Soundtrack Review
Cinema Retro
BY DARREN ALLISON
It’s
probably fair to say that a great deal of music that surfaced from the Spaghetti
Western genre eventually merged to become something of a cliché. Clearly
inspired by the Morricone sound and style, many of the scores came to bear the
same signature traits and failed to obtain any real, individual identity. In
short, it became an elaborate mixing bowl in which the finished results were
served up as individual, but very familiar servings.
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!
CLICK BELOW TO ORDER
http://www.silvascreen.com/sillp1579-un-dollaro-bucato/
BY DARREN ALLISON
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. Strangelove”; the deployment of Strauss waltzes to create an
elegant cosmic ballet during the docking sequence in “2001: A Space Odyssey”,
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
Orange”.
In “2001”, 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 Shut”, Wagner’s “Lieder Im Triebhaus” (“In the Greenhouse”)
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 Shining”. The final movement from Berlioz’s “Symphonie
Fantastique”, with its epic use of the chant from the Roman Catholic Requiem
mass, the “Dies Irae”, and a Sibelius piece, “Valse Triste”. 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 Nevsky”. 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 Ice”.’
Continue reading "REVIEW: "KUBRICK’S MUSIC: SELECTIONS FROM THE FILMS OF STANLEY KUBRICK""
BY DARREN ALLISON
100 GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION THEMES
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.
Featuring the Brigadier, UNIT, and the
Cybermen, this “modern Earth invasion” Doctor Who story was made into a hugely
influential series in 1968. Directed by Douglas Camfield, the music was
composed by Don Harper, the third Australian émigré composer (after Ron Grainer
and Dudley Simpson) to work on the programme.
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.
Continue reading "SILVA SCREEN’S SUMMER SCI-FI BONANZA: A BOX OF SCI-FI / THE INVASION AND THE FIVE DOCTORS"
BY DARREN ALLISON
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
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
BY DARREN ALLISON
(Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor)
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)
Continue reading "LATEST RETRO SOUNDTRACK RELEASES FROM VOCALION"
BY DARREN ALLISON
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 Robinson”, 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.
Continue reading ""LOST IN SPACE: THE COMPLETE JOHN WILLIAMS COLLECTION" ON VINYL "
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
Continue reading "LATEST SOUNDTRACK RELEASES FROM DUTTON VOCALION"
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.’
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)
•
Orgasmo Sonore – Matto, Caldo… Girotondo (from Vergogna Schifosi)
•
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 Giombini” by Deak Ferance &
Roger Conrad (Exploit 01) and features music from “Man-Eater aka Antropophagous” and “Erotic
Nights of the living Dead”. 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!
http://www.cineploit.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5lEi3wmsK4 (*Lee – Great promo video)
BY DARREN ALLISON
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 title song of The Swinger was written by
André and Dory Previn and the score composed by Marty Paich with additional
arrangements by Johnny Williams and Quincy Jones. The Swinger was originally
released in both mono and stereo and appeared on the RCA Victor label as one of
their DYNAGROOVE recordings. It’s a great collection of songs performed by the
enigmatic Margret in her own unique style and also features a couple of tracks
from the film’s composer Marty Paich. As the title suggests, the album is also
woven with ‘other swingin’ songs’ so expect some excellent additional material
such as ‘More’ from Mondo Cane (1962) all of which fits rather seamlessly into
the overall essence of the album. At
just 32 minutes (which was typical of an album for this time), Cherry Red has
sensibly taken the opportunity to pair this album up to make a very respectable
and ideal twofer release.
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON USA
UK/EUROPE: CLICK HERE TO ORDER
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
Continue reading "FOUR NEW SOUNDTRACK RELEASES FROM VOCALION"
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
When
Andres (Andrés García ) and his partner Angelica (Janet Agren ) are hired to recover some treasures
from an aircraft that has ditched into the Bermuda Triangle, they face not only
human treachery but also the mysterious powers of an underwater civilization. Ricci’s
film did very little business and came about strictly because of the Italian
film industry’s love affair with shark movies.
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
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 film.
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 significant”.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
http://www.tadlowmusic.com/home/
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
Continue reading "CINEPOLIT RELEASES TWO NEW RETRO-THEMED ALBUMS: ORGASMO'S "THEMES INTERNATIONAL" AND OSCILLOTRON'S "CATACLYSM""
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON
BY DARREN ALLISON
“The Silencers” – Elmer Bernstein
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.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON
BY DARREN ALLISON
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.
This release is NOW up for pre-order on : www.onewaystatic.com (Europe) www.lightintheattic.net (North America)
By Darren Allison
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
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM SCREEN ARCHIVES

Intrada has released both of Jerry Goldsmith's superb soundtracks for "Our Man Flint" and "In Like Flint" in a CD set. The albums were available on vinyl when the films were originally released in 1966/1967. The new remastered recordings are enhanced when compared to any previous CD releases. Below is the official blurb from the Screen Archives site.
Finally! Two great
sixties albums by Jerry Goldsmith make their debut on CD, mastered from the
recently discovered original 20th Century-Fox stereo album session masters!
Preserved in pristine condition in the vast UMG vaults, Our Man Flint and In
Like Flint were short but exciting LPs that came out in 1966 & 1967
respectively. Both movies featured James Coburn as secret agent Derek Flint.
Daniel Mann directs the former, Gordon Douglas directs the latter. Not to be
confused with the Varese Sarabande release of soundtrack highlights, this
Intrada CD offers both classic original albums exactly as Goldsmith recorded
them, in crisp stereo with vivid orchestral color. Cool action, tuneful
adventure and one of the composer's most famous themes all have their say. Included
are authentic reproductions of both Bob Peak album jackets, classics in their
own right, presented in our flipper-style CD cover. Choose your own favorite!
These two albums have been amongst the most requested for CD release in our
label's history. Wait no more, they're yours to spin! Jerry Goldsmith conducts
both scores. Intrada Special Collection release available while quantities and
interest remain! -INTRADA
OUR MAN FLINT
01. Our Man Flint (1:46) 02. Never Mind, You'd Love It (2:09) 03. It's Gotta Be
A World's Record (2:20) 04. Man Does Not Live By Bread Alone (2:16) 05. Take
Some Risks, Mr. Flint? (1:40) 06. Tell Me More About That Volcano (2:44) 07.
