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REVIEW ARCHIVES: 
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

"Sedmikrasky"

"Brother & Sister"

Daisies / Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
Various Artists / Lubos Fiser
Finders Keepers Records

Czech New Wave cinema is a relatively fresh sub-genre for cult soundtrack collectors. To the best of my knowledge Finders Keepers is the first label to explore it, with well-documented world premiere soundtrack releases for Daisies ('66) and Valerie and Her Week of Wonders ('70).

Both films are remarkably beautiful and well worth viewing, especially as it helps to appreciate the diverse musical sounds that accompany them.

Calling the Daisies soundtrack diverse is definitely an understatement. Like the movie, the soundtrack by Jirí Sust and Jirí Slitr is a "cut-and-paste" job, jumping from classical to musique concrete to umpah to military to modern jazz to cartoon exotica to charleston to surf beat and beyond. While it's certainly entertaining in a mind-boggling way, the lack of thematic development can be maddening. However, the enlightening liner notes by Andy Votel and Peter Hames put the film and soundtrack into cultural context, which should help listeners appreciate the project's independent spirit.

Lubos Fiser's score for Valerie is comparatively straight forward, though the film certainly is not. It is comprised of pastoral orchestral and choral folk songs, passages of creepy atonal dissonance, baroque cheer, tribal drums, gothic church chants and tolling bells. More importantly, there is a genuine sense of mysticism and magic about the whole thing, which is especially apparent when hearing the music in the context of this hallucinatory film. Perhaps that's the best way to experience it, but once you have you'll want to possess the Finders Keepers CD as well.

Previously unreleased, the Daisies and Valerie soundtracks are finally seeing the light of day thanks to the eclectic crate digger Andy Votel who was behind several other releases for the label including Stanley Myers' excellent Sitting Target Jean Claude Vannier's trippy album L'enfant Assassin Des Mouches.

Notably, Valerie inspired a group of Philadelphia-based musicians to start The Valerie Project.

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"14 Juillet 70" (MP3 edit)

La Dame Dans L'Auto Avec Des Lunettes Et Un Fusil
Michel Legrand
Petra SRL

Michel Legrand's catchy, uptempo score for The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun ('70) is second only to the composer's score for The Thomas Crown Affair in terms of sheer grooviness.

Sixteen tracks strong, La Dame Dans L'Auto has that easy, breezy late '60s vibe that exploits jazz chops for pop hooks. Having not seen the film, a thriller starring Samantha Eggar and Oliver Reed, I can only imagine this music accompanying a caper featuring an Italian sports car, mod outfits and night clubs featuring Verner Panton-designed interiors. Regardless of what the film really looks like, its score is a must have for groovy soundtrack fans.

Dance Raja Dance
Vijaya Anand
Luaka Bop

Luaka Bop's first installment in its Asia Classics series is a fine place to start for those curious about Indian or "Bollywood" soundtracks, especially since original soundtracks are difficult to find in the US. Truth be told, the music on this disc doesn't come from the 60s or 70s, but from the 80s (and despite its exotic origins, there is a distinctive 80s production sound that wouldn't have sounded out of place during the early 80s on MTV). Although its of a later era, Dance Raja Dance has its place in Score, Baby's groovy soundtrack collection. It's wildly eclectic instrumentation has more to do with the experimental sensibilities of the late 60s and early 70s, than it has to do with the canned music approach of most 80s pop soundtracks.

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Danger: Diabolik
Ennio Morricone
Pallottola Foro

"The Power Ceremony"

The Dark Crystal
Trevor Jones
La-La Land Records

Remember those Jim Henson fantasy movies of the 1980s: The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth? The pre-CGI effects, the bizarre-looking puppets, David Bowie's big hair? How about Trevor Jones' dramatic, scores where synthesizers, exotic instruments and orchestra combine to magical effect? There's something to remember.

La-La Land Records' 25th anniversary edition of Jones' The Dark Crystal soundtrack is a welcome reminder of the Henson film's unique charm. It was only Jones' second significant score (after Excalibur), but there is nothing amateur about it. Not only does it bring Henson's imaginative world to life on screen, it also stands on its own as a completely enveloping listening experience.

Jones' rich orchestration and lavishly romantic adventure themes characterize The Dark Crystal as a traditional Hollywood score where themes are developed around characters and settings. Originally, the filmmakers intended the score to be far more experimental, but the studio demanded something more conventional to complement Henson's outlandish imagery.

That decision turned out to be the right one. Jones' mix of symphonic, medieval and electronic orchestration — with instrumentation ranging from the rare double flageolet to the modern Synclavier — transports the listener into The Dark Crystal's rarified realm while giving the audience something familiar to hang on to.

