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"Seq. 5" Terza Ipotesi (MP3 edit)
"Seq. 1" La Padrina (MP3 edit)

Terza Ipotesi Su Un Caso Di Perfetta Strategia Criminale / La Padrina
Mario Bertolazzi
Beat

Who the hell is Mario Bertolazzi? According to SoundtrackCollector.com (a handy site for this type of question) his only scores are for Giuseppe Vari's crime thrillers Terza Ipotesi Su Un Caso Di Perfetta Strategia Criminale (aka Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why?) and La Padrina (aka Lady Dynamite).

If that's all there is to Bertolazzi's film work it's too bad, because both of these soundtracks are cool. (Further research reveals that he's scored at least three other pictures, two of which appear on another Beat CD release).

Being Italian crime soundtracks from '72 and '73 there are funky grooves with thick juicy bass lines, fatback drumming, flaming fuzz-toned guitar and hot Hammond organ, delicate moods featuring Edda Dell'Orso-style vocalese and tension-building passages that use dissonant keyboard textures to create a nasty atmosphere of nausea-inducing terror. Then there are occasional baroque-style keyboard lines suggestive of diabolical schemes and brief love themes featuring lush sentimental strings. And that's describing the first few tracks! And then, presumably after the crime has been solved, there's a track featuring laid back jazzy vibes.

Although Bertolazzi is relatively unknown don't hesitate to pick up this killer double feature from Beat.

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Paolo il Caldo
Armando Trovaioli
CAM

When you see the cover for this soundtrack, you're likely to get high hopes. A mustachioed lothario leers sidelong at a sexy chick. The movie appears to be a very sexy Italian comedy, known in English as The Sensuous Sicilian. After two or three tracks, however, you'll begin to think this is the sleepiest score you've ever heard. By the time "Flip Top" spins 'round, you'll take anything with a peppier melody. Still, it isn't particularily sexy. Then, it's back to the main theme, a lullaby, followed by more sad, barely audible ballads. Then, as if to taunt you, "Flip Top" returns to close out the score. It's jaunty oh-so-Italian lyricism is reminiscent of Morricone. If you're going to copy someone, copy the master. Nevertheless, this is not a disc to be judged by its cover!

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Paris Blues
Duke Ellington
Ryko/MGM

It makes sense that Duke Ellington would score a film about American jazz musicians living in Paris. European audiences, after all, embraced jazz more fervently than American audiences (outside of major cities like New York) in the 50s and 60s. So, who better than Duke to provide a suitable score. Not having seen the film, I can't report on its accuracy as a portrayal of its subject matter. From the liner notes, however, we learn that Duke had mixed feelings about the film, which stars Paul Newman, Sydney Poitier, Diahann Carroll and Joanne Woodward; apparently, Duke was persuaded by a Hollywood pitch that promised progressive ideas, but the end result was watered down a bit. That said, Duke's musical contribution is hardly groundbreaking, since it relies heavily on standards from his own repertoire ("Take the 'A' Train", "Mood Indigo", etc.). It is, however, a fine example of Duke's elegant swing sound, and it features a cameo performance by Louis Armstrong. It was Duke's fourth score, and perhaps his second best after Anatomy of a Murder. Like most Ryko/MGM reissues, this one is enhanced with a video track and features well-illustrated, insightful liner notes.

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The Party
Henry Mancini
RCA Spain

Fans of Peter Sellers generally enjoy this movie. Those who are less than fans of the comic genius find this movie a joke, but not a particularily funny one. It kind of wears out its welcome. But it's only a matter of opinion, and both may be justified statements. The soundtrack itself is uneven, certainly not my favorite Henry Mancini. It starts strong with "The Party", which also leads off the Motor Music compilation The Mad, Mad World of Soundtracks. And tracks like "Chicken Little Was Right" and the instrumental version of "The Party" are cool tracks, but the majority of tracks are too feather light and lackluster.

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Patrick
Goblin
Cinevox

Australian director Richard Franklin's Patrick actually has two soundtracks: one by the late Brian May (not Queen's Brian May) and this one by Goblin. The one by May accompanied the U.S. release of the supernatural thriller, while Goblin's score accompanied the Italian release. May's OST is available on Varese Sarabande and Goblin's OST is naturally on Cinevox. Like other Cinevox reissues, this is the definitive edition with several bonus tracks.

Dubbed by the label as "music for a man in coma," Patrick is not unlike other Goblin scores. It features intricate electronics, funk rock rhythms and prog rock caliber musicianship, tense hypnotic moods and a palpable sense of mystery and dread. Stand out tracks include: "Snip Snap," "Follie" and the title track.

Love 'em or leave 'em, one thing's for sure: Goblin's output is incredibly consistant and this '78 score is no exception.

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The Pawnbroker / The Deadly Affair
Quincy Jones
Mercury

Quincy Jones' contribution to groovy soundtracks shouldn't be underestimated; however, The Pawnbroker may not be the best place to start in his ouevre. The music for this thriller starring Rod Steiger is of a sophisticated orchestral nature. There are jazzy moments like "Harlem Drive" and bluesy excursions like "The Naked Truth", but the sole groover here is "Rack 'em Up". The score for The Deadly Affair, on the other hand, has a Brazilian flair, and even features a vocal performance by Astrud Gilberto. Even though the musical mood tends toward the subdued, the percussive underpinning of most tracks gives the score a fairly groovy appeal.

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"Penelope" (MP3 edit)
"Home Again" (MP3 edit)

Penelope/Bachelor in Paradise
Johnny Williams/Henry Mancini
Film Score Monthly

It's hard to believe that A-list master composer John Williams of Lucas and Spielberg fame and fortune is the same as the second tier Hollywood studio journeyman behind such light-weight fare as Penelope (not to mention Gidget Goes to Rome!) Amazing and true. Back in the '60s "Johnny" Williams was the guy producers went to when Henry Mancini wasn't available to compose swanky pop scores. Penelope is one of them.

