"Ralph Vaughan Williams, 49th Parallel - The Complete Music Written for the Film"
Ralph Vaughan Williams composed in a wide
variety of genres, and film music became a significant part of his output in
the latter decades of a long and distinguished career. He viewed film scores as
more than just ephemera, seeking to “intensify the spirit of the whole” in
wartime productions such as “49th Parallel” (CDLX7405).
Dutton Epoch presents the world premiere
recording of the complete score. “49th Parallel” (aka “The Invaders”) has
been constructed from the original manuscripts by Martin Yates in 2022. This
new recording by The BBC Concert Orchestra is conducted by Martin Yates and
offers a soaring re-birth it has long deserved.
It all began in 1940 when conductor Muir
Mathieson approached Ralph Vaughan Williams about writing the score for this
film. The movie was part of the government’s wartime policy to use cinema to
rally up the support from the nation. The patriotic Vaughan Williams was only
too happy to oblige, and the score became his first of eleven for film.
Originally, The London Symphony Orchestra, (conducted by Mathieson and George
Stratton), were used to record Vaughan Williams’ music for the production.
The music, of course, remains a stirring and
remarkable achievement. The Prelude is the first piece of music heard in the
film, and has remained perhaps the most popular piece from the score. The marrying
of strings and brass set up the score perfectly as a repeated theme which is
peppered throughout the soundtrack - but is delivered in its full glory within
the Prelude. Vaughan Williams’ provides a rich and varied score, which makes
good use of timpani rolls, bold brass and a variety of comforting woodwind.
“49th Parallel” is, and will quite
probably remain, a quintessentially British classic. It has the ability to be
both uplifting and emotionally charged. As one who has attended the odd concert
of Vaughan Williams music, I can honestly say that there is almost a collective
intake of breath amongst the audience once they are alerted to the opening
chords of “49th Parallel” – and there’s not many pieces of music which
command that degree of attention and general awe.
Spread over 23 tracks, the production team of
Neil Varley, Emma Syrus and Executive producer Michael J Dutton have delivered
perhaps the most comprehensive edition of Williams’ masterful score. The CD is
also boosted by a super 12-page booklet which features detailed notes and
photos – all of which is edited by Oliver Lomax. As with any of the Dutton SACD
Hybrid Multi-Channel CD’s, all tracks are also available in stereo and playable
on any standard CD player.
Charles Gerhardt National Philharmonic
Orchestra – “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Star Wars”
In recent years, Vocalion
have been instrumental in the remastered reissues of the highly enjoyable Charles
Gerhardt albums of the Seventies, most of which were released on the RCA Read
Seal label, a quality and highly respected label back in the day. Vocalion have chosen wisely in picking up and renewing
these titles, often popular with budding young soundtrack collectors, they also
retain a nostalgic, childhood charm and many original LPs can still be found in
various collections. Vocalion’s latest offering in their SACD Hybrid series is
the wonderful 1978 album “Charles Gerhardt National Philharmonic Orchestra –
Close Encounters of the Third Kind And Star Wars” (CDLK4642).
Recorded in London’s Kingsway Hall on December
23, 1977, the album proved to be a very popular with fans of both films and
were quite happy to welcome this piece of vinyl to sit alongside their original
John Williams LPs. Some 45 years on from that original release, Vocalion’s Michael
J. Dutton has remastered and remixed the recording in quadraphonic form from
the original analogue tapes, and it’s a glorious piece of work.
I initially wondered if this particular
release would be worth the upgrade. I still own the RCA Red Seal CD (RCD 13650)
from 1983, and despite its gathering years, I always maintained the view that
it still sounded rather good. However, popping this newly polished edition into
the CD drawer, it soon became apparent that there was in fact a world of
difference. The audio is much more expansive and completely envelopes you with
a newly found level of richness, clarity and warmth. The CD sticks to its
original sequencing of 6 tracks from “Star Wars” (totalling some 33 minutes)
and is followed by the “Close Encounters” suite at 21-minutes. It’s great that Vocalion have again stuck to the original album art, a
feature that collectors certainly respect and goes a long way in cementing
their memories of enjoyment and nostalgia. The 8-page booklet contains Charles
Gerhardt’s original (and quite extensive) liner notes and is illustrated nicely
throughout.
“Charles Gerhardt’s Close Encounters of the
Third Kind and Star Wars” is an impressive release and well worth the upgrade
if quality ranks high on your list of priorities. Vocalion seem to have a
reliable knack of delivering on quality and they appear to do it with a
justified sense of pride – long may it continue.
By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtracks Editor
It was back in 2005 that I last reviewed Guido
and Maurizio De Angelis’s Piedone a Hong Kong (1975). A multi layered and
hugely enjoyable score to the Bud Spencer poliziotteschi-comedy film directed
by Stefano Vanzina (aka Steno). Piedone a Hong Kong was the second of four
"Flatfoot" films, all of which featured Spencer as the Naples Police
Inspector "Flatfoot" Rizzo. In 2005 it was the new Digitmovies CD,
which in itself was a nicely produced album consisting of 70 minutes of music.
Some eighteen years on, Chris’ Soundtrack
Corner decided to dig a little deeper and as a result, produced a super two-CD
version of Piedone a Hong Kong (CSC 035), the label’s first two-disc release. Rizzo's signature theme composed for the first
film embodied the De Angelis' penchant for flavourful, catchy melodies. The
theme was carried over into all four movies and naturally became the primary
motif heard in Piedone a Hong Kong. This time, it was aided by an exotic
electric guitar that works well to identify the luxurious Hong Kong landscape
as well as accommodating Rizzo's cheerful, uninhibited nature, just as it would
later in the detective's adventures in Africa and Egypt. Reprising their
infectious main theme from the first Piedone movie, brothers Guido &
Maurizio De Angelis weave their way through Piedone a Hong Kong with a
delightful array of tuneful themes etched with a degree of ethnic Asian music
which energise Rizzo's journey, all of which treats the film's humour and dramatic
action with an equal degree of light-hearted fun and exciting suspense music.
It’s a blend that might seem a little awkward on paper, but it works tremendously
well as a listening experience.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner’s new extended two-CD
edition now consists of 101 minutes of music, incorporating the complete film
score. Disc one (the score) includes a great deal of previously unreleased cues,
while the second disc provides an impressive collection (19 tracks) of
alternative versions, different mixes and the A and B sides of the original
Italian 7” single release (CAM AMP 153) from 1975.
There has obviously been a great deal of
thought behind this release, and Chris' Soundtrack Corner have made sure this
is not just another standard re-issue. There’s an entirely new, fresh vibrancy
about this edition, not only in its content and audio quality (excellently produced
by Christian Riedrich and mastered by Manmade Mastering), but in its packaging
too. A 16-page, full colour illustrated booklet designed by Tobias Kohlhaas accompanies
the CD’s and features detailed, exclusive notes by Randall D. Larson, who
explores the making of the film as well as the score in fine detail. A super
release which deserved of much praise.
It's probably fair to say that Le ultime ore di una vergine (1972) (CSC 040) wasn’t
widely seen outside of it’s native Italy. The film was also known by various
other titles such as The last hours of a virgin, Un Doppio A Meta and Double by
half for its limited American release. However, you’d still be excused had it
passed you by. As so often is the case, it is the music to such obscure titles
that often lives on beyond that of the film itself - and Daniele Patucchi's Le ultime ore di una vergine is no exception to that
rule.
In the 1970s, the genre of Italian melodramas
found fresh and innovative ways to discuss heavy topics against the backdrop of
romantic stories. Until abortion was made legal in 1978, Italian filmmakers
shot dramas cantering around the issue with varying degrees of good taste. Le
ultime ore di una vergine is one of the more constructively made examples of
these ‘abortion’ dramas. The film was co-written and directed by Gianfranco
Piccioli and features a relatively small cast, including Massimo Farinelli (his
last movie) as Enrico, a photographer. Laura, his pregnant girlfriend, is
played by the American-born actress Sydne Rome, perhaps best known as the
fetish-geared archaeologist hypnotised by Donald Pleasence in the rather
dreadful The Pumaman (1980). Enrico's deceitful journalist friend Roberto is played
by Don Backy. But through all of the unfolding drama of Le ultime ore di una
vergine, there's only one winning aspect of the movie, and that's Daniele
Patucchi’s score.
Whilst the Turin born composer has scored
over 50 films, his work has never tended to fall into the realms of mainstream consciousness,
which is a genuine pity as he really deserves much more attention. The score's
central theme is introduced in "Titoli" and is written for the female
character which curiously enough Patucchi titled "Sydne's Theme," basing
it after the actress rather than her character's name. There are also brilliant
recurring motives for other aspects of the story. "I mendicanti"
collects several cues that use the same propulsive energy for a montage
highlighting the various swindles all captured with a POV style of camera. The
score also provides a few suspense cues. In what is arguably the film's strangest
moments, Enrico attends a magic show prompting the composer to provide a seemingly
self-contained cue for one of the story's visually most interesting sequences.
There are also some wonderful, almost improvised, electronic forms of scat
vocals peppered throughout the score where the singer improvises melodies and
rhythms rather than words. Delicate, haunting whispers also fluctuate through certain
cues - all of which work particularly well and really add to the score’s unique
footprint.
This is a world premiere release of the
film's soundtrack – although certain tracks have made their way on various
library compilations of Daniele Patucchi's music in
the past. As mentioned above, this has been fairly typical of Patucchi's recognition,
and the full score as a complete package, is far more beneficial in respects of
Patucchi’s talents as a composer. The CD has two bonus sections, opening with
the record versions of certain cues, which includes the unused version of
"Tema per Sydne," which was originally to appear on the soundtrack
but was actually removed from the film. The second half of the bonus section
includes all the source music heard in the movie including the vocal track "I
Love You More Than Life" with lyrics by Norman Newell.
The audio, again produced by Christian
Riedrich and mastered by Manmade Mastering, is clean and sharp throughout. The
CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated booklet featuring detailed notes by
Gergely Hubai. An excellent job for what could have easily become a forgotten
score. Kudos to Chris' Soundtrack Corner
for rescuing it from potential obscurity.
Piero Piccioni’s ...Dopo Di Che, Uccide Il Maschio E Lo Divora (1971) (CSC
041) has, in terms of its soundtrack history, had a somewhat varied life. As a
composer, Piccioni’s work is still highly regarded. Despite that, ...Dopo Di
Che, Uccide Il Maschio E Lo Divora remained a score that perhaps has not been
fully recognised in the past – despite a couple of incarnations. The standard
11 tracks did make their way onto a 2001 Piccioni CD (Screentrax CDST 335)
where it was paired up alongside music from Due Maschi Per Alexa (1971) and La Volpe
Dalla Coda Di Velluto (1971). In later years, it appeared in 2019 under its
American title Marta as a limited edition (300 copies) pressed on white vinyl
and released by Quartet Records (QRLP10) of Spain. Yet, despite of all its bells
and whistles, and in respects of its content, this only contained 12 tracks.
To set the scene, the film is a dramatic
thriller about a wealthy landowner (Miguel) haunted by the spectre of his dead
mother. When Miguel has an affair with a beautiful fugitive who bears a
striking resemblance to his missing wife (who has possibly run away or may have
been murdered) things turn decidedly awkward. Based on a play by Juan José
Alonso Millán, who also co-wrote the screenplay, the film was directed by
Spanish filmmaker José Antonio Nieves Conde. His influence
for the story was not so much the Giallo atmosphere of Dario Argento, as perhaps
some might suspect from its wordy Italian title, but more from the films of
Alfred Hitchcock. Featuring a psychopath linked to a mother and whose hobby is
collecting insects instead of taxidermy, plus a notorious weakness of spying on
beautiful women from hidden holes in the walls, the influences were pretty hard
to ignore.Miguel was played by Irish
actor Stephen Boyd (Ben-Hur, Fantastic Voyage) with Austrian actress Marisa Mell playing both Marta and the missing wife, Pilar. Mell
became very popular in Europe - especially in Italy, where she co-starred in Danger:
Diabolik and many other genre movies. At the time of filming, Boyd was in a
real relationship with Mell, so their charged, on-screen sexuality extended further
beyond their mere dedication to the acting profession.
Piero Piccioni's
score is an interesting and engaging mélange of original cues along with a
large variety of library music or cues tracked in from other films. The
repetition of motifs, textures, and full-on themes throughout the score assertively
integrates the music with the drama playing out on screen. Even with a variety
of individual tracks and musical sequences, Piccioni ties most of them together
by recognisable instrumental patterns and designs that characterise the
uncertain and potentially dangerous liaison between Marta, Pilar, and Miguel. Chris'
Soundtrack Corner have certainly taken up the challenge of ...Dopo Di Che,
Uccide Il Maschio E Lo Divora and its previous shortcomings. For their
presentation, they have opened this expanded release with Piccioni's original
11 album tracks followed by a further 19 tracks featuring the film versions, 17
of which are previously unreleased. There is also another alternate version of
the vocal track "Right or Wrong" sung by the golden voiced American songstress,
Shawn Robinson. As a result, the soundtrack now has a more rounded feel to it
and makes for a ‘fully grown’ listening experience and deserved of a ‘Mission Accomplished’
sticker.
As with their other releases, the score is
beautifully produced by Christian Riedrich and mastered by Manmade Mastering.
The CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated booklet featuring detailed notes
by Randall D. Larson. Overall, an excellent trilogy of releases that continue
to see the label grow in both style and stature.
By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtracks Editor
Silva Screen Records have added to their
excellent Barry Gray series of soundtracks with the first ever vinyl release of
The Secret service (1968) (SILLP1681). The origins of the series The Secret
Service began in 1968. Whilst working at Pinewood Studios, Gerry Anderson
bumped into a familiar face of stage and screen: comic actor Stanley Unwin.
With his whimsical charm and hilarious gibberish double talk (playfully
christened ‘Unwinese’) Unwin had earned great popularity throughout the 50s and
60s and the Anderson's immediately knew that they had found someone to base
their next puppet series on. For several years the Century 21 team had toyed
with directly basing a puppet character on a real-life actor, now the time had
come to make it a reality. Duly, the Andersons developed a premise around
Unwin, returning to their ‘unlikely spy’ scenario which had worked so well with
Joe 90. They created ‘Father’ Unwin, a kindly priest who, despite outwardly
disappearing into whimsy, doubles as a determined agent for British
Intelligence. In the serie,s the lines would be blurred even further between
the miniature Supermarionation world and reality, as live action footage of
Stanley Unwin would also be used in the series.
To appropriately reflect The Secret Service’s
premise and compliment the gentle title sequence created to introduce the
series, Barry Gray decided to step completely away from his usual
attention-grabbing themes and write a three-part fugue in the style of the
Baroque composer Bach. To perform the vocals, the Mike Sammes Singers were
hired, the vocal group who Gray had used on the Supercar theme back in 1961.
Once coupled with soft organ and minimalist percussion, a truly unique piece of
inventive music was born to bookend Father Unwin's adventures, which perfectly
captured the off-beat nature of the series.
Silva Screen have delivered another excellent
package which perfectly supports their previous entries. The sound quality is
exceptionally good and the packaging comes in the form of a high gloss gatefold
sleeve with the LP pressed in an appropriate Grass Green Vinyl. 14 tracks of
cherished childhood memories round off this collection with informative liner
notes included within. We love it!
Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz, Teil 2 (aka:
Breakthrough/Sergeant Steiner); the German-British movie from 1979 brought
together Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Curd Jürgens and an uncredited
Christoph Waltz.
Following the immensely successful and
profitable School Girl Report movies, producer Wolf C. Hartwig could afford a
much bigger international production. Cross of Iron was based on a World War II
novel and of course directed by Sam Peckinpah. The music was set to be composed
by Peter Thomas. However, on meeting, the two did not get along (interview with
Peter Thomas in “Der Filmkomponist Peter Thomas” by Gerd Naumann, 2009 ibidem
Verlag). In the end, the American composer Ernest Gold scored the movie.
Despite several financial squabbles, the film became a great international
success in 1977.
A sequel was quickly set in motion. This time
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, and with a score finally written by Peter
Thomas. The new director and the composer hit it off right away. The title
melody by Peter Thomas was released as a single by Ariola shortly after the
film premiere in 1979. The film Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz, Teil 2, however,
was unable to match the success of the original movie despite an impressive cast
and the reuniting of Burton and director McLaglen who had worked so well on The
Wild Geese (1978). A proposed soundtrack LP release of Thomas’s score was
therefore shelved due to the film’s poor reception.
Allscore Media’s new revised release marks
the vinyl premiere of the film music, supplemented by a previously unreleased
track that was not included on a long out-of-print CD release from 1993. Following
Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra – Bruce Lee: The Big Boss (CD/LP ASM 048, Allscore
2020) and Winnetou and Old Firehand (CD/LP ASM 049, Allscore 2021), this is the
third CD/LP release in a series dedicated to the legacy of composer Peter
Thomas.
Steiner-Das Eiserne Kreuz 2 is presented in a
very limited edition of 500 and comes in an orange translucent vinyl (LP
22228-1) with a super gatefold sleeve featuring brand new artwork by the
talented artist Adrian Keindorf. This release is also available in a digipack
CD release (CD 22228-2). The audio quality is remarkably clean and wide in its
delivery, suggesting that the masters have survived and been kept very well.
“Instrumentalisation” (2023)(Cine 28) was
released on vinyl on February 24th together with a CD edition that includes last
year’s release, “Manipulation” (2022)(Cine 27) in a different mix and order.
There is also a 2-vinyl/CD set offered together with “Manipulation”. “Instrumentalisation”
is the long awaited and eagerly anticipated sister album to LAWA’s “Manipulation”.
I should point out at this stage, and for
review purposes, that I am listening to the vinyl LP version of this release.
The LP plays continuously (in a concept style) and without breaks, which
sometimes proves hard to determine where some pieces begin and end. “Instrumentalisation”
opens with the brooding ‘Plugout’, a nice synth-based rhythm played over a deep
throbbing bass riff. It sets up the album well, and wouldn’t sound out of place
in any number of 80s sci-fi flicks made by John Carpenter or David Cronenberg. Pulsating rhythms and industrial themes form
the basis of side A, the 8 pieces vary in their range. ‘Complot’, for instance,
features some delicate, childlike backing vocals that really add a haunting
charm to the track. Additional tracks such as ‘RND’ and in particular, ‘Guns’
ramp up the apocalyptic synths and drum beats and provide a real sense of dread
and tense, edgy atmosphere. Side A closes with the delightful ‘Soft Girl’, a
dreamy little segment which unfortunately is also the shortest track of the
side. Nevertheless, it does set you up nicely for the flipside – or perhaps is
simply designed to lead you into a false sense of safety and security? LAWA
always maintain a dark, wicked sense of humour and a genuine knack of messing
with your soul on an emotional level.
