Instrument used for the Unforgiven opening

December 21, 2007 3:30 PM

What is the stringed instrument that plays the wistful tune at the beginning of the movie Unforgiven with Clint Eastwood? Mandolin? Banjo? Ukelele? I want to buy one.
posted by zaebiz to media & arts (6 comments total)

If memory serves, it's a resonator guitar w/ slide.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 3:46 PM on December 21, 2007

If it's the same song that plays in this trailer, then I would agree with balrog. I know for a fact that isn't not a mandolin, banjo, or uke in the song thats playing in the link I sent. Let me know if that's the same song or not.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:59 PM on December 21, 2007

Thanks for the replies. Can't view YouTube at the moment but I am pretty sure the name of the song is "Claudia's Theme" if that helps clarify.
posted by zaebiz at 5:07 PM on December 21, 2007

It almost sounds like a cuatro to me. Laurindo Almeida is the credited guitar player on the film but it appears he only played in the classical style.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 5:58 PM on December 21, 2007

From Moviemusicukus.com:

"As always, the backbone of the score is a melody composed by Eastwood himself - 'Claudia's Theme'. It may come as a surprise to many, but Eastwood has a great ear for deceptively simple tunes, and has contributed the main melodic material to many of his movies' scores, including recent hits such as Absolute Power and The Bridges of Madison County. 'Claudia's Theme' is performed no less than eight times during the course of the score, but on each occasion Niehaus has had the sense to give it a unique, fresh twist through variations in orchestration.

The first performance, in the 'Main Title', introduces it as a crystal clear guitar solo, performed impeccably and with feeling by Laurindo Almeida. By its third and fourth performances, the solo guitar element has developed into two beautiful new renditions, firstly by strings, and then by a guitar duo with a bold timpani and a delicate brass accompaniment. By number seven, though, it has changed again, this time into a supremely haunting piece with the surprise addition of a cold, whispery-sounding synthesiser to beef up the sense of danger. However, by far the best rendition comes in the end credits, where after several subtle refrains of the lovely guitar, the full orchestra takes over properly for the first time, presenting a broad and lush theme which captures the true essence of the film - the nobility, honour, but occasional sadness of a group of honest people simply trying to get on with their lives in a vast, dangerous, uncharted new land."
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:18 PM on December 21, 2007

Thanks, I'd been wondering this as well. "Claudia's Theme" is one my favourite pieces of music.

It's nice when MeFi answers a question you haven't asked yet!
posted by flutable at 12:48 AM on December 22, 2007