In addition, Jones provided source music that prominently features medieval instruments for various scenes that depict cultural celebrations.

The Dark Crystal is one of Trevor Jones' finest scores, one that is certain to appeal to fans of fantasy adventure film scores.

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Deadfall
John Barry
Retrograde/Film Score Monthly

"Creeping Right Along"

The Deadly Spawn
Michael Perilstein
Perseverance

The liner notes for this Perseverance release aptly describe the monster in The Deadly Spawn as looking like a penis with teeth. While the special effects for this '80s cult horror flick are "cheesy bad" by today's standards, Michael Perilstein's mostly synth-based score might qualify as "cheesy good." Let's face it, nothing screams '80s quite like an all-keyboard-and-drum-machine soundtrack.

While tracks like "Creeping Right Along" and "Let's Spawn" are entertainingly loopy, it's difficult to take any of it seriously. Maybe that's the point.

The liner notes reflects a healthy irreverence (check out the crazy "Asshology Horrorscope") and features interviews with the composer and the movie's co-writer/special effects director, Joe Dods.

Of special interest is "Spawn, But Not Forgotten," Perilstein's recently recorded suite that interprets the original score's themes with today's instrumentation. This includes a proposed theme for a would-be sequel "Spawn of the Dead." With it's thunder booms and windblown rain, it almost sounds new age. At least it doesn't sound '80s!

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Blow UP / Death Wish
Herbie Hancock
Warner/One Way Records

Since his arrival on the jazz scene back in the early '60s, Herbie Hancock has proven to be one of the music's most versatile talents. As a soundtrack composer he hasn't been especially prolific, but when he delivers a score it is generally of high caliber. Blow Up and Death Wish are examples of his versatility.

On Blow Up, the score for the Antonini movie about a hip London fashion photographer who thinks he's witnessed a murder, Hancock explores seductive hard bop and rare groove moods. The results aren't particularly cinematic -- one could easily be fooled into thinking this is one of Hancock's Blue Note recordings from the same period -- but they are enjoyable nonetheless.The Blow Up score features "Bring Down the Birds," which dance pop group Dee-lite sampled for their early '90s hit "Groove is in the Heart." It also features "Stroll On" by The Yardbirds, who appear in the movie's inevitable but memorable club scene. The title track alone is worth the price of admission on Death Wish. Employing both jazz and orchestral instrumentation, Hancock creates a mood of sophisticated yet funky suspense. On tracks such as "Do a Thing" and "Paint Her Mouth," Hancock opts for more minimalistic arrangements to more disturbing effect. The centerpiece of Death Wish is the 9-minute "Suite Revenge," which explores stylistic cues from atonal symphonic (ala Arnold Schoenberg), as well as African tribal drumming and Hancock's own electronic jazz fusion experiments of the early '70s.

Death Wish, while not as immediately accessible as Hancock's earlier groove-oriented score for Blow Up, is an intriguing, richly detailed experiment in movie scoring.

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La Decima Vittima
Piero Piccioni
Right Tempo/Easy Tempo

People who know me well, know that I'm nuts about The 10th Victim. It's set in a vaguely futuristic society (decked out in fab Italian modern, natch!). War has been outlawed in favor of a state-sponsored "Big Hunt" where knowing participants take aim at a million dollar prize by taking aim at each other. The '65 flick stars a close-cropped, blond Marcello Mastroianni and a stunningly dressed Ursula Andress, fresh from her bikini scene in Dr. No. The movie helped to inspire Mike Myers' first Austin Powers movie (Ursula's bra shoots bullets and Ming Tea is her hunt sponsor). The soundtrack itself is supposed to sound like "futuristic jazz" and ends up sounding like a wonderfully unexpected marriage of swinging free jazz and proto-electronica. Piccioni's theme music features gunfire and a spirited vocal from Mina, who merely scats "die, die, die". Mina also vamps through "Spiral Waltz", an ironic love theme in which she sings "my lips are on fire, but they're made of ice". Easy Tempo's reissue is most welcome because it features bonus tracks, which weren't even used in the movie. Stunning.

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Deep Note
Various Artists
OST Grammofonpladen

Profondo Rosso (Deep Red)
Goblin / Giorgio Gaslini
Cinevox

Dario Argento’s genre masterpiece Profundo Rosso(aka Deep Red, ’75), featuring music by Italian progressive rock band Goblin and a score by Gaslini. The original release of the soundtrack on LP sold millions of copies, making it one of the best selling Italian horror soundtracks of all time. The Cinevox CD more than doubles the amount of music heard on the LP to include previously unreleased pieces by both Goblin and Gaslini. While the Gaslini tracks that Argento used add plot specific details like the child singing the lullaby, it was Goblin’s hard rock instrumentals that gave the film a modern touch and laid the groundwork for the band’s other collaborations with Argento. The director brought Goblin on board after a creative conflict with Gaslini.