You're A Foolish Man, Mr. Flint (1:46) 08. In Like Flint (1:57) 09. Doing As
The Romans Did (2:11) 10. Galaxy A Go-Go! -Or- Live It To Flint (2:15) 11. All
I Have To Do Is Take A Bite Of Your Apple? (2:13) 12. Stall! Stall! Flint's
Alive (2:01)
Total Time: 25:57
IN LIKE FLINT
13. Where The Bad Guys Are Gals ("In Like Flint" Theme) (2:38) 14.
Ladies Will Kindly Remove Their Hats (2:45) 15. Lost In Space (2:36) 16. Odin,
Dva, Tri, Kick! (3:07) 17. No Rest For The Weary (2:27) 18. Your Zowie Face
(Vocal) (2:34) 19. Mince And Cook Until Tender (2:33) 20. Ahh, Yer Father's
Bob-Lip (2:20) 21. Who Was That Lady… ? (2:11) 22. Westward Ho-o-o! (5:37)
Lyrics By Leslie Bricusse
Total Time: 29:14
Total Disc Time: 55:20
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM SCREEN ARCHIVES
By Darren Allison
(Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor)
I was recently fortunate enough to make an
acquaintance with Jason Lee Lazell of Moochin’ About Records which is earning kudos for releasing some high
profile film-related recordings. The latest box set in their Jazz on Film
series – ‘Crime Jazz’- will be featured
in our upcoming print edition of Cinema Retro. Another of their impressive
releases, Film Noir, is a superb 5 CD
box set featuring seven fantastic scores including Alex North’s A Streetcar Named
Desire (1951), Leith Stevens’s Private Hell 36 (1954), Elmer Bernstein’s The
Man with the Golden Arm (1955), Elmer Bernstein and Chico Hamilton’s Sweet
Smell of Success (1957), Henry Mancini’s Touch of Evil (1958), Duke Ellington’s
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and John Lewis’s Odds Against tomorrow (1959). I
must admit, I initially thought these releases were just going to be another in
a long line of reissues, but how wrong I was…
First,
I can’t emphasise enough just how classy these releases are. In terms of audio
quality alone, they are undoubtedly the best I have ever had the pleasure of
hearing. Sonically, they are simply outstanding, revealing a sharpness which no
other label has seemed to achieve. The recordings are so clean; they almost offer
a vibrant new listening experience.
Packaging
of this release is also first class; its sturdy hard box contains a 52 page
book with extensive liner notes, full personnel details, recording history and
full colour reproductions of film posters from around the world. Each of the 5
discs are housed in beautiful card sleeves, each with a generic b/w brick wall
design from which the relevant soundtrack’s film poster is pasted. It’s a very
nice touch, providing a charming film noir feel to eye as well as the ear.
Film
Noir offers a fabulous set of quality sounding soundtracks at an extremely good
price. Don’t hesitate to check out this beautiful set. It might be hiding in
the shadows, but it’s well worth pursuing.
You can find Jazz on Film...Noir
at:
Amazon UK
Amazon USA
Or at theMoochin’ About website at http://moochinabout.com/
BY FRED BLOSSER
Ambrose
Bierce defined “misfortune” as “the kind of fortune that never misses.” By that measure, Damiano Damiani’s A-budget
Spaghetti Western “A Genius, Two Companions, and an Idiot” (“Un Genio, Due
Compari, Un Pollo”) (1975), starring Terence Hill, was one of the all-time
grand slams of jinxed cinema. Damiani’s
negative was stolen during post-production and the film had to be reassembled
from alternate takes. The movie was
ultimately disowned by its producer, Sergio Leone, who regretted selecting
Damiani as the director. In Germany and
Sweden, the title was changed to “Nobody Is the Greatest” in an attempt to
market the film as a sequel to Tonino Valerii’s popular “My Name Is Nobody” (1973), also produced by
Leone and starring Hill. Lacking an
American star for marquee value and released in the twilight of the Spaghetti
era, the picture never played in U.S. theaters.
Paralleling
the relative obscurity of the movie itself, Ennio Morricone’s musical score is
the least known of his eight scores for films directed or produced by
Leone. There was a soundtrack release on
vinyl by CBS-Sugar in Italy in 1975 (with a charming old-timey-style cover
photo of stars Terence Hill, Miou-Miou, and Robert Charlebois as their scruffy
characters Joe Thanks, Lucy, and Steam Engine Bill), but no American
edition. For newer Morricone collectors who
have had to pay high prices for the CBS-Sugar vinyl and other now-out-of-print
foreign editions -- and for those of us who are fond of Damiani’s sadly
underrated and neglected movie -- Quartet Records has done the enormous service of releasing the 1975
soundtrack on a new limited-edition CD. Remastered from the first-generation master tapes, the disc sounds
terrific.
“Un
Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo” may be Morricone’s most eclectic Spaghetti
Western score, a mixture of old and new styles. Some of the 13 tracks employ familiar motifs from his scores for earlier
Spaghettis by Leone and others. For
example, “Cavalcata . . . per Elisa” is an energetic chase theme carried by
Edda Dell’Orso’s familiar, soaring vocals. As part of the tune, Morricone samples Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” as he did
in his showdown theme in Sergio Sollima’s “La Resa dei Conti”/”The Big Gundown”
(1966). “Ansie dell’Oro” revisits the
American-style orchestral sound that Morricone favored in early Spaghettis like
Duccio Tessari’s “Una Pistola per Ringo”/”A Pistol for Ringo” (1965), when
Italian-made cowboy films tried to sneak into the U.S. market as American
B-pictures. In that sense, intentionally
or not, the track bookends Morricone’s amazing decade-long run of iconic
Spaghetti scores.
Other
tracks, which actually anchor the score as the film’s signature themes,
continued Morricone’s move in the ABBA era toward a lighter, Europop-inflected
style first introduced in his title track for “My Name Is Nobody.” “Un Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo,” the title
tune that might also be called “Joe Thanks’ Theme,” sounds a bit like the
“Nobody” theme, but more bubblegum in flavor. “Pepper Chewing-Gum,” the theme for Robert Charlebois’ hard-luck con man
Steam Engine Bill, incorporates a farting bassoon that brings to mind the jokey
frog croaks in “March of the Beggars” from Leone’s “Giu La Testa”/”Duck You
Sucker” (1971), but it’s lighter and bouncier than the earlier tune. The romantic theme “Quando Arriva L’Amore,”
which is reprised later in the film as “Dolore e Gioia,” is one of Morricone’s
loveliest compositions. And it’s the one
that you’re the most apt to replay in your mind after you listen to the CD,
fittingly so since it underscores the movie’s most striking aspect, the
sometimes wistful, sometimes slapstick romantic triangle of Joe, Lucy, and
Bill.
Also
included in the Quartet Records‘ two-fer, and also remastered from
first-generation tapes, is Morricone’s score for Sergio Corbucci’s “Sonny &
Jed”/”La Banda J. & S. -- Cronaca Criminale del Far West” (1972), a lesser
work by the maestro. But for fans,
lesser Morricone is still golden, and this is another hard-to-find
soundtrack. The standout among the seven
tracks is the title theme “Sonny,” which sounds a little like “Cheyenne’s
Theme” from “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1969). The Quartet Records CD includes an
informative, generously illustrated souvenir booklet by Randall D. Larson, and
is limited to 500 copies.
“Un
Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo”/”Sonny & Jed” can be ordered from Quartet
Records HERE http://www.quartetrecords.com/un-genio-due-compari-un-pollo.html
or from Screen Archives Entertainment HERE http://www1.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=27870
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Dust Bug Records.
HAMMER PRESENTS DRACULA WITH
CHRISTOPHER LEE
Unavailable on vinyl since its release in
1974, Dust Bug Records is proud to present this special Limited Edition 40th
Anniversary 180 g vinyl pressing of Hammer Presents Dracula with Christopher
Lee.
+
Side
one features the horrifying story of vampirism with spine- chilling sounds, and
music composed by James Bernard and narration by Christopher Lee. Side 2 features The Four Faces Of Evil music
suite: Fear In The Night: She: The Vampire Lovers; and Dr. Jekyll and Sister
Hyde. Music arranged and conducted By
Philip Martell.