Here you have the sound of the swinging '60s. Flirty woodwinds, Beach Boys-style harmonies, reverbed electric guitars, chiming xylophone accents, rumbling bass, trembling tamborine and brash brass predominate in a score that undoubtedly outclasses its corresponding film.

Presented on this thoroughly engaging Film Score Monthly release is Williams original score for the '66 farce starring Natalie Wood as an unlikely bankrobber. Also included is the original LP program, which sound a bit tighter than the movie versions, and on the second disc there are bonus tracks.

Speaking of bonuses, most of the second disc is taken by Mancini's original score for the '61 Bob Hope suburban satire Bachelor in Paradise (and its bonus tracks). Mancini recorded this just weeks before the release of Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's fair to say that Bachelor is no Breakfast. Don't get me wrong. It's pleasantly lush pop orchestral stuff, but there's no "Moon River," no "Something for Cat," no "Loose Caboose." Still, even second rate Mancini stuff is worth a spin.

As usual, FSM delivers a top shelf package with in-depth liner notes with an abundance of art and photos, and excellent sound quality.

Trivia bonus: John Williams played piano on Mancini's Peter Gunn LPs, as well as Mr. Lucky and a few other releases. He learned from the master, so it makes sense that he's just as big (if not bigger) a success in the Hollywood scoring game.

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"Main Title" (MP3 edit)

Perche' quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?
Bruno Nicolai
DigitMovies

 

This Italian giallo from '72, which is also known as "The Case of the Bloody Iris" and "What Are Those Strange Drops of Blood Doing on Jennifer's Body?", gets a memorable score from Bruno Nicolai -- who is also known as Ennio Morricone's chief orchestrator during the late '60s and early '70s.

There are 26 tracks on this CD, including several variations on the intricately lovely main theme. Elsewhere, Nicolai goes for tension and suspense, hypnotic harp and harpsichord arpeggios backed by jazzy cymbal work, throbbing electric bass, guitar and piano runs along side turgid strings. It's all very effective and quite stirring.

Oddly, the CD lists the tracks only by movie title and sequence number on the back, but more specifically by scene in the liner notes, making it a bit of a hassle to reference titles on the fly. There are three bonus tracks. It's a killer score and a must have for fans of Nicolai, Morricone and giallos.

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"Dance" (MP3 edit)

The Penthouse
Johnny Hawksworth
Harkit

Sound library legend John Hawksworth scored this claustrophobic thriller. The Penthouse is "isolated in mystery at the pinnacle of an uninhabited world" or so the liner notes read on the back of the original 1967 soundtrack.

The film involves an extra-marital affair taking place in the penthouse apartment of an otherwise unoccupied building. Two criminals barge in and terrorize the man while having their way with the woman. It ends ambiguously.

The score offers a wide range of jazz styles, from swinging 'now sound' to hard bop to Latin. There's even a recurring hurdy gurdy track that suggests something very twisted, kinky and humourous. In addition, there are dialogue tracks, including a seven-minute monologue about baby alligators. All in all, the score is very odd, but worth repeated listens.

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"Calibro 45" (MP3 edit)

Per Un Pugno Nell'Occhio
Francesco De Masi
Digitmovies

Michele Lupo's Per Un Pugno Nell'Occhio (aka For a Fist in the Eye or A Fistful of Knuckles, '70) spoofs Sergio Leone's groundbreaking spaghetti western Per Un Pugno Di Dollari (aka A Fistful of Dollars, '64). Of course, countless Italian westerns riffed on Leone's Dollars Trilogy, and more than a few inspire laughs, whether intentional or not.

Likewise, composer Francesco De Masi's score for Lupo's film is a bit of a spoof itself. Gun shots, harmonica, mariachi brass, clip-clopping percussion, jew's harp and tolling bells make the opening cue a rambunctious send-up of Ennio Morricone's music for the Dollars films. Morricone's innovative approach to western scoring involved using non-musical noise makers alongside traditional instruments in order to establish a "western" setting and mood rather than simply state a melody. De Masi's use of this technique strikes the funny bone because the elements are exaggerated and the arrangments take a cartoonishly fragmented approach (think Carl Stalling's scores for Looney Toons, though less severe).

Long considered unavailable, this Digitmovies discovery is certain to delight spaghetti western fans, particularly those who adore the late comedy team of Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia.

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Perche si Uccidono
Il Reale Impero Britannico
Cinevox

Loosely translated as Why I Killed Myself, this bleak movie is about drug addicts. Luckily, there's nothing on the score that inspires particularly dark thoughts. If the artist's name is unfamiliar, fear not: this is basically a Goblin soundtrack, since more than a couple of the band's members play on it. If you know Goblin, then you know what to expect: musicianship and song craft on the borderline between prog rock and no nonsense rock 'n' roll. A strong rhythm section backs mellotron, piano, guitars and occasionally voice. At its best, this score offers catchy breakbeats ("Kalu"), emotive mid-tempo rockers ("Block", "R.I.B."), catchy funk ("Apotheke") and uptempo jams ("Distrazioni"). Although it doesn't have Goblin's name on it, I consider it one of the band's best outings.

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Performance
Jack Nitzsche and others
Warner Bros.

Nicholas Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth, Insignificance) made some quirky films in the '60s and '70s, and Performance is certainly one of them. Starring Mick Jagger as a reclusive rock star and James Fox as a mob hitman in hiding, the film is hallucinatory and boasts a mostly acid rock soundtrack featuring performances by Ry Cooder and Jagger.