Side B does continue in a much similar vein,
perhaps a little more restrictive in its themes and doesn’t quite branch out,
(as far as exploring new directions) as side A. That said, there is still a
whole lot to enjoy. Diverse influences here range from the film works of Goblin
to Tangerine Dream. Tracks such as ‘Vault’ and ‘So soft’ are all good, solid
examples of filmic synth-pop of the past. I have a lot of love for “Instrumentalisation”,
but I also believe LAWA can spread their wings to a wider degree. Over the
course of these two albums, it’s proven that the duo can do the dramatic and
the ‘industrial’ – but I wouldn’t want it to turn into a self-restrictive style
or limited in terms of exploring new areas. I feel that LAWA could quite easily
remove the restraining belts and venture out into even richer (and dare I say
it) softer territories? They have certainly touched upon it, perhaps a little
too tentatively in this album, but I feel it’s there, just waiting for the
opportunity to breakthrough. Retro synth
film music can also have a softer under belly. I immediately think of Maurice
Jarre’s “Witness” (1985) or “Blade Runner” (1982) by Vangelis – all of which
proved to have a heart with genuine warmth, as well as a rhythmic pounding beat.
Cineploit’s packaging is again beautiful,
with a nicely conceived post-modern design. The vinyl is pressed in a striking
white/blue and blue/white combo mix to each side. Audio quality is deep, wide
and fully rounded and has been mastered very nicely by Alain Leonard.
By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtracks Editor
I always tend to get excited upon the arrival
of a couple of new releases from Chris' Soundtrack Corner. They’ve been doing
it a long while now, and they have found a seemingly smooth and reliable sense
of confident continuity with every subsequent title. Their commitment to the
works of composer Stelvio Cipriani has been a journey of discovery which
continues with CSC’s two latest releases.
Peccato Senza Malizia (aka Sins Without
Intentions, 1975) (CSC 038) certainly brings out the subtly romantic elements
of Cipriani’s craft. Theo Campanelli’s film is the story of Stefania (Luciana
Tamburini), an 18 year-old girl who leaves her orphanage in Ascoli Piceno to
move in with her stepfather, a humble and simplistic fisherman. Seeing the girl
as a wife and a lover rather than a daughter, the unnamed stepfather (Luigi
Pistelli) (who had minor roles in Leone’s, For A Few Dollars More and The Good,
the Bad and the Ugly) ignites an abusive relationship until Stefania escapes
into a series of equally bad situations. Produced in Italy, the film falls into
the general realm of erotica and remains widely unseen by a great deal of
mainstream audiences.
When the movie was released, an inventive
marketing campaign was launched to promote its arrival; foreign promotional campaigns
played upon the film’s sexuality, focusing on the single (and comparatively
tame) shower sequence in a series of lobby cards and posters. Unfortunately,
Peccato Senza Malizia has all but disappeared from the public eye. The film
never gained any form of cult status and remained largely ignored by home video
labels. It was director Theo Campanelli's only film, and as such, it simply
became just another Italian film with the Cipriani score providing more
interest than the movie itself.
It’s an old and familiar tale, but one that
at least offers a form of longevity and respectability towards the composer's
work. Stelvio Cipriani’s score is light, breezy and charming, and weaves its
way delicately via the ‘variations of a theme’ approach. Cipriani was well
versed in this romantic, playful style of scoring, and it still works well some
50 years on. Cipriani’s composition makes good use of smokey saxophones, loungy
sounding piano, trumpets and foreboding harpsichord. Peccato Senza Malizia
tries to achieve parallels between Cipriani music and the paintings presented
on screen and featured within the film. His score relies upon two basic themes,
with its first half building almost all of its cues around the main theme with
a strong focus on Stefania's character. Here, Cipriani uses his array of
orchestral tricks to showcase the emotional rollercoaster of the main heroine.
When Stefania hooks up with her inspiring music teacher, Maurizio, a trumpet is
used to suggest his masculine swagger; as their relationship blossoms, Cipriani
introduces his love theme. This motif draws upon Stefania's innocence to
showcase the transformative power of their romance.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner has worked wonders
in making this a really credible listen as well as making the score available
at all. This CD marks the soundtrack’s worldwide debut. Given the fact that the
first half of the movie is on the more monothematic side, CSC has opted to
create a better listening experience by either merging shorter cues together or
by simply changing the order of the cues. Peccato Senza Malizia is arguably the
label’s most obscure movie soundtrack it has ever released, but it's well worth
picking up, especially as a virtually forgotten Cipriani gem. The album is
produced beautifully as always by Christian Riedrich and mastered by Manmade
Mastering. The packaging is again impressive for such a minor film title and
consists of an 8-page illustrated booklet designed by Tobias Kohlhaas and
featuring exclusive and detailed notes by Gergely Hubai, who explores the
making of the film and its score. An excellent release which I hope is
rightfully rewarded.
For their second Stelvio Cipriani score
Chris' Soundtrack Corner turned to the ‘Comisario Mendoza’ trilogy from Spanish
filmmaker José Antonio de la Loma. El último viaje (1974)(CSC 039) was the second film in the trilogy
and featured Eduardo Fajardo as Mendoza.
El último viaje has been described as the
sleaziest instalment with the drug plot inviting casual orgies and a fair share
of topless women. Whether it's an urban crime thriller, a drug bust movie, or a
cross-country manhunt, Comisario Mendoza is always hot on the trail of the
criminals even if his screen time varied greatly from mission to mission.
Stelvio Cipriani's musical legacy with the
Comisario Mendoza movies is as convoluted as the constant recasting of the
trilogy's central hero. Whilst the first two movies were scored by Cipriani,
the third movie used pre-existing compositions from the C.A.M. archives. The
film also used tracks from other composers, but overall the majority of
compositions were previously written by Cipriani (these soundtracks are also
available from Chris' Soundtrack Corner). El último viaje's score is largely
based around two themes, each representing a different aspect of gangster life.
The key idea for the central love theme is deception, as the film spends a good
portion of its running time highlighting the fake criminal lifestyle.
Interestingly, a recurring feature of Cipriani's score is that it provides some
self-contained, almost isolated cues for certain sequences that seemingly
separate themselves from the film’s general narrative style, and as a result,
seem unrelated to the overall theme of the score. This is more prominent
towards the middle section of the movie where the score suddenly throws a
couple of unrelated tracks into the mix, one being for a drug-fueled orgy
sequence. Here Cipriani provides music for bass guitar, flutes, and percussion
and is only interrupted by a sudden burst of violence when somebody is dragged
out towards a clifftop. Whilst such sequences proved to be challenging for the
composer, Cipriani resolves and fulfils the tasks admirably.
Rather curiously, no soundtrack album was
ever issued for this beautiful and immersive score, so Chris' Soundtrack Corner
is particularly proud to present a world premiere release of the full
soundtrack. With his usual sense of artistic flair, Cipriani provides a
memorable and rich 45 minutes of music and also contains a couple of bonus
tracks.The album is again impressively produced by Christian Riedrich and
mastered by Manmade Mastering. The CD packaging consists of a 12-page
illustrated booklet designed by Tobias Kohlhaas and featuring exclusive notes
by Gergely Hubai, who explores the making of the film and its score in detail.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner have again chosen wisely and intelligently and we can
only hope that their Cipriani quest continues to blossom.
It took sixty-three years but there is now a complete
score for Elmer Bernstein's 1960 classic The Magnificent Seven. Quartet Records
in association with MGM has released a four-CD set of The Magnificent Seven
Collection. It includes the soundtracks for the four movies in the franchise -
the original, Return, Guns and Ride. As an extra, the set includes The Music
from Marlboro Country, a promotional LP made by Phillip Morris in 1967 which
consists of recycled cues from Return and orchestrations inspired by
Bernstein's themes. As I recall, the record was sent free to fans who submitted
proof of purchase of Marlboro cigarettes. The best news is that the entire
original 1960 score is finally available.
The first disc is for the original film and has a running
time of 78:40 with a runoff of additional cues, not in sequence, on disc four.
Some cues are as short as both eleven and sixteen seconds. Bernstein's
daughter, Emilie, previously produced a 1998 CD of the original but it only had
twenty-four tracks, whereas the new release contains forty-one, including some
as memorable as "Chico's Bravado", "Enemy Camp" and
"Lee's Problem". There is also an illustrated thirty-six page booklet
about each movie and Bernstein's involvement. The liner notes don't specify how
the tracks were enhanced or tweaked but they all sound the best they ever have.
The entire package is, well, magnificent.
Press Release from Quartet:
Celebrating the centenary of Maestro Elmer Bernstein,
Quartet Records and MGM are proud to present a mammoth, deluxe 4-CD collection
with the original iconic MAGNIFICENT SEVEN saga that comprises four films produced
between 1960 and 1972, all of them scored by the great Elmer Bernstein.
Bernstein’s music is a genre-defining masterpiece.
Inspired, in part, by the work of Aaron Copland, the composer created a
distinctive blend of Americana and what he called Tex-Mex elements without
resorting—as so many of his predecessors did—to quoting actual folksongs. The
score is replete with memorable themes and rife with tension when such is
called for. Following the development of Bernstein’s music through all four films
makes for a fascinating journey!
The score of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN was not officially
released until 1998 by Ryko. For this new release, on Disc 1, we accessed three
1/4? full-track monaural rolls of “print” takes vaulted by MGM to expand upon
the earlier edition. Several bonus tracks are included at the end of Disc 4 due
to insufficient room on the first disc.
For RETURN OF THE SEVEN, only the celebrated re-recording
done by Bernstein in London has survived; the scoring masters and music stems
remain lost. For Disc 2 of this set, we newly transferred the 1/4? stereo album
master and have maintained the spacing the composer placed between each track.
We have also included the CD premiere of the rare album recorded by the
composer for a promotional Philip Morris & Co. campaign on United Artists
Records: THE MUSIC FROM MARLBORO COUNTRY, sourced from the 1/4? stereo album
master.
GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is perhaps the most varied and
musically satisfying of the sequels. We have used on Disc 3 the same extended
stereo program produced by Lukas Kendall for the Film Score Monthly label and
included in a long-out-of-print western box set.
For the final entry in the series, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
RIDE!, Bernstein’s orchestrators, Leo Shuken and Jack Hayes, adapted the
composer’s thematic material to fit sequences in the movie. A single day was
spent recording at the Universal Scoring Stage in Los Angeles with Bernstein
conducting. While scoring masters remain elusive, we have accessed the monaural
music stem to include the 45 minutes of music heard in the film on Disc 4.
Meticulously produced, restored and mastered by Chris
Malone, the package designed by Nacho B. Govantes comes with cover art created
by Jim Titus and a 36-page booklet with an in-depth essay by authoritative
music writer Frank K. DeWald.
Elmer Bernstein never wavered from his commitment to
write music that enhanced every film he scored with beauty, excitement, passion
and dignity. Quartet Records is proud to celebrate his centenary with this 4-CD
compendium of all the surviving music Bernstein recorded for the four original
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN films. Enjoy the ride!
LAWA, the Austrian synthesist Alain Leonard
and drummer Alex Wank, have combined again to deliver a dark and brooding
nightmare vision with their latest nod to the electro European scores of the
past with 'Manipulation' (Cine 27). With Manipulation, the emphasis is largely
based upon sterile, heavy electronics and progressive pounding percussion, very
reminiscent of the industrial soundscape which dominated so many of the best
synth-based scores of the 80s. The album offers a tense and dramatic selection
of tracks which are both heavy and dark, so you certainly won’t find any
hillside harmonies here, 'The Sound of Music' it ain't!. In fact, LAWA’s approach
paints a very dystopian picture, a ‘steampunk’ society of paradise truly lost.
But one shouldn’t be disillusioned by the prospect of nightmare scenarios and
visions of a nuclear holocaust, as LAWA’s approach is both varied and
effectively executed.
A great deal of the tracks lean more towards
a dark, synth-pop vibe - and (in most instances) laced with an impending threat
of horror and doom. 'Manipulation' does however offer a listening experience
constructed of many different flavours. Tracks like ‘injection’ are slower,
pulsating tension-builders and could easily form the basis of any Italian
Zombie movie, while tracks such as ‘Konstrukt’ make the apocalyptic sound
practically joyous with its infectious throbbing backbeat. 'Manipulation'
certainly transports you and has the refreshing ability to keep you guessing
throughout.
'Manipulation' is a beautifully produced album
with a deep, punchy audio range. LAWA’s LP has been pressed on an attractive
mixed black and blue 180g vinyl with a black inner. The cover design is
reflective of its industrial theme, and comes as a UV Spot varnished sleeve.
This is a vinyl only release and is limited to just 500 copies (300 in the
black / blue vinyl and 200 in solid black).
Whilst 'Manipulation' is available now, it does
form part of a 2-record set. Its sister record release, 'Instrumentalisation'
(Cine 28) will also be released separately on vinyl at the beginning of 2023.
Furthermore, there will be a CD Version with both albums featured on one CD.
This CD Edition comes with an alternative, combined artwork and will come with
the vinyl edition of Instrumentalisation. This is the reason behind Cineploit’s
decision not to release a dedicated CD edition of 'Manipulation'. The CD Version
will have an alternative track order.
Cineploit are offering some special pre-order
deals, so it’s worth checking them out at their site at www.cineploit.com
(Darren Allison is the Soundtracks Editor for Cinema Retro magazine.)
It’s always good to see one of our leading
European labels continue to bring us some exciting scores from the 1970s.
José María Forqué's La Donna Della Calda
Terra (CSC 037) (aka La Mujer De La Tierra Caliente or Fury, as it is sometimes
referred to in English territories) was made in 1978. The movie was a product
of the erotic cinema cycle which was still popular throughout the remaining
years of the decade. The genre was popularised by films such as Emmanuelle
(1974) and would lead to many spin- offs and sequels. La Donna Della Calda
Terra starred Laura Gemser who was perhaps best known for her role in Black
Emanuelle (1975). As so often with these budgeted European movies, a one-time
Hollywood star (who had seen their better days) was hired for a week or two -
providing them not only with a pay cheque, but also an all-expenses paid
vacation abroad, and in this instance it was Stuart Whitman who took full
advantage. The film tells the story of two unnamed characters (Gemser and
Whitman) who, despite very different backgrounds, come together. She is a
village girl with ambitions; he is a man whose wife has recently died. The two
of them converse and get to know one another, and so a journey of discovery
begins. Despite their different social backgrounds and a considerable age
difference, the couple eventually begin an intimate relationship.
The music score for La Donna Della Calda
Terra was composed by Carlo Savina, a composer whose filmography covers almost
every genre of Italian cinema - from the 1950s through to the 1980s. His music
here has an unusual distinction in that the score was heavily rethought during
the editing and eventually the first half hour is left without music, except
for the opening titles. Thus, Savina's score begins when the film changes up
the narrative structure and instead of telling the stories on two parallel
storylines, they start to intercut them more frequently in order to draw
stronger parallels between both central characters. Whilst the general focus is
more tailored towards Gemser's storyline, the switch to a hunting trip in the
man's storyline helps to reframe the girl's next chapter in the film’s
narrative. There’s a really nice mix of styles in Savina’s music. Yes, there is
the obligatory funky disco beat that peppered a great deal of these productions
from this era, but there is also a great deal more. There are some gentle,
romantic cues provided by acoustic guitar, some slightly more suspenseful,
atmospheric pieces that reflect the tension brought upon by the relationship
and even some traditional Mexicana. But overall, La Donna Della Calda Terra is
light, breezy and distinctly European in its flavour. Moreover, the score is
elevated to an entirely higher level with the inclusion of some wonderful
wordless vocals by Edda Dell'Orso both on the main titles and several other
cues. Uniquely identifiable, she remains the ultimate, signature voice of
European film scoring.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner has made this score
available for essentially the first time. With literally half the score going
unused in the beginning of the film, this soundtrack album offers the first
opportunity to enjoy the composer's playful variations of catchy thematic
material, sensual tropical exotica, and even some highly melodramatic mini
masterpieces - all of which is presented in a beautifully produced package. The
album benefits from a first class production by Christian Riedrich and
mastering by Manmade Mastering. The CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated
booklet designed by Tobias Kohlhaas and features exclusive (and exceptionally
detailed) notes by Gergely Hubai, who explores both the making of the film and
its score.Euro score fans will soak
this up like a sponge.
CSC’s second offering is the soundtrack to I
Gabbiani Volano Basso (CSC 034) (aka Seagulls Fly Low), another film from 1978
and directed by Giorgio Cristallini (under the Americanised pseudonym of George
Warner).
The movie was influenced by the number of
Vietnam Vet dramas coming out of the United States in 1978 such as The Deer
Hunter and Coming Home, and the Italian cinema didn't waste much time in
capitalising on the commercial potential of these films.
Starring Italian actor Maurizio Merli, who
was often typecast in tough cop roles, I Gabbiani Volano Basso tells the story
of a Vietnam war veteran (Merli) who finds his post-war career in the private
assassination business. After succeeding in a hit in Rome, using various
aliases, the war vet gets into an altercation that leads to a wild chase
involving the police, other killers, and a third shady business partner who
wants to get the whole company for himself. While on the run, Merli's character
hooks up with Isabelle (Nathalie Delon), the lonely owner of a Roman boutique
shop who helps with his escape. But with the two other killers in tow, our hero
must make an important decision between getting away safely while leaving
Isabelle behind in danger, or making the ultimate sacrifice for the only woman
who helped him selflessly.
The music for I Gabbiani Volano Basso was
written by Roberto Pregadio, one of the few Italian Silver Age composers who
also made a career as a television personality. In most of his film scoring
collaborations, it was Pregadio's job to flesh out or transcribe the musical
ideas of his co-composers who usually didn't have the necessary musical
training to do so. Such was the case with I Gabbiani Volano Basso, where
Pregadio is actually credited together with two members of the director's
family, Paola and Carlo Cristallini, though only the latter is given credit.
Besides the music that's in the film, the soundtrack also includes some major
discoveries including music cues that were not originally heard in the finished
film.