+
We've gone back to the original 1/4 inch
tapes to bring you the best sound possible.
+
100%
analogue- Dust Bug Records is proud to confirm that this record has been cut on
vintage analogue equipment. A DIGITAL- FREE PROCESS.
The signal path is Studer A80 Mk1 tape
recorder > RCA BA 6A limiter> EMI RS56 Curvebender EQ> Pultec EQP
1A> EMI REDD series valve disc cutting desk> Neumann VMS 70 cutting lathe
with SX74 stereo cutter head.
Cut
at midnight by candlelight for maximum enjoyment.
180
g vinyl
100%
Analogue
Gatefold sleeve
Mist enshrouded blood infused virgin vinyl.
Limited to 500 numbered copies only!
Catalogue Number DBVR001
Barcode: 5060124571614
Available to order now from: www.dustbugrecords.com
Don't miss out. When the sun comes up the
500 will be gone.
BY DARREN ALLISON
Following
the break-up of Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the end of the 1970s, Keith Emerson
ventured into the world of film soundtrack composition with his score for
Italian director Dario Aregento’s horror film Inferno in 1980. This, in turn,
led to Emerson being commissioned to compose and perform the music for the
Sylvester Stallone film Nighthawks in 1981. From here a succession of film
scores were to follow for directors in Italy, Japan and the United States. At
the Movies gathers together Emerson’s music for seven movies including
Nighthawks, Best Revenge, Inferno, La Chiesa (The Church), "Muderock,
Harmagedon and Godzilla Final Wars.
Disc
One (US Movies) contains 2 full soundtracks. Firstly, there is Nighthawks
(1981) an enjoyable cop thriller from Sylvester Stallone. The movie co-starred
Billy Dee Williams as Stallone’s partner, Lindsey Wagner (of TVs Bionic Woman
fame) as the love interest and Rutger Hauer as terrorist Heymar Reinhardt.
Emerson’s music, in consideration of its period, works very well indeed. Many
composers, including the likes of orchestral masters such as Jerry Goldsmith,
were experimenting tentatively with electronic music and synths during this
film making period, and many failed miserably. However, Emerson appears to
address the balance rather impressively. If you possess the patience to
overlook a few genuinely cheesy moments – such as ‘Nighthawkin’ and ‘I'm a man’
which contain a vocal style reminiscent of the dying disco era – than you are
in for a treat. There is some fine dramatic scoring here. Its main theme works
very well - listen carefully and you may even pick up on a motif which is not
too dissimilar to that of ELP’s ‘Fanfare for the common man’. The soundtrack is
sometimes deep and broody – sometimes light and soulful. ‘Tramway’ for instance
is a tense and edgy piece that never seems to rely permanently on synths –
Emerson instead feels confident enough to introduce and experiment – and in
this case – adds a delicate sound of a whirling police siren as part of the
soundscape. All in all, Nighthawks still works very well – which is a pleasant
surprise.
The
second half of the CD contains the soundtrack of John Trent’s Bad Revenge
(1984) which appears to be a European – British production? Nevertheless, it is
something of an obscure film which has disappeared under the radar. But it
contained a rather impressive cast including John Heard, John Rhys-Davies and
Michael Ironside. The story revolves around an American tourist in Spain who is
forced to take part in a $4 million drug deal, because his best friend has been
kidnapped and is being tortured by the drug kingpin who set up the operation.
The score begins with a somewhat lengthy orchestral suite (15.29) which serves
in setting the tone. Whistles, rhythmic clapping hands and maracas indicate a
strong European flavour. Bad Revenge certainly has a more established prog rock
feel to it, again there are some vocals which perhaps unflatteringly date the
score. But there are some real nice moments, too - The Dreamer, for instance is
the film’s love theme and is performed beautifully by simple piano and delicate
background synths. Because Bad Revenge is such a rarely seen movie, we don’t
ever enter this score with any preconceived ideas - no clues, which, whilst
refreshing, it can also, leave you a little empty. However, Bad Revenge is also
a very nice way to round off the first disc, look upon it as a generous bonus
and all will serve well.
Disc
Two (Italian Movies) contains 2 full soundtracks and an EP. Disc 2 begins with
Dario Argento’s Inferno (1980) the film in which Emerson cut his teeth in terms
of film music. Inferno is a wonderful score, opening with a truly beautiful
theme, which is so often the case with Italian horror films. However, there is
a rich diversity throughout the score; tracks such as Taxi Ride provide a clear
example of Emerson’s classically trained background and his virtuosity as an
accomplished pianist. Sarah in the Library Vaults also highlights his flair for
tense, dramatic scoring with the aid of lengthy, unsettling strings. Whilst
Mater Tenebrarum explodes like an assault on the senses and becomes a full
blown synth orientated operetta. The soundtrack as a whole remains quite superb
and bristles with a seemingly eternal energy.
Next
is an EP containing music (Four tracks) from Michele Soavi’s La Chiesa (The
Church) (1989). The film told of an old Gothic cathedral, built over a mass
grave, which develops strange powers. The Church trap a number of people inside
with ghosts from a 12th Century massacre seeking to resurrect an ancient demon
from the bowels of the Earth. Emerson’s music for La Chiesa takes on a much
darker element, the emphasis is centred very much on its gothic surroundings.
Much of its fifteen minutes are brooding, tense and full of dread, but Emerson
does dabble with some electronic percussion which does inject a burst of much
needed elevation.
Rounding
off Disc 2 is Emerson’s score for Lucio Fulci’s Murderock (Uccide a passo di
danza)(1984). By Fulci’s standards, Muderock was something of a standard
thriller which saw the owner of a prestigious New York ballet school team up
with a male model in order to solve a series of bizarre murders of a few of the
students. The soundtrack is something of a mixed bag - following a fast paced
opening theme, the score wastes little time in reverting to a very dated vocal
(Not so innocent) provided by Doreen Chanter. Hereafter, the album takes on a
very mainstream life. Instrumental keyboard pieces are broken up with some nice
individual cues, Prelude to Candice is a sweet, subtle composition, and Coffee
Time provides some light Jazzy relief (and a rare excursion) before we are
launched back into a standard prog rock landscape. The score concludes with a
lift in the shape of The Spilone, a funky bass driven track that seems somewhat
out of place with what has preceded it.
Disc
3 (Japanese Movies) consists of 2 full soundtracks starting off with
Harmagedon: The Great Battle with Genma, a science fiction anime movie released
in 1983. Emerson’s score for this rarely seen movie is probably the lightest
from this box set. The music is pretty safe throughout – entertaining organ
riffs dominate and provide a jolly enough experience if this is your kind of
thing. Totalling some 18 minutes in length, it is thankfully rather short.