Stylistically the music ranges from hard rock to acoustic blues to tribal percussion to pagan folk to electronic experimental to lush orchestral to psychadelic boogie. It's hard to imagine a more diverse sounding score from the '60s. That can be both satisfying and frustrating, since the best tracks have a seedy rock decadence we all associate with early '70s Stones. The rest feels like filler in comparison.

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Permette? Rocco Papaleo
Armando Trovaioli
CAM Original Soundtracks

This comedy about a Sicilian boxer living in Chicago, played by Marcello Mastroianni, features a score that's sensitive to the movie's setting. Opening with harmonica blues, Trovaioli provides a suitably raw soundscape for the immigrant's struggle. Over the course of the OST, the music shifts styles to accomodate groovy jazz funk, earnest folk balladry, rootsy rock and straight-ahead jazz. A blues-soaked vocal from "The Unknown Joe" is the disc's true standout. When taken in the greater context of Trovaioli's contribution to soundtracks, Permette? Rocco Papaleo shows how adaptive he was as a composer.

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Perry Rhodan: SOS aus dem Weltall
Various Artists
Diggler

Perry Rhodan -- in case you were unaware -- is one of the most popular sci-fi adventure characters ever. Thousands of novels and short stories have been published (mostly in Europe) and at least one movie has been made. This Diggler release captures the soundtrack to that 1967 movie, which has been known as Orbita Mortal, Mission Stardust, Operation Stardust, S.O.S. Aus Dem Weltall, You Only Live Once, and ...4...3...2..1... Morte and a couple of other titles. (Amazingly this German movie has appeared in the U.S. under four different titles!)

GDM Music released this same soundtrack under that last title in 2001, but the Diggler version is preferable, as it adds 12 tracks, some with German dialogue and some unrelated to the movie. Oddly, there is a pleasant cover of the James Bond theme "Moonraker." Also of special interest is a track written and recorded by Peter Thomas, one of Germany's greatest movie/television composers (Raumpatrolle is an obvious touchstone). He wrote it for the Perry Rhodan Worldcon 2000.

The real deal is Marcello Giombini's score for the original movie, which has stylistic similarities to his colleague Ennio Morricone's '60s work, like Danger Diabolik. It's full of nonsense Italian vocals, jangling guitars, whistling woodwinds and splashy dance rhythms. Anton Garcia Abril also contributed music.

The informative liner notes are in German and English, featuring reproductions of movie posters and film stills. Diggler's Perry Rhodan disc is absolutely essential for fans of classic sci-fi.

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Peter Scores.
Peter Thomas
Diggler

The arrival of a Peter Thomas disc is generally cause for celebration, but this one is special. Subtitled "The Erotic World of the Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra," the set is quite different from previous Peter Thomas collections (such as 100% Cotton, Raumpatrolle, Future Muzik, Kriminal Filmmuzik). Possibly the closest thing would be Moonflowers & Miniskirts, a collection of PT's work for Ring Muzik sound library. (see the review on Score Baby's new Sound Library page).

Peter himself is quoted as saying "This compilation is a certain kind of chic, nutty, bizarre, spheric, sinful-horny music out of the erotic soundscape of the acoustic-phonetic-hotline-lounge-party-music universe." The liner notes feature Peter's comments on each of the tracks, featuring titles such as: "Angels Who Burn Their Wings," "Sweet Girl - Sweet Love," "Modern Sex," "Coitus Crash," and "Love & Sax."

Obviously, Peter Scores is a pretty randy set, with several tracks featuring moaning vocals. Needless to say, it's still a Peter Thomas CD, which means memorable melodies, swinging arrangements, a bit of acid rock, a bit of funk, a bit of easy listening. Unlike most PT collections, this one features many vocal tracks (English or German) by Daisy Door, Eric Brodka, James Darvin and others.

Diggler, which has explored the German erotic film soundtrack before on St. Pauli Affairs, does an excellent job at presenting a colorfully illustrated packaged with fine sound quality.

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Phase 6 Super Stereo
Various Artists
Plastic

As a collection of Italian b-movie soundtracks, Phase 6 is an audiophile's treat, since it was all recorded for Armando Sciascia's Vedette label in the mid to late 60s. The sound quality is exceptionally full, making tracks like Blue Phantom's "Diodo" and Puccio Roelens' rendition of "Caravan" burst out of the speakers with crispness and clarity. Great care and custom-made studio equipment amount to a dynamite set of psycho beat movie music. While there's little to no info provided regarding the TV and movie productions that used this music, it's easy to see why Cinecitta producers were attracted to it. The beats are kickin' and the arrangements show great taste. Plus, the packaging includes original Vedette cover art. Groovy, baby!

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"Flat Foot Cop" from Lo Sbirro (MP3 edit)
"Piedone in Hong Kong" from Hong Kong (MP3 edit)
"African Adventure" from L'Africano (MP3 edit)

Piedone a Hong Kong / Piedone Lo Sbirro / Piedone L'Africano
Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
DigitMovies

Whether he's buddied with Terence Hill in a western comedy or carrying a film on his own broad shoulders, Bud Spencer is a fan favorite due to his no nonsense style of justice. As police commissioner Rizzo (aka Piedone or "Bigfoot"), he's a kid-friendly cop that doesn't bother to carry a gun (as one movie tagline tells us), because his fist is loaded.

Spencer made four Piedone films and presumably DigitMovies will release soundtracks for each and every one of them. So far, they've released three: Piedone Lo Sbirro (aka The Knock-Out Cop, '74), Piedone a Hong Kong ('75) and Piedone L'Africano ('78) — Hong Kong is the most recent soundtrack release. (Piedone d'Egitto, '79, remains to be released.) None of these scores has ever seen the light of day before, though promotional singles have been released.

