20,000 Vinyl LPs 62: Samson and Delilah ~ 10" of fun

Samson and Delilah soundtrack 

10" vinyl LP record

photo of album by Styrous®

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I was about 9 years old when I saw Victor Mature with Hedy Lamarr in Cecil B. DeMille's Biblical epic, Samson and Delilah, (1949). I loved the great scenes with Samson fighting soldiers, lions, etc., but my favorite part of the whole movie was, and still is, the Temple of Dagon scene when Samson (Mature) brings down the house (pun intended). Pretty cool stuff for a nine-year-old kid.  

Samson and Delilah

Temple of Dagon scene

By Paramount - AllPosters.com, Public Domain

The film's special effects were supervised by Gordon Jennings. The "money shot" was the toppling of the temple of Dagon, the god of the Philistines. It is the penultimate scene in the film, cost $150,000, and took a year to shoot. The bottom portion of the temple was constructed full-scale. A separate 37-foot high model with a 17-foot high Dagon statue was built for the photographic effects. The model was destroyed three times in order to shoot it through different camera angles. Footage of the full-scale set was merged with footage of the scale model using a "motion repeater system" fabricated by Paramount, which enabled the exact repetition of camera moves.     

Samson gets clipped by Delilah 

Victor Mature & Hedy Lamarr 

Samson and Delilah

film still

The film received its televised world premiere at two of New York City's Broadway theatres, the Paramount and the Rivoli, on December 21, 1949, in order to "accommodate the 7,000,000 movie-goers in the greater New York area.        

Samson and Delilah

movie poster

As with all biblical themes, the destruction of the Temple of Dagon was interpreted by classical artists. According to the biblical narrative, Samson died when he grasped two pillars of the Temple of Dagon, and "bowed himself with all his might" (Judges 16:30, KJV). This has been variously interpreted as Samson pushing the pillars apart (top) or pulling them together (bottom).    

Samson destroys the Temple of Dagon

Gustave Doré, ca. 1860 

"And he bowed forward with all his might and pulled the pillars over with him, bringing down the roof upon those that were under it. Samson himself was among the dead; but in his death he killed more of the Philistines than he had killed during his life."

Bible illustration - ca 1890

Samson's Fight with the Lion 

Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1525

The Blinded Samson

Lovis Corinth, 1912

The score for the film was written by Victor Young, one of the great composers of film scores of that period. The screenplay was written by Jesse L. Lasky, Jr. and Fredric M. Frank.  

 Stats 

Victor Young, The Paramount Symphony Orchestra* ‎– Samson And Delilah (Themes From The Score)

Label: Decca ‎– DL 6007
Format: Vinyl, LP, 10", Album
Country: US
Released: 1950
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1     Samson's Call    
A2     Miriam And The Dance To Dagon    
A3     The Valley Of Zorah    
A4     The Feather Dance    
A5     Delilah's Theme    

Side 2:

B1     Blind Samson    
B2     The Philistine March    
B3     Delilah's Remorse    
B4     The Feast Dance    
B5     Bacchanale    
B6     Delilah's Harp    
B7     Samson And Delilah    

Credits:

    Composed and Conducted by Victor Young

Notes:

Maroon label with gold print in circular pattern.

Net links:   
          
Stories From The Hebrew Bible: The Strong Man             
               
Delilah's theme on YouTube:
               
Samson destroys the Temple of Dagon on YouTube      
              
Complete soundtrack
       

Having a bad haircut can be quite traumatic! 

                                                 ~ Rachel Lauren Stevens  (Spice Girl)

Styrous® ~ Saturday, July 30, 2016  

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