This release from Chris' Soundtrack Corner
marks the premiere presentation of any of the music from I Gabbiani Volano
Basso. Certain aspects of the recording indicate that the original production
was prepared for the release of an eventual soundtrack album but the project
did not materialise. One of these clues is that certain cues were recorded in
shorter film versions as well as extended versions that would be more at home
on a soundtrack or exploited on a later library LP, but neither saw the light
of day. Among the differences preserved on the CD is "Title – versione
disco", the record version of the opening music. This version is not only
half a minute longer in comparison to the film version, but it's actually a
different mix with a more prominent focus on the keyboard and the pop
percussion, both of which appear in a lighter fashion in the movie. A great many
of the tracks do follow an upbeat disco rhythm and electronic keyboard riffs,
which provide an instant indicator of the film’s period setting. But it’s
certainly not confined to a pulsating funk-filled timepiece, there are also a
fair amount of more gentle, dreamlike moments that succeed in softening its
harder edges and provide a welcome sense of calm and restfulness - so it’s a
score that is nicely balanced. Its bonus tracks also include ‘Ricordi
angoscianti’ - a traumatic and hectic cue which appears during a Vietnam
flashback sequence shortly after Merli has completed his first hit in Rome. The
album is superbly produced by Christian Riedrich and mastered by Manmade Mastering.
The CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated booklet designed by Tobias
Kohlhaas and featuring detailed, exclusive notes on the film and its score by
Gergely Hubai.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner have managed to
weave their magic again by taking two relatively obscure and seldom seen films
by presenting their soundtracks with a new found sense of importance and
respect. We can only be grateful that CSC is prepared and willing to take up
the challenge in their quest for film music preservation.
Austrian label Cineploit celebrate their 10th
anniversary year with the release of two new albums - whilst expanding their
ever-swelling catalogue of titles. It’s always pleasurable to hear their latest
work, so often produced in the style of exploitive, retro euro scores of the
1970s and 80s.
As Cineploit explains, “Morlock's 'The
Outcasts' (Cine 25), is a sophomore album of cosmic explorations by synthesist
and drummer Andrew Prestidge (Zoltan, Warning, The Osiris Club). It’s a
deceptively accessible fusion of post-punk, electro-pop, Moog drones and
Italian prog soundtracks. Blending melody and experimentation into a shifting
patchwork of retro-futuristic splendour, these seemingly contradictory elements
battle it out in a dream landscape of the ancient and the alien.”
The influences on the record are vast and
varied. As a long-time fan of electronic music, Andrew Prestidge’s compositions
can invoke anyone from Tubeway Army to The BBC Radiophonic Workshop or perhaps
John Carpenter to more abrasive acts such as Killing Joke, The Chameleons or
Cardiacs. And there are even shades of Queen’s Flash Gordon echoing from within
this latest work.
In contrast to Morlock’s 2019 debut release,
'Ancient Paths', rhythm and riffs are brought to the fore throughout the course
of these seven epic tunes. In cinematic terms, it’s more like experiencing a
widescreen version of the band and a more collaborative production. The
recording took place in London's celebrated Holy Mountain studios in the spring
of 2021.The final mixes were done in
Switzerland by Misha Hering (Memnon SA), who also co-writes and adds
synthesisers to a number of tracks. The production veers between the pastoral
and the urban, from the roots of the Earth to the measureless depths of outer
space, all of which amounts to a highly enjoyable and hypnotic trip!
As usual, Cineploit offer a nice range of
formats including a 180g marbled coloured Vinyl and CD Set (250), a 180g Black
Vinyl and CD Set (150) and finally a CD only in mini Gatefold Sleeve (400).
After the ‘Kosmonauter’ (Cine 24) album, a
trippy journey which explored distant galaxies, Pan/Scan this time penetrates
deep into the inner realms of the human mind with their latest work , ‘A Far Distant
Corner of Nothing Special’ (Cine 26).While the musical style serves as a continuation of the previous album,
here the listener is lulled into a compellingly hypnotic sound-environment. The
record tells the story of secret telekinetic experiments for the purpose of
creating a new form of "power", conducted in dark laboratories deep
under the surface of the earth. A human mind, captured within a state of
permanent tension and relaxation, finally unleashes its full potential,
bringing not only the desired success of the experiments but also the opening
of a gate to a new world. But what awaits us all on the other side?
A wide range of formats include a 180g
marbled coloured Vinyl and CD Set (250), a 180g Black Vinyl and CD Set (150)
and again, a CD only in mini gatefold sleeve (400).
Both of the CDs offer excellent audio
quality and are released on 15th July 2022.
In our latest printed edition of Cinema
Retro, I featured the original soundtrack Vinyl release of John Carpenter’s
classic Escape from New York in Blue Vinyl. Speaking to my Vinyl contact at
Silva Screen this morning I have since learnt that the Blue edition is
virtually close to sold out. It seems that this iconic score is still very much
in demand. However, it’s not all bad news, as Silva Screen has also released a
superb transparent RED version (Catalogue Number: SILLP1493R) of the vinyl.
Silva Screen’s press release states: “Originally
released on the 31st of July 2015, the vinyl edition of John Carpenter’s
classic 1981 thriller mirrored the expanded CD release from 2000, with over 20
minutes of previously unreleased music plus music from scenes deleted from the
final print and original dialogue highlights.The masters for that CD were re-mixed from the original multi-track
session tapes by long-time Carpenter associate Alan Howarth. This is the first
time the expanded edition has appeared on vinyl in its complete form, including
original dialogue highlights.”
If the demand for the Blue edition is
anything to go by, I’m sure this red version will not be around for too long
either, so I wouldn’t think to long about it…
It’s certainly great to see Chris' Soundtrack
Corner back on the pages of Cinema Retro. It’s been a little while, but rest
assured, Christian Riedrich and his team have been hard at work and it’s always
worth the wait.
CSC has released no less than three brand new
soundtracks, all of which are essentially their world premiere debuts. Sure, if
you deep long and hard enough you may discover an odd track or a popular main
title that has previously surfaced here and there or perhaps on some obscure
library compilation – but hey, good luck with that search, should you wish to
undertake it.
Across these three releases you will
certainly unearth a delightful range of styles and moods as well as sampling
various flavours of the exotic Mediterranean.
Daniele
Patucchi’s Il Sorriso Del Ragno (1971) (CSC 031)
sets us on our way rather nicely.
This rarely seen 1971 Italian film
(translated as, The Spider's Smile) was recognised more by its international
title, Web of Deception. It was the only film directed by Massimo Castellani, a
more established second unit director who had enjoyed greater success as a
script supervisor. Based on a script written by Italo Gasperini and Armando Morandi,
with dialogue by Fabio Piccioni, Il Sorriso Del Ragno, this is a crime thriller
disguised as a roaming travelogue. With locales ranging from France to multiple
regions of Greece, all of which was captured beautifully by cinematographer
Giorgio Tonti,– it was pretty much guaranteed that both cast and crew would
enjoy their opportunity in the sun- soaked regions.
The story involves private investigator Tony
Driscoll; a ladies' man perhaps, but he also has a good reputation when it involves recovering
stolen goods. So when thieves make off with $5 million in jewels from a French
bank, Driscoll is hired to get them back. However, certain questions point
fingers at Driscoll and the film’s plot makes the most of this twist up until
its conclusion.
A self-taught musician, composer Daniele
Patucchi was born in 1945 in Turin. By the time he began writing and performing
music professionally, he was adept in a wide range of styles, from jazz and
rock to classical and displayed a certain amount of flair when it came to digital
synthesizers – all of which served him well over 35 movie soundtrack scores.
His music for Il Sorriso Del Ragno is based around five central musical styles.
Three of them- Main, Suspense and Action themes- occupy the majority of the
score's structure and serve to enhance the adventure, tension, and intrigue as
the story unfolds. Additional musical motifs signify more regional themes and
local instrumentation. Acoustic guitar and Greek mandolin in particular feature
prominently and work to wonderful effect throughout.
Il Sorriso Del Ragno is really enjoyable little
score. There’s plenty of variation, but never too much. It never spills over
into a heavy clash of styles, and retains a comforting, common thread. Christian
Riedrich’s pin sharp production and remastering by Stefan Betke is what we have
come to expect. Only three tracks have been previously released. Additionally, five
tracks that were not used in the movie have been added as bonus tracks:
alternate or varied versions composed for the movie or re-edited for inclusion
on one of CAM's promotional library music albums. The CD includes a 12-page
illustrated booklet by Aletta Heinsohn and features detailed, exclusive notes
on the film and its score by film music journalist Randall D. Larson.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner’s second score
release is another by Daniele Patucchi, Sans
Sommation (1973) (CSC 032). This was a much harder hitting German-French-Italian
co-production (released in the UK as Without Appeal and Internationally as
Without Warning). Made by French director Bruno Gantillon, Sans Sommation was a
tougher, straight-shooting thriller which again presented composer Daniele
Patucchi the opportunity to demonstrate his diverse range of talents.
Maurice Ronet stars as Raoul Maury, a former Police
inspector who made a seriously bad career move when he attempted to take down
the son of a prominent politician on drug charges. As a result, Maury finds
himself demoted to the role of archivist in the police records department. When
it is discovered that Maury bears a striking resemblance to Lt. Kieffer, an
associate of wanted mercenary Pierre Capra, he is reinstated in order to
impersonate Kieffer in order to get close to Capra and assassinate him.
However, conflicting acts of suspicion and trust will all head for collision
and loyalties will become strained and tested to the full.
Patucchi's film compositions were plentiful
throughout the 1970s and '80s. Sans Sommation is one of more than 35 European
movie soundtracks he composed throughout the 1970s and '80s. His gift for
tuneful melodies served him well in this score. Its opening theme in particular
offers a dusty, smooth Jazz trumpet and for the first couple of tracks the ride
seems distinctly mellow and easy-going. But don’t get fooled, by the time
‘Elikiller’ kicks in we are on much tougher, off road territory and the bold,
brassy action cues are allowed to take full flight. There’s a good degree of
suspenseful tracks, too, that really build nicely along with some very cool
Hammond organ playing on display. The single central theme is a brisk,
high-energy, driving motif that continuously helps the score race forward.
The album is produced again by Christian
Riedrich and mastered this time by Manmade Mastering – all of which results in
a big, fully rounded sound. The main score consists of 12 tracks with 3 bonus
tracks included. The CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated booklet
designed by Aletta Heinsohn and featuring detailed, exclusive notes on the film
and its score by film music journalist Randall D. Larson, who deconstructs the
score's elements in deeper detail.
Finally, Ingrid
Sulla Strada (1973) (CSC 036 rounds up this excellent trilogy of scores and
sees a welcome release from composer Carlo Savina. Ingrid Sulla Strada is an Italian
psychological drama written and directed by Brunello Rondi. Rondi was arguably better known as a
script-writer and script consultant, a reputation which had lead him to several
collaborations with Federico Fellini. Rondi's directorial debut came more than
a decade earlier in 1961 with the film Una vita violenta (aka Violent Life). Rondi
went on to make a number of psychological/sexual dramas of which Ingrid Sulla
Strada was one of the last.
Ingrid Sulla Strada is a drama in which young
Ingrid (Swedish model and actress Janet Agren) leaves her home after being
raped by her father. After her arrival in Rome, Ingrid, with little option,
slips into prostitution. Life is not
easy for Ingrid and soon her life begins to spiral out of control and
eventually leads to her suicide. Ingrid Sulla Strada is not an easy film to
find, and the limited amount of footage revealed within the trailer tends to
suggest a rather bleak narrative and a Fellini- influenced style of filmmaking.
Ingrid Sulla Strada is without doubt an
eclectic score. At its heart, Savina provides a light, delicate melody which is
quite charming. And yet, the score’s overall soundscape doesn’t naturally
provide a standardised form or perhaps an obvious sense of continuity. There’s
certainly nothing wrong with Savina’s music, but the styles are so varied, one
could almost be excused for thinking certain cues could had been taken from
entirely different scores. As a collective it’s incredibly diverse and perhaps
reflects the up-and-down nature and psychological aspect of the story.
Regardless of its random style, it remains a fascinating listening experience.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner has completed an
excellent challenge in making this obscure title available for the first time.
Only the main theme and the pop organ track, ‘Walking through the falling
leaves’, have been previously released. Christian Riedrich has beautifully
produced the release, which certainly must have been a challenge. The result is
the release of an entirely engaging score. Consisting of 15 tracks and 2
additional bonus tracks, the CD comes with a 12-page illustrated booklet
designed by Tobias Kohlhaas and featuring detailed, exclusive notes by Randall
D. Larson.
A fine collection of European scores for
which everyone involved should be congratulated.
It’s
always good to hear from All Score Media, a label that continues to focus on
retro soundtrack releases and new soundtrack music produced in a retro style. Mondo
Sangue are a group that continue to flourish within that new/old style genre of
fictional scoring, and they do it extremely well. Their latest album, Rosso
come La Notte (ASM 050 / LP 21300-1) is in fact their fourth release for the
label, the previous three of which have been featured either within the pages
of Cinema Retro or here on our site. Mondo Sangue are certainly diverse in
their range, exploring the Spaghetti Western genre, the fantasy sci-fi
adventure and with this latest outing, the world of Italian Giallo.
Arguably, the European Giallo genre is among
the most popular, with colourful, atmospheric use of music which defined the
entire psychedelic mood of the period. Mondo Sangue has cleverly stuck to the
formula here, with plenty of recognised references to Italian genre cinema, and
why wouldn’t they? It is after all, a genre-defining sound. So whilst it may
sound somewhat familiar, we are certainly listening to something entirely
original. The familiarity merely acts as a layer of comfort and in doing so,
perfectly sets the scene for an entirely fresh and enjoyable listening
experience.
Like other fictional scores, we are of course
required to use our imagination a little more, as we have no previous visual
concepts in comparison to a film that we have perhaps become accustomed to.
However, we do have a premise. The Milanese taxidermist Barbara travels to the
Black Forest for a museum assignment and shortly afterwards disappears without
a trace. Her sister follows her and not only comes across a mysterious series
of murders in the tranquil place, but also a dark secret …
There is certainly a nice dream-like,
otherworldly feel to Rosso come La Notte, and it’s easy to find yourself
completely immersed in its quality. The Stuttgart duo Mondo Sangue (Christian
Bluthardt and Yvy Pop) have not only proven (again) that they have a natural
flair for this style and concept, but it’s their passion and their love for
this niche music that ultimately transcends over to their releases. There’s no
question that their heart is undoubtedly in it, and it shines through in
abundance.
Like their previous releases, Mondo Sangue
and All Score Media have produced a stunning package for their album with
period artwork by artist Adrian Keindorf. The 180g vinyl LP provides a rich
sound quality, comes in a lavish gatefold sleeve and is strictly limited to
just 666 copies - all of which are hand-numbered. Each LP comes with a film
poster and a digital download code. In addition to this, 100 special edition LP
copies come sewn in screen-printed butcher paper. Overall, it’s a classy
addition to their impressive catalogue of releases.
Winnetou and His Friend Old
Firehand (1966) Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra
For
their second release, All Score Media have unveiled another great from their
Peter Thomas collection. Winnetou and His Friend Old Firehand (aka: Thunder at
the Border , Winnetou and Old Firehand ) (ASM 049 / LP 21299-1 / CD 21299-2)
was the 1966 finale of the Karl May film adaptations of Horst Wendlandt's
Rialto film. Alfred Vohrer (Perrak, The Yellow House on Pinnasberg), described
by cult director Quentin Tarantino as a genius, directed the film, moving away
from the contemplative German to the far more violent Spaghetti Western genre.
The move triggered an ambivalent response from critics and fans ranging from
"explosive" to "the low point of the series".
It also marked a change of direction in terms
of the film music, when Peter Thomas was brought in to replace Martin Böttcher
as the established “Winnetou composer†and was to remain the only Karl May film
to receive a Peter Thomas score. However, this wasn't due to a negative
response, far from it. Moreover, it was simply a case of ‘practicality’. Thomas
was, at this period of his career, extremely in demand. Between Edgar Wallace
thrillers and Jerry Cotton action films, he simply had more commissions than he
could handle. It was not until 1980 that Thomas returned to the subject with
the music for the TV series Mein Freund Winnetou.
Thomas’s resulting score fell somewhere in
between Böttcher's Karl May string melodies and the much more experimental and
stylistic Spaghetti Western music of Ennio Morricone. The score is impressive,
and never plays safe, it’s title theme paves the way and sets the tone
perfectly with plenty of high energy strings and wild playful brass. It’s
typically Thomas in full flow.
This packed (42 tracks) score marks its world
premiere on vinyl and has been fully remastered. The The CD version goes a step
further and also contains three previously unpublished tracks that were found
within Peter Thomas' estate, as well as a another bonus track with the composer
himself at the piano, as he presented the first demo to the film producer along
with his spoken comments (recorded in 1966 in the Bavaria Tonstudios, Munich).
Following on from their Bruce Lee: The Big
Boss (CD / LP ASM 048, 2020), this is All Score Media’s second LP / CD release
in the new dedicated series of the composer who died on May 17th, 2020. The
packaging and audio quality is again exceptional with Adrian Keindorf
responsible for the superb artwork to both the gatefold sleeve of the LP and
the digipack CD. The LP appears on high quality 180g vinyl as standard in black
and in a very attractive limited edition pressing of 300 LPs in transparent
turquoise. Another couple of first-rate releases from Dietmar Bosch and his
team, long may it continue.
Decca Records will release Hans Zimmer's soundtrack for the new James Bond film "No Time to Die" as a special 2-LP vinyl soundtrack. Here is the official description:
The Hans Zimmer produced soundtrack for the 25th installment
in the James Bond film franchise, No Time To Die. The soundtrack will include
Billie Eilish's electrifying title track No Time To Die, co-written (with
brother Finneas O'Connell) and performed by Eilish. Joining Zimmer on scoring
the soundtrack is Johnny Marr, who is also the featured guitarist on the album,
with additional music by composer and score producer Steve Mazzaro.
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON- ALBUM WILL SHIP ON OCTOBER 1
It’s always a gratifying feeling when Silva
screen produces another title in their successful Gerry Anderson collection.
This time around, they have focused on the 1962-63 series, Fireball XL5
(SILLP1595).
The black & white puppet television
series followed the missions of Fireball XL5, a vessel of the World Space
Patrol in the year 2062. Commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac, XL5 travels the
universe encountering alien civilisations and defending planet Earth from
interstellar threats. It was produced, like most other Anderson productions, in
Supermarionation, using puppetry techniques that captured the imagination of a
generation.
The Fireball XL5 soundtrack has been newly
compiled, mastered and designed by the creative and committed team at Fanderson
– The Official Gerry And Sylvia Anderson Appreciation Society.
The album features 24 tracks from 16 episodes,
including the Fireball XL5 main theme and single version. In the opening theme,
Barry Gray employs, for the first time, the Ondes Martenot, bringing an eerie
and other-worldly sound to the series. The contrast of detached electronic
music with the jazzy musical language served as a perfect juxtaposition of the
alien and human Worlds. Each episode would finish with the pop song “Fireballâ€,
bringing the viewer back to the warmth of their 60s lounge. The song was
performed by Don Spencer and was a minor hit in the UK, spending 12 weeks in
the UK charts and peaking at number 32.