In fact, up until their involvement with Argento the band was known as Cherry Five, but changed it to Goblin for the Deep Red project.

The group’s main theme, which reached number one on the Italian charts, snatches the bass line from Mike Oldfield’s "Tubular Bells," which is famously used in The Exorcist. In turn Goblin’s theme arguably influenced filmmaker/composer John Carpenter’s soundtracks. The theme has been remixed for the dancefloor as well.

Other outstanding tracks from Deep Red include "Death Dies," a frantic rhythmic exercise with funky drumming, jazzy piano and an angular guitar line; "Mad Puppet," a tense atmospheric number built around a hypnotic guitar ostinato; as well as a plethora of variations on the main theme and reprisals of "Death Dies."

Gaslini’s contributions are numerous and often times resemble the Goblin tracks (particularly on the rock-oriented "Deep Shadows"). The composer also contributes the lullaby-like "School at Night" and the gentle and old fashioned "Gianna." Cinevox’s CD may be overloaded with alternate versions of tracks, but Deep Red remains one of the strongest and diverse Argento soundtracks.

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"Deep Throat" (MP3 edit)

Deep Throat Anthology, I & II
Various Artists
Light in the Attic

Light in the Attic's CD reissue of the Deep Throat I & II marks an unusual opportunity for reassessment. A few years ago Trunk Records issued the first film's soundtrack, but due to its lo-fi sound quality it proved to be a dissatisfying listening experience. While this compilation only makes a slight improvement on DP1's sound quality, the better sounding DP2 soundtrack (which precedes the first on the CD) and superior packaging helps ease the pain.

As source material, the anthology uses long-lost tapes of in-theater promotional LPs. The DP2 ('74) material is relatively well documented as it accounts for composers and vocalists, but the players on DP1 ('72) remain unknown. In an attempt to give some sense of cultural significance, the liner notes provide a cheeky interview with porn star Ron Jeremy and a colorfully penned recollection by the dubiously dubbed Professor William Wackenstein.

Naturally, the audio contents are the real attraction (despite some lurid film stills), with groovy funk, sleazy listening and racy dialogue delivering the seedy thrills. Among the standout tracks is a Shirley Bassey-style Bond-like theme song and the catchy "She's Got to Have It."

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Deep Throat
Anonymous
Trunk

The liner notes to Deep Throat state, possibly with an ironic smirk, that "you have in your hands a unique aural experience". It goes on to say that the sound quality is as good as it will get for this particular soundtrack. In other words, the master tapes are long gone and they dubbed it directly from the movie. Not surprisingly, there's a good deal of dialogue on the disc. In case you haven't seen the movie, it's one of the early porn flicks that attempted to offer a plot, however preposterous, along with explicit sex. Linda Lovelace plays a woman who isn't enjoying sex. It turns out that her clitoris is lodged in the back of her throat. Thus, she learns to favor fellatio over any other sexual act. Much of the tongue-in-cheek dialogue (sorry!) is featured here with background sound effects and a musical score that favors funky boogie jams. Like the soundtracks of the softcore auteur Russ Meyer, the combination of lurid dialogue and music on Deep Throat makes for an amusing listen. If you're open minded and don't mind the lo-fi listening experience, check it out.

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"Anche Se Volessi Lavorare Che Faccio"

Deluxe Edition
Ennio Morricone
Cinevox

What is it about Il Maestro that drives record companies to compile his best loved period over and over and over again? This Cinevox 2CD set offers no clear explanation aside from the delicious melodic variety and orchestral inventiveness of the music itself (which is sometimes conducted by Bruno Nicolai).

However, there turns out to be an interesting wrinkle to Deluxe Edition that the packaging fails to mention. Many of the tracks featured here are those that appeared on original Cinevox singles, and several of the featured soundtracks remain rare, out of print or unreleased in their totality. That makes Deluxe Edition a worthy addition for Morricone fans who DO NOT already have DRG's Ennio Morricone: The Singles Collection, of which there are two volumes — both doubles.

The most familiar tracks come from soundtracks that Cinevox has reissued on CD in recent years, like Giu' La Testa (aka Duck You Sucker, '71), Metti Una Sera a Cena (aka Love Circle, '69) and Forza G ('71). Nonetheless, there are several scores featured from the same period and as late as '81 that are relatively rare on LP or CD. Among them are Mussolini Ultimo Atto (aka Mussolini: The Last Four Days, '74), L'Ultimo Treno Della Notte (aka Night Train Murders, '75), La Donna Della Domenica (aka The Sunday Woman, '76), Fatti Di Gente Perbene (aka The Drama of the Rich, '76), Cosi' Come Sei (aka Stay as You Are, '78) and Il Giocattolo (aka The Toy, '79).

