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Akira Ifukube |
| Composer |
Date of birth:
May 31st, 1914
Kushiro, Hokkaido,
Japan |
Date of death:
February 8th,
2006
Tokyo,
Japan |
|
| Biography |
| Hands down, Toho's
greatest and most beloved composer. Akira Ifukube
is most famous for his numerous contributions
to the Godzilla series; however, his portfolio
of work spans far beyond that, and his earliest
score dates as far back as 1947. Following the
closure of the Godzilla series in 1975 with Terror
of Mechagodzilla and after completing
his score of Lady Ogin (1978), Ifukube
placed himself into "retirement" and
avoided composing music for other projects. One
of the more popular requests at the time was
for Ifukube to perform live concerts featuring
music from his numerous movie themes. Ifukube
turned down these requests, insisting that the
music wouldn't work as a stand alone experience.
In 1983, Ifukube finally caved in and created
his Symphonic Fantasia, later released as Godzilla
Fantasia, and used it during tours. In 1986,
Ifukube created Ostinato, a collection
of newly updated film themes, on commission from
Toho and the music was featured in numerous "outtake"
scenes that Toho begin to distribute with their
films. With the Godzilla series started once again,
Ifukube was being pressured to return to score
the new films, yet he continued to turn down the
offer. It wasn't until composer Koichi Sugiyama
made a "pop culture" update of Ifukube's
Godzilla theme, in Godzilla
vs. Biollante (1989), did Ifukube
decide to return to the scene. This occurred
after his daughter heard Sugiyama's score and
told her father even if he didn't agree to participate
they would use his themes anyway: "so why
don't you just do the next one yourself?" So
Ifukube returned to the Godzilla series, after
a 16 year absence, to score Toho's 60th Anniversary
film: Godzilla
vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Ifukube would
score four other films in the Godzilla Heisei
series before its closure, which also marked the
end of his career as a composer. However, Ifukube's
music still persists in films to this day, much
like Ifukube's own daughter predicted, appearing
in everything from the 2000 American, film Boiler
Room to Shusuke
Kaneko's Godzilla,
Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All
Out Attack (2001). |
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Snow Trail (1947)
