A documentary about the inventor of the first electronic synthesiser instrument and his subsequent life after he was abducted by the KGB as well as a history of his instrument.
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Title: Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1993)
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1 win & 3 nominations.
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Leon Theremin | ... | Self - Inventor of the Theremin | |
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Clara Rockmore | ... | Self - Theremin Virtuoso |
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Robert Moog | ... | Self - Inventor of the Moog Synthesizer |
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Nicolas Slonimsky | ... | Self - Composer and Historian |
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Paul Shure | ... | Self - Musician |
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Henry Solomonoff | ... | Self - Theremin Studio Member |
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Suki Bader | ... | Self - Theremin Dancer |
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Beryl Campbell | ... | Self - Theremin Dancer |
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Lydia Kavina | ... | Self - Theremin's Great Niece |
| Brian Wilson | ... | Self - Founder of The Beach Boys | |
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Todd Rundgren | ... | Self - Musician and Producer |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| V.I. Lenin | ... | Self (archive footage) (as Lenin) | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
A documentary about the amazing life of Leon Theremin, inventor of the theremin, the electronic musical instrument so beloved of 50s sci-fi movie music. Theremin amazed America with his instrument until his kidnapping by Soviet agents in the mid-30s. Upon his release from a labor camp, he worked on surveillance devices for the KGB. Almost 60 years later , he is brought back to America for a touching reunion with his friends and colleagues. Written by Erik Gregersen <erik@astro.as.utexas.edu>
Taglines:
The Music He Created Was Strange. His Life Was Even Stranger.Parents Guide:
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Written by Harry Revel (uncredited)
Performed by Les Baxter (as The Great Les Baxter)
Arranged and Conducted by Les Baxter (uncredited)
from the Capitol album "Music Out of the Moon" (uncredited)
Courtesy Capitol Records
Bax Music
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
In addition to being the inventor of the musical instrument that bears his name, Léon Theremin was also the inventor of the eavesdropping electronic-bugging device. See more »Goofs
In the documentary, Bob Moog makes a statement to the effect that Stradivarius designed the first violin. "Stradivarius" is not a person but refers to a musical instrument, usually a violin, made by Antonio Stradivari and his family. The violin existed as an instrument for more than a century before the birth of Antonio Stradivari in 1644. See more »Quotes
Brian Wilson - Founder of The Beach Boys: It sounded like one of those scary movies where - OOOH - a weird trip, you know. Weird facial expressions. Weird, you know. It's almost sexual.See more »
Alternate Versions
The uncut version of the film contains a segment from The Mickey Mouse Club that is not available in any of the home-video releases because of rights issues. See more »Soundtracks
Moon MoodsWritten by Harry Revel (uncredited)
Performed by Les Baxter (as The Great Les Baxter)
Arranged and Conducted by Les Baxter (uncredited)
from the Capitol album "Music Out of the Moon" (uncredited)
Courtesy Capitol Records
Bax Music
See more »
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Details
Release Date:
24 August 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$8,335, 27 August 1995Gross USA:
$253,311Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$253,311Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
I own one of Bob Moog's theremins, and it's the most difficult instrument that I've ever tried to learn to play. This film is a great overview of the instrument, the man that invented it, and the artists who have mastered it. I, too, was glad that the film downplayed the sci-fi gimmicky aspect of the instrument, but that is also an important part of its history. The best use in a film is probably The Day The Earth Stood Still.
Many of the people in the film have since become deceased, so this is a great historical record of Mr. Theremin and Ms. Rockmore. I only wish that I could come close to her artistry with the instrument.
Various companies build and sell theremins, the most popular among them being the late Bob Moog's Big Briar.