It's a solid sampler displaying a plethora of cinematic moods and a range of experimental music ideas for which Morricone is well known and celebrated.

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"Il Fidanzamento"

Deluxe Edition
Piero Umiliani
Cinevox

The late Piero Umiliani contributed wonderful scores for numerous Italian films, but he's most famous for penning "Mah na' mah na,'" which originally appeared in the mondo doc Sweden Heaven and Hell ('68) and was later used on the Sesame Street TV show. Fittingly, that catchy, silly song opens this solid albeit limited compilation.

Taking themes from a mere 11 films, Deluxe Edition is a terrific primer for newcomers to Umiliani. And with a handful of previously unreleased tracks and one that is making its CD debut, there's even something for hardcore collectors (the MP3 sample comes from the CD debut).

In addition to SHH, the featured films include titles previously issued by Cinevox (like Five Dolls for an August Moon and Death Knocks Twice) as well as titles reissued by other labels (Due Mafiosi Contro Goldginger and Requiem per un Agente Segreto).

Deluxe Edition captures Umiliani's gift for swinging jazz (as on the Due Mafiosi films) as well as breezy easy listening (as on L'Arcangelo) and even country western (Roy Colt). Some of his most stunning themes are on display here (Death Knocks Twice, Five Dolls...) and there's even a new edit of the oft-compiled "Bob and Hellen".

It's a classy compilation, but hardcore collectors may be disappointed that more Easy Tempo material (like "Mah na") didn't make the cut. It would have meant adding a second disc (as Cinevox did on its Ennio Morricone Deluxe Edition) but I doubt that anyone would have complained.

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Los Desperados (Quei Disperati Che Puzzano di Sudore e di Morte)
Gianni Ferrio
Cinevox

Known in the States as "Bullet for Sandoval," but also as "Vengeance is Mine" and "Los Desperados," this Spaghetti Western score from '69 is by turns melancholy, tension-building and spirited. Originally released by Cinevox at the time of the movie's theatrical run, the Cinevox reissue is remastered and features a 5-minute outtake suite (a common attraction on Cinevox's soundtrack reissues).

Ferrio, like so many Italian soundtrack composers, dabbled in a wide variety of popular genres. Predictably, this Ferrio score differs stylistically from the work he did for modern thrillers. The quality of the craftsmanship remains high, nonetheless.

Destination Moon /
First Men in the Moon
Leith Stevens / Laurie Johnson
Citadel/Silva Screen

Back when these two sci-fi features were made ('50/'64) the moon was still a thing of mystery to the general public. With the first moon landing not coming until '69, filmmakers and public were still able to fantasize about such a lunar adventure without getting caught up in reality.

Destination Moon was Leith Stevens' first sci-fi feature. Stevens delivers in a big way, creating a dramatic and atmospheric space symphony in five parts: "Earth," "In Outer Space," "On the Surface of the Moon," "Escape from the Moon," and "Finale." It should be noted that this Citadel release is not the original recording of Stevens' score, but a version recorded by the Vienna Concert Orchestra in '57. The film, a George Pal production, won the Oscar for best special effects.

More than a decade later, Laurie Johnson (of Avengers fame) scored the more fanciful First Men in the Moon. Johnson's score is more bombastic and more outwardly romantic than Stevens' score. However, there's plenty of exotic outer space atmosphere and other worldly sounds to balance out the heroic orchestral pageantry.

The Devil in Miss Jones
Alden Shumen
Oglio

Diamonds
Roy Budd
Cinephile/Castle

As a soundtrack for a diamond heist movie, this one is worth its weight in... well, you know. As one of Britain's best genre movie composers, the late Roy Budd knew when to sweeten the melodic deal and when to set down a jewel of a groove. This score is evenly balanced between fully orchestrated easy listening themes and tense funky cues, which are so stripped down as to evoke contemporary drum 'n' bass. Soul singers Three Degrees perform on three tracks, including the main theme. Some tracks fall inbetween the aforementioned camps, including the highly atmospheric "Tel Aviv" and bubbling easy groover "Beauty and the Bass", which wouldn't be out of place on an Italian soundtrack by the likes of Piero Umiliani. The movie itself, which was released in '76, starred Robert Shaw, Richard Roundtree, Shelley Winters and Barbara Seagull. Haven't see it. But the score is definitely worth your loot.

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"Hawa Graise"

Diggin' in the Crate: Special Sampling
Jean Claude Pierric
Hi Fly

French library session leader Jean Claude Pierric cut his fair share of funky sides in the '70s (Harlem Pop Trotters!), but is little known outside of the library community. He also produced the classic Godchild project, which was reissued a few years back on a double bill with Kid Loco remixes.

