The Fastest Guitar Alive

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The Fastest Guitar Alive
Fastest guitar alive.jpg
Theatrical release poster by Frank Frazetta
Directed by Michael D. Moore
Written by Robert E. Kent
Produced by Sam Katzman
Starring Roy Orbison
Sammy Jackson
Maggie Pierce
Cinematography W. Wallace Kelley
Edited by Ben Lewis
Music byRoy Orbison
Bill Dees
Fred Karger
Color process Metrocolor
Production
company
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • September 1, 1967 (1967-09-01)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Fastest Guitar Alive is a 1967 American musical comedy Western film directed by Michael D. Moore and starring singer Roy Orbison in his only acting role. The film features Orbison performing seven original songs, which appeared on his 1967 MGM album of the same name. His song "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" is featured in the 2015 western film The Hateful Eight .

Contents

Plot

Near the end of the American Civil War, a Southern spy (Orbison) with a bullet-shooting guitar is given the task of robbing gold bullion from the United States Mint in San Francisco to help finance the ill-fated Confederacy's last-ditch war effort.

Cast

Production and release

Filming began September 1966. [1] Although Orbison was pleased with the film, it proved to be a critical and box office flop. While MGM had included five films in his contract, no more were made. [2] [3]

Soundtrack

The Fastest Guitar Alive
The Fastest Guitar Alive Soundtrack.jpg
Soundtrack album by
Roy Orbison
ReleasedJune 1967
Genre Rock and roll
Length22:27
Label MGM (E 4475)
Producer Wesley Rose & Jim Vienneau
Roy Orbison chronology
Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson
(1967)		The Fastest Guitar Alive
(1967)		 Cry Softly Lonely One
(1967)
Singles from The Fastest Guitar Alive
  1. "Pistolero"
    Released: July 1967 [4]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

A soundtrack album for the film was released in June 1967 on MGM Records. It was the only album to consist entirely of Roy Orbison/Bill Dees originals. Its single "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" reached No. 18 in the UK and entered the Australian chart at its highest position of #32 before slipping down the chart.

The album was also included in the 2015 box set The MGM Years 1965–1973 – Roy Orbison. [8]

Reception

Richie Unterberger of AllMusic said the album "includes what may be his best obscure tune, the rarely anthologized "Whirlwind." With its galloping rhythm, emotive operatic vocals, swirling strings, and ghostly backing vocals, it recalls the best uptempo ballads that he recorded during his early-'60s heyday at the Monument label." [9]

Billboard described the album as "a pack powerful emotion." [10]

Cashbox identified the album as a "Pop Picks in its review from July 1967, notes "These tunes, in addition to three other Orbison originals, are included" [11]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Whirlwind"2:10
2."Medicine Man, Medicine Man"2:43
3."River"3:02
4."The Fastest Guitar Alive"3:08
5."Rollin' On"2:15
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Pistolero"2:58
2."Good Time Party"2:23
3."Heading South"2:45
4."Best Friend"2:38
5."There Won't Be Many Coming Home"2:46

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Star Role for Jane Fonda". Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug 1966: D17.
  2. ↑ Clayson, Alan, pp. 146–147.
  3. ↑ Amburn, pp. 151–153.
  4. ↑ Amburn, Ellis (1990). Dark star: The Roy Orbison Story. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group. pp. 257–258. ISBN   9-780818-405181.
  5. ↑ The Fastest Guitar Alive at AllMusic
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1062. ISBN   9781846098567 . Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  7. ↑ Waston, Jimmy; Jopling, Norman (March 16, 1968). "new albums reviewed by Norman Jopling and Peter Jones: Potent Film L.P. from Orbison". Record Mirror . No. 366. p. 8.
  8. ↑ "The MGM Years 1965-1973 - Roy Orbison". allmusic.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  9. ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "Roy Orbison - The Fastest Guitar Alive [Original Soundtrack]: Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  10. ↑ "Pop Spotlight: The Fastest Guitar Alive". Billboard . Vol. 79, no. 30. July 29, 1967. p. 38.
  11. ↑ "Cashbox Album Pop Pick Reviews: The Fastest Guitar Alive". Cash Box . Vol. 28, no. 50. July 22, 1967. p. 40.


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