To
finish disc 3, there is the score to Ryûhei Kitamura’s Godzilla Final Wars
(2004). This turned out to be something very different. I found myself quite
enjoying this score. Perhaps it was due to the fast forwarding - a quantum leap
of some 20 years in the evolution of Emerson’s film music? I’m not sure. The
music for Godzilla Final Wars is without doubt, more upbeat, and arguably down
to the advances - not only in Emerson’s compositions - but in technology and
instrumentation. The score is incredibly diverse – tracks such as EDF
Headquarters fight are pure club dance! EDF museum is a track bordering on
trance, whilst Infant Island has more than a passing resemblance to Jean Michel
Jarre’s ambient classic Équinoxe. All of which is wonderful, so why do I remain
confused? Well, I just can’t match this music to Godzilla… Featuring elements
of break beat and electronic rock mixed with orchestral elements, it is unlike
any other Godzilla soundtrack. A little research revealed that Emerson was only
given two weeks to write the score of the film and that only a small percentage
of his score made it to the final cut of the film. Having not seen the movie –
I can’t comment on what appeared in the film, but I’m led to believe it
contains more music by the director’s regular collaborators, Nobuhiko Morino
and Daisuke Yano, who were later hired to complete the rest of the film's
score. So, as a result, I’m assuming this is Emerson’s music for the film -
most of which did not make the final cut. However, as a standalone listen, the
soundtrack works well and benefits enormously from Akira Ifukube’s original
Godzilla theme arranged by Emerson - which is very good indeed!
Overall,
this excellent set is always going to intrigue – as a collective, it is a fine
representation of Keith Emerson’s film work. Sound quality is absolutely spot
on, as is the packaging which uses individual card covers for each of its 3 CDs
and sits in a very strong clamshell box alongside a 16 page book. Released by
Esoteric Recordings and available through Cherry Red Records priced at £17.99,
it’s well worth taking a look at.
Click here to order.
By Dave Worrall
One of the most sought-after film scores in
the last 40 years has finally been released on CD. When released in 1968,
Michael Reeves’ classic Witchfinder
General (released in America as The Conqueror Worm) , starring Vincent Price (in arguably his finest role) featured an
equally impressive score by Paul Ferris. At the time of the film's initial
release a 45rpm record of the love theme was issued in England, but not a
complete soundtrack. Thought to be have been lost forever, the original
1/4-inch master tapes were found in the vaults of recording studio De Wolfe Ltd
in 2013.
The tapes, which are the original recordings, and not a copy, include
every cue used in the film, and are now available on a CD for fans of this film
(and the music) to enjoy at long last. Released by De Wolfe Ltd, the 3-sided
gatefold sleeve reproduces photos of the newly discovered tape box and reel
itself, and also comes with a 12-page booklet detailing the film's history. For
this author, this is the 'find' of the decade!
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON USA
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON UK
(Issue #5 of Cinema Retro (now almost sold out) features extensive coverage of the making of the film.)
By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor
Let’s
face it, 1979 was a particularly bad year for the Concord. It was the year in
which the ‘Airport’ franchise were about to deliver their latest offering in
the shape of the quite awful Airport ’79
The Concord. However, Airport ’79
was beaten (by several months) to the screen by a cheesy little flick from
Italy, Concord Affaire '79. Directed
by Ruggero Deodato, Concord Affaire '79
is more an action thriller rather than the formulated disaster flick that we
have come to know. Some commentators
have argued that it is actually far better than its ‘Airport’ rival, and to be honest, I would probably side with that
opinion. But let’s be clear from the
start, neither film will ever be described as a classic…
Deodato’s
film was not a big budgeted project, the film’s restraints are apparent –
mainly through the use of stock footage of the British Airways supersonic
‘bird’ or the (less than seamless) shots of some average miniature models. But
of course, that is half of the film’s 70s charm and its era defining identity
stamp. Concord Affaire '79 separates
itself from the typical disaster genre film right from the start, largely by
having the plane crash in the first reel. There is no long laborious build up –
this plane is down, crashing into the ocean off the coast of Martinique and
leading us to believe there are no survivors. Of course, that’s not quite true,
Jean Beneyton, the young French flight attendant played by Mimsy Farmer, does
survive the crash. She is captured / rescued by the man responsible for the crash
– Milland, played by Hollywood veteran Joseph Cotton. The film in fact boasts a
string of established stars; Van Johnson plays Captain Scott, whilst Edmond
Purdom played Danker, one of Milland's leading henchmen. Heading the cast is
the ever enjoyable James Franciscus as Moses Brody, an American investigative
reporter who decides to go to the Antilles in an attempt to rescue Jean
Beneyton and uncover the story. From here on, it’s all rather good fun.
Stelvio
Cipriani’s score for Concord Affaire '79
marks its debut release on CD. It’s only previous release was on vinyl LP
consisting of 15 tracks and released in Japan on Polydor records. Whilst
Cipriani sets an energetic pace with his opening main title Danger flight, there are also plenty of
lush romantic cues. The score does however illustrate an age, due mainly to an
overwhelming backbeat of Euro disco, an era which perhaps does not transfer too
easily in today’s society. But of course, its style is very much of its time
and still retains a certain retro charm. The composer cleverly based his score
on variations of a single theme, which is hard to achieve unless in the hands
of someone such as Cipriani. The central theme is used to good effect,
sometimes melodic and rich or in the case of the underwater scenes there is an
edgy dreamlike quality attached. But above all else, Cipriani uses Concord Affaire '79 to indulge himself
deep into a world of synths and electronica, perhaps in reflection of the
futuristic, supersonic era of the film’s narrative. Synth theme in particular is a long, almost operatic homage to a
haunting electro heaven. However, Cipriani never seems to step too far over the
line, and later adds more familiar analogue instrumentation (such as strings)
to the synth sound and as a result, the blending works very well in deed.
Concord Affaire '79
is a curious, almost experimental score, yet Cipriani ultimately succeeds in
making it work. But there are moments where one is left considering, if
Cipriani perhaps deliberated over which route to take when composing this
score. It is certainly an eclectic mix of styles, both in mood and in its
instrumentation. For Cipriani collectors and soundtrack collectors in general, Concord Affaire '79 is well worth adding
to your collection. Consisting of 27 tracks, (7 of which did not make it into
the film), the CD is a huge improvement over the original album and its audio
has been beautifully remastered. Chris’ Soundtrack Corner has demonstrated a full
commitment to Cipriani’s work - with Concord
being the composer’s Sixth title in their increasingly impressive catalogue. We
can only hope there is more to come.
http://www.soundtrackcorner.de/
Review by Darren Allison
On Chris' Soundtrack Corner label
Stelvio
Cipriani's beautiful percussion based score for Joe D'Amato's ORGASMO NERO (1980)
(CSC 014) sits very nicely alongside Chris' Soundtrack Corner’s previously
released PAPAYA DEI CARAIBI (1978) (CSC 006). Both films are among D’Amato’s
island-based sexploitation features and both were scored by Italian composer
Cipriani. Both of Cipriani’s scores are superb examples of Mondo-exotica/erotica
film music. Beyond the percussion based tribal themes there are also many
subtle and romantic pieces that reflect the sun, sand and sexuality – each of
which were often the staple exponents of European cult cinema of the 70s. Yes,
these films were of course adult sub-genres, and in this case the focus was on American
born actor Richard Harrison who plays Paul, an ethnological researcher who is
investigating a little known island tribe. Paul is accompanied on the trip by
his wife Helen (played by Spanish actress Nieves Navarro). Helen subsequently begins
a sexual relationship with Haini (Lucia Ramirez), a beautiful black tribeswoman
who exercises a lusty ‘primitive’ sexuality. Thus begins a fractured love triangle
– a relationship that is further complicated when Paul and Helen take Haini
back with them to the big city. From here on, D’Amato relies on a very familiar
and tested formula, using each occurring situation as the premise for a soft
porn sequence.