Diggin' in the Crate's packaging barely mentions J.C., and does little to explain why such a collection merits your time and money. Rather, it is clearly geared toward sample hungry beat freaks who neither have the time nor money to hunt down the original vinyl. Of little help are the French liner notes, which are scant. (Plus, my French is rusty.)

Some of the track titles are in English, but it's rarely helpful. "Hot Bacallo" and "Devil Green" are a couple of head scratchers. At least "Squaw Love" describes something imaginable (and it's a funky ass track to boot).

So, is it any good? Excellent question. The first two tracks have the word "disco" in their titles, so it's fair to say that most of what is heard reflects that super slick aesthetic. Thick bass lines, crisp drumming, brash brass and layers of keyboards pervade the 20 tracks featured here.

The sound quality is clean, the musicianship is top notch and there are outstanding moments of pure funk ambrosia and subtle electronic mischief. But if you favor the experimental psychedelic sound library stuff that preceded the disco era you're out of luck. At least this platter is light on the cheese.

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"Le Spartizioni"

Dio Perdona... io No!
Carlo Rustichelli
DigitMovies

Terence Hill and Bud Spencer first starred together in Dio Perdona... io No! (aka Blood River or God Forgives... I Don't!, '67). The duo made many westerns together, including two others with the same director, Giuseppe Colizzi. Although this was the first of the three, this DigitMovies' soundtrack release — from the CAM masters — constitutes the completion of the Colizzi trilogy on CD. It was preceded by I Quattro Dell'Ave Maria and La Collina Degli Stivali, both of which came from the Cinevox archives. Carlo Rustichelli scored all three.

Rustichelli's take on the western differs somewhat from the style propagated by Ennio Morricone despite the fact that Dio Perdona is conducted by Bruno Nicolai, Morricone's favorite conductor. Instead of the quirky, adventurous instrumentation of most spaghetti western scores, Rustichelli goes for a fuller lusher sound based, in part, on "Dies Irae" (aka "Day of Wrath"), a 13th century Latin hymn.

Stylistically, Dio Perdona is all over the map. When the strings and male chorus swell it sounds like something from a melodramatic old Hollywood western. But then the strings drop out leaving just a throbbing electric bass pattern, spooky organ curls and shimmering percussion, or bluesly echoing trombone backed with clean rhythm guitar and piano.

Rustichelli is like a golden age composer who tells the story through music instead of providing a consistent mood from scene to scene (ala Bernard Herrmann). Instead, Rustichelli's instrumentation shifts moment by moment to suit the scene or musical motif. There's even a New Orleans style funeral dirge and the requisite saloon music. This approach gives the score an episodic feel.

Like many of Digitmovies releases the tracks are heard in the sequence they appear in the film. Overall, it's an unusual Italian western score and certainly leaves one feeling like they've watched the movie.

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Il Dio Serpente
Augusto Martelli
Cinevox

This exotic, erotic movie about an enticing brunette who falls under the spell of a "snake god" cult features a seductively breezy soundtrack. Given the Caribbean zombie cult theme, it's a bit surprising that so much of the score is light and groovy. There is, of course, the requisite trance drumming on "Drums and Drums", but most of it suggests less suspenseful subject matter. One of the catchiest numbers, "Beryl's Tune", has been widely covered in European jazz circles. And the soul funk number "Mood" has turned up on recent compilations. All in all, a worthy reissue from Cinevox.

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Il Dio Soto La Pelle
Piero Piccioni
Easy Tempo

This quietly groovy score was recorded for a spiritually-minded documentary made in 1972 by Folco Quilici. The title translates to God Under the Skin. Three of the 20 tracks feature silky smooth vocal performances by Cathrine Howe. Most of the tracks are low key and atmospheric, almost sentimental at points. The grooviest tracks include the guitar-fueled "Inventions" and "Katmandu", which also appears on Piccioni's score for "Colpo Rovente" (see The Reviews Archive), but in a slightly different version. On the whole, the score isn't as groovy as Colpo Rovente or Camille 2000? and it certainly isnÕt as inspired as The 10th Victim. It is, however consistant in flavor.

Cornbread, Earl & Me /
The Dynamite Brothers
The Blackbyrds / Charles Earland
Fantasy

Dirty Harry / Most Wanted
Lalo Schifrin
Aleph/Universal

One of Lalo Schifrin's most sought after scores has finally received a proper reissue. Aside from a pair of nearly identical Dirty Harry soundtrack compilations (including tracks from Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, Sudden Impact, etc.) and an incomplete bootleg, the original complete score has been a sort of holy grail for Schifrin fans.