Barry Gray was a classically trained composer
and a versatile musician and was amongst the first composers to use electronic
instruments in music for television. Best known for creating the music for most
of the Gerry and Sylvia Anderson television series in the 1960s and 70s
(Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds, UFO, Space:1999), Barry Gray’s complete musical
opus is still not commercially available in its entirety. Fanderson, dedicated
to the productions of Gerry Anderson, has gained access to all Barry Gray’s
original studio tapes and have undertaken a major re-issue project. Together
with Fanderson, Silva Screen Records is championing Barry Gray’s incredible
musical opus and is releasing the material in a series of physical and digital
albums and vinyl records.
Given
the age of this early soundtrack, the music is crisp, clean and has a wide
dynamic range. One has to applaud the production team who have really exceeded
expectations. As with the rest of the series of albums, the packaging is
superb, presented in a thick, sturdy gatefold sleeve and with both platters
pressed in a transparent orange vinyl, it really is a thing of beauty and
nothing less of what is deserved.
The
album is also available on CD format (SILCD1595) and as a digital download.
Rawhead Rex
Released in 1986, horror film Rawhead Rex
(SILLP1606) was based on a short story by Clive (Hellraiser) Barker. The tale
is set in 1980s rural Ireland. The Demon, alive for millennia and trapped in
the depths of Hell, is unleashed on the sleepy local farming community.
Remembered faintly through pre-Christian myth, the only one that can stop
Rawhead’s bloody rampage is the historian, desperately racing against the time.
Composer Colin Towns is not only one of
Europe’s most prolific film, television and theatre composers, but also a
pianist, songwriter, arranger, producer and collaborator. His name has graced
the credits of many prestigious and popular features. "The first film I scored
was Full Circle which starred Mia Farrow and is still in the BFI top ten for
best score for horror films. I felt that film was more of a dark scary mystery.
Rawhead Rex on the other hand was clearly a horror film 100%. I visited the
film set in Ireland during the filming to take in the atmosphere and meet the
actors after which I decided to record the music at CTS in London with a sixty
piece orchestra plus electronics. I have always orchestrated my own work and
had a wild time with Rawhead which is what I really love doing". Colin
Towns
Towns, known for The Puppet Masters, Space
Truckers, Maybe Baby, Foyle’s War, Doc Martin and Pie in The Sky, created a
hugely enjoyable and diverse score for Rawhead Rex. It’s main theme especially
conveys plenty of power, tension and full-on threatening brass. However, on the
flip side of that, tracks such as ‘Welcome to Ireland’ or ‘The Family is
Leaving’ are open and lush with some beautiful use of the string section - all
of which makes for a nicely balanced and entirely rewarding mix.
This long-awaited score album is packaged in
an attractive gatefold sleeve with both of the LPs pressed in an appropriate
blood red vinyl. The soundtrack is also available on CD format (SILCD1606) and
as a digital download from Silva screen’s website.
Both the Gerry Anderson and Rawhead Rex
releases can be ordered from:
Silva Screen Records kicks off 2021 with this
super new 7†vinyl release and serves as a reminder of their forthcoming double
album featuring Barry Gray’s classic TV soundtrack.
“Fireball†(Don Spencer and the XL5) and
“Zero G†(Barry Gray and his Spacemakers) is available on transparent orange 7″
vinyl (SIL71633).
Barry Gray’s soundtrack LP to the 1962 series
“Fireball XL5†from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson will be released on vinyl early this
year on Silva Screen Records, the next in a wonderful series of Anderson
releases which has so far featured UFO, Supercar and Thunderbirds, all of which
have been covered here at Cinema Retro.
Don Spencer’s original 7†single release on
His Masters Voice in 1962 reached number 32, remaining in the UK charts for
twelve weeks. The original B side was another Don Spencer track, “I’m All Alone
Againâ€, replaced on this release with “Zero Gâ€.
"Fireball XL5" was set in 2062 and followed the
exploits of the eponymous spaceship commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the
World Space Patrol. It was produced, like most other Anderson productions, in
Supermarionation, using puppetry techniques that captured the imagination of a
generation. Barry Gray collaborated with the Andersons on all the
Supermarionation series, his jazzy style supplemented by the use of an
electronically augmented keyboard, the Ondes Martenot creating the
other-worldly atmosphere which became synonymous with the sci-fi series.
The single is beautifully packaged in a
thick, retro glossy card sleeve. Containing an excellent colour image to the
front, the style is perfectly in keeping with a classic 1960s design.
We look forward with great anticipation to
the full album!
Cineploit records have announced their two
latest releases for 2020; LAWA “The Parallax View“ (Cine 23) and PAN/SCAN
“Kosmonauter†(Cine 24).
It’s particularly good to have LAWA back. On “The
Parallax View†(not related to the 1970s conspiracy movie classic), they take a
ride through French and Italian cinema score of the 70s and 80s from the works
of Michel Colombier, Michel Legrand and Jacques Revaux to Alessandro
Alessandroni, Daniele Patucchi, Nico Catanese, G & M de Angelis and the master
of them all, Ennio Morricone. There are also some original compositions and
concepts from Lawa which fit seamlessly into the impressive playlist. Once
again they are honouring the world of film music in their idiosyncratic, very
personal way. After their first Cineploit release, "Omaggio a Lucio Fulci
and Fabio Frizzi“ (Exploit 02, 2012, Vinyl only) and the follow up,
"Omaggio a Riz Ortolani“ (Exploit 06, 2015, vinyl only), these latest very
special tracks have been renewed in Lawa's dark electronic style and showcases
without doubt, the high-level craftsmanship of the composers who created them.
Some versions are close to the original, while others have acted as springboards
for new ideas and creations. This release is probably LAWA's final reinterpretation
of classic obscure film scores, as the combined talents of both Alain Leonard
and Alex Wank are creating more and more of their own atmospheric soundtrack
music for documentaries, shorts and feature films - hopefully soon to be
released through the Cineploit label.
Four
years on from the debut album “Cinematic Liesâ€, Pan/Scan return with their much
anticipated second full-length album, Kosmonauter. Pan/Scan is the brainchild
of Christian Rzechak, the man behind the highly impressive outfit, Sospetto. Inspired
by synthesizer soundscapes of the Berlin
or Düsseldorf school, but with an atmospheric modern feel, Rzechak delivers a synth-driven
and dynamic piece of cinematic music perfectly composed and suited for the
retro sci-fi genre.
Reminiscent
of composers such as Jóhann Jóhannsson, Cliff Martinez and Steve Moore, Pan/Scan’s
sound is somewhat familiar but that is openly intentional. The fusion of
retro-futurism and contemporary electro-ambient innovations takes you on an
exhilarating aural trip into the darkest, furthest reaches of infinite space! The
album is both creative and enjoyable, posing questions such as; who is the Kosmonauter?
What is his mission? Does he defend us against danger or is he a threat
himself? The six tracks on the album provide a story, but where this journey
goes is up to the listener. The track titles hint at the true meaning, but who
can interpret them?
Cineploit
continue to impress and provide a vital bloodline for this retro-styled (and
essential) soundtrack genre. They not only fulfil the need, but also recognise
the importance of maintaining this type of work so that it is never allowed to
fade away. Long may it continue.
The
Parallax View and Kosmonauter are both released on December 11th and come in
several formats including LP 180g coloured vinyl limited to 300 copies (200
+CD), LP 180g black vinyl limited to 200 copies (50 +CD) and CD in a mini
gatefold sleeve limited to 400 copies.
“Casablanca - Classic Film
Scores for Humphrey Bogart†(CDLK4639 ) was originally
recorded on September 6th & 7th, 1973 and released on vinyl (on both the
RCA Gold and Red Seal label in 1974). It was also released on a Quadraphonic LP
the same year. The album masters were remastered at BMG Studio D on August 18,
1989 and from that came the CD for which we are probably most familiar (a
successful series which came in a dark blue coloured tray and recognised by the
silver film strip across the top right of the cover of the 20 page booklet).
The recordings by Charles Gerhardt and The National Philharmonic Orchestra are
quite spectacular, from the opening Warner Bros logo and the superb suite from
Casablanca (1942) to Passage to Marseille (1944) to The Treasure of the Sierra
Madre (1948)… in fact, name just about any Bogart classic and it’s likely to be
included here. The vast range of featured composers varies from Max Steiner, Miklós
Rózsa, Victor Young, Franz Waxman and Frederick Hollander.This album always sounded good, and the truth
is, it still does. Vocalion have of course improved upon it once again to a
spectacular, higher level of clarity – thanks largely to the remastering from
the original analogue tapes by Michael J. Dutton.They have also added to the original playlist
by including the Main Theme to Peyton Place (1957), again performed by Gerhardt
and The National Philharmonic. Being the purists that Vocalion are, they have
also reverted back to the original 1974 artwork, instead of the later, lighter
RCA Victor CD. It’s a lot darker and slightly broodier – but for its
retrospective, attention to detail accuracy, it works on just about every
level. It’s a classic and a corker, and the tracks are as timeless as the
movies themselves. If you felt it was about time to add this one to the
collection, you can’t really go far wrong with this latest edition.
“David Raksin Conducts His
Great Film Scores†(CDLK4641) is another on
equal par with the Classic Film Scores for Humphrey Bogart. It was another of
RCA Red Seal’s Quadrophonic releases, this time emerging in 1976. Recorded in
England, David Raksin conducted the New Philharmonia Orchestra whilst Charles
Gerhardt served as producer.Opening
with the beautifully orchestrated Laura (1944), the CD is then separated into
two sections - (Scenarios from) The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and finally a
suite of some 25 minutes from Forever Amber (1947). Again, this was another in
the same RCA Victor ‎/ BMG Classics which
saw a CD release in 1989. As above, this new edition from Volcalion’s SACD, Hybrid Multi-channel
series really advances the purity and production levels to grand new heights. The
quality is such, that you would be pushed to argue that this wasn’t recorded
earlier this year – in fact, I’ve heard more modern recordings that don’t even
get close. Again, this has to be attributed to the remastering of Michael J.
Dutton. When the man comes into contact with those original analogue tapes and
the magic in the fingers touch the soundboards, gold dust seems to emerge.True to their traditional values, Vocalion
have reverted to the original Quadrophonic artwork and provided a lovely,
detailed book. I can only hope that Vocalion keep coming up with the
spectacular; they remain arguably the best in the business. Both highly
recommended.
On the 31st January, Silva Screen released two
excellent BBC vinyl albums from the 1970s. Firstly, Paddy Kingsland was the
first Radiophonic composer to see a solo release of his compositions, even though
he’s not name-checked on the front of the sleeve.“Fourth Dimensionâ€, first released in 1973,
showcased Kingsland’s theme tunes for television and radio while at the BBC
Radiophonic Workshop.The recordings
feature a rock-style backing band and synthesisers including the VCS 3 and
“Delaware†Synthi 100, and the track “Reg†from the album was also released as
the B side to the 1973 single release of the iconic Doctor Who theme tune.
Kingsland remained at the workshop for 21 years, leaving in 1981, during which
time he composed music for much loved TV shows The Changes, Doctor Who and The
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy among others.Paddy Kingsland is now part of the newly-revived independent
“Radiophonic Workshop†which has been playing festivals including Glastonbury
and Womad and composing new music including the score for the recent feature
film by Matthew Holness, “Possumâ€. The reissue of the LP has been pressed on
White Vinyl and comes in a limited edition number of just 500 copies. Audio
quality over its 12 tracks still sounds remarkably good, with excellent
packaging and printed inner sleeve. Catalogue Number: SILLP1543
On the same date, Silva Screen also released
Through a Glass Darkly. Peter Howell
joined the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1974, coming from a career in various
psychedelic folk bands, which saw him record five albums with fellow musician
John Ferdinando. He composed his first Doctor Who output in ’75 in the form of
additional incidental music and electronic overdubs for “Revenge of the
Cybermenâ€, and Special Sound for “Planet of Evilâ€. In 1980, he was asked by the
programme’s then new producer, John Nathan-Turner, to update the iconic Doctor
Who theme.The new arrangement appeared
on that year’s “The Leisure Hiveâ€, continuing to be used through Tom Baker’s
remaining series as the Doctor and throughout the Peter Davison period.“Through A Glass Darkly†was originally
released in 1978 as a standalone studio album by Howell in collaboration with
the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.The six
original instrumental compositions (one of which is 19 minutes long) flaunt a
progressive rock influence as well as the distinctive electronic sound of the
RWS. “The Astronauts†(track 5, side 2) appeared again as a B side to the 1980
single release of his version of the Doctor Who theme. The reissue of the LP
has been pressed on Transparent Vinyl and again is strictly limited to just 500
copies. Audio quality throughout its 6 tracks is superb. At just 38 minutes,
it’s a pity Silva Screen couldn’t dig out a few additional bonus tracks as I’m
sure plenty of the same still exits. Like “Fourth Dimensionâ€, the album’s packaging
and printed inner sleeve are of the highest quality. Catalogue Number:
SILLP1544
It was perhaps inevitable that the
well-respected Austrian label Cinepolit would make the leap into distributing
Euro Cult movies, such is their love for all things exploitative and the fast-paced
‘70s scene. And true to their reputation of high quality records and CDs, Cineploit
have cut no corners in producing their first four highly impressive Blu-ray media
book releases.
La
Polizia Ha Le Mani Legate (aka Killer Cop, 1975)
(CP01) is certainly a fine way to launch Cineploit’s new catalogue of film
releases. It’s a movie that comes from the very heart of the Italian
poliziottesco genre. As Director, Luciano Ercoli had also made several giallo
movies, and produced some Spaghetti Westerns. La Polizia Ha Le Mani Legate
draws largely on the real life Piazza Fontana bombing which happened in Milan (where
the film was shot) in 1969. As to be expected, there is plenty of over-acting
from the Italian cast (Claudo Cassinelli, Franco Fabrizi), whilst Arthur
Kennedy tries to maintain a calmer exterior. The action scenes are good, but it
is also clear (especially in the bomb sequence) that the budget was largely
restricted. The English audio track does throw up some funny translations and
there’s plenty of those Seventies, slappy sound effects when the fists begin to
fly! Naturally, whatever audio track you select (there is also an Italian and
German track) there is always composer Stelvio Cipriani’s great score which
helps it along its 97 minutes. The picture and audio quality are very good, yet,
it still maintains that unique grindhouse ‘70s look: clean and sharp, with
muted urban colours – just as it should be.
In fact, Stelvio Cipriani is featured heavily
among the disc’s bonus features. For starters, we are treated to a 51 minute
interview with the composer (Italian audio with a choice of subtitles).
Cineploit have rather teasingly added ‘Part 1’ to the title of this interview,
so hopefully there will be more to come. There is also a 13 minute interview with
actress Valeria D'Obici (Falena) who also offers some interesting insights and
there is a poster and photo gallery. However, perhaps best of all, Cineploit
have also included composer Cipriani’s full soundtrack in a completely separate
chapter. For me, this concept works far better than an isolated (and sometimes
disjointed) track. Here you get a separate menu with basically the entire 10
tracks from the soundtrack album. The music is clean and delivered in clear 2
channel stereo with the option to select individual tracks or a ‘play all’
option. What a great way to include a soundtrack album as a bonus feature.
Of course, this is just the disc contents.
Aside from this, the overall packaging is superb. Cineploit have never skimped
on their commitment to quality. Their Blu-ray book covers are beautifully
produced using their regular addition of UV spotting (a stand out, high gloss
section). The book case contains an average of 26 pages; packed with
information (this particular edition is all German text), posters, stills and Italian
fotobusta reproductions. If that is not enough, Cineploit have also included a
double sided (2 different designs) fold out poster measuring approx. 11â€x15†and
on gloss paper.
Overall, it’s a great package and one hell of
a way of launching your Blu-ray catalogue.
Non
Contate Su Di Noi (Don't count on us, 1978) (CP02)
marks the worldwide premiere of an unseen and lost film. Set in 1970s Rome, a young musician meets by
chance a beautiful girl in the middle of heroin withdrawal. He falls in love
and tries to help her, discovering a shocking underworld of drugs, junkies and
pushers. Sergio Nutis’s drug drama from the late Seventies is a shattering but
also prosaic contemporary document of the drug scene in Rome. Predominately
placed in the intellectual student scene, heroine dominates their daily routine.
The film was shot using amateurs, most of who were connected to and heavily
involved with the drug scene. The result is a completely authentic experience.
The film was shot on original locations and provides a raw historical and
social document of the circumstances at that particular time. Never before
available on home video, this drugsploitation film is one of the first attempts
to portray the heroin scene of the 1970s, pathing the way for movies such as Christiane
F (1981), El Pico (1982) and Amore Tossico (1983). The film also features a memorable
folk rock score by Maurizio Rota (leader of the band Alberomotore) and features
songs by some of the most interesting names from the Italian indie music scene
of the 1970s, including Alan Sorrenti and Canzoniere del Lazio.
Sadly, the movie’s destiny was rather short-lived.
After a short run in a handful of Rome’s cinemas, and initial screenings at two
festivals in Italy and Switzerland, the planned distribution company fell into
bankruptcy and as a result, the film faded in obscurity. Thankfully, the movie’s
brand-new 2K restoration by Cineteca Nazionale has made this underground
classic available for all to enjoy.
The film is presented in its original Italian
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono audio with the option of German and English subtitles.
The disc also contains an interview with producer & actor Manfredi Marzano
(11 min), an interview with friend of Sergio Nuti, Marco Tullio Giordano (7 min)
and a deleted (censored) scene which basically saw actress Francesca Ferrari
dropping to her knees during the shower sequence. There is also a photo gallery
included. Cineploit’s overall packaging is again very impressive. The Blu-ray hardcover
media book with partial UV Spot contains 24 pages including an essay (in German
and English) by Udo Rotenberg (host of Deep Red Radio) and promotional material
and stills from the movie. Sadly, there is no poster reproduction included with
this release, which is probably due to the film’s very limited distribution.
Cinema
Retro has always prided itself on exploring the most diverse range of
soundtrack genres. Not only do we cover the classics, but also the more obscure
such as Production and Library music but also specialist labels such as All
Score Media and Cineploit – a label which offers new soundtrack scores produced
in a retro style and as homage to cult films of the past. At their heart, they
are all projects devised to keep cult film music of the past very much alive
and to the fore in the present day.