Guido and Maurizio De Angelis scored each of the crime comedies, and their approach is consistent from score to score. The main title tracks tend to be sentimental pop and sometimes feature vocals. Other tracks typically fit in one of three styles: Stripped down funk that describes the film's criminal element, or jaunty comedy cues, or ethnic-sounding tracks that capture the flavor of the sometimes exotic settings.

In the case of Hong Kong, the melodies have an Oriental lilt and feature indigenous instruments. In the case of L'Africano, there is an African pop sound that is somewhat generic, but features the requisite African percussion. The funky bits, of which there are many, are likely to appeal to fans of compilations like Beretta 70, though these scores are far less intense and more playful in character than the De Angelis tracks featured on that Crippled Dick Hot Wax CD.

Piedone may be a tough guy, but he's got a lot of heart, and it's evident on these upbeat soundtracks.

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The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Henry Mancini
Ryko/MGM

If there is a single movie theme that most people know from the start, it's "The Pink Panther Theme" by Mancini. It's the perfect blend of crime jazz intrique and brash swing, and it was a mainstay in every Pink Panther movie. When Ryko chose to reissue one of the MGM soundtracks, they went with the fifth entry, and probably one of the funniest The Pink Panther Strikes Again. Not having heard every "Pink Panther" score, I hesitate to call this one the best. Nevertheless, Mancini is in fine form here and contributes with broad strokes. There are playful renditions of the main theme, of course. One of the love themes, "Come to Me" is sung by Tom Jones. There are also two versions of the catchy "Inspector Clouseau's Theme". Best of all are the moody set pieces like "The Evil Theme" and "The Plan/The Snatch". Plus, this being a Ryko release, expect to find a special enhanced video segment, playable on your computer. Also true to Ryko's recent soundtrack reissues, this contains copiously illustrated liner notes.

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Piombo Rovente: A Journey into the '70s Italian Police O.S.T.
Various Artists
Plastic

Roughly translated to Red Hot Lead (as in bullets), this compilation offers plenty of firepower. Despite the fact that several of these tracks already appear on Easy Tempo compilations and Crippled Dick Hot Wax's Beretta 70, this is fine place to start exploring Italian crime jazz and funk. The opening track "Running Against the Time" by Francesco De Masi sets the mood effectively. In fact, the sense of urgency and the potential for violence are palpable on a number of tracks, but there are also moodier numbers, and even an exotica cut (for a Hong Kong setting apparently). Unlike CripDick's collection of Italian crime soundtracks, Plastic bypasses the emotionally-rending vocal numbers about "life on the street" in favor of atmospheric instrumentals. Not unlike CripDick and Easy Tempo, Plastic provides background info on the dozen movies, from which these 26 tracks originate.

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Planet of the Apes/Escape from Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of/Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Jerry Goldsmith/Leonard Rosenman/Tom Scott
Varese Sarabande/FSM Silver Age Classics

The Planet of the Apes movie series ('67-'74) has to be, in retrospect, one of the most ambitious, albeit uneven film franchises ever. The movies were recently reissued on video in a commemorative box set.

The soundtracks for Planet of the Apes and its four sequels have also been reissued. Look to Varese Sarabande for the first two (on one disc) and Film Score Monthly's Silver Age Classics for the other three (on two discs). If you think the VHS or DVD box sets of the movies is a good thing, then it's safe to say these three discs make up a soundtrack collector's equivalent.

Each disc comes with well-researched liner notes on the impact of the series that resulted in a short-lived TV spin off (featuring music by Lalo Schifrin), comic books and an upcoming remake with Ewan McGregor. (See Found Wax for a review of another type of Planet of the Apes spin off.) The making of the soundtracks is also generally recounted in the copiously illustrated liner notes.

Musically speaking, the most consistant element in these scores is the reliance on tension-building modern orchestral motifs that wouldn't sound out of place in a concerto by Bartok or Boullez. All of which is gripping and truly cinematic.

Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated work on the original score really set the tone for the entire series. Dissonant orchestration amply evokes an "alien" world, full of conflict and tyranny. Occassionally, the pattern is broken, but always for the sake of experimentation.

Beneath... for instance offers not only the music as it appeared in the film, but also the original LP program, which combined snippets of dialogue with electronics, avant garde choral and elements of rock and funk.

Conquest... also makes a nod to rock on "Subjugation Soul," a Can-like blues dirge overlaid with aggressive guitar fills worthy of Robert Fripp. Otherwise Rosenman and Scott stick to Goldsmith's template.

The FSN Silver Age releases also feature detailed descriptions for each track, putting everything in to proper context. Fantastic!

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"Main Title" (MP3 edit)

Planet of the Apes: The TV Series
Lalo Schifrin / Earle Hagen
Intrada

When I was a kid I watched the Planet of the Apes TV show, and during commercial breaks I colored in my "Planet of the Apes" coloring book or played with my Ape action figures. I guess you could have called me an Ape fan. And while the show only lasted for less than a single season ('74), memories of watching it have stuck with me. Among the show's few truly memorable attributes was its soundtrack. Now more than 30 years later Intrada has released a compilation of Apes episode scores — three by Lalo Schifrin and one by Earle Hagen.

CBS created the show based on the outstanding ratings earned by the network whenever it aired one of the five movies (made between '68 and '73). As Eric Greene, author of Planet of the Apes as American Myth, writes in this CD's liner notes, the show undoubtedly failed because TV audiences — who were fatigued by news coverage of Vietnam and Watergate — were less open to receiving "downbeat, post-apocalyptic cautionary messages" from escapist entertainment than movie audiences.