Cipriani's
music is always reliable and often outlives the film itself, and this again
proves to be the case with ORGASMO NERO. Cipriani provides some rich Bossa
cuts, but you are never too far away from a piece of evocative, multi layered
ambiance. Cipriani wisely chose a contrast of styles, an intelligent decision
on his part – as it isn’t hard to imagine how other (and arguably lessor) composers
may have simply relegated it to one particular genre. Fans and collectors of Cipriani’s
work will certainly have little problem melting into this latest release and no
doubt take to it like an old familiar friend.
To order click here
By Darren Allison
I’m
very proud to say that I have travelled alongside Cineploit Records since the
summer of 2012, and what a journey it is proving to be. Since then, they have featured regularly in
the print edition of Cinema Retro. Unfortunately, Cineploit’s latest two
releases arrived shortly after our print deadline; nevertheless, I wanted to
make sure they received the exposure they fully deserve.
Omaggio a Bruno Nicolai ed alle sue musiche
per il cinema Giallo - Orgasmo Sonore
The
efforts of Cineploit really do demand applauding. Over the past couple of years
their devotion to the music genres of Euro Horror, Poliziotti, Italian westerns
and Giallo have begun to find broader audiences. Among the label’s artists is
Orgasmo Sonore, a group that have already produced two previous albums of
diverse delights. For their latest release, they have focused on the work of Bruno
Nicolai. ‘Omaggio a Bruno Nicolai ed alle sue musiche per il cinema Giallo’ (Exploit
05) arrives in the form of a 12” 180g Vinyl mini album (45rpm) with a
beautifully Euro flavoured gatefold sleeve. Containing 6 tracks (26 mins), the
album is a tribute to Nicolai, selecting music from five of the composer’s
Giallo soundtracks from 1971-1975. Ok, so there may not be anything new here
for the Nicolai collectors, however, it has been put together exceptionally
well, and if anything serves as a perfect introduction to the composer’s
bulging body of work. The music is certainly faithful and true, ‘La Dama Rossa
Uccide Sette Volte’ (or The Lady in Red Kills Seven Times) (1972) kicks off the
album impressively, from its haunting childlike intro – right through to its
razor sharp Harpsichord strings. Whilst still beautiful, a track such Sergio
Martino’s Magico Incontro (1972) loses its edge to some degree – which is no
doubt due to the absent wistful tones of vocalist Edda Dell'Orso. Dell'Orso became
such an integral element of Nicolai’s (and Morricone’s) sound, it set an almost
unattainable level, and there the bridge becomes blatantly apparent.
Nevertheless, do not be deterred from this fine album If anything, I find adding
alternative or cover versions of my favourite composer’s work somewhat
welcoming, especially when produced with such impressive quality. Orgasmo Sonore has (unobtrusively) mixed
various sound bites to the music, which, as a result, also refreshes the entire
concept.
Producer
and band member François Rideau has delivered an excellent tribute to the
legendary composer. Oh, and to add a further dash of retro flavour, the record
is pressed in a glorious yellow vinyl with blood red splatter! Stylish, original and above all, hugely
enjoyable – it’s just a shame that it isn’t beefier in terms of its content. Regardless
of this, I have little doubt fans of Giallo will absolutely lap it up.
http://www.cineploit.com/?p=926
Non bussare alla porta del diavolo –
Sospetto
It
was great to hear the latest offering from Sospetto. Whilst Sospetto are
extremely modern in their execution, it is clear that they are heavily
influenced by the Giallo soundtrack traditions of the 60s and 70s. Every so
often, ripples of Fabio Frizzi and (arguably more often), the work of Euro-horror
specialists Goblin, seem to transcend from their music. Of course, for fans of Giallo
in particular, this isn’t a bad thing – and probably the reason why ‘Non
bussare alla porta del diavolo’ (Cine 07) will surely prove successful. As with
their previous album ‘Segni Misteriosi, Con Il Sangue Dipinto Sul Muro’ the
music is oppressive, ethereal and sometimes heavy. However, despite their
obvious influences, Sospetto have a unique talent of sounding both fresh and
unique. With this latest release, the German duo of Christian Rzechak and Hobo
Jeans have raised the bar to some degree, smoothing out some rough edges and
producing a much more polished album in the process. Tracks such as ‘Sulla
Strada Verso Il Nulla’ and ‘Viena Da Me’ are a pure delight, enhanced by the
laid back, lounge-like wordless vocals of Christine Marks - they are simply
crying out for a film to accommodate. On the flip side tracks such as ‘Citta
Che Esplode’ are sharp and funky, percussion driven pieces that wouldn’t sound
out of place in a Richard Roundtree Shaft film from the 70s.
Diversity
seems key to this album, and there’s almost 35 minutes to enjoy spread over its
14 tracks. The packaging for Sospetto’s 180g LP comes in a super gatefold
sleeve with a design to fit seamlessly alongside the Giallo soundtracks of the
day. The LP is also available as a special set containing the 180g Vinyl, a CD
version of the album and a bonus DVD (PAL encoded only) containing a 23 minute
film by the group in 1.85:1 (16:9 enhanced). A classy album, and arguably the group’s
finest album to date.
http://www.cineploit.com/?page_id=840
If
interested in either of these titles, please be aware that they are strictly
limited, so please contact Alex at Cineploit to check availability, tell him I
sent you and he’ll see you right.
informazione@cineploit.com
-Darren Allison, Soundtrack Editor,
Cinema Retro Magazine
By Darren Allison
Finally,
Vocalion has treated us to a rather unique couple of albums. Visions of Eight (CDSML
8502) is a film about the personal dreams that make the Olympic Games transcend
the physical into the spiritual. When the Wolper Organization was granted the
authority to record the 1972 official film of the games, they elected to ignore
the traditional documentary approach in favour of the human stories that
emerged during the contests. Whilst the cameras recorded the tragic events
surrounding the death of the Israeli athletes, the film remains a non -
political tribute to all the contestants and to the spirit of the games. Eight
respected directors of the era were brought on board, each with a chance to
capture their separate visions. The producers commissioned three-time Academy Award
winner Henry Mancini to provide a score that captured the film’s international
spirit. Mancini handles the scoring rather well; it is full of his beautiful
melodies, whilst tracks such as ‘Spaced Out’ and ‘Soft Flight’ reveal an
otherworldly, dreamlike quality. It is an album that remains an essential part
of the composer’s body of work. If Visions of Eight was not enough to tempt
Mancini collectors, Vocalion have also added the rare 1977 album Just You and Me Together Love as a bonus. Vocalion’s CD marks the first time this
has been released on a digital format. A rather obscure piece, it features original
music by Mancini scored to the poems and narration of John Laws. Laws worked
for Australian radio and struck up a friendship with Mancini during several of
his tours in the country. It is a
pleasant enough listen and one that will certainly appeal to the Mancini
completists. The audio quality is what
one would come to expect from Vocalion with crisp clear sound, a nicely
produced booklet and production notes. Original British LP artwork has been
reproduced for the front cover, with the option of reversing to display the
original Japanese LP artwork – perfectly thought out and highly recommended!