Rashomon
– Ashcan copy – Filmmusic Vol. III (Cine 21) Release date 25th October 2019
Originally issued in 2011, Ashcan Copy is the third instalment in Rashomon's Film Music series of LPs. Cineploit
Records is proud to present this re-release, and to introduce the record to a
wider audience than the 150 lucky souls who snagged a copy of the ultra-limited
initial release on Hlava Records. Active since 2009, Rashomon is the solo
project of Matt Thompson, also of Cineploit mainstays Zoltan. This is his
second release on the label under the Rashomon name, following 2014's LP/DVD
extravaganza The Cameraman's Revenge:
Film Music Vol. 4 – the final release in the Film Music series to date. The previous edition to this, 2009's The Finishing Line: Film Music Vol. 2,
had focused on recreating the psychological mind-state of the wilder end of
1970s British public information films. By way of change Ashcan Copy is presented as an album
of soundtrack cues from films that were, for one reason or another, never
released. The films, hailing from Italy, Japan and the U.S. (among others)
supposedly date from the 1950s to the 1970s and were (according to the
extensive sleeve notes) exactingly sourced from film archives across Europe.
In reality, all the music is self-composed. The eight
tracks include elements of noise, folk, psychedelia, prog and noir-jazz within
their elaborate constructions, created with panoply of instrumentation
including the atmospheric sounding Mellotron, zither, home-made percussion,
Fender Rhodes, harmonium, Mini-Moog and more. Delicate and sensuous, heavy and
oppressive – the record negotiates these musical contradictions while retaining
a single-minded pursuit of strangeness and surprise.
Having finally found its spiritual place on soundtrack
specialist label Cineploit, Ashcan
Copy has finally come home. The album’s fabric is woven seamlessly
throughout Cineploit’s core, signature sound. Running around 40 minutes, Ashcan
Copy will take you on a dark, brooding journey - but it’s simply the nature of
the beast. In context, the music would never sound out of place if set against
some psychedelic piece of Giallo or (as in the album’s opening track) ‘Double
Kill’ in a gritty slice of 70s Poliziotteschi . Cineploit excel in this
particular area of subgenre film music. Freakish and fascinating, it hits the
spot very nicely. The whole album has been completely remixed and includes a
bonus new track. The whole package (while strictly limited) is again in line
with Cineploit’s exceptional standards with an LP/CD set (180g Vinyl 300
coloured bone/red mix /200 black. housed in plastic outer sleeve) and the CD
housed in a matching card gatefold sleeve.
The
long awaited release of Barry Gray's freshly remastered score for Gerry and
Sylvia Anderson's 1970 live action series UFO will be available worldwide from 13th
September on CD, digital and glorious ‘SHADO Lilac’ double vinyl formats.
2019 would have been Gerry Anderson’s 90th
birthday. To celebrate his legacy, Silva Screen Records will release a series
of freshly remastered and compiled soundtrack albums from the iconic TV shows.
Starting with UFO on 13th September, the Silva Screen releases will feature
unforgettable TV themes and will cover all the major, worldwide popular series
that Gerry Anderson produced. All the releases in this series are being newly
compiled, mastered and designed by the creative team at Fanderson - The
Official Gerry and Sylvia Anderson Appreciation Society.
Moving away from his signature militaristic
sound which relied heavily on the brass and percussion sections, for UFO Barry
Gray produced a Jazz tinged period score, rooted in lounge style. The softer
sound, with extensive use of leitmotifs, follows Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s
first live action sci-fi series. Featuring 26 episodes set in the futuristic
1980s, the series was inspired by two big topics of the 1960s: extra-terrestrials
and the first successful heart transplant. The timing was perfect for a story
about the earth community defending themselves from aliens intent on harvesting
human organs. The storyline follows the constant battle of SHADO (Supreme
Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation), a secret organisation defending earth,
against the invaders from space.
Barry Gray was both a classically trained
composer and a versatile musician who worked as musical arranger for Vera Lynn,
Eartha Kitt and Hoagy Carmichael. He was also resident conductor of the RAF
camp dance band and a TV composer. Indeed it was Vera Lynn who introduced Barry
Gray to Gerry Anderson. Equally at ease composing for big ensembles,
electronica, military bands and jazz ensembles, Barry Gray is best known for
creating the music for Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation television
series Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds, UFO, and Space: 1999. His impressive influence
on the TV score genre is still evident today.
Release date: 13th September 2019
CD: SILCD1597, Digital album: SILED1597 and
Vinyl SILLP1597
"THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO SERIES 2" New Double
CD and Digital download: Release date: 23rd August 2019. CD: SILCD1604, Digital
album: SILED1604
BY DARREN ALLISON
Ben and Nick Foster’s updated soundtrack to
the iconic TV series, featuring synths, electronics and full orchestra follows
Barry Gray’s heritage by employing a vast array of brass and percussion. Thus,
there is a significant Bondesque quality about it.
Making good use of leitmotifs to signal
characters, moods and machines, the composing duo have created a completely up
to date, big cinematic sound, whilst retaining reverence for the original.
Thunderbirds Are Go is now screened in more
than 40 countries worldwide and Silva Screen's third compilation from the
series features music from Series 2. The music from the series has previously
received a BAFTA nomination.
Ben is a three times BAFTA nominated
composer whose scores include Torchwood, Hidden Kingdoms, Happy Valley, Our
Girl and as an orchestral arranger and conductor for 99 episodes of Doctor Who.
An amazing 77 tracks are spread across this double CD set. Silva Screen Records
have provided an exciting, generous and thoroughly enjoyable set that demands
your attention from beginning to end.Small
wonder that www.denofgeek.com says: "The
Fosters are on top form giving those big moments (and there are lots of them)
the blast they need but also serving quieter moments, such as undersea or in
space, with more interesting and curious themes and melodies. Just as Murray
Gold did with Doctor Who, the music is an absolute rock and lifts the show to a
cinematic level".
Due for release on 27th September 2019: 3 CD (5 original albums) The Electric Banana (1967), More
Electric Banana (1968), Even More Electric Banana (1969), Hot Licks (1973) and
The Return Of The Electric Banana (1978).
Fans of Film and TV Library music should be
gleaming all over with this upcoming release. Initially coming together during
a Fontana-era lull in The Pretty Things’ prodigious career, the band’s
now-legendary body of work for music library de Wolfe as The Electric Banana
saw their alter-egos become parallel universe superstars, their work utilised
by film and TV producers in everything from soft-porn skin-flicks, a Norman
Wisdom vehicle and horror classic Dawn of the Dead to small-screen ratings
winners like Dr. Who (1973 season), The Sweeney (1975) and Minder (1984).
But there is so much more just begging to be re-discovered
within these shiny silver time capsules. Cult TV shows such as Timeslip (1970) and
Doomwatch (1972). Ultra-rare music from sexploitation gems such as Confessions
of a Male Groupie: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and love The Electric Banana
(1971) and some great Tony Tenser productions including Monique (1970) and the
Norman Wisdom film (which has since gathered a cult reputation amongst British
psychedelic music buffs), What’s Good for the Goose (1968). And not forgetting Michael
Armstrong’s The Haunted House of Horror (1969) – all feature something,
somewhere from The Electric Banana. This generous and hugely enjoyable
collection is peppered with many surprising treats.
In the Sixties, the Banana recordings
mirrored British pop’s gradual evolution into rock, courtesy of brass-led
Swinging London ravers (‘Walking down the Street’, ‘Danger Signs’), primal
garage punk (‘Street Girl’, ‘Love Dance And Sing’) and maximum psychedelia
(‘Eagle’s Son’, ‘Alexander’). They switched gears again in the Seventies;
confidently mixing swaggering bar-band hard rockers (‘The Loser’, ‘Sweet Orphan
Lady’), putative terrace anthems (‘Whiskey Song’), metal-based rock (‘Maze
Song’, the Hendrix tribute ‘James Marshall’) and jangly, Byrds-inflected power
pop (‘Do My Stuff’).
Taken from the original master-tapes, the
3-CD set The Complete De Wolfe Sessions represents a number of firsts: the
first-ever legitimate CD issue of these recordings (authorised by both The
Pretty Things and de Wolfe), the first time that the Banana’s Sixties and
Seventies work has been made available under one roof, and the first time that
the karaoke-anticipating backing tracks have been made commercially available.
Housed in a clamshell box that includes a
lavish illustrated booklet, The Complete De Wolfe Sessions incorporates the
original albums artwork, an extended essay on the band, quotes from pivotal
members Phil May, Dick Taylor and Wally Waller, and some priceless photos from
back in the day.
More than forty years after The Pretty Things
last donned the Electric Banana mantle, this long-overdue complete package is
the final, definitive word on these seminal and much-loved recordings – and certainly
proves to be a rich voyage of discovery.
In
some respects, one could argue the same for Gianni Ferrio’s Un Dollaro Bucato
(One Silver Dollar) (1965). Also released as Blood for a Silver Dollar, producer
Bruno Turchetto was quick to jump on the whole ‘Dollar’ bandwagon. Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars had only been in the can for a year, so the genre was both
fresh and ripe for harvesting.
The
film’s soundtrack began life rather quietly; it was first released as a single
on the Fonit label in 1965 and featured the song ‘‘A Man... A Story’’ performed
by genre regular Fred Bongusto and was coupled with an instrumental version
performed by the Ferrio orchestra. The single was re-released in Japan by King
Records, where the film was received well. Philips also released it in Japan as
part of an EP containing A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More and Django,
so the music was certainly keeping good company – and deservedly so.
Despite
the obvious influences, there’s certainly no denying, Un Dollaro Bucato remains
a terrific score. Ferrio’s music is fluid and doesn’t just root itself firmly within
the western genre. In fact, certain cues wouldn’t sound out of place in a spy
thriller - another genre that was finding its feet with the emerging Bond
franchise. Aside from the more regular, stylistic western cues, there’s plenty
of mystery and tension, and Ferrio makes great use of brass horns to build the
drama. So yes, Morricone inspired for sure, but there’s also a great deal more.
Silva
Screen Records have chosen well. Ferrio’s Un Dollaro Bucato remains a hugely
popular title. In more recent times, cues have found their way into Quentin
Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (2009), and been featured in the Red Dead
Revolver video game series. Silva Screen has created a stunning vinyl package
containing 21 beautifully produced tracks. It’s a stand out example, and obvious
that a great deal of thought has gone into this project. Not only does the
sleeve contain some creative, new artwork, but at the same time it maintains
the retro style reflective of the much loved 60s genre. Best of all perhaps is
the 12†platter, an eye catching piece pressed in a stylish silver & red
coloured vinyl, an element which ties in rather perfectly with the ‘silver’ and
‘blood ‘of the film’s alternative title. It’s a shimmering example of how vinyl
can (and should) be produced for the ongoing revival. Long may it continue to
shine!
For anyone with a remote interest in
soundtrack music, they will probably have some knowledge of how difficult it is
to secure the rights to Stanley Kubrick’s film music. Permission has been basically
refused and the whole issue is generally tied up in a bundle of tightly wrapped
red tape.
Whilst there is still a great demand for
these scores, the slow and unsuccessful process has left the fan base both
frustrated and in limbo. It’s not that there hasn’t been a gallant effort;
fans/producers such as the respected and much admired Nick Redman have taken up
the challenge, but alas to no avail. As a result, the Kubrick soundtrack sagas
remain something of an impregnable and stubborn wall to penetrate.
I can’t therefore condemn entirely the
efforts of some labels and their attempts to try and fill the void and at least
try and provide something for the fans that is at least commendable. El Records
have attempted to provide just such a set with the release of a 4 disc box set
Kubrick’s Music: “Selections from the Films of Stanley Kubrick†(ACME338BOX).
It is important to point out that this is neither the definitive answer nor the
solution to the long- standing problem, and neither does it pretend to be. Moreover,
El’s presentation comprises of musical selections from Kubrick’s central
masterpieces, complimented by pieces which the director used as ‘temp tracks’ during
the production (and by varied accounts) with every intention of using these in
the final film, only to decide to replace them late on.
As the press release states:
“Stanley Kubrick’s audacious use of music was
one of the aspects that distinguished his films. He handled music with
sensitivity, invention and respect and it resulted in the creation of some of
the most indelible scenes in cinema history. Three that spring to mind… the use of Vera
Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’ over a ninety-second montage of nuclear explosions
that closes “Dr. Strangeloveâ€; the deployment of Strauss waltzes to create an
elegant cosmic ballet during the docking sequence in “2001: A Space Odysseyâ€,
and the highly controversial use of Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain†during
the attack on F. Alexander and his wife by Alex and his Droogs in “A Clockwork
Orangeâ€.
In “2001â€, the scherzo from Felix
Mendelssohn’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream†(used for scenes of weightlessness) and
Vaughan Williams “Antarctica Suite†(for the Stargate effects and scenes on the
moon) were both used in preview showings of the film before being discarded.
While on “Eyes Wide Shutâ€, Wagner’s “Lieder Im Triebhaus†(“In the Greenhouseâ€)
from Wesendonck Lieder was a significant theme in the production for more than
a year before being replaced.
We have also assembled the complete vintage
ballroom music from “The Shiningâ€. The final movement from Berlioz’s “Symphonie
Fantastiqueâ€, with its epic use of the chant from the Roman Catholic Requiem
mass, the “Dies Iraeâ€, and a Sibelius piece, “Valse Tristeâ€. Both were
important to the evolution of the film. Finally, as a young man, Stanley Kubrick fell
in love with Sergi Prokofiev’s score for the Sergei Eisenstein’s first sound
film, “Alexander Nevskyâ€. He played it to death, and it would inspire him later
in his own use of dramatic music. From the scintillating recording by Fritz
Reiner with the Chicago SO, we include the movement, “Battle On the Iceâ€.’
Performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic
and London Music Works, this comprehensive 6 CD collection features music from
the latest Sci-Fi blockbusters; from Ready Player One, Solo: A Star Wars Story,
and Blade Runner 2049, all the way back to 1950s classics The Day The Earth
Stood Still and Forbidden Planet.
This release brings together the best
selection of science fiction music spanning almost a century, through a
thorough overview of musical styles, themes and techniques. It spotlights music
from Hollywood heavyweights and classically trained legends (John Williams,
John Barry, Ennio Morricone and Bernard Hermann), electronic experimenters
(Bebe & Louis Barron, Vangelis) and jazz-influenced composers (Bill Conti,
Henry Mancini) to the new generation, who combine orchestral sounds with
electronics (David Arnold, Johann Johannsson, Ramin Djawadi, Steve Jablonsky,
Hanz Zimmer and Clint Mansell.)
100 Greatest Science Fiction Themes is
released in both physical and digital format on 31st August 2018.
THE INVASION
Don Harper’s soundtrack to the 8-part Doctor
Who story The Invasion was made and transmitted in 1968 starring Patrick
Troughton as the second Doctor.
Don Harper’s music for The Invasion may have
been influenced by John Barry’s score for The Ipcress File (1965). Don used the
cimbalom in the score, and the artist was most likely John Leach (who also
worked under the name Janos Lehar), who played on The Ipcress File, King Rat
and The Persuaders.
The instruments used included the organ,
cimbalom, percussion, clarinet (doubling clarinets in A and Bb, bass clarinet and
oboe), bass guitar, contra-bass clarinet and cor anglais. The percussion
consisted of bim bams and temple blocks, timps including piccolo timp and hand
timp, as well as cymbal and vibraphone. The organ was a Hammond M100 with
Leslie speaker.
The score was augmented by the use of
electronic sounds created by Brian Hodgson of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
There was also “Muzak†by John Baker (referred to as such in the cue sheets for
episodes 1 and 2), which had its first outing in an Out of the Unknown episode.
For this 2018 Silva Screen album, Doctor Who
composer Mark Ayres have placed the previously used music together, followed by
additional unused cues and the electronic score.
Don Harper (1921 - 1999) was an Australian
film and TV composer, jazz violinist and big band conductor. He is best known
for his work on Doctor Who, World of Sport, Sexton Blake, Out of the Unknown
and Dawn of the Dead, as well as his work with Don Harper’s Sextet and Dave
Brubeck’s Quartet. After many years between England and Australia, Harper
returned to Australia in order to take up the position of Head of Jazz Studies
at the Wollongong University's School of Creative Arts, which he held until
1990. He died in 1999 aged 78.
Don Harper’s music has achieved cult status
and in 2005 MF DOOM and Danger Mouse, in their collaborative project
DangerDoom, sampled Don Harper's "Chamber Pop" and "Thoughtful
Popper". Elements of "Dark Earth" from the Dawn of the Dead
soundtrack were used on Gorilazz "Intro" from Demon Days, which was
also produced by Danger Mouse.
Composer
Bernard Herrmann was often described as being ‘temperamental’ and ‘explosive’
by nature. However, very few could ever criticize his approach and dedication
in regards to his work. His collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock are
today reflected upon as legendary; a clash of personalities which proved that both
fire and gasoline didn’t necessarily have to end in utter devastation.
To
tie in with Record Store Day UK 2018, Silva Screen Records have released a
strictly limited edition 7†EP showcasing the very best of this turbulent and
tremendous partnership. The Double A Side single (SIL71566) features two tracks
from Vertigo (Prelude / The Nightmare) with the flipside featuring Overture /
Main title from North by Northwest. The music is perfectly executed by the
highly respected City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Paul
Bateman.
Vertigo
crackles with tension as James Stewart’s character Scottie goes through an
emotional wringer. Herrmann blew away the lush melodies that dominated music in
films of previous decades and delivered harsh, stinging, repetitive themes overlaid
on a deceptive symphonic score. The sound is as experimental as the film, which
60 years from release remains one of the milestones of cinematic history. One
year on in North by Northwest, Cary Grant is the man in peril. This time it’s
not mentally but physically as he is pursued by a spy network and the police.
Herrmann ratchets up the tension with an orchestral tour-de-force which
highlighted the thrill of the chase. Herrmann described it as, “a kaleidoscopic
orchestral fandango designed to kick-off the exciting rout which follows."
Silva
Screen has produced just 1200 individually numbered copies of this attractively
designed 7†single. Pressed in a transparent Amber coloured vinyl and given the
continuously swelling number of Herrmann devotees, I very much doubt that this
will remain around for too long. So check in with your local participating
Record Store Day UK outlet to avoid any possible disappointment. You’ll find it
to be well worth it.
CLICK HERE TO FIND A RETAILER THAT WILL STOCK THIS ITEM ON RECORD DAY UK, 21 APRIL
After
some 47 years there is still something about Ron Grainer’s score for The Omega Man (1971)
(SILLP1561) that continues to withstand the test of time. Whilst the film might
arguably appear to be a little dated these days, Grainer’s music lives on to
uphold and support its continuing cult status. It’s perhaps no surprise then
that Silva Screen Records have decided to release its first ever double vinyl
pressing exclusively in time for Record Store Day UK, which is 21 April 2018.