Regardless of the show's overall entertainment value, the music composed and recorded for it is, in retrospect, a great success. Schifrin provided a jarringly primitive, atonal, electronically accented main title and scored several episodes including the first. Taking a stylistic cue from Jerry Goldsmith's brilliant score for the original movie, Schifrin created a percussion-heavy, action-packed sound. He uses orchestral dissonance to capture the alienation felt by astronauts lost in a dystopic and primitive future where apes rule over men. Shuddering strings, nervous woodwinds, strident brass and atmospheric keyboards create a persistent and nightmarish tension and sense of urgency. The closest Schifrin had ever come to such a sound was on his Dirty Harry and Magnum Force scores. His Apes work is represented here by the episodes "Escape from Tomorrow," "The Gladiators" and "The Good Seeds".

For his part, Earle Hagen contributed music that is consistent with Schifrin's. Most fans will be hard pressed to distinguish between the two composers on this CD, which plants Hagen's music for "The Legacy" in the middle of a 31-track program.

This Intrada CD's packaging and sound quality are uniformly excellent.

It's worth noting that the single version of "Escape from Tomorrow" and its a-side "Ape Shuffle" are not included on this program, but can be heard on the excellent Schifrin sampler Most Wanted.

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"A Very Strange Planet" (MP3 edit)

Terrore Nello Spazio (aka Planet of the Vampires)
Gino Marinuzzi Jr.
Digitmovies

Mario Bava's classic sci-fi horror film, which has been known by at least a dozen different names, famously inspired Ridley Scott's Alien. Gino Marinuzzi Jr.'s atmospheric and experimental score perfectly captures the movie's creepy mood.

The score effectively combines traditional orchestra (reminiscent of 20th century masters like Stravinsky) with electronic sound effects that are effectively otherworldly without sounding cheesy or dated. The Digitmovies CD presents the music in the order it is heard in the movie. Subtitles like "Exploring Aura/Dead Crewman Found" make is easy to follow the action whether one has seen the movie or not. The CD features a couple of bonus tracks (an alternate take and an early session). Just don't listen to it in the dark!

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La Planete Sauvage
Alan Goraguer
EMI

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1973, this trippy cartoon feature by Rene Laloux boasts a strange and wonderful soundtrack by Alain Goraguer. Simultaneously moody, psychadelic and funky, La Planete Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) is a hypnotic listening experience.

If you haven't seen the movie, it's highly recommended. As far as animated features go, they don't make 'em like this anymore. It's thoroughly in the "speculative" camp of science fiction, as opposed to planetary romance and space opera.

The music is a perfect fit. Flute, vibes and Rhodes provide gentle interlacing melodies over riffing guitars and clavinette, supported by a solid rhythm section. Nothing has ever sounded this serene, cerebral and raunchy at the same time. Leave it to the French!

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Playgirl '70 / Scacco alla Regina
Piero Piccioni
Avanz/Soundtrack Listeners Club

That other Piero of Cinecitta, Maestro Piccioni, scored his fair share of swanky features, among them Playgirl '70 and Scacco alla Regina.

Playgirl '70 is not unlike other Piccioni scores from the same era, such as Camille 2000 and Colpo Rovente. It uses spare instrumentation in a laid back groovy manner that will have you reaching for your smoking jacket. Piccioni mixes larger orchestration with small group arrangements. There are a few uptempo numbers, but most are mid or slow tempo. A couple of choice tracks were featured on Beat at Cinecitta Vol. 3. Organ is -- as is frequently the case with Piccioni -- the key instrument (pun intended). Each track on this Japanese reissue is titled after the movie, with paranthetical descriptions such as "Mystery Suite" or "Nightclub". Many tracks are described as "Party Music".

Scacco alla Regina ("Checkmate for Regina" from '69) makes much use of wordless female vocals courtesy of the legendary Edda Dell'Orso. Through out the score Piccioni offers haunting melodies for Edda to sing. The arrangements are excellent, sometimes favoring the lilt of Latin American rhythms, and ranging from lush orchestral to small group psychedelia. Piccioni fans will be thrilled by both of these discs from Japan.

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Police Story / The Last Run
Jerry Goldsmith
Prometheus/MCA

The great Jerry Goldsmith cut some killer scores in the '60s and '70s. The original Planet of the Apes comes to mind -- its dissonant orchestral textures serving the post apocalyptic milieu rather well. On Police Story and The Last Run, the hard-working Hollywood composer shows his versatility on less rarified material.

As one might expect, Police Story boasts a mostly funky cop show score with a classic main theme. Sharply plucked wah-wah guitar rhythms lend the swelling main theme a sense of street-level preparedness and purpose. Elsewhere, lean dissonant orchestration and subtle electronics perfectly convey moods of tension and danger. Police Story is a stand-out crime score from a decade chuck full of them.

On The Last Run, a thriller starring George C. Scott, the first two tracks alone deliver a one-two knockout combination. The main theme is somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant themes on John Barry's The Ipcress File and Ennio Morricone's The Sicilian Clan. It showcases harpsichord, piano and reverbed electric guitar. Amazingly, on the track that follows it, "Border Crossing," Goldsmith delivers another outstanding track that could easily serve as a main theme. It features similar instrumentation to its predecessor, but has a much stronger beat. The score has an Near Eastern tinge to it and never lets up. Just a perfect Goldsmith score. It is paired with Goldsmith's worthy score for Wild Rovers on MCA's Chapter III edition.

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"Main Titles" (MP3 edit)

La Polizia Accusa: Il Servizio Segreto Uccide
Luciano Michelini
Digitmovies

Also known as Silent Action and Chopper Squad, La Polizia Accusa: Il Servizio Segreto Uccide is a politically charged crime thriller. It also is the fourth film scored by the little known Luciano Michelini, who also did L'Isola Degli Uomini Pesce. And it is the third volume in Digitmovies' Italian Police series.

