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| re: My Fair Lady -- Question about Rex Harrison's Vocals | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 11:24 pm EDT 04/03/21 | |
| In reply to: My Fair Lady -- Question about Rex Harrison's Vocals - BroadwayTonyJ 07:47 pm EDT 04/03/21 | |
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| Harrison's live vocals were recorded through a tiny microphone on his tie that was made to look like a tie clip -- at least, in those scenes where he's wearing a tie. This has been written about in several articles and books, and it's covered in one of the documentaries about the making and/or the restoration of the movie -- they even zoom in on the mic/tie clip at one point, to illustrate. Presumably the mic was located elsewhere but also disguised in other scenes in which Harrison is not wearing a tie. I'm not sure why you think the same method could have been used for his vocals in the ensemble number, but actually, I'm pretty sure that Harrison did SOME looping after the fact for some numbers, so not ALL of the vocals are live (though most of them are). |
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| re: My Fair Lady -- Question about Rex Harrison's Vocals | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 08:53 am EDT 04/04/21 | |
| In reply to: re: My Fair Lady -- Question about Rex Harrison's Vocals - Michael_Portantiere 11:24 pm EDT 04/03/21 | |
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| Yes, I have finally seen that documentary and know about the mic in his tie so I assume that's how he recorded his solo numbers. That process is straightforward enough so that someone like me (who knows absolutely nothing about filming and recording musical numbers in a movie) can understand the entire process. Here's what I don't understand. In The Rain in Spain number, do Harrison and Hyde-White sing live? Does Hepburn also speak her lines leading up to the song live and then just lip-sync Eliza's lyrics so that Nixon's vocals can be added later? Or is Nixon actually on the set (but out of sight) and singing the lyrics to Hepburn's miming? I know these questions must sound stupid to those who understand the whole process, but honestly I just want to take this opportunity to find out exactly how the whole recording thing is actually done. BTW I think you have done a great service to all of us non-insiders (I hope I'm not the only one) by bringing up all these issues regarding the My Fair Lady film. I'm really learning a lot of things I never knew or really understood. Even though I have owned the DVD of My Fair Lady for at least 15 years, I never bothered to watch the documentary (on disc #2) about the making of the film until yesterday. |
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| re: My Fair Lady -- Question about Rex Harrison's Vocals | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 09:31 am EDT 04/04/21 | |
| In reply to: re: My Fair Lady -- Question about Rex Harrison's Vocals - BroadwayTonyJ 08:53 am EDT 04/04/21 | |
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| Hey, first of all, I apologize for a typo in my previous response here. What I meant to type was, "I'm not sure why you think the same method could NOT have been used for his vocals in the ensemble number." As for "The Rain in Spain," although I don't know all the details for certain, I can assure you that Marni was not standing there on the set and singing the lyrics while Hepburn lip-synced! Audrey was either lip-syncing to a pre-record of Marni's voice, or to a pre-record of her own voice (Audrey's) and Marni looped in the sung sections later. I have never been sure whether the talking, laughing, and horse play during the number was recorded live, or lip-synched, or looped, though it SEEMS to me it was NOT recorded live. I'm glad you watched that documentary. Yes, it's fascinating. Fun fact, and I don't remember if it's in that docu, but the cinematographer for MFL was the same fellow who, years earlier, had served in that same capacity for the film of PYGMALION: Harry Stradling. |
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