The
Omega Man is an eclectic mix of styles ranging from mellow jazz, traditional
lounge, and romantic mood setters to excellent dramatic action themes that
feature contemporary, modern instrumentation including synthesisers and
haunting water chimes. Everything is here. It remains a defining example of
just how good film music used to be, full of strong melody and executed with
perfect orchestration. To this day it is arguably regarded as Grainer’s
crowning glory, and rightfully so. Grainer was brave enough to mix the
traditional elements with the contemporary, gently embedding electronic effects
and reverb to produce something highly unique.
Silva
Screen's double vinyl album contains the full 18 tracks as previously released
on the FSM CD of 1997. The packaging is superb; both records are contained
within a super heavyweight gatefold sleeve, with a flat spine that is close to
8mm in width. However, if you are interested in this first ever vinyl edition
of the score and particularly by its widely advertised ‘coloured vinyl’, you
may want to check first with participating stores, as my copy is unmistakably a
traditional black vinyl pressing. In regards to its audio, everything sounds
astonishingly good and contains plenty of punch where it counts.
As
this is a Record Store Day UK exclusive it is worth checking out in advance (with
any participating outlet) if they will be stocking this particular title. Because
of the codes of conduct surrounding Record Store Day UK, any remaining stock will
be available for sale online from 00.01am on the 28th April 2018.
The
Omega Man is limited to just 1000 (individually numbered) copies. Due to the
popularity of this glorious score, you might want to begin your research in
advance and in order to avoid any possible disappointment. It’s sure to be one
of the outstanding titles of the day.
Click here to find a retail out that will sell this release.
It’s
great to see German label All Score Media back on the soundtrack circuit. Their
latest vinyl LP release No Place for a Man (ASM 045) is a fictional homage to
the Italian Spaghetti Western genre of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Performed by the duo
Mondo Sangue (Cristiano Sangueduro and Cristina Casereccia), the score is a
passionate and honest tribute to the iconic genre soundtracks of the past. The
influences are certainly there, from Ennio Morricone to the late great Franco
De Gemini, for whom the album is quietly dedicated. There is a great deal of
tradition to be found within the album tracks. One could perhaps argue it is
almost stereotypical, but never in the negative sense of the word. The Spaghetti
Western score had of course become somewhat ‘formulised’ during its reign, so
expect lovely examples of twanging guitars, harmonica, epic choral vocals and mouth
harps. There are also a couple of vocal tracks such as ‘Somewhere in the West’
performed by Cristina Casereccia and ‘’No Place for a Man’ has Casereccia duet
with Alberto Rocca. All of these tracks work very well and create a comforting sense
of familiarity. Listening to the track ‘Il Portoghese’ and its delicate
whistling motif transports you straight back to Morricone’s ‘A Fistful of
Dynamite†(1971). Overall, fans of the genre should love this piece. There are
not too many labels delivering these retrospective, tribute scores, so they
really should be held dear. Cineploit are another label who produce period
sounding, fictional scores and in many ways offer a sense of continuity, a
linkage to the past and everything that was so appealing about it.
All
Score Media have produced a delightful sounding and excellent package for this
release. The album sleeve is beautifully illustrated by Sue Elderberry. The 180g
vinyl LPs are limited to just 666 pieces and are all individually hand
numbered. Each LP also comes with an autographed photo card signed by vocal duo
Cristina Casereccia and Alberto Rocca and there’s also a download code so as to
listen when on the move. There is obviously a great deal of love gone into this
release and it clearly shines through. No Place for a Man is an excellent
production that should be both respected and applauded.
Dutton Vocalion has released three3 more
impressive titles in their SACD range. The Black Motion Picture Experience /
Music for Soulful Lovers (CDSML 8531) is as a twofer release featuring The
Cecil Holmes Soulful Sounds. There’s a perfect symmetry about this particular
CD. Both albums were released on the famous Buddah label back in 1973 and both
were released in Stereo and Quadrophonic pressings. Vocalion’s new CD marks the
debut of both albums in both formats. Both titles were originally released back
in the height of the Blaxploitation boom. The first of the Holmes albums
consists of a great selection of major Blaxploitation themes including Super
fly (1972), Shaft (1971) and Across 110th street (1972), but there’s
also a great deal more than the usual, often repeated titles. Slaughter (1972)
is a nice addition to the track listing, considering a soundtrack album was
never released. Holmes also diverts somewhat curiously with tracks such as Also
Sprach Zarathustra from 2001 (1968) and the Love Theme from Lady sings the
Blues (1972). However, there’s a very nice funky edge to these tracks which never
make them seem out of place and therefore fit in rather seamlessly.
Music for Soulful Lovers works as a perfect accompaniment
to The Black Motion Picture Experience. Again, the album consists of many popular
songs from the period, so expect more vocal tracks. But of course, the vocals
are deep, evocative and very, very smooth. Aside from some very nicely produced covers of songs by Barry White,
Stevie Wonder and The Stylistics, the album also contained three original
compositions, all of which are silky and slick. In fact, it’s Holmes himself
who provides the Barry White-influenced vocals ontwo of these tracks – and hey,
it actually works extremely well!
Vocalion’s mastering by Michael J. Dutton
(from the original master tapes) is pin sharp and contains the punchy clarity
that we have come to expect. Great notes and super use of the irreplaceable
artwork make this a damn near perfect retro experience. (Disc total 73.17)
Vocalion have returned to familiar territory
with their release of Henry Mancini’s twofer CD The Return of the Pink Panther
/ Symphonic Soul (CDSML 8535). Released in 1975, both albums were also launched
in Stereo and Quadrophonic versions. So it’s nice to see Vocalion’s CD make a
welcome debut on the hybrid SACD format. As far as Mancini pairings go, this
selection works extremely well. The choice of Return of the Pink Panther is
undoubtedly a smart move as it is arguably the best of the Panther soundtracks.
Recorded at London’s CTS studios, there’s a nice range of styles spread across
this memorable score. Released on the cusp of the disco era, there’s naturally
a great deal of funky guitar riffs (provided by session musician Alan Parker)
as well as some beautiful pieces such as ‘Dreamy’ which saw Mancini himself
take to the piano. The highlight piece is arguably The Return of the Pink
Panther (parts 1 & 2) which accompanied the theft of the Pink Panther
diamond. It’s a great piece of composition which incorporates both the Pink
Panther theme, a slow (but increasing dramatic) tension builder and a full on
frenzy of brass and strings for its climax.
Supporting Mancini’s soundtrack release is
his studio album, Symphonic Soul. The album was recorded in L.A. and manages to
merge the funky mid 70s sound with Mancini’s lush orchestrations. Mancini
brought a few of his own new compositions to the album including the wonderful
title track. He also took this opportunity to introduce a new souped-up version
of his memorable Peter Gunn theme. There’s also some well-established period
pieces to be found among the track listing including a great variation of The
Average White Band’s funk anthem ‘Pick up the pieces’ and Herbie Hancock’s ‘Butterfly’.
Vocalion’s mastering by Michael J. Dutton
(from the original master tapes) is reflective of the label’s usual high
standards whilst a detailed 8 page booklet rounds off the packaging perfectly. (Disc
total 71.51)
Before inheriting the title "Master of
Disaster", a perfectly justified honour for his reputation of creating
some of the greatest disaster movies of the 1970s, Irwin Allen was also the man
responsible for some of the classic TV shows to emerge in the 1960’s. Voyage to
the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants have all
survived the test of time and become immortalised among the best in terms of
cultural importance. However, above all others, Lost in Space (1965-1968) is arguably
the series that endured. Very loosely inspired by Johan David Wyss's classic 1812 adventure novel
“Swiss Family Robinsonâ€, the premise for the show was fairly uncomplicated and
followed the adventures of the Robinson family, a crew of space colonists who encounter
a number of strange and otherworldly situations after their ship is sabotaged
and thrown off its original course. A
great deal of the show’s appeal was the family, a full generational spectrum
which naturally connected with its audience. Of course, the crew also included
an essential antagonist, Dr. Zachary Smith. Smith was the man responsible for
sabotaging the Jupiter 2 and as a result, finds himself stranded aboard the
spacecraft. Completing the crew was the robot, a charismatic scene-stealer designed
by Robert Kinoshita, the man behind the iconic Robby the Robot from the 1956
sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet (1956).
Another essential element of Lost in Space
was its music, an accompaniment that varied (and re-used) a great deal
throughout its three season history. Many respected composers had worked on the
series including Herman Stein, Hans J. Salter, Alexander Courage, Gerald Fried,
Robert Drasnin and Leigh Harline. However, one composer is perhaps associated
with the series above all others, the legendary John Williams. Williams of
course went on to compose some of the greatest film scores in history. It’s
near impossible to summarise the enormity of his success, but titles such as
Jaws, the Star Wars movies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T.
the Extra-Terrestrial, and the Indiana Jones series should serve as a pretty
impressive indicator.
In recognition of the composer’s excellent
contribution to the series, Spacelab9 have released a glorious vinyl box set
featuring the music of Johnny Williams. The four LP’s consist largely of music
from four classic episodes, The Reluctant Stowaway, Island in the Sky, The
Hungry Sea and My Friend, Mr. Nobody. Spacelab9 have put a great deal of
thought and care in producing this highly impressive collection. Aside from
Williams’ original compositions, each of the individual albums is rounded off
with generous bonus material from each of the corresponding episodes. These extra
tracks feature music by the Louisville born Richard LaSalle. A respected
composer in his own right, LaSalle was responsible for the show’s library cues
which not only provided a certain familiarity but were also vital to the show’s
distinctive overall soundscape. Main and end titles are also included for
series 1, 2 and 3 as are some alternate versions and relevant bumper cues.
Lost in Space: The Complete John Williams
Collection is certainly a cohesive set which collates Williams’ entire
contribution neatly into one package. It’s a smart and intelligent move which
also widens its appeal to fans of the composer and not just fans of the TV
series.
Vocalion
have the rare ability to continuously satisfy. Not only does the label re-connect
us to the past with essential CD reissues, but also through re-recordings of
long forgotten and often overlooked classics. Vocalion’s three latest CD releases
continue to exemplify these principles, and all with a certain sense of style.
Themes
from The Exorcist (1974) and Flashpoint (1975) are two albums from Ray Davies
and the Button Down Brass. As albums, they formed part of an essential
collective, an audio treasury that would find their way into the hands of young
and enthusiastic kids, particularly of those who displayed an early interest
and love of both cinema and TV. They were usually the affordable route; a few
weeks pocket money would often result in one of these albums making it into the
comforting domain of your bedroom. Sat alongside your Geoff Love compilations, they
would provide countless hours of repeated enjoyment.
Themes
from The Exorcist and Flashpoint (CDSML 8526) offer a great twofer pairing.
Originally released on the Philips label, both albums contain a varied and
exciting selection of cuts. Aside from the ‘funky trumpet’ of Ray Davies, his
musicians including Alan Hawkshaw on keyboards, Alan Parker on electric guitar,
Herbie Flowers on bass guitar and Alf Bigden on drums, can all be experienced
here in top form and full flight. Covering the work of composers such as Lalo
Schifrin, Quincy Jones, Michael Small, John Williams, Elmer Bernstein and John
Barry, the selection is varied and vast. There’s a genuine refreshment to be
found in some of these interpretations, take for example Don Ellis’s The French
connection (1972) – Davies takes what could arguably be described as a frenzied
burst of dissonant trumpet sounds and applies a melody, a theme... Yes, it
perhaps lessens the intensity of its original, but instead provides a funky
reinterpretation, and one in which I believe works to a large degree. It’s
important perhaps to remember that these recordings were never in competition,
they’re not competing for supremacy – some are just far too big. Magnum Force
(1973) and its screaming, wordless vocals add so much to Schifrin’s original,
and any attempt to perhaps try and replicate that is left firmly alone, and for
good reason. However, a fresh approach certainly does it little harm, and can
be comfortably enjoyed as a separate listening experience and an addition. As
previously stated, it’s a really wonderful selection which takes in an eclectic
mix from television classics such as Kojak (1973-78) and The Magician (1973-74)
to cult movies of the day such as Mr. Majestyk (1974), Gold (1974), Point Blank
(1967) and even a couple of Bruce Lee Joseph Koo themes – The Big Boss (1971)
and Fist of Fury (1972).
Another
high point of this SACD release is that it also contains both the quadrophonic
and stereo mixes. These titles were only ever previously available in 4-channel
sound through a Japanese release. Vocalion have again produced a dynamic sound
in their mastering process and provided a super set of notes which includes an
exclusive interview with Ray Davies and his recollections of the people and the
places relating to those exciting times. As always, Oliver Lomax provides a
fascinating and detailed journey which captures perfectly the essence of
yesterday. A great package, a great sound and a great journey; let’s hope there
is more of the same to come.
“Omaggio al Maestro Ennio Morriconeâ€- CD sleeve.
Cineploit Records launches two new releases“Omaggio al Maestro Ennio Morricone†(Cine 20)
and “Omaggio a Joe D´Amato e Marcello Giombini†(Exploit 01) 7″ EP to mark
their 5 year anniversary.
Cinema
Retro picked up on Cineploit’s talents very early in the day. I've been
reviewing their releases now since those very first humble beginnings. When it
comes to labels that are dedicated in keeping retro genre film music alive -
Cineploit are arguably the very best. Never afraid to explore new avenues or
indeed breathing new life into classic Giallo or Poliziotteschi film scores,
the label has decided to celebrate their anniversary with the release of a
tribute album ‘Omaggio al Maestro Ennio Morricone.’
“Omaggio al Maestro Ennio Morriconeâ€- LP sleeve.
This
highly impressive compilation of the Maestro's work is performed by various
groups and artists from the Cineploit stable, and very lavish it is too. The
vinyl version comes in a beautiful gatefold sleeve with UV Spot, printed inner
sleeve and is available in a limited coloured vinyl edition exclusive at
Cineploit. The CD also comes with a Bonus track. The regular LP version is on
180g black Vinyl with or without the CD. The CD version also comes in an LP
style wallet with an 8 page booklet and features different front sleeve artwork.
As always, Cineploit offer a wide range of buying options at their website.
•
Zoltan – Pazuzu (from Exorcist 2)
•
Videogram – The Thing (from Soundtrack)
•
Orgasmo Sonore vs. Sospetto – Adonai (from Il Giardino delle Delizie)
•
Rashomon – Stress Infinito (from Spasmo)
•
Oscillotron – La Lucertola (from Una lucertola con la pelle di Donna)
•
LAWA (Leonard/Wank) – Sentenza di Morte (from Roma come Chicago)
•
Luigi Porto feat Fromwood – Strana Bambina (La Piovra)
•
Thelema – Die Ballade von Präfekt Mori (from Il Prefetto di Ferro)
•
Sospetto – Inseguimento No. 2 & 3 (from Una breve stagione)
•
LAWA (Leonard/Wank) – Revolver (from Revolver) * CD Bonus
Cineploit
have also taken this opportunity to repress and rerelease the long sold out
7" EP
“Omaggio a Joe D´Amato e Marcello Giombiniâ€- front of vinyl release.
“Omaggio a Joe D´Amato e Marcello Giombiniâ€- back of vinyl release.
“Omaggio a Joe D´Amato e Marcello Giombini†by Deak Ferance &
Roger Conrad (Exploit 01) and features music from “Man-Eater aka Antropophagous†and “Erotic
Nights of the living Deadâ€. The vinyl features stunning retro artwork to both
front and back and is released in a limited edition of just 350 copies on
Orange/Black Splatter Vinyl.
Cineploit
never fail to impress me, through either their quality recordings or their
equally beautiful standard of packaging. With imminent new album releases
coming from both Sospetto and Thelema, the future is certainly looking bright!
Happy anniversary Cineploit!
The Swinger (1967) and The Pleasure Seekers
(1964) are films featuring the charismatic Ann-Margret. Both films are considered to be typical
Hollywood pop cinema; light and frothy, flawed, but full of period bric-a-brac
and stylish music, much like the Elvis Presley movies of the day. In fact,
Margret had already made quite an impact starring alongside Elvis in the film Viva
Las Vegas (1964). Margret was certainly beginning to shine in all the right
places and had come a long way since emigrating from her native Sweden back in 1942.
The Pleasure Seekers soundtrack was also
originally released on the RCA Victor label and featured a score by Lionel
Newman and Alexander Courage. In addition the album also featured four songs
from the writing team of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen. The songs are of
course performed by Ann-Margret, with tracks such as ‘Bossa Nova’ and ‘Something
to think about’ adding a genuine lush, vibrant feel to the album. At 34
minutes, it works perfectly alongside The Swinger and rounds off the CD rather
nicely.
The Swinger / The Pleasure Seekers (CD ACMEM324CD)
really does have a great deal going for it. Firstly, they are a match made in
heaven. Both albums showcase Margret’s distinguished vocal style and clearly
reflect her place in popular culture. Secondly, Cherry Red’s CD marks the first
time these two albums have ever been released on any digital format. It’s hard
to understand how they had previously slipped under the radar and never seen
the light of day before now. The audio quality is also very clean. Whilst there
is no indication of the source, both recordings are clear, with nice range and
are free from any form of background hiss. Cherry Red has also produced a very
nice 12 page booklet to accompany this release which is full of relevant and
interesting notes. The only minor grievance I have is in the booklet layout.
Whilst there is a lovely reproduction of the original album artwork of The
Swinger to the front of the booklet, the full page reproduction of the album
art for The Pleasure Seekers sits buried inside the booklet. Placing this
artwork to the back cover of the booklet renders it far more practical and
makes it completely reversible. It
provides the owner with an opportunity of choosing exactly what album cover
they want to display to the front. It’s a very simple option, but makes a world
of difference to the collector. Other than that, it’s a first rate release that
I’m sure will be welcomed and enjoyed by a great deal of people.
Vocalion
records have four super releases to get 2017 underway. The Rogues (1964) (CDLK
4601) features music composed and conducted by Nelson Riddle. The Rogues, a
rather short-lived TV series (aired on NBC from September 13, 1964, to April
18, 1965), starred David Niven, Gig Young and Charles Boyer as a trio of former
conmen. Whilst it won the 1964 Golden Globe award for Best Television Series,
the show has largely been forgotten. Thankfully, Alfred Perry of Four Star
Television had the vision to approach RCA with the idea of releasing an album
of Riddle’s music from the show. Vocalion’s beautifully mastered CD is a
straight re-issue of that album (LSP 2976). As you would expect from Riddle, a
hugely talented composer who had penned music from the TV series The
Untouchables and Route 66, his music for The Rogues is both rich and lush. It’s
a great example of a period sound with plenty of silky strings and of course
some wonderful swinging brass rhythms. Sound quality is remarkably good thanks
to Michael J. Dutton’s remastering of the original analogue tapes. It is also
nice to see Vocalion reverting back to providing a full and informative set of original
liner notes. Oliver Lomax provides a comprehensive account of Riddle, his
musicians and his unique approach to music. The Rogues is a release that
certainly justifies and fully deserves a fresh re-evaluation as well as some
detailed attention.