For La Polizia Michelini composed a tense, medium tempo theme featuring staccato strings and piano. He also provides a tender and romantic "love" theme featuring woodwinds and strings. There are variations on both throughout the score.

The score's incidental suspence and mystery cues are pleasingly atonal and atmospheric. These tracks are more reminiscent of the giallo scores by Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai. Only late in the score do we hear the kind of cop funk normally associated with Italian police dramas. On one track, we get blazing electric guitar solos that add a psychedelic tinge.

La Polizia is a solid effort that demonstrates Michelini's gift for melody and his flexibility with symphonic and rock instrumentation.

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"Gangster Story" (MP3 edit)
"Goodbye My Friend" (MP3 edit)

La Polizia Incrimina La Legge Assolve
Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
Beat

Il Cittadino si Ribella
Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
GDM

There are plenty of great Italian crime funk compilations on the market to satisfy casual fans of the genre, but when it comes to true fans of poliziotteschi cinema skipping the full original soundtracks is unpardonable.

Guido and Maurizio De Angelis' funky soundtrack for La Polizia Incrimina La Legge Assolve (aka High Crime, '73) by Enzo Castellari is widely considered the original Italian cop movie soundtrack. And, it's a great one.

The DeAngelis brothers embrace blaxploitation and crime funk style a la Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin by using heavy guitar, soulful organ, rumbling electric bass, and crashing drums. The outstanding tracks in this style is the fast, ultra groovy "Gangster Story." Other killer cues include the psychedelically tinged "The Life of a Policeman," the bluesy "Chicca," th hypnotic "Il Libanese," and the hallucinogenic "Assassinio in Fabbrica." Of course, there are variations on several of these tracks.

This Beat reissue is a welcome reminder that Italian crime soundtracks have more to offer than high octane theme songs.

Another killer crime score by the De Angelis brothers is Il Cittadino si Ribella (aka Street Law, '74), another Castellari flick starring tough guy Franco Nero. This one is best known for the tracks "Goodbye My Friend" and "Drivin' All Around," of which there are several versions. Overall, this score has a harder sound overall due to the fuzz-guitar and throat-shredding vocal on "Goodbye My Friend."

It's with these soundtracks that the Guido and Maurizio De Angelis established themselves as cop-friendly funk brothers par excellence. Book'em, Dano.

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"Almost Love" (MP3 edit)

La Poliziotta
Gianni Ferrio
Digitmovies

Take one listen to Gianni Ferrio's theme for the romantic crime comedy La Poliziotta (aka Policewoman, '74) and you'll swear that you're hearing a Burt Bacharach track from What's Up, Pussycat? It's light, it's frothy, it has that flirty brass sound and sweet strings that make everything sound A-okay, baby.

Then, on track 2, we're suddenly listening to big band cop funk with brash brass, wah guitar, Latin percussion and subtle synth accents. It's like Lalo Schifrin circa Dirty Harry.

Then, on track 3, melodramatic piano chords and super romantic strings build into churning symphonic funk with Edda Dell'Orso providing a soaring voice.

From there, one hears preposterously epic orchestral flourish followed by high energy dance pop, jazzy psychedelic funk, pomp and circumstance, lounge, Sicilian intrigue and a strutting nightclub groover. And that's only describing the first half of this wildly diverse score by one of Italian cinema's most gifted melody makers.

La Poliziotta is one of Ferrio's most varied efforts, and one of his most pleasurable. Just like the arresting cover image, this score will have you begging for more.

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Porno Sonic
The Playas featuring Porn King Ron Jeremy
J Bird Records

It took some prodding to pick up Porno Sonic. I'm no prude, but when I saw it I thought: Do I really need another porno soundtrack compilation? Fact is, I spotted it while vacationing in Montreal with friends. One of them told me he'd heard some of it and thought it was better than expected. His wife, knowing my reluctance, practically dared me to buy it, even though she hadn't heard it herself. I laughed at the time, said if I found nothing else during the trip, I'd pick it up. It turned out that Porno Sonic became one of my last purchases on that trip.

The disc isn't a compilation of original recordings, but a recreation of funky tracks from early 70s porn movies with titles like Dick Dagger's Big Dick Dilemma, Donna Does Denise and Takin' Dictation. So, if you bought the re-issue of Deep Throat, only to be disappointed by the poor sound quality, you'll be reassured to know that the sound quality on Porno Sonic is excellent. The musicians perform with a lean, hard muscularity. The bass is thick, making the music pulsate with sexiness. In between tracks, "Porn King" Ron Jeremy and some porn queen deliver some tongue-in-cheek dialogue made up mostly of sexy double entendres. Is it indispensible listening? Probably not, but it's not bad for what it is: a sonic roll in the proverbial hay.

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"Lost/Hallucinations" from Atlantis (MP3 edit)
"Time Machine Model" from The Time Machine (MP3 edit)

Atlantis, The Lost Continent / The Power
Russell Garcia / Miklos Rozsa
The Time Machine
Russell Garcia
Film Score Monthly

In '60 and '61, legendary sci-fi/fantasy filmmaker George Pal hooked up with composer Russell Garcia for The Time Machine and Atlantis, The Lost Continent. Legend has it that Garcia’s ’59 sci-fi concept album Fantastica caught Pal's attention and the rest is history.

For The Time Machine, which is based on the H.G. Wells novel and stars Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux, Garcia works his orchestral magic. Garcia’s richly evocative and romantic orchestral score blends English folk-type melodies to capture the story’s initial Victorian setting with more modernistic, Stravinsky-inspired passages for tension and action. The descending, three-note theme for celesta is employed whenever “time travel” is involved. The California-born composer also indulges in sound effects creation for futuristic scenes and time machine operation. He employed three percussionists to create effects by hitting a musical saw with a soft mallet and wavering it, hitting gongs and holding a mike in the center and gradually moving it out to the edge, among other things. Although Garcia re-recorded this score as well as a suite from Atlantis for Talking Rings Records year ago, but the original recording is available from Film Score Monthly, complete with an outtakes suite, thorough liner notes, film stills and art work associated with the production.

