Oh, the horror: part 12

Title: Wolf

Year: 1994

Composer: Ennio Morricone

Wolf is a modern retelling of the classic werewolf story and stars Jack Nicholson as the protagonist. The score was made by Ennio Morricone at the time when he was attached to many American projects as well as European ones. The score juxtaposes two different musical styles: the  tragic love story with nostalgic, lyrical romance writing, and the animalistic side with urban noir elements and primal percussion.

The opening presents the film’s dramatic main theme that has some tragic romanticism to it. It’s played by the horns over beautifully lush string harmonies and tinkling electronic effects. However in a Morriconean fashion there is also a frantic electric harpsichord ostinato appearing every now and then in a completely different tempo and key that I remember many film music fans hating at the time of the soundtrack’s release. They’re distracting for sure but for me they do depict the animalistic nature of the beast within, waiting to get unleashed. The barn is a more traditionally romantic, beautiful love theme for saxophone and warm strings. The same melody is heard along with crashing percussion and the harpsichord in Laura and Wolf united in a unique track that could only come from the pen of Maestro Morricone.

The first sings of distraught come through in The dream and the deer which begins with the main theme and then starts its developmental section for suspenseful wandering high strings followed by several mournful reprises of the main theme. The harpsichord ostinato also rushes through the nostalgia warning the listener of what is to come. Around 5-minute mark a descending suspense motif appears along with some noirish trumpet playing that comes to play a bit later. From 6-minute mark we’re introduced to fast percussion grooves, woodwinds resembling the forest birds and the mad ostinato running on top of everything. It all builds towards a victorious set of chords but comes crashing down with the suspense motif and final howling brass. An absolutely sublime, descriptive cue! The moon continues where we left off with quieter suspense motif variation along with some main theme that unfortunately then moves to low-key suspense that isn’t as interesting as its predecessor. Luckily at the end some bubbly madness is heard once again. Laura goes to join Wolf includes sparse individual chords which don’t form a coherent narrative.

From track 7 onwards the suspense rises to the main element. The three Transition cues and Laura transformed are all pretty slow-moving, at times tedious experiments in atonal suspense, familiar to the usual style of Maestro Morricone but done better in other projects.  The howl and the city begins with weird trumpet manipulation heard first in track 3 that sounds like some sort of animal howl. It harks back to the 60s with Maestro’s past in avant-garde group Nuova consonanza. Low-speed action follows then with the pounding percussion combined to staccato chords and sleazy saxophone bringing that urban atmosphere. A reprise of the love theme arrives in Animals and encounters that then turns sour with some excellent action writing covering many sections of the orchestra, even some rhythmic harp ostinatos, not a usual instrument for momentum. Wolf on the other hand returns to the main theme riddled with sadness after a horrific orchestral shocker.

Chase is sure to make you wake up in case you found the preceding slow horror boring. It has all kinds of screeching brass and woodwinds and combines them to low piano and percussion that really keep the pace going. Occasionally even the jazzy saxophone comes through the overall chaos. It’s one of the most exciting and brutal Morricone action cues I can think of and really makes your heart race. The abstract main theme variation at the end is just the icing on the cake for me. Unfortunately more slow music follows in Confirmed doubts that tries to bring out the horror but I find it rather tensionless to be honest. The talisman has some fascinating swirling textures that have almost ethnic qualities with effects resembling the Indian sitar and then closing with a twisted major key variation of the main theme. The last two cues return to the darkly romantic material first with the most romantic version of the main theme in Laura and Will which can’t stay away from the suspense and just has to have some of it at the end ruining a perfectly fine moment. Luckily Laura fixes that problem and ends the score with a powerful main theme statement that offers no hope for our main characters and closes the album on a somber note.

Wolf is best at its romantic material and especially in the brutal action cues that aren’t heard that often in Maestro’s overall repertoire nowadays. However where it falls is the middle section and the slow-moving suspense that can’t make the listener feel the desperately needed chills. Hence I recommend approaching this one with caution. However Maestro has cleverly assembled the album to an order that best presents the music and offers a fine listening experience.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. Wolf and love (03:32) *****

