Avalon: Randy Newman’s Masterpiece Soundtrack to Barry Levinson’s Classic Movie about Five Jewish Immigrant Brothers Who Set Down Roots in a Beautiful City Named Baltimore, Roots Which were then Torn Asunder

Re-posted by N.S.

Seeing this bittersweet, Barry Levinson picture for the first time, in a virtually empty movie house built for a massive, failed co-op or condo project, Worldwide Cinema, if memory serves (which was turned into a discount, second-run movie house), for $1 in 1990, between 49th and 50th streets, and eighth and ninth avenues, inspired me to formulate Avalon syndrome. In Avalon syndrome, tight-knit, extended immigrant families, especially Jewish ones, fall apart, and water becomes thicker than blood.

The voice-over is by German actor Armin Mueller-Stahl, playing the character we initially see as a mustachioed young man, but now a widower at the end of the line.

The wistfully beautiful score is courtesy of Randy Newman, of the notorious Newman Gang (Al, Lionel, Thomas).

The story opens with the joy of an old-fashioned, Baltimore Independence Day celebration, and yet, as repeatedly underscored by Newman’s melancholy theme, Avalon is one of the saddest pictures I’ve ever seen. The picture bombed at the box office; it’s hard to get people in a theater to have their hearts broken, and the heyday of Jewish notalgia, circa 1964-1974, lay a generation in the past.


“I Came to Baltimore on the 4th of July”




“1914” (Remastered Version)



“Weekend Musicians”



“Jules & Michael” (Remastered Version)



“Television, Television, Television” (Remastered Version)



“Circus” (Remastered)



“Wedding” (Remastered)



“The Family” (Remastered)



“The Fire” (Remastered)



“No More Television” (Remastered)



“Moving Day” (Remastered)



“Funeral” (Remastered)



End Titles (Remastered Version)