How Sweet
it Is! (1968) (CDLK 4604) makes its debut appearance on CD and features the
music of composer Patrick Williams. Williams is a composer that rarely receives
the recognition that he arguably deserves. After working primarily as an
arranger in New York, he moved to California in 1968 to pursue a career in film
and television. How Sweet It Is! marked the first film score for Williams. It
was a fairly routine comedy outing (which received an X certificate in the UK)
and starred James Garner, Debbie Reynolds and Terry-Thomas. In his memoirs, Garner
would later reveal that both he and Reynolds hated the film but kept it
together for the sake of their fans. The film’s music, however, is far more
enduring. Williams provides a beautiful score ranging from some high tempo
jazzy numbers to some smooth and very romantic mellow sounds. It’s a score
which shares certain similarities to that of Neal Hefti’s prevalent sixties
sound, often romantic but with a playful underlining trill woven throughout.
The soundtrack also features two vocal tracks that fall into the easy listening
genre and are provided by the Picardy Singers. Vocalion’s CD sounds remarkable
thanks again to Michael J. Dutton’s remastering of the original analogue tapes.
Liner notes on this occasion are just a straight forward reproduction of the
original RCA LP (LSP 4037) sleeve notes. As a straight re-working of the
original album, it is also relatively short at just under 28 minutes, which is
a great shame as it practically cries out for more of the same.
There
aren’t too many people I know amongst the soundtrack community who don’t enjoy
the recordings of Hugo Montenegro. Whilst he was an accomplished composer in
his own right ((Lady in Cement (1968), The Ambushers (1967) and The Wrecking
Crew (1968)), he is perhaps remembered more for his unique arrangements –
usually of other composers’ music. Vocalion’s new CD treats us to not one, but two
of his great albums. Love Theme from The Godfather (1972)/Music from A Fistful
of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1968)
(CDLK 4595) provides the listener with arguably his very best work. Back in
1972, RCA released Love Theme from The Godfather as a quadrophonic LP (APDI-0001).
Vocalion have reissued both albums here on CD in the SA-CD format and therefore
retaining its multi-channel format (this CD is also stereo compatible). Love
Theme from The Godfather is an album of varied styles containing a mixture of
both film music and popular tunes of the time. Ranging from Lennon &
McCartney’s Norwegian Wood to Mancini’s Baby Elephant Walk, the content is
diverse and eclectic – but all comes together in a quirky and highly enjoyable
way. Music from A Fistful of Dollars,
For a Few Dollars More & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly has largely
attained widespread recognition over the decades. An extremely popular album, soundtrack
collectors continue to hold their vinyl as cherished possessions. Naturally, a completely remastered version of
that album is also extremely welcome. Michael J. Dutton has done a fabulous job
in providing a crisp freshness to these classic recordings and it appears to be
perfectly justified in releasing this twofer by way of a Hybrid CD. Frankly, they
have never sounded so good. As well as including the massive single chart hit The
Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the album also includes the single cut for Hang ‘Em
high – Clint Eastwood’s first American western made upon his return from Europe
after completing Sergio Leone’s Dollar trilogy. It’s perhaps a little
disappointing that no new liner notes were produced for this release; instead
there is a straight reproduction of the original album notes. Considering the
versatility and calibre of Montenegro’s work, it would have been nice to
include some form of appreciation of his career in music. However, the proof
here is solidly in the music itself, and on that basis, it’s a winner in every
respect.
It’s
perfectly fair to describe Mario Bava as something of a maverick; he is after
all, an Italian director from the golden period of Italian horror films. Much
is attributed to Bava, some even label him as the man responsible for launching
the giallo film genre and in particular the entire sub-genre of the slasher
movie.
Ecologia
Del Delitto (Bay of Blood) is also regarded as one of the very first slasher
movies. It was Bava’s 24th theatrical film as director and as such he
was confident in both his style and technique. Ecologia Del Delitto is arguably
one of Bava’s most violent films and featured some graphically bloody murders. The
film also boasted a strong international cast led by the beautiful French
actress Claudine Auger, best known for her role as Dominique in the James Bond
film Thunderball (1965). The film also featured Italian actress Laura Betti,
with whom Bava had enjoyed working with on Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1969).
By
the time Ecologia Del Delitto appeared, Italian composer Stelvio Cipriani was
well adapted to the thriller score. Ecologia Del Delitto was the first of three
projects that teamed both Cipriani and Bava, the second being Gli orrori del
castello di Norimberga (Baron Blood) 1972) and lastly Cani Arrabbiati (Rabid
Dogs) (1974). Whilst all three scores have been previously released on the
excellent limited edition Digitmovies double CD from 2005 ‘Mario Bava Original
Soundtracks Anthology Volume III’ (CDDM046), the Chris' Soundtrack Corner
expanded score is fully worth the upgrade. In addition to the 37 minutes of
music previously released, the CSC release contains 11 new tracks. Christian
Riedrich explains, ‘Eleven bonus tracks of about fourteen minutes total length
are added to this album, seven of which are previously unreleased, these
include alternate takes, "wild" recordings, or edited mixes of
original takes extended by looping the music and thus doubling the length of
the track in order to offer a better listening experience. The cues are not
sequenced in film order but have been placed in an order that we believe
provides an optimum listening experience of the music apart from the
film.’
Cipriani’s
score works extremely well. There is a great deal of emphasis on percussion,
tribal drums in particular are used to provide an uneasy, atonal quality which
conjures up a genuine sense of foreboding. Yet, in listening to Cipriani you
can pretty well guarantee you’re never too far from a beautiful melody. Cipriani
seems to possess a unique ability in mixing the two styles seamlessly. Listen
for his excellent ‘lounge’ version of the main title, and you’ll be transported
to a silky soft, heavenly place via an ever so slightly threatening layer of opening
strings... it’s a perfect example of equilibrium and it works deliciously well.
This
newly released and extended edition of Ecologia Del Delitto has been
beautifully produced by Christian Riedrich and newly mastered by Stefan Betke. The
CD is accompanied by a 16-page illustrated booklet designed by Aletta Heinsohn
featuring detailed and exclusive notes by film music journalist Randall D.
Larson. If I had one minor gripe, I would have possibly put some of that stronger
artwork to better use for the cover illustration. The powerful poster image by
Spanish artist Jano would have pressed all the right buttons - but perhaps this
was hampered by copyright limitations. Nevertheless, it certainly shouldn’t put
you off, as Cipriani’s music remains the domineering factor.
The
mid-to-late Seventies seemed rife with films that featured sharks and the
mysterious depths of the Bermuda waters. High class entries of course included
Jaws (1975) and The Deep (1977), both of which were based upon successful
novels by Peter Benchley. For every good example, there is naturally a fair
amount of cheaper, less impressive imitations.
Bermuda: Cave of the Sharks (1978) directed by Italian Tonino Ricci,
unfortunately lands in that category.
However,
Tonino Ricci did have the good sense to hire Italian composer Stelvio Cipriani
to write the score. The composer was becoming more than familiar with this particular
genre with Cipriani, also scoring Il triangolo delle Bermude (The Bermuda
triangle) (1978) and Uragano sulle Bermude l'ultimo S.O.S. (Encounters in the
Deep) (1979).
Cipriani’s
score for Bermude La Fossa Maledetta is quite an eclectic mixture of styles. A
great number of the tracks serve as simplistic mood setters, not unlike
standard ‘library’ samples. There is nothing in the way of a memorable lush
theme or even a stand out action piece, which is strange considering that this
is an adventure movie. There is nothing that could be described as rousing. Instead,
Cipriani uses a recurring 6 note motif in various alternative forms.
Additionally, the listener is reminded that this is indeed 1978 and with it
comes plenty of bass guitar played over a Euro/Latin disco backing track, a
style that would come to dominate many Italian films from this particular period.
Cipriani’s score sticks very much to formula, with some nice little synthesised
cues thrown in along the way.
Chris' Soundtrack Corner's complete CD gets really interesting when it reaches the bonus material.
Cipriani seemingly gains access to a rather nice (if limited) set of orchestral
musicians. As a result, the music has a much improved, almost lush appeal and
provides a complete change of direction. Mysteriously, this only occurs for a
couple of tracks before reverting back to the more familiar synthesised
approach. However, even these ‘alternate’ versions seem to carry far more
weight and even provide some threatening wordless vocals which really hype up
the atmosphere. Ultimately, one is left wishing that there were a great deal
more strings and harmonies used within the context of Cipriani’s main score.
Italian
label Digitmovies had previously released a three-score, 2-CD set that featured
18 tracks from Bermude La Fossa Maledetta - but is now long deleted.Chris' Soundtrack Corner now offers the complete
score (31 tracks in total) with an additional 26 minutes of previously
unreleased material – an element which is bound to appeal to dedicated Cipriani
collectors. Comprehensive album notes are provided by John Bender contained within
an 8-page booklet.
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
“That’s the beauty of
music. They can’t get that from you†- Andy Dufresne
On August 12th, 2016, nearly 22 years after the film’s original
theatrical release, SPACELAB9 is honored to present, for the first time ever on
vinyl format, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE
SOUNDTRACK DOUBLE LP. The critically acclaimed soundtrack album includes
the full 18-track score from award-winning composer Thomas Newman (The Green
Mile, American Beauty, Spectre) as well as additional tracks by The Ink Spots
and Hank Williams plus a stunning performance of Mozart’s “The Marriage of
Figaro†by the Deutsche Opera Berlin, recalling one of the most memorable
scenes from the ï¬lm.
The deluxe 180 gram double LP package includes a gatefold jacket highlighted
with sleek silver foil stamping and features several images from the iconic
film as well as exclusive liner notes by composer Thomas Newman. A limited
“Prison Blues†blue vinyl variant is available from Barnes & Noble, while
the “Suds on the Roof†yellow vinyl variant will be made available for
pre-order on August 2nd, exclusively at SPACELAB9.com and will also
be available in extremely limited quantities from the label’s booth at New York
Comic Con in October.
The film adaption of the Steven King novella "Rita Hayworth and the
Shawshank Redemption, renamed simply The Shawshank Redemption by
screenwriter and director Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Walking Dead),
although not a hit at the box office upon its 1994 theatrical release, gained
traction the following year having been nominated for seven Academy Awards.
Following the home video release in 1995, The Shawshank Redemption became
the most rented film of the year and would continue to grow in popularity
throughout the next two decades to become one of the most iconic, endearing and
enduring films of all time. The Shawshank Redemption has sat at #1 on IMDB’s
user-generated list of the 250 top rated films since 2008 and in 2015 the
United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the
National Film Registry, finding it to be “culturally, historically, or
aesthetically significantâ€.
Is
Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the
Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new
recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine.
Released by Tadlow Music, Price: £16.95 TADLOW023, Date: August 25th 2016 Anniversary
of the Liberation of Paris.
It’s always exciting to receive the latest release from
Tadlow music. When award winning producer James Fitzpatrick and respected
conductor Nic Raine join forces and combine their talents, you know the result
is always going to be good. Maurice Jarre’s music is, of course, nothing new to
the long standing partnership. Together in recent years, they have overseen triumphant
new recordings of Jarre’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Villa Rides (1968).
Is Paris Burning? (1966) is their latest collaboration
and features the complete 69 minute film score including previously unrecorded
cues. A great deal of Jarre’s patriotic score is heavily militaristic, with defiant
marches that reflect the repetitive beat of German foot soldiers. Jarre chose
to use ascending pianos to achieve this ‘strange and disturbing sound’, twelve
pianos in fact, and drew upon his childhood memories of living in Paris. It’s a
very methodical score, almost industrial in its strokes and leaves very little
room for lush or sweeping melodies. However, this wasn’t the case with Jarre’s
original soundtrack album where the composer took a more logical musical
approach as opposed to a filmic approach. Naturally perhaps, this is the more familiar
arrangement that we have become more accustomed to, and where Tadlow again go
the extra mile. Never a company to cut corners, Tadlow have also included a
complete reworking of Jarre’s album version which was originally released over
two suites. In fact, the second CD in this collection is a joyous collage of
Jarre delights.
Aside from the original album version of Is Paris
Burning? Tadlow’s second disc (running a generous 73 minutes) contains a
wonderful selection of concert suites comprised of Jarre’s similar period assignments.
Here you will find music from The Night of the Generals (1967), The Train (1964),
Weekend at Dunkirk (1964) and The Damned (1969). As an extra bonus, Tadlow has
also added two new vocal versions of “Paris En Colere†performed by The City of
Prague Philharmonic chorus conducted by Miriam Nemcova and a solo vocal version
by new French singing discovery, Melinda Million, both of which rounds off this
collection rather nicely.
As
with all of Tadlow’s releases, the audio (recorded in dynamic 24Bit/96kHz
digital sound) is quite stunning and provides an entirely new clarity to such
familiar themes. Nic Raine conducts the reconstructed score from the original orchestrations
by Leo Arnauxd, and in return extracts a powerhouse performance from the
acclaimed 100 piece City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Tadlow’s packaging
includes a handsomely produced 24-page booklet with informative liner notes by
Frank K DeWald and producer James Fitzpatrick.
At
over 140 minutes of music, Tadlow always maintain the ability to deliver
quantity as well as quality. Reliability is something of a rare factor in the
soundtrack market. Fortunately, with the arrival of a Tadlow release, you can
always guarantee it’s going to be right on the money, before you’ve even hit
the play button.
Growing
up with the film music of Lalo Schifrin in the 1970s made these two albums somewhat
compulsory listening. Black Widow (1976) marked Schifrin’s debut album for the
legendary CTI (Creed Taylor Incorporated) label with Towering Toccata (1977) proving
to be a perfect follow up. Both of these albums (recorded in 1976) feature some
of the greatest Jazz musicians of the period including Eric Gale, Steve Gadd,
Hubert Laws, Jon Faddis, Anthony Jackson and Joe Farrell, to name just a few.
Schifrin
provides a Jazz funk vibe to some classic movie themes including Steven
Spielberg’s monster smash Jaws. The track (which still sounds incredible) was
released from Black Widow as a single and charted at number 14 in the UK
singles chart, becoming something of an established disco anthem. The Black
Widow album also did well, reaching number 22 in the US list of jazz
bestsellers and appeared in the R&B chart. Encouraged by good sales and positive
public reaction, Schifrin returned to CTI for Towering Toccata, another great
blend of smooth, disco funk grooves and a good selection of themes that had
been reworked in order to fit in with the overall album concept. The disco-laced
version of John Barry's theme from King Kong is fondly remembered and arguably
one of the album’s most enduring tracks.
Both
of these albums are today rightly considered as classics. Yes, of course they
are dated; they’re a product of their time and of a certain generation. If you
can’t kick back and embrace the period sound without feeling a sense of
embarrassment, then these albums are not for you. If, however, you can look
back with great fondness and soak up the enormous sense of nostalgia that these
two wonderful albums can offer, don’t hesitate for a minute. Like me, you’ll probably find yourself hitting
the repeat button on a regular basis. Both Black Widow and Towering Toccata
complement each other seamlessly. For the virgin ear, there is no distinct
separation point from one album to the next; it flows sweetly and with a lush
sense of historic sophistication.
The
audio quality on this Robinsongs / Cherry Red Records release is remarkably
clean and clear with no evidence of distortion. Brass sections are sharp,
basses are deep and the overall dynamics are nicely balanced and sounding
perfectly natural, given their 40 year history. It is also worth pointing out
that both albums are presented here in their original release format with each
album containing its original eight tracks. Black Widow is not the extended
version which contained four bonus tracks. It’s a perfectly practical measure
of course, which enables the two full albums (at 39.24 and 35.34 respectively)
to be contained on just the single CD (thus keeping production costs down). The
packaging consists of a very nicely produced full colour 12 page booklet with
liner notes provided by Charles Waring of MOJO and Record Collector magazine. My
only criticism: smartening up the choice of font for the cover would only
enhance this release and be more reflective of the quality contained on the CD.
The current choice of font does appear to ‘cheapen’ its look, and Schifrin’s
music is much more worthy of something a little classier.
For Schifrin collectors and
fans alike, this excellent twofer release is very nice indeed and offers an
extremely inexpensive way of adding two of his classic 70s albums to your
collection. At £9.95 it’s really quite hard to go wrong.
With
their heart firmly set in the retro cinema sound of yesteryear, Cineploit’s
releases are always greeted with a great sense of anticipation. Finding artists
or even a label that are so devoted to the genre is a rare thing, and a reason
why I continue to applaud the Austrian label. “Themes International†(Cine 15) is
the fourth LP release by Orgasmo Sonore, a group that continue to evolve and
perfect their sound with every subsequent album. Orgasmo Sonore’s latest album
again consists of brand new original material all composed, recorded and
produced during 2015. As the title suggests, each of the 12 tracks are based
largely on a theme, and there’s certainly a diverse range to be enjoyed. With titles such as ‘Giallo’, ‘KPM Library’, (the
exquisite and funky) ‘Turkish Psych’, ‘Spaghetti Western’, ‘Erotic’ and ‘Exotic’,
“Themes†International is an album that covers all the bases. There are also two
wonderful homage tracks devoted to the styles of legendary European composers,
‘Morricone’ and the late great French composer ‘François de Roubaix’. The whole album is warm, smooth and stylishly
groovy. It’s the type of album that you just don’t hear anymore, unless of
course it’s a re-issue of some cult 60s Italian underground soundtrack. Sonore
have reached that comfortable position where they play like seasoned musicians,
delivering a finely-tuned, pin sharp cinematic sound, all of which is
handsomely produced by Frank Rideau. With 21 tracks created from the ‘Themes’
recording sessions and selected down to a final 12 for the finished album, I
would again plead with Cineploit to make good use of this additional material,
especially in reference to the CD. At a little over 42 minutes, I’m sure fans
and admirers of the music would love to hear a handful of those unused gems
included as bonus tracks. Nevertheless, “Themes International†delicately
unfolds with a silky richness and a slick sophistication. So step on board set the
chair to recline and prepare for a wonderful flight.
Cineploit’s
audio and packaging is as usual, beautifully presented and of a very high
standard. “Themes International†is
released in a variety of limited forms. The First 250 copies of the 180g vinyl LP
are also supplied with the album on CD (the first 125 of these on solid
purple/black mixed colour vinyl) with a further 125 on solid black vinyl.