Keep em coming! Darren Allison
http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDSML8502

By Darren Allison
Vocalion’s
latest release from their continuing series of popular Geoff Love re-releases
from the 70s is this pairing of a couple of glorious albums originally released by MFP Records, La musique de
Michel Legrand (MFP 2M046-95030) and La musique d’ Ennio Morricone (MFP
2M046-94653) (both 1973). What made these two albums unusual was the fact that
they were specifically produced for the European market. Later in 1975, both
were issued in the UK as a 2-LP set - The Music of Michel Legrand and Ennio
Morricone (EMI DUOS 1181). Legrand’s heartfelt melodies work perfectly for
Geoff Love’s style of Orchestration. The Windmills of your Mind and The Summer
of ’42 will of course always be considered among Legrand’s finest signature
pieces. However, Love brings a genuine sense of warmth to these covers,
satisfying the ear of the easy-listening enthusiasts without distracting too
far from the much remembered originals. There is certainly plenty of material
to cheer about; music from Lady Sings the Blues provides a rare opportunity to
listen to Legrand’s wonderful melancholic score. The Happy Ending is a 1969
film that doesn’t perhaps conjure up too many memories, but chances are –
you’ll instantly recognise ‘What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?’, a
beautiful theme from the film that enjoys longevity much more than the film
itself. The album is an impressive compilation and a joy from beginning to end.
The
second half of the CD focuses on Ennio Morricone. As with the nature of
Morricone’s compositions, they are dauntingly unique, and one can only imagine
exhaling a sigh of tense disillusionment at the prospect of taking on the man’s
work. However, Love handles the challenge well, kicking off proceedings with a
very nice, haunting version of Harmonica’s theme from Once Upon a Time in the
West. It is only when we reach the “Dollars Trilogy” that the album appears to
suffer slightly. The renditions are not unlistenable - but they just seem to lose
the boldness or weight of their unconventional instrumentation. Cymbals, rumbling trumpets and even flutes simply
appear weak and lack in sustaining their vibrant punch. What is perhaps
apparent to this listening experience is the absence of any wordless vocals,
often provided by long term Morricone collaborator Edda Dell'Orso. That said,
the epic nature of the CD’s closing track (from Once Upon a Time in the West),
seems to manage very nicely indeed, but one can only wonder what Love might had
achieved had he been afforded the luxury
of a full choir. Overall, the album is a
delight and very easy on the ears.
In
regards to production values, La musique de Michel Legrand / La musique d’
Ennio Morricone (Vocalion CDLK 4509) retains Vocalion’s very high standards. Beautifully
remastered by Michael J. Dutton from the original analogue tapes, the CD
ensures that our ongoing trip down ‘MFP Lane’ continues to be an extremely
happy experience. Long may it continue!
http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDLK4509
By Darren Allison
Our
good friends at Vocalion Records have released three excellent CDs. First is
the super score to Bernard Kowalski’s 1969 B-movie thriller STILETTO (Vocalion
CDSML 8501). Starring Alex Cord in the lead role and with support from Britt
Ekland, Patrick O’Neal, Joseph Wiseman and Roy Scheider, the film was based on
the Harold Robbins novel of the same name. Whilst Stiletto was never going to
be an Oscar contender, as so many of these great little thrillers proved, it
did gather something of a cult following. More often than not, restricted
budgets and tight schedules surprisingly lead to great production values, with
artists and crews having to think instinctively on their feet and with little
time to elaborate. Stiletto music by American composer Sid Ramin is a truly
evocative score. Ramin’s work was often uncredited and as a result, perhaps
never received the recognition he ultimately deserved. Stiletto certainly
highlighted Ramin’s ability to score a dramatic action movie. Pulsating Hammond
organ, pounding percussion and golden brass lines - certainly draw similarities
to the work of leading composers of the day such as Lalo Schifrin and Roy Budd.
The music implies a rich, Mediterranean vibe which captures the film’s international
romanticism. Stiletto’s score is, without doubt, the film’s dominant feature -
the enduring survivor.
Vocalion’s
release marks the score’s debut on CD. As a direct re-issue of the original CBS
LP (CBS Records S 70062), the music has been beautifully remastered by Michael
J. Dutton from the Original Analogue tapes. Considering the low key nature of
the movie, Oliver Lomax has provided a richly detailed booklet covering both the
production of the film and its spectacular music. To their credit, Vocalion
have also included a reversible cover containing the original LP artwork and
the splendid British colour artwork (which always gets my vote). Vocalion have
again proved that big things are often salvageable from relatively minor films,
and their foresight can only be applauded.
http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDSML8501
By Lee Pfeiffer
Sony has released the original soundtrack to Robert Altman's 1970 anti-war comedy M*A*S*H as a burn-to-order title. The original vinyl version of the soundtrack, issued in conjunction with the film, was considered quite unique at the time because the bulk of the tracks consisted of dialogue from the film as opposed to composer Johnny Mandel's score. A criticism was that the original release only provided a truncated vocal version of the main theme, which is actually titled Suicide is Painless. In 1995, a remastered CD of the soundtrack was released with the full version of the song along with some bonus tracks and it is this version that has just been reissued by Sony. With the exception of the brilliant title theme, most of Mandel's amusing score is only heard in snippets, with the dialogue from the film still providing the basis for the content. It's rather odd to remember that in the pre-home video era, listening to dialogue from a film such as this was a rare treat. The success of the subsequent TV series has led many people to forget that there initially was an Oscar-nominated film that inspired the show. Thus, you can relive the zany wisecracks of the original Hawkeye and Trapper John (Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould) interacting with Hot Lips (Sally Kellerman), Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) and Radar (Gary Burghoff, the only cast member carried over from the film to the TV series). A third lead in the film was Duke Forrest, played by Tom Skerritt, but the character was not imported to the TV show, though he is present on the album.
With the dialogue compromising the bulk of the soundtrack, you can at least revel in Suicide is Painless in its uncut glory. The song was deemed too controversial for TV so an instrumental version was used on the series. The brilliance of the lyrics resonate even today, as the gentle, seemingly benign folk song extols the joys of offing oneself. Shockingly, the lyrics were written by Robert Altman's 14 year-old son, though he did not receive a screen but is said to have made a fortune in royalties over the decades.
The M*A*S*H soundtrack is certainly an oddity, coming at a time when albums derived from hit films consisted entirely of music. However, if Altman broke the rules with his off-the-wall anti-Establishment gags, it seems only suitable that the soundtrack did the same. It's a great deal of fun to return to the days when audio snippets of your favorite films were as close as you could get to experiencing them, at least until cut-up, watered down versions would be released to television.
