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Stupid way to dispatch the bad guy at the end. But it is such a fun movie. Plus Jane Seymour was volcanically hot.
I’ve just realised that the theme to The Saint is a subtle ripoff of the Bond theme.
Personally, I think not. Both probably written around 1961/62. Can’t get a date for each, though. Wikipedia says The Saint theme was based on a tune Leslie Charteris used to whistle. Very similar use of brass section (brass arrangement is stylistically in keeping for the era, so not surprising two composers approached with a similar style) but the ‘surf guitar’ of Bond vs. the ‘whistle’ of The Saint are nothing like each other. Simply two composers arranging tunes with some elements of the style of the period. Not a rip-off, subtle or otherwise.
Edwin Astley is actually the composer credited with The Saint theme and was a contemporary of John Barry, But as the rise of Bond and The Saint occurred at virtually the same time I will have to drop my case. It did not BTW have anything to do with “surf guitar” or the “whistle” of the saint but of the phrasing of a couple of key theme elements. Very similar timing and treatment.
Well your opinion is yours. No need to drop it. But the only similarity I heard was the use of the brass section arrangements. But along the way I learnt that Edwin Astley wrote a lot of other TV themes I grew up with, too. I need to explore more about him.
His son-in law is Pete Townshend. He did a bunch of TV themes. Watched an episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) last night - well as much as I could bear - all a bit dated these days.
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