While The Time Machine is still regarded as a classic film of its time, Atlantis is pretty well forgotten. It’s fair to say that Garcia’s adventurous but still melodic score outshines the film, which went into production with little known TV stars and a smaller-than-needed budget. For Atlantis, Garcia blends full-blooded, triumphant orchestration with fanfares that evoke ancient pageantry, romantic strings and themes that flirt with the exotic but steer clear of clichés. A good example occurs during the love scene where a submarine approaching in the background is suggested by gentle yet dissonant pulses created by harp and horns that reminds one of underwater sonar bleeps without being obvious about the reference. The Atlantis CD also contains Miklos Rozsa's score for the Pal-produced sci-fi crime thriller The Power.

These FSM releases contain crystal clear recordings, extensive liner notes and plenty of eye-candy.

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"Lucas" (MP3 edit)

Preparati La Bara!
Gianfranco & Gian Piero Reverberi
Digitmovies

Also known as Django, Prepare a Coffin and Get the Coffin Ready and Viva Django, Preparati La Bara! ('68) finds Terence Hill starring as the coffin-towing Gatlin-gunslinging character first played by Franco Nero in '66. Instead of Luis Bacalov, brothers Gianfranco and Gian Piero Reverberi deliver the score.

The main theme "You'd Better Smile" isn't quite as memorable as Bacalov's theme for the first film, but singer Nicola De Bari gets the job done convincingly enough.

The orchestration is typical of its kind, with spare arrangements highlighting electric guitar, trumpet, saloon piano, Spanish guitar. On the fast instrumental version of the theme several of these elements are backed with choir and a galloping rhythms.

As essayist Robert Warshow famously pointed out in 1954, the enjoyment of western movies is dependent on the identification of the genre's common characteristics and appreciation of its variations. The same is true of its soundtracks. On the surface, many tend to share the same musical elements. That's why a strong melodic motif is critical to a western soundtrack's success. On Preparati La Bara the Reverberi brothers successfully deliver a memorable melody, making for a pleasurable sagebrush soundtrack.

This release contains the stereo soundtrack as well as mono film versions and alternate takes.

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Il Profeta/La Matriarca
Armando Trovaioli
GDM

This Italian sex comedy soundtrack double bill features the always enjoyable Armando Trovaioli (or Trovajoli), the man behind "Sesso Matto" -- everyone's favorite sleazy disco anthem.

Although there isn't anything quite as bodaciously sexy on these soundtracks as "Sesso Matto," there are swanky tracks. The best of them are based on the main theme of Il Profeta (also known as "The Prophet" and "Mr. Kinky"). Sitar sounds figure strongly in the score, giving it a high 60s kitsch value. Organ, guitar, brass and woodwinds also predominate.

The score for La Matriarca (also known as "The Libertine" and "The Matriarch") is the mellower of the two, opting for tenderness in place of lust. Trovaioli's melodic instincts are strong on both scores, though the first score has a bit more variety in themes.

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Profumo di Donna
Armando Trovaioli
CAM

The soundtrack for the movie that inspired the Hollywood hit Scent of a Woman is a varied affair. The moods swing from dramatically soulful to playfully upbeat. There are quiet, tender love themes and gypsy music in turn. The only funky parts come in "Woman's Parfume". Another highlight occurs when Italian crooner Peppino Gagliardi steps up to the mic for an entrancing love samba. Unfortunately, my Italian English dictionary could make no sense of the title. Things get alternatingly light and dark after Peppino takes his vocal exit. It makes me wonder how the Italian version of Scent of a Woman ends. Sounds to me like someone dies on the last track. Ah, the mysteries of unavailable Italian melodramas.

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Profondo Rosso
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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Psichedelico Jazzistico
Ennio Morricone
El/Cherry Red Records

 

Yes, it's yet another collection of Ennio Morricone's film music. When it comes to cinema's most prolific scorer, there seems to be an endless supply of compilations, particularly ones that focus on the late '60s and early '70s. Just what is it about his work during that period that merits endless duplication and exploitation by several mostly European record labels?

The short answer is probably its high quality. Despite having been recorded for mostly forgettable (and forgotten) films, Morricone's music lives on due to the composer's great gift for melody. The recordings from that period are also excellent examples of the period passion for experimentation. Rather than write and record music in a traditional cinematic fashion, Morricone embraced jazz, bossa nova, rock and avant garde styles, while employing odd instrumentation. This experimentation makes his scores fairly psychedelic.

Bearing that in mind, one expects nothing but Morricone's most psychedelic offerings on a compilation called Psichedelico Jazzistico. Judging from the title alone, one should expect acid-tinged cinematic jazz. That proves to be a fair assessment. And while that might prove enticing to fans of the period, they should be forewarned. Despite being a El/Cherry Red Records release, this might as well be a Cinevox comp, with tracks coming from a handful of currently available Cinevox releases. Among the original scores are L'accello dalle plume di cristallo (The Bird with Crystal Plumage), Quattro Mosche di Velluto Grigo (Four Velvet Flies), Metti una Sera a Cena (Evening at Dinner), Il Gatto, Indagine sa un Cittadino al di Sopra di Ogni Sospetto (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion), L'Assoluto Naturale (She and He), and Forza G.

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Psychomania
John Cameron
Trunk

Finally, someone has released the soundtrack to the wacked out satanic zombie biker flick Psychomania. A big thank you must go to the folks at Trunk for finally taking the initiative. That said, the sound quality is less than ideal -- it's somewhat muffled. But like the liner notes say, "don't worry about it, life is too short."