Click here to order

By Lee Pfeiffer
Following on the successful premise of burn-to-order DVDs, Sony has expanded the process to its audio line, re-issuing retro-based albums on CD that have not been officially available for decades. One of the more notable releases is Come Spy With Me by Hugo Montenegro and His Orchestra. Montenegro composed original themes for TV series and feature films during the 1960s including Lady in Cement, the Matt Helm movies The Ambushers and The Wrecking Crew as well as the music for the 1969 John Wayne-Rock Hudson starrer The Undefeated. However, his greatest success was as the king of cover versions of popular movie and TV themes. Montenegro's album of cover music from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (nevertheless released as the "original" soundtrack) was so successful that it spawned a sequel album. Similarly, his cover version of Ennio Morricone's magnificent theme for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly became an international smash and earned him a gold record despite the fact that his rendition was positively anemic compared to Morricone's original. Nevertheless, Montenegro and his orchestra knew how to arrange music for popular tastes and his future influence on the music industry was characterized by helping to popularize the Moog synthesizer. Among his more successful albums was the aforementioned Come Spy With Me, the title of which was derived from a 1967 low-grade James Bond spoof. Nevertheless, it had a catchy title theme (originally written by Bob Flowers) and the cover of Montenegro's album had some eye-catching graphics of comely spy girls. The tracks include Montenegro's instrumental version of Come Spy With Me (the original had lyrics) as well an eclectic selection of title tracks from popular TV series and feature films:
- Secret Agent
- I Spy
- The F.B.I
- Thunderball
- The Silencers
- Get Smart
- Goldfinger
- The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
- Our Man Flint
- The James Bond Theme
Purists may balk at Montenegro's jazzy and often funky renditions of these themes, but if his purpose was to simply emulate the originals there would be no point in producing this album.
It's terrific to have a retro treasure like this back in circulation. Break out your old smoking jacket, grab a fine cigar and pour yourself a glass of wine...for the duration of this record, you'll be transported back to the glory days of spy movie music and the cover artists who celebrated the genre.
To order click here
The
Tall Texan (1953) (MMM-1974) was another low-budget B Western movie and starred
Lloyd Bridges, Lee J. Cobb and Marie Windsor. It was directed by Elmo Williams,
(the Oscar-winning editor of High Noon). The basis of The Tall Texan was a familiar
one, a collection of five travellers set out in a wagon through Comanche
territory. The group includes a tinhorn and his woman, a sheriff escorting an
accused murderer, and a sea captain. After a renegade Indian tells them about a
virgin gold field as thanks for saving his life, the group becomes fixated on
the gold and greed becomes their main objective. Bert Shefter, this time
working without his collaborator Paul Sawtell, took a thematic approach to this
rather rich sounding score. Shefter provides themes to several of the central
characters, including a menacing (if rather traditional) woodwind and native
drum rhythms for the Indians. Shefter also and makes good use of a couple of
traditional standards, Yankee Doodle Dandy can be heard, and is gently woven
into the fabric of Luther Adler’s character Joshua Tinnen. The composer also
introduces the old sea shanty Blow the Man Down which works surprisingly well as
a dramatic motif. So, is there anything that makes this stand out from any
other B movie western score of the time? Well, yes, actually there is. The Celesta
is an instrument that conjures up numerous magical memories. Today, it is
probably more associated with the Harry Potter themes or perhaps traditional
arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. However, Shefter
took its distinctive sound and applied it to the film’s silent character, the gold.
The Celesta was certainly an inspired choice of instrumentation by Mr Shefter.
If rousing western scores from the 50s are your thing, you are sure to enjoy
this nugget. Another excellent 20 page booklet (written by David Schecter) is
included with the CD.
This
fascinating collection from David Schecter’s Monstrous movie music continues to
reiterate their place in the soundtrack market. Their tireless efforts,
attention to detail and commitment to explore new genres, continue to feed our
high expectations. Check them out for yourself at: http://www.mmmrecordings.com/
Darren
Allison- Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor

By Darren Allison, Soundtrack Editor
Virgin
Sacrifice (1959) (MMM-1973) starred David DaLie as Samson, an American hunter
on a safari in Guatemala. While tracking game, Samson encounters a strange
ceremony in which a young woman named Morena (Angelica Morales) is to be
sacrificed at the bidding of her father to appease the gods following a vicious
animal attack. Morena is able to escape, and Samson gives chase, hoping to
rescue her before the tribesmen can capture her and complete the ritual. Sound
like drivel? Well… you’d be right. So let’s waste little time and talk about
the finer side of Virgin Sacrifice, the team of Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter. Sawtell
and Shefter are no strangers to Monstrous Movie Music soundtracks, with
previous releases including Kronos, It! The Terror From Beyond Space and The
Last Man on Earth. For collectors of Sawtell and Shefter, this rarely seen
exploitation film contains a rather unique and satisfying score from the pair.
Diverse and subjective in its approach, the score leads us through the beauty
and dangers of its Guatemalan jungle setting. The music is peppered with
expressive and melancholy cues. The film’s main title is both tranquil and
dramatic, before both male and female chanting is applied, perhaps in order to
remind us that this is a jungle movie. Tracks such as Medal of Death make
clever use of keyboard tricks (provided by Jack Cookerly’s ‘magic box’ organ)
and work to startling effect. Flittering clarinets and brooding flutes maintain
that the majority of score is designed to hold us in suspense whilst providing
a sense of mystery throughout. However, it is the use of Hammond organ that
really provides the pay-off, used sparingly in tracks such as Through the Cave,
it makes a wonderfully spooky touch. At 54 minutes, Virgin Sacrifice is a
generous score that benefits from some fine orchestration. Collectors of
Sawtell in particular, might well be reminded of his music from the Tarzan
films he wrote for RKO. Again, an excellent 20 page booklet provides a unique
and well researched written history of the production.
Click here to order

By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor
When
considering the scores for movie Westerns, film music collectors often refer to
classics such as Max Steiner's The Searchers, Dimitri Tiomkin's Rio Bravo or Victor
Young's Shane, all of which are, of course, fabulous scores. Monstrous Movie Music
have again, (and in keeping with their refreshing style), ventured into new
territories with the release of Paul Dunlap’s Western score to Hellgate (1952)
(MMM-1972). Rather surprisingly, this CD marks the first full release to
feature Dunlap’s film music. The composer was incredibly prolific throughout
his career scoring diverse projects which spanned from many of The Three
Stooges movies to the cult classic AIP horrors including the Teenage
Frankenstein/Werewolf series of films. For a B movie western, there was something
a little different about Hellgate – it was really rather good! Hellgate was
directed by Charles Marquis Warren, a tough all-rounder who would go on to
produce the popular TV series Rawhide. The film boasted a strong, testosterone
fuelled cast featuring Sterling Hayden, James Arness and Ward Bond. Hayden plays a veterinarian who is wrongly
convicted of guerrilla activities shortly after the Civil War. The prison camp is tough and he has to survive
the sadistic commandant (Bond), a cruel guard (Robert Wilke), and deceitful
prisoners like Arness. Throw in some Pima Indians (who patrol the canyon walls)
in order to catch any escapees for a reward, prisoner punishment that involves
being baked in metal coffins or whipped within an inch of their lives and you
have a Western story that is well above the expected standard of Poverty Row
Lippert Pictures. Dunlap’s music is incredibly dramatic throughout, but it
isn’t your regular western score. His main theme begins with heavy brass and
drums, but slips into a more solemn, string based theme before it builds gently
and provides a sense of hope. It sets the tone perfectly and emphasises the
film’s opposing themes of hatred vs. forgiveness. Tracks such as “Kearne Makes
Lunge at Nye” illustrate Dunlap’s ability to create genuine excitement by
employing his full range of brass and string sections. Quality, for the best
part of this score, is highly acceptable. MMM took the decision to release
Dunlap’s original recordings in place of re-recording his score, which I
believe was the correct option. Whilst there is some minor noise (from the
surviving acetates) evident on a handful of tracks, it does not detract or
spoil the acoustic soundscape and naturally maintains the composer’s original
work. As a bonus, Monstrous movie music has generously included Dunlap’s excellent
score for The Lost Continent (1951). A simple enough story, The Lost Continent
successfully merged two fantasy elements, combining rocket ships with roaming
dinosaurs on a south pacific island. Making good use of an increased budget,
Dunlap was able to employ a 47 piece orchestra, and it was warranted – given
the enormity of aircraft, rockets, natural disasters and battling monsters that
confronted the composer. The result was a highly enjoyable score, and whilst
some of the music has been lost in time, the 28mins of music included here make
this a CD that is hard to ignore. We can only hope that there is a lot more of
Paul Dunlap’s music to come. Included is a great 20 page booklet that covers
just about every aspect of the music, composer and the film, all written (in
exquisite detail) by David Schecter.