Unlike previous Aleph releases (Bullitt, Mannix, The Fox, et al) Dirty Harry is not a remake, but the original score. While Schifrin's remakes are certainly worth having and hearing, most fans want to hear the original.

The score for Dirty Harry may not be as immediately accessible as some of Schifrin's other scores. But like the best bits of Mission: Impossible and Bullitt, Dirty Harry builds tremendous tension from track to track, and like Enter the Dragon it's funky as hell.

On the title track the push and pull of Harry Callahan's protracted struggle with the serial killer, Scorpio, is convincingly realized through the stop and start of the rhythm section. When the clattering percussion and rumbling electric bass are in motion they evoke Harry on the warpath, tracking his prey. When the rhythms take a breather, it's like Harry's hit a snag.

Tension drives the Dirty Harry score, wherein Schifrin explores the darkest tones -- much darker in fact than anything else he'd done up to that time. Just check out the fat, abrasive electric guitar on "The School Bus" -- it's Schifrin at his spikiest. Throughout the score, Schifrin expertly balances funky bass and percussion with sinister woodwinds and brass, dissonant strings and disquieting keyboard lines.

There are some relatively lighter moments. "Harry's Hot Dog" sounds like the lost theme song for a Good Times spin-off sitcom. "No More Lies, Girl" is a slow soul number that wouldn't sound out of place on a blaxploitation score. "Red Light District" is more like two disparate numbers as it segues from gentle ballad to Caribbean folk dance. "Off Duty" is a lively bit of convincing post bop jamming, but the good time rock of "The Strip Club" is more evocative of a soft drink commercial than of a titty bar. It should be noted that these tracks are missing from the bootleg CD version of Dirty Harry.

Where Dirty Harry excels is in the funky evocation of San Francisco's mean streets. At it's best, Schifrin's score comes off as the aural equivalent of Clint Eastwood's grim steely expression in the cover art. It's makes you want to ask yourself: "Do you feel lucky? Well do you, punk?" Now that the Dirty Harry score has received an official release the answer is resoundingly "Yes!"

Most Wanted

On the new compilation, Most Wanted, some of Schifrin's rarest recordings are captured. Sure, there are a few familiar tracks like the theme from Enter the Dragon, but there are several 7-inch versions of tracks from Dirty Harry, Medical Center and the Planet of the Apes TV show. Most of it has never been released on CD before, including several tracks from the highly desirable studio effort, There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On.

The 7-inch versions of the "Dirty Harry" and "Medical Center" themes are highlights of the collection. Their high octane arrangements are performed with greater urgency than the LP versions. The complete Planet of the Apes 7-inch is represented here, and it's far funkier than anything actually heard in the TV show.

The only weak bits in this mix may be the later tracks, including "Amityville Frenzy," "Rollercoaster" and "Most Wanted Theme," which tend to sound too disco. That's not to say they're bad tracks; they're merely less distinguishable and less cinematic.

This most welcome collection comes from the same duo who put together the Mission: Impossible... and More comp from a few years back, and covers the late '60s through late '70s. Frank Jastfelder and Stefan Kassel also compiled both volumes of The Mad, Mad World of Soundtracks collections and the book The Album Cover Art of Soundtracks.

Dirty Harry and Most Wanted are worth seeking out. And both, needless-to-say, are likely to make your day.

Dirty Harry Anthology
Lalo Schifrin
Aleph

"Mistero"

Dr. Jekyll e Gentile Signora / Mystere
Armando Trovajoli
Saimel

Italian sex comedies of the '70s are silly affairs. They draw you in with the titillating promise of a beautiful scantily clad female and the grotesque entertainment value of a monstrous male on the prowl. Then, they sucker punch you with a sentimental love story.

Dr. Jekyll e Gentile Signora ('79) is a bit like that. It starts with a cheesy disco theme song that immediately strips the score of its horror pretense. From there Trovajoli explores slinky slow-mo blues, comical march music, a sensually tender love theme, atmospheric semi-electronic grooves, sinister atmospheres and funky intrigue and action tracks. Enjoyment of this soundtrack depends on one's appreciation of the disco era and the use of synthesizers instead of traditional orchestration. If you're looking for an Easy Tempo/Beat at Cinecitta experience you may be disappointed. Nonetheless, there are several tracks here that warrant repeated listens. Even though the instrumentation dates the score, Trovajoli's talent is still apparent.

Dr. Jekyll is paired with another Trovajoli soundtrack for the thriller Mystere ('83). It's a compatible match, though Mystere is less interesting overall and favors a smooth jazz style (even a track called "Lesbo" sounds like elevator music).