The music for Psychomania is psyche rock at its creepiest (and that's a compliment). KPM regular John Cameron put it together, using such talented players as Alan Parker and Herbie Flowers for an outfit called Frog. Horror movie Hammond organ, electric harpsichord, chunky wah-wah guitar, thick and juicy bass, gongs, eerie vocals and lots of pre-synth effects predominate.

Standout tracks include the hard rockin' "Motorcycle Mayhem," the sleazy title track, the nightmarish "Locked Room and Mirror Sequence," the hard driving "Cat and Mouse with the Fuzz," and so on. (There's thematiic repetition throughout, with interesting variations.) There are 32 tracks in all.

There are bits of choice dialogue along the way ("How do the dead come back, mother? What's the secret?) All in all, as Jonny Trunk says, "you'll love it to death." Cameron, too, contributes a note to the package, offering a bit of insight into the recording process, summing up "Sorry if my recollection is a little blurred, hell, it was the 1970s!" After listening to Psychomania, you too may feel a little "blurred."

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"Witchiepoo's Lament" (MP3 edit)
"If You Become a Bugaloo" (MP3 edit)

Pufnstuf / The Bugaloos
Various Artists
El Records

Back in '69 and '70, Sid and Marty Krofft produced kid's shows that were truly products of high times. With a title like "Pufnstuf" what more proof do you need?

El Records' Pufnstuf CD is the soundtrack to the big screen spin-off of the hit TV show "H.R. Pufnstuf," and features a psych pop soundtrack by Charles Fox (music) and Norman Gimbel (lyrics). Psychedelic soundtrack fans will recognize Fox as one of the songwriters for Barbarella, and the musical style of that trippy flick is evident on Pufnstuf. Most of his work was for TV, including "Love American Style," "Happy Days," "The Love Boat" and many other shows. Gimbel frequently worked with Fox over the years.

The vibe on Pufnstuf is innocent and gentle, but often bursts forth with an sugar rush of excitement. In other words, the tunes tap into a childlike sensibility, but never at the sacrifice of musical interest. The purely musical passages (about half of the tracks are instrumentals) are complex enough to appeal to fans of psychedelic and progressive rock of the era, but they're a lot less heavy. By the same token, this isn't the '60s equivalent of "Tele-Tubbies" — it's a swirling kaleidoscopic journey of acid rock guitar stings, racing drums, baroque keyboard patterns and dramatic brass and winds.

Cast members Jack Wild (of Oliver! fame), Mama Cass, Billie Hayes and Martha Raye sing songs that exude psychedelic imagery and counterculture perspectives. Stand-out tracks include "A Friend in You," "Zap the World" and "Different."

Sid and Marty Krofft's small screen follow-up, The Bugaloos, was hailed as the British equivalent to "The Monkees." The show also features the work of Fox and Gimbel, and explores trippy fantasies about a fake band of "bugs" live in Tranquility Forest. El Records' accurately describes the songs as falling somewhere between The Archies and The Free Design. It isn't strongly psychedelic, but still has that period vibe.

Marty Krofft denies that drugs played a part in the creation of the show. Perhaps the cast and crew were riding a natural high. Listening to Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos, you too may catch a carefree buzz.

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Alistair Maclean's Puppet on a Chain
Piero Piccioni
DC Recordings

Of all the great Italian movie composers, Piccioni may be the funkiest, and this score is evidence of it. Recorded in 1970 for a thriller set in Amsterdam, Piccioni's score is tightly wound -- perfect for a crime thriller circa '70. Piccioni uses spare arrangements, relying heavily on bass guitar, drum, guitar and organ. Occasionally the core group gets atmospheric support from the London Sinfonia.

Scanning the track titles it's impossible not to be intrigued. "Drug Dealers" "Psychadelic Mood" "LSD Party" "Narcotics Bureau" "Escape" "Night Club" "Drugs Hypnosis" "Chase" "Fear" "Big Action" and more. As can be expected, many of the tracks play on a couple themes, instead of delivering an entirely new melody. Still, the tracks live up to their promisely seedy titles. It's easy to imagine some trip hop group finding plenty of raw material here.

The main theme "Puppet on a Chain" and its finale reprisal are big fat beat jazz numbers with a strong soul vibe.

The liner notes offer details about the movie (which features a high octane speedboat chase) and the composer and feature movie stills. Kudos to DC Recordings for reissuing this smart set.

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"Profundo Rosso" (MP3 edit)

Puro Argento Vivo
Various Artists
Cinevox

Dario Argento is legendary for his giallo thrillers and horror movies, most of which owe a degree of their artistic success to their soundtracks.

Puro Argento Vivo appears to be an extension of an earlier Cinevox collection simply called Argento Vivo, a single CD featuring about half of the material heard on this 2CD set. Needless to say, this includes Ennio Morricone's music from the director's early films (i.e. The Bird with Crystal Plumage, etc.) and Goblin tracks from the director's most famous films (i.e. Deep Red and Suspiria, among others).

In addition, there are tracks by Keith Emerson (Inferno); Simonetti, Pignatelli and Morante (Tenebre, Phenomena); Claudio Simonetti (Opera); Pino Donaggio (Devil's Daughter); as well as Emerson and Pignatelli (The Church) — and others. This is as complete a compilation as Argento fans are likely to get at this time.

Most of the music flows well together, though the orchestral Morricone tracks differ significantly from the more electronic rock-oriented work by Goblin et al. Naturally, the Morricone is the earliest and is presented first in this chronological set.

While the insert contains basic info about the films, Cinevox should have commissioned an essay explaining the importance of music to Argento's films. It would've added value.

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