now. The film benefits from some moments of inspired direction and occasionally clever dialogue. Variety praised some of Robson's "brisk directing [which] makes for a wonderful lesson in economic filmmaking" while the New York Times complained that he "makes movies the way other men build walls out of cement blocks—methodically and with heavy materials."
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting The Film | The Music Audio | Video References | Links		The Music Music Composed and Conducted by: John Williams Song: Lyrics by Dory Previn, Music by John Williams Sung by: Lyn Roman Music Editor: Jack Mick Williams approached the first portion of the score in much the same manner as he had Robson's Valley of the Dolls. Indeed, Dory Previn, who provided lyrics for then-husband Andre Previn's songs in the earlier film, returned to work with John Williams on this title song. Although it is faster-paced and more upbeat than the Dolls theme song, "Daddy's Gone A-Hunting" plays the same narrative role over the main titles, with Lyn Roman singing about a young woman's newfound independence after leaving home for the first time. Additional lyrics are heard in a reprise of the song early in the film, "Goodbye to My Dreams", as well as over the end titles. It is possible that the filmmakers hoped to strike gold twice with another hit song, but whatever the reason, it serves to steer the audience into expecting a film about an independent young woman's new life in San Francisco, before taking a sharp turn into terror and suspense. A bridge section incorporates the nursery song of the film's title; this tune is also heard later in the film (sung creepily by Kenneth) and Williams weaves it into the score for eerie effect. Aside from the title song (which features a brassy accompaniment) and some of the source cues, the remainder of the music is scored for strings, keyboards, harp and percussion. The early cues in the film feature a lush setting for piano and strings of music melodically related to elements of the title song. The score becomes starker as matters turn more serious. Wedding Day (which quotes Mendelssohn's Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream) is the last upbeat cue until the cathartic Finale. As Kenneth descends deeper into depravity, and Cathy and her baby face greater danger, the music becomes completely non-melodic; many cues are scored for percussion instruments alone, foreshadowing the avant-garde writing of Images. These cues employ low and high range keyboard (both piano and harpsichord) clusters, string glissandi, cymbal rolls, non-melodic rhythmic figures and even a human voice. Although the title song serves to convey Cathy's backstory, the remainder of the score does not promote sympathy or antipathy towards any of the characters; it mostly seeks to create a general aura of creepiness and to support the shock effects of the screen action. Daddy's Gone A-Hunting is not a terribly important entry in Williams' oeuvre, but it is successful at heightening the film's suspense and in setting the stage for one of Williams' masterpieces, Images, a few years later.
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting The Film | The Music Audio | Video References | Links		Audio The title song was reportedly issued on a 45 (Dot 17265); no other music from this film was ever released.
		Video This film is available on VHS (Warner Bros. 11840) but not on Laserdisc or DVD
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting The Film | The Music Audio | Video References | Links		References "Film Reviews: Daddy's Gone A-Hunting," Robe. Variety, May 28 1969, 36:5 "Review: Daddy's Gone A-Hunting," Vincent Canby New York Times, July 17 1969, 58:1
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting The Film | The Music Audio | Video References | Links		Links Internet Movie Database entry for Daddy's Gone A-Hunting Cinebooks Database entry for Daddy's Gone A-Hunting All Movie Guide entry for Daddy's Gone A-Hunting
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