Click here to order
Click here to read review of Hellgate DVD
By Darren Allison, Cinema Retro Soundtrack Editor
From
its heavy percussion based main title, She Demons (1958) (MMM-1971) opens with
a sense of heart pounding excitement and sets the tone for what is to follow.
Nicholas Carras’s jungle-based score is threaded with dramatic cues of which
the composer makes impressive use of his 22 piece orchestra. Whist She Demons
(as a movie) was never going to attain the title of ‘classic’, Carras’s music,
as is often the case, promotes the film to a higher level. Cues such as Escape
and Nazis in Pursuit make excellent use of the orchestra’s brass and string
section. Carras provides a hopeful, triumphant end title that runs concurrent
with a few lonesome drum beats which provides continuity with the film’s
central themes. For an isolated island movie (occupied by scantily clad girls,
caged mutant women and Nazis) they probably don’t come any better than this.
MMM have previously delighted us with a couple of superb Carras scores such as
Missile to the Moon and Frankenstein’s Daughter. Their commitment to the
composer’s work has proven to be a fruitful decision as She Demons is certainly
one of his most accomplished scores.
Doubling up very nicely with She Demons is
Guenther Kauer’s score to another low budget slice of sci-fi, The Astounding
She-Creature (1957). If Carras’s score for She Demons was impressive, Kauer’s
is simply enlightening. Granted, Kauer’s score was recorded using a 45 piece
orchestra and as a result, the sound is a great deal richer. Perhaps more
remarkably, Kauer sent his 33 minute written score to a friend in Germany who
conducted and recorded the music (performed beautifully by The Stuttgart
Symphony Orchestra) without screening the actual film. Cue timings were sent,
but it often meant that final cues were not always precise. However, what emerged
was a wonderful sounding score. Ronnie Ashcroft’s rather poor film succumbed to
many edits and, as a result, the final music mix suffered. Thankfully, all of
Kauer’s score is delivered here and is an orchestral delight. It is a
beautifully crafted and intelligently written composition that really has no
right to accompany such a lacklustre movie. Like many sci-fi classics, there is
an undeniable ambiance that is certainly Herrmannesque in its delivery, and
that can’t be a bad thing. Included is a super 20 page booklet that covers just
about every aspect of the music, composer and the film, all written (in
exquisite detail) by David Schecter.
TO ORDER CLICK HERE

La-La Land has released Jerry Goldsmith's original soundtrack score for the 1968 Western Bandolero as a limited edition CD. The release includes the original album originally released on vinyl as well as never-before-released tracks. Curiously, the cover art depicts James Stewart and Dean Martin - though Raquel Welch is not depicted. On the original album, Martin could not be depicted because his image could only be used on Reprise Records during that period. The same thing occurred with the soundtrack for Lady in Cement- which could not depict the film's star Frank Sinatra. To order the album click here
UPDATE:
Contributing writer Nick Anez supplies us with the following facts:
Regarding the notice of the new Bandolero CD soundtrack on the Cinema Retro website, I have the original LP album. It is true, as the article states, that Dean Martin is not depicted on the album's cover. But what is even stranger is that his name is not even mentioned. On both the front and back of he album, the cast is listed as "James Stewart, Raquel Welch, George Kennedy in Bandolero." The album has a gatefold cover and opens out. Inside are six photos from the film, none of Martin There is also a complete summary of the story. As each character's name is mentioned, the name of the actor portraying him or her is mentioned afterward in parentheses - except for Martin's character. No actor is listed for his character. It's ridiculous. Dean probably couldn't have have cared less.
Nick
Retro Responds: Thanks for the interesting facts, Nick....Sinatra's name wasn't used on the Lady in Cement soundtrack, either, if we recall correctly. Talk about stringent adherence to contractual terms!

Intrada Records has announced the premiere of Jerry Goldsmith original soundtrack scores for two great Frank Sinatra films: Von Ryan's Express and The Detective. Both scores appear on the same special edition CD. For details click here to order from Screen Archives.
The web site SpyVibe informs us that some ultra groovy 60's spy soundtracks from classic TV series are being made available...some in glorious mono! Among them is a repressing of the original soundtrack from The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Click here for more info
Screen Archives has released Jerry Fielding's Oscar-nominated score for Sam Peckinpah's 1969 classic The Wild Bunch as a 3-CD special edition with the complete score, remastered soundtrack album and collector's booklet.
Please click here to order
Writer Thomas Vinciguerra pays homage to the legendary themes from the original Star Trek in conjunction with a major boxed set of soundtrack CDs from the series released by La-La Land Records.. Click here to read the Wall Street Journal article.

Press release from Film Score Monthly:
The 1976 Dino De Laurentiis remake of King Kong (starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange) was one of the first scores John Barry composed after settling in Los Angeles from his native England. Although the composer was forced to write quickly due to production delays, he provided a powerful score that reflects both the film’s exotic adventure setting and the love story at its emotional center.
An unusual variety of melodic ideas to characterize Kong and a strong romantic theme endow the score with a lush sensuality and emotional poignancy that balances the harsher and more horrific elements. Barry’s music ranges from the primitive dances of island natives to the soft saxophone strains of contemporary romance without missing a beat.
FSM released the 1976 Reprise Records album master of King Kong in 2005 when no additional material was available. But now, with the cooperation of Paramount Pictures, we are able to premiere John Barry’s complete score newly mixed and mastered from the 2" 24- and 16-track masters on the first disc of this 2CD Deluxe Edition. We again present the album master on disc 2, augmenting it with several film alternates to make this the most complete possible representation of Barry’s effort.
Informative notes by John Takis, numerous film stills and dynamic original poster art comprise FSM’s colorful 20-page booklet.
If viewers of King Kong care about the hulking creature, it is in no small part because Barry makes them care. Through his art, painstakingly preserved and lovingly presented on this 2CD set, listeners are able to see past the mask of the monster to the infinitely lonely soul locked within.
Click here to order
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