This is not the place to start for prime Trovajoli, but may be of interest to fans who must have it all.

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"I Robot"

Il Dolce Corpo Di Deborah
Nora Orlandi
Fin de Siecle Media

Fin de Siecle Media continues its string of world premiere soundtrack releases with Nora Orlandi's sensual bossa nova-inflected soundtrack for Romolo Guerrieri's giallo Il Dolce Corpo Di Deborah (aka The Sweet Body of Deborah, '68), starring Carroll Baker in the title role opposite Jean Sorel.

Orlandi, who went on to score Sergio Martino's excellent Lo Strano vizio della Signora Wardh (aka The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, '71), is nearly as good here. The main theme is languid and haunting, with Nora and someone simply credited as Tony exchanging vocalese over serene though slightly foreboding solo organ.

"Night Story" is a bit of night club jazz designed to lull the listener into a false sense of romantic relaxation. "Ossessione" picks up the same melody and jazz combo orchestration, and runs with it at a frantic pace as piano, vibes and flute taking solos punctuated by organ stabs.

Much of the score sticks to the jazzy vibe, but "I Robot" comes on like a frenzied Peter Thomas beat number complete with a pseudo soul shouter at the microphone.

Unlike the giallo soundtracks that would come out in the '70s, The Sweet Body of Deborah eschews the dissonant atonality that so effectively conveys terror. The mood here is more mysterious than murderous. It's more in the vein of Piero Piccioni's work than, say, Ennio Morricone or Bruno Nicolai thanks in part to the masterful organ and piano performances and mellow jazz grooves. After all, who has time to be terrified when vibes and flutes are exchanging solos over a cymbal ride?

The disc presents a dozen cues in simulated stereo followed by the same batch in mono.

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La Dolce Vita
Nino Rota
CAM Original Soundtracks

Federico Fellini's sprawling melodrama La Dolce Vita ("The Sweet Life") originally debuted in Italy in 1959, but took Best Picture at Cannes and Best Costume Design at the Academy Awards in 1960. Although it's a stretch to call the soundtrack "groovy", it's worth noting here in light of its jazz flavor. The score, which is conducted by Carlo Savina, features Rota's memorable theme (and its many variations), as well as renditions of "Stormy Weather", a pair of Perez Prado tunes and Donaldson/Day's "Lola (Yes Sir, That's My Baby)". All in all, it's a very lively soundtrack.

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Dollar$
Quincy Jones
Warner

Dollar$, which starred Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn, is one of Quincy Jones funkiest soundtracks. Featuring vocal performances by Little Richard, Roberta Flack and Q’s frequent collaborator, the Don Elliott Voices, the Dollar$ score is a inventive blend of experimental jazz and rhythm & blues.

The track, “Snow Creatures,” is as funky as it is unconventional. Taking the Don Elliott Voices through a series of avant-garde rhythmical motifs, Q proves that the best way to create an atmosphere of mystery and tension is to embrace experimentation.

Elsewhere, Q employs a distorted, frenzied locomotive violin part played by Doug Kershaw, funky Clavinette keyboard rhythms on “Money Runner,” and spare, lowdown jazz abstractions (“Candy Man” and “Kitty with the Bent Frame”) that ooze intrigue.

Dollar$ sits alongside They Call Me Mister Tibbs (’70) as his best funky soundtrack work.

"Main Title"

Don Camillo E I Giovani D'Oggi
Carlo Rustichelli
Digitmovies

Although little known outside of Italy, the recurring cinematic characters of good priest Don Camillo and his friendly adversary in all things philosophical, Peppone, appeared in at least a half dozen films from Don Camillo in '52 to Don Camillo e i Giovani D'oggi in '72. The sixth Don Camillo film, which was the first to feature different actors in the principle roles, also was the first to feature music by Carlo Rustichelli. Moreover it is the first Don Camillo soundtrack to appear on CD.

Rustichelli's expressive orchestral pop score is by turns humorous and sentimental. Economical arrangments featuring crisp, clean kit work, bubbling bass, strings, keyboards, guitar and brass convey the plot's emotional conflicts without overstating anything. And occasionally, the sublime voices of Edda Dell'Orso and I Cantori Moderni lend support. Naturally, there are source cues of rustic Italian folk music, too.

Given all of the previous Rustichelli scores that Digitmovies has released it is quite apparent that the label is on a mission to familiarize Italian soundtrack fans with the charms of this composer's varied work. Don Camillo does not disappoint.

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"Dou da Dou"

Dou da Dou
Various Artists
Vadim

This groovy collection of '60s French pop collects many hard-to-find 45s and album tracks, some of which are previously unreleased on CD. The psyche pop and funky TV and movie tracks found here undoubtedly influenced such latter day bands as Stereolab and Stereo Deluxe.