Another 250 copies of the vinyl only version are again available (125 coloured,
125 black). The CD only version is also limited to just 500 copies in a stylish
mini LP style wallet sleeve.
Henry Mancini – a composer who will be forever linked
with sumptuous film and television music- returns to Vocalion in another CD
containing two classic RCA albums. Both from the early 1970s, Mancini Concert
and Mancini Plays the Theme from Love Story (CDLK 4582) highlight different
facets of his music making. Recorded to tie-in with Mancini’s 1971 American
concert tour, Mancini Concert (originally released 1971) is just that – a
studio recording of the sort of varied programme his audiences had come to
expect. The highlight is undoubtedly Portrait of Simon and Garfunkel, a
heartfelt orchestral rendering of several of the legendary duo’s best-known
melodies. In addition to inventive orchestrations of other contemporary
material including selections from The Who’s rock opera Tommy and the Andrew
Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice opus Jesus Christ Superstar, Mancini looks back to his
swing era roots in Big Band Montage. A Mancini album wouldn’t be complete
without some of his own music, and Mancini Concert addresses that through the inclusion
of March with Mancini, a medley of themes from Peter Gunn and The Great Race.
Mancini Plays the Theme from Love Story album (originally released 1970) capitalised
on his smash-hit arrangement of Francis Lai’s film theme. Indeed, film music is
the album’s cornerstone, and it includes several rare Mancini themes such as
The Night Visitor, The Hawaiians and Theme for Three, the last of these from
the Audrey Hepburn classic Wait until Dark. Remastered by Michael J. Dutton and
using the original analogue tapes, the audio quality, as with all of Vocalion’s
releases, is superb. Vocalion have reverted to just a 2 Panel (4 page) booklet
to accompany their latest Mancini release, but the inclusion of two full albums
manages to tilt the balance rather nicely.
The
albums Classical Concussion / Predictions (CDLK 4582), both originally released
in 1979, represent Vocalion’s latest voyage into the archives of the KPM 1000
Series, one of the world’s leading recorded music libraries and the home of some
superb film and TV music. Featuring the work
of brilliantly gifted composer and keyboardist Francis Monkman (a founder
member of progressive bands Curved Air and Sky), Classical Concussion (originally
KPM 1224) and Predictions (originally KPM 1233) are from the same era as his hugely
popular score for gangland thriller The Long Good Friday (1980). In fact,
Classical Concussion, recorded at Lansdowne Studios in November 1978, seems to
anticipate in places The Long Good Friday’s score. Nowhere is this more
apparent than in the opening track, ‘Release of Energy’, a thrilling title
theme that embedded itself in the consciousness of UK cinemagoers thanks to its
use (in abridged form) as the Rank Cinema chain’s ‘Preview Time’ jingle. The
dramatic ‘Power Games’ also became familiar to British cinemagoers through its
use as the Rank Cinema intermission theme. With its emphasis on electronic
music, Predictions is in the same mould as that of Sky’s debut album from the
same year. The imposing Passajig (a) is an unusual concoction of rhythm
section, synthesizer, church organ and, remarkably, the State Trumpeters of the
Band of The Household Cavalry. The magnificent sound of the State Trumpeters
introduces Prelude (a), a pulsating underscore with synthesizer ostinato that
conjures up visions of a futuristic metropolis. But the album’s best-known
track is Hypercharge, thanks to its inclusion in Arthur Gibson’s award-winning
1981 documentary about the Red Arrows, the aerobatics display team of the Royal
Air Force.Featuring super audio
quality, Vocalion continue to show their commitment regarding the KPM Library series.
Packaging consists of an excellent 6 page booklet with detailed liner notes
provided by Library expert Oliver Lomax. It doesn’t get much better.
It’s great to
see Vocalion continuing to release a further addition in their remarkable
series of original library music. Last year the label launched a new series of Bruton
music releases to add to their catalogue and further strengthen their commitment
to the genre. Vocalion has released a new CD featuring a superb collection of
music from the archives of, arguably the most famous of all library music
labels, KPM. Flying Start - a collection of contemporary scores from the KPM
1000 Series (1968-1978) (CDMSL 8516) is an excellent compilation featuring 28
of the finest 1000 Series compositions. The focus here is very much on their majestic
orchestral and big band sounds with contemporary rhythm. But there is also so
much more, romantic interludes, avant-garde spacey jazz, and abstract
underscores all equate to a varied and rewarding listening experience. Keith Mansfield’s ‘World Series’ will be instantly
recognisable to thousands, and was used for years as the signature tune of BBC
Television’s athletics coverage.
In addition to Mansfield, there is a whole host
of KPM stalwarts including Neil Richardson, David Lindup, Nick Ingman, John
Dankworth and Johnny Pearson. The CD has a genuine filmic feel to it and
crammed with exquisite orchestrations. Vocalion’s audio quality is stunning,
and reflective of the mastering process (taken directly from the original
stereo analogue tapes). Thankfully, Vocalion’s packaging for this release is of
the standard we have come to expect, consisting of an eight-page booklet with a
lengthy essay detailing the background of the KPM 1000 Series as well as
composer biographies and a discussion of the music itself. Overall, it’s
another wonderful addition to a marvellous series of releases.
Neal
Hefti’s soundtrack compositions always seem to define a sense of good safe ground.
Throughout the 1960s, Hefti provided light but always memorable scores
including TV’s Batman (1966-68), How to Murder your wife (1965), Barefoot in
the park (1967) and The Odd Couple (1968). Perhaps rather less memorable were
the comedies Boeing Boeing (1965) and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s hung you in the
closet and I’m feelin’ so sad (1967). Boeing Boeing marked the last strains of
Paramount’s association with Jerry Lewis and co-starred Tony Curtis. A romantic
comedy farce, the film is set in Paris, and Hefti’s loungey, easy-listening feel
makes it an enjoyable experience. There are of course certain familiarities. Hefti’s signature sound is hard to ignore:
smooth brass and witty electric keyboard motifs all signify a certain 60s
charm. Vocalion’s new release (CDLK4578) marks Boeing Boeing’s first venture on
CD. At just 28 minutes, it’s a straight forward re-release of RCA’s original
1965 LP. Nevertheless, Vocalion have sensibly paired Boeing Boeing with Hefti’s
soundtrack album, Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s Hung you in the closet and I’m Feelin’
So Sad (1967). A much darker comedy and based upon the stage play by Arthur L.
Kopit, the film version starred Rosalind Russell, Robert Morse and Barbara
Harris. Hefti’s music offers a rather bizarre mix of flavours, with its main
theme song (a kid’s ditty of sorts) performed by a children’s chorus. There is
also a good deal of Bossa Nova beats and a rather nice Latin infused love
theme. Again, it is typical of that very comfortable Mancini Sixties
environment. Listen out in particular to the track ‘This is Mother’ and you
might just pick up more than a hint of Hefti’s Batman’s backbeat. Hefti’s Oh
Dad is another short score, and another straight reworking of the original album
- coming in at just 24 minutes
It’s
probably fair to assume that either of these scores (in their individual
capacity) would tend to struggle. However, as a pairing they actually work very
well and complement each other seamlessly. They achieve a rather nice balance
and as a result, a very enjoyable collection of Neal Hefti’s film music emerges.
The accompanying booklet consists of just a 2 Panel (4 page) insert containing
the original album notes – which is a shame. Thankfully, Vocalion’s excellent audio
production of the two albums makes it a worthwhile purchase.
It’s
always great to see a classic soundtrack album receive its debut on CD, and
Elmer Bernstein’s stylish Matt Helm score The Silencers (CDLK4573) is no
exception. Dean Martin’s campy but hugely enjoyable spy capers were made during
a successful period of spy-time, when Bond, Flint and numerous other secret
agents were dominant in cinema entertainment. Bernstein’s jazzy, cool and
deliciously infectious score ticks all the desired boxes. Bernstein fills the
soundscape with big brass and fast percussion, most of which are laced with a
hip, Latin beat. The composer provides plenty of swing, but it’s never without
an underlying sense of fun, a playfulness throughout which perfectly mirrors
Helm’s on screen exploits. Aside from Bernstein’s score, the two vocal tracks
sung by Vikki Carr (co-written by Mack David) ‘The Silencers’ and ‘Santiago’
also offer a sassy sense of relevant glitz. Vocalion has provided a beautiful,
clean production, perfectly in keeping with their usual high standards of
mastering.
On
the downside, this is unfortunately, just a straight forward release of the original
album, which, in typical 60s fashion, consists of just thirteen tracks and
lasts a little over 31mins. I was also a little surprised that the accompanying
booklet consisted of just a 2 Panel (4 page) insert, which contains the
original LP sleeve notes along with the three supporting B&W photos. It’s
just a little disappointing, knowing Vocalion’s usual high standard of
packaging. One has to remember, this is the CD debut of what is (effectively)
an Elmer Bernstein classic. The Silencers is a cult, genre favourite, and perhaps
a few pages containing some new writing, might have given greater cause to
celebrate its emergence on the CD format. There is also the running time;
again, locking off a CD at just 32 minutes is not what we have come to expect
from Vocalion, it’s simply not their style. Considering the amount of crime
jazz compilations that appeared on budget label LPs at the time, it would of
arguably been nice to see one of these tagged on to the CD, it certainly
wouldn’t had felt out of place. Vocalion have a proven track record in taking
these budget releases of the past and providing them with a new lease of life.
I can’t help but consider if their loyal fan base would have appreciated a
little more meat on the bone.
Whilst
The Silencers arguably remains an essential purchase, if only in order to
upgrade from that ageing piece of vinyl, there will always be a niggling sense
of disappointment in regards to its overall content. It’s undeniably great, but
sadly, it’s all over far too soon.
Austrian
label Cineploit records have launched their latest album with the introduction
of Videogram. Hailing from Sweden, their pre-cert album offers a richly enjoyable mix of 80s-inspired soundtrack scores
and popular VHS culture. (For non-UK readers, the term "pre-cert" refers to the era prior to the implementation of certification standards for VHS releases that went into effect in 1984, thus requiring a seal of approval. The certification process resulted in censored versions of many films being substituted for the original versions.- Ed.) The album begins with the deliciously retro indent
before we’re immersed among a wealth of genre defining tracks ranging from
horror, fantasy, thrillers, police drama and a John Carpenter epic suite.
Their
love of the whole VHS culture period is evident throughout Videogram’s sound;
it’s obviously so much more than just making music, there’s such an intense vibe, it almost clones and
reproduces the environment of the past. It has the ability to transcend and
transports you directly back.
The
music is hugely enjoyable, with heavy pulsating synths dominating the
proceedings. There is also a rich electronic vein which runs throughout its
tracks and is, of course, so representative of the 70s and in particular, that
warm 80s soundscape. There are some
wonderful standout tracks, in particular ‘Cobretti’ which pulsates with the
subtlety of an ‘industrial Schifrin’, with conventional brass instead being
substituted by metallic crash and thrash. As a new approach, it all works
perfectly well and still captures the flavour of the period. Then of course,
there is the mammoth ‘Man Is the Warmest Place to Hide’, an epic 13 minute nod
towards Carpenter’s "The Thing" (1982). But don’t expect a note for note
rendition, as it is very much a homage
to Carpenter’s environment, it simply drags you into that pre-cert VHS video
world and invites you to sample a flavour, a taste from a cup that we all previously
drank from at one particular place in time.
It
could be argued that to appreciate this album fully, you perhaps had to live
through that particular era. But with a welcome revival towards all things
retro being very current, I have little doubt this album has widespread appeal.
Boomers will simply lap it up, whilst newbie retro seekers need hardly look for
a better place to begin.
Videogram
have delivered a polished album with a razor sharp biting edge. Pre-cert allows
them to slither perfectly among the ranks of Cineploit’s already established
stable of artists. It’s an album that demands repeated plays and left me
wanting more. One can only look forward safe in the knowledge that they will
continue to grow and blossom. I have a feeling the best is yet to come.
Cineploit has again produced
a lavish package on their gatefold 180 gram vinyl LP, CD and LP and CD
combinations. For more information, visit their website at http://www.cineploit.com/
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
One Way Static Records is excited to bring you their
latest release, one where we had the chance to (again) work with legendary
composer Philip Glass. This has been a much requested release we simply could
not withhold from you!
Following up on our last year’s release for Candyman (1992)
One Way Static Records is now proud to announce the release of Mr. Glass'
iconic motion picture soundtrack for Clive Barker's 1995 CANDYMAN II
(Farewell to the Flesh) on vinyl and cassette.
Clive Barker who wrote the story for Candyman is a multi talented artist,
painter, director & producer. The extent of his work is endless. Spawning
the likes of Nightbreed, Hellraiser, Lord Of Illusions and the Books Of Blood
just to name a few.
Philip Glass also needs no introduction. Considered one of the most influential
composers of the last century his works are featured in a multitude of movies
like Koyaanisqatsi, Hamburger Hill, The Truman Show, etc. Mr. Glass was
nominated for and won several Golden Globes, Bafta & Academy Awards.
For the first time on vinyl & cassette, packaged in deluxe old
school tip-on gatefold jackets.
Available in the following versions:
DELUXE EDITION : LIMITED COLOR VINYL
: packaged in a deluxe gatefold old school tip-on jacket. Comes
on BEE HAZE VINYL and SILVER/YELLOW SPLIT VINYL. These variants
are inserted randomly and are limited to #500 copies each worldwide. They come
sequentially foil numbered (2 series of /500).
BLACK VINYL : limited to 500 copies worldwide. Packaged in a
deluxe Tip-On Gatefold jacket. Comes with obi strip.
CASSETTE EDITION : limited to 250 copies worldwide with alternate
artworks. Static Club members with a cassette option will automatically
receive the limited edition (Lim. #125 copies). Left-overs will go to non
Static Club members who order first.
Zoltan
are back with their new album / CD ‘Sixty Minute Zoom’ (Cine 11). The London-based
trio have again drawn upon their influences of film composer Fabio Frizzi and
the legendary Italian soundtrack giants Goblin in order to produce this
creative and unique homage to the much-loved Giallo film genre. To date,
Zoltan’s journey has been an incredibly interesting ride and Sixty Minute Zoom
really does emerge as arguably their most polished piece of work. The album
reveals a perfect coherence between keyboardist Andy Thompson,
bassist/keyboardist/guitarist Matt Thompson and drummer Andrew Prestidge.
‘Antonius
Block’ opens the album with a brooding, atmospheric pace, there’s also plenty
of haunting synths that flutter among the punchy sharpness of Prestidge’s
percussion. Zoltan provide a relevantly spooky and unsettling vibe through Side
One, especially with tracks such as ‘Table of Hours’. Whilst ‘The Ossuary’ is a
piece that begins with a sense of soothing electronic energy, don’t be fooled – as it switches direction
around the half way mark and instead pulls us into the realm of suspense and an
almost pulsating stalker theme. Zoltan cleverly keep you on your toes and guessing
throughout – it’s an almost stylised mystery tour which never allows the
listener to settle for a minute.
Side
Two is devoted entirely to the epic ‘The Integral’ – a twenty-one minute synth
symphony which captures Zoltan’s slick sense of unity. The piece arguably emerges
as an Italian Giallo suite, a rich mixture of electro experimentation and
rhythmic beats - a powerful, threatening groove which could have effortlessly
graced any classic euro horror of the day.
I
have to admire Zoltan’s continued commitment to the Italian horror genre, an
area to which some may consider (rather unwisely) as a defunct soundtrack
category of the past. There is a genuine passion behind Zoltan’s work, an almost
unflinching desire to assure that the Giallo soundtrack keeps its head firmly above
the water – and who can blame them? It’s a release which will certainly appeal to
fans of cult Euro horror and exploitation fiends.
Cineploit have released Sixty minute zoom
in a number of formats including Vinyl LP, CD and several mixed options – check
it out here http://www.cineploit.com/
Intrada has released a new, definitive CD of Henry Mancini's classic score for Howard Hawks' "Hatari!". See below for description from Screen Archives:
World premiere release
of actual Henry Mancini soundtrack to terrific Howard Hawks adventure film set
in Africa, starring John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli, Red Buttons. Wayne and company
capture rare animals for various world zoos. Some species are easier to catch
than others. Elephants inspire Mancini to create legendary tune "Baby
Elephant Walk", available for first time ever in its original soundtrack
guise. Famous swaggering tune for high register Eb clarinet also figures during
climactic "Search For Dallas". Leopard, buffalo, monkey, giraffe,
ostrich all get their say but incredibly dangerous rhino sequences are what
bring out Mancini's equally legendary main theme, often heard on choir of
French horns in unison. In 1962, Mancini re-recorded just 30 minutes of
highlights for admittedly sensational RCA album. Now enjoy Mancini's complete
original recordings, presented mostly in stereo from Paramount Pictures scoring
session elements. A few sections required use of mono stems to allow restoration
of complete soundtrack. This new hour long release carries landmark
significance: every Mancini album during this most famous period of his career
(Breakfast At Tiffany's, Hatari, Charade, Experiment In Terror, The Pink
Panther) was heavily truncated and completely re-arranged with emphasis on
dance mood. Along with new release of Charade, this marks exciting debut of an
actual Mancini soundtrack from the era! Danger, romance, thrills, comedy, all
getting rich Mancini melody! Unforgettable original campaign artwork is icing
on the cake. Henry Mancini conducts. Available while quantities and interest
remain. - Douglass Fake Intrada Producer
01. The Sounds Of Hatari 4:17
02. Main Title 2:35
03. Safari Bar Piano Blues 1:24
04. Giraffe Country 1:34
05. Just For Tonight (Instrumental) 2:10
06. Paraphrase I 1:40
07. Night Side 2:35
08. Dallas Has A Plan 1:31
09. Trip To Masai Wells 1:06
10. Indian Comes Home 0:58
11. Just For Tonight (Solo Piano) 2:24
12. Swift Animal Chase 0:49
13. Dead Elephant 0:37
14. Night Side (Record Player) 2:19
15. Leopard And Buffalo 1:51
16. The Crocodile 1:08
17. Your Father’s Feathers 1:50
18. Baby Elephant Walk (Short) 1:57
19. Crocodile, Go Home! 1:10
20. Big Band Bwana 1:46
21. Paraphrase II 1:26
22. Wildebeest Hunt 2:36
23. Brandy Sniffer 2:09
24. Ice Bucket Blues 1:42
25. Monkey Suits 2:04
26. Baby Elephant Walk (Long) 3:14
27. Elephant Scare 0:49
28. More Rhino 0:53
29. Burnt Fingers 2:59
30. Search For Dallas 4:23
31. Just For Tonight (Chorus) 2:10
32. Finale 0:19