Among the tasty treats is Francois de Roubaix's "Piti-piti-pas," which comes from the soundtrack for L'Homme Orchestra.

The Maledictus Sound's trippy "Kriminal Theme" is also on tap.

Michele Richards' "Dou da Dou" makes one want to take a stroll along the Champs Elysee circa '71.

And listening to tracks by Francoise, Orlane Paquin and France Gall are sure to convince even the most jaded listener that nothing is sexier than a sweet-voiced girl singing in French.

Sophie Makhno and Colin Verdier's jazzy "Obsessions 68" has the same sort of vibe as those classic duets between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot.

The Latin grooves of Marcel Zanini's zany "Wana nene wana nana," Dany Delmin's "Bailando Patropi" and Jack Ary's "Les Tomates" are irresistible.

Demis Roussos and Stelios Vlavianos' "A travers Montmartre" is a cop funk b-side to the theme of a popular French TV show, "Le Jeune Fabre" ('72).

Eddie Warner's sound library gem "Syncopated Motion" turns up as well.

Fans of French pop will surely dig it even if a handful of these tracks can be found elsewhere.

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"Phibes Revealed"

"Serpentes"

The Abominable Dr. Phibes / Dr. Phibes Rises Again
Basil Kirchin / John Gale
Perseverance

At first blush The Abominable Dr. Phibes appears to be a version of the Phantom of the Opera. There's a hideously deformed, tortured genius who plays the pipe organ wreaks vengeance upon others whilst carrying on romantically with a young beauty. Of course, in place of an opera house, we have the operating theater. But there's no point in oversimplifying. Dr. Phibes is his own man, or is it "own monster."

Basil Kirchin's score for the first film feels like a blend of minimalist classical with jazzy chamber music. The achingly romantic theme is adapted again and again. According to the liner notes, the film's director wasn't overly fond of Kirchin's contributions and opted to use library pieces and a piece by John Gale, who scored the sequel. This disc includes Kirchin's music only, including tracks that weren't used in the film.

Gale's score for Dr. Phibes Rises Again, with its Latin track titles and choral sections, is far more grandeous. Using a full orchestra, Gale is able to flesh out the action and drama better than Kirchin's score, which seems to focus on interior emotion instead. Plus, Gale uses wider variety of melodies and music styles (classical, lounge, swing, bossa nova) to get the job done.

While Kirchin's theme is gorgeous, Gale's approach is more cinematic.

Both CDs boast thorough (but slightly repetitive) liner notes with film stills and poster art. Well done.

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"Seli"

Dream Within a Dream... The Incredible Voice of Edda Dell'Orso
Edda Dell'Orso & Various Composers
El/Cherry Red Records

It isn't mere hyperbole to describe Edda Dell'Orso's voice as "incredible". This legendary singer of Italian soundtrack music is most closely associated with Ennio Morricone, but she also worked with several other composers such as Piero Piccioni, Luis Bacalov and Bruno Nicolai.

Dell'Orso studied piano as well as voice, and always brought an effortless musicality to her performances. That is clear when listening to this outstanding 75-minute collection that covers her contributions to several genres including sci-fi, spaghetti western and erotic thrillers. There are also some pure pop moments like the bossa nova tracks "Metti Una Serra a Cena" and "Da Soli in Vacanza."

It's amazing how much Dell'Orso conveys of human emotion without the benefit of words on so many of these tracks. Her sensuality, which occasionally veers into unrestrained eroticism ("Quella Donna" from Forza G), is unparalleled.

Dream Within a Dream is an essential collection for all fans of film music.

Another collection, entitled Al Cinema Con... Edda Dell'Orso, is available from Hexacord.

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Giu' La Testa (Duck You Sucker)
Ennio Morricone
Cinevox

Due Marines e un Generale
Piero Umiliani
Cinevox

"Main Title" (MP3 edit)

Due Mafiosi Contro Goldginger /
Due Mafiosi Contro Al Capone
Piero Umiliani
Tsunami

The man who gave us "Mah 'Na Mah 'Na" and so many other memorable movie tracks scored these two Ciccio Ingrassia/Franco Franchi crime capers of the mid '60s. Ingrassia and Franchi were sort of the Abbott and Costello of Sicily at the time. Umiliani's score is suitably comical.

Umiliani makes reference to a half dozen different musical styles including classical, folk, dance pop, big band, lounge jazz and exotica. Amazingly, he doesn't make any obvious references to John Barry's Goldfinger score on ...Goldginger, which features a track called "The Man with the Golden Finger."

Because these scores are so stylistically diverse and derivative, it's easy to write them off as lesser Umiliani efforts, but they are definitely high quality and well worth tracking down.