2. The barn (01:59) *****

3. The dream and the deer (09:15) *****

4. The moon (05:28) ****

5. Laura goes to join Wolf (02:20) **

6. Laura and Wolf united (01:24) *****

7. First transition (01:28) **

8. The howl and the city (03:21) ****

9. Animals and encounters (04:37) *****

10. Laura transformed (03:36) **

11. Wolf (02:48) ****

12. Second transition (01:17) ***

13. Will's final goodbye (01:31) ****

14. Chase (05:43) *****

15. Confirmed doubts (03:41) ***

16. The talisman (03:27) ****

17. Third transition (00:57) ***

18. A shock for Laura (02:43) ***

19. Laura and Will (02:26) ****

20. Laura (02:36) *****

Oh, the horror: part 11

Title: Suor omicidi (Killer nun)

Year: 1979

Composer: Alessandro Alessandroni

Alessandro Alessandroni was most well-known as the whistler and guitarist on many spaghetti western scores and the founder of the choir I cantori moderni, also a frequent addition to the Italian film music scene. However he wrote over 20 film scores many of which haven’t had a release. A 1999 Beat records release included 3 horror scores by him which cover a number of different styles and moods. The first film, Suor omicidi seems to be just your average euro-shlock exploitation film and the score is as over-the-top cheesy as the film’s premise of a killer-junkie-lesbian nun would suggest.

I cantori moderni begins the score with the complete Dies irae melody with deep descending keyboard lines that are joined by a beating drumset. It’s clichéd for sure but it works, however it won’t cause any chills in the audience. The reprise in Seq. 8 doesn’t variate the material in any way. Fortunately Seq. 2 has more interesting textures for recorders and flutes over sparse piano chords, further explored in Seq. 7. It sounds like music that would fit for instance to an opium den. Later some cheesy synth chords appear with thunder-like rattles. Then out of nowhere appears a waltz melody that couldn’t be farther from the preceding material.  It’s probably the most unique cue on the album along with Seq. 4 that has some really interesting guitar textures similar to Morricone’s Two mules for Sister Sarah and a highly groovy bassline with some wind-like sound effects and eventual cool electric organ chords. It captures that folky hippie vibe and combines it with straight-up horror brilliantly. The additional church organ at the end just sends shivers down my spine. A less successful electric organ moment tries to convey a sense of dread in Seq. 6 but fails to find a proper direction.

There is a romantic theme as well heard in Seq. 3 with echoing electric guitar effects probably played by the composer. It’s an inoffensive melody, just a bit of that late 70s fluff. In another weird twist that same melody is turned into a cringy end title love song for the choir singing in English. It does feel quite dated and for some reason it seems like the singers aren’t even in tune. Similar cheesy fluff in a more orchestral manner with pop-music like percussion appears in both Seq. 5 and Seq. 9, latter in particular is just lovely in its melodic galore complete with a key change in the middle.

I almost don’t know what else to say, but it certainly is the product of its time. There is no suspense, no real horror here. Apart from the absolutely sublime Seq. 4, the rest of the score is rather bland but passable effort that seems to have some tongue-in-cheek attitude to it, which the project probably needed badly.

Rating: ***1/2

Title: Lo strangolatore di Vienna (The mad butcher)

Year: 1971

Composer: Alessandro Alessandroni

For a tale about a butcher who accidently kills his wife and gets rid off the body by making sausages Alessandroni provided another score that was more cheesily comical than scary. The film takes place in Vienna and this must have served as the inspiration because the melodies have been influenced by the classical waltzes and galops etc. A clear example of this is Seq. 1, a dance-like main theme that’s weirdly written for a saloon piano which does remind me more of westerns. However after a few key changes a small string orchestra also brings it that classical flavour. A charming yet uninspired waltz tune written for similar instrumentation is heard in Seq. 2 later presenting material familiar to Morricone’s scores like the Investigation of a citizen above suspicion or Il gatto. There’s also a comical tango of Seq. 3 that turns pure jazz at the end.

A bit of horror is heard in Seq. 4 with dooming piano notes balancing with the laid-back electric guitar version of the main theme. A surprising, fun action track Seq. 5 follows with a fast piano ostinato, martial drums and electric guitar and organ which turn the cue into cacophony of sounds eventually. A twisted version of the previous waltz appears in Seq. 6 before some beautiful nightclub jazz for solo sax breaks the mood. Seq. 7 is a full cue written in that comical Investigation… style which also has some suspenseful tremolo strings intensifying the atmosphere before the last midnight version of the main theme performed by the piano at the corner.

The score is pretty descriptive in bringing mental images of the city streets and pubs to mind. However there is quite a little of substance to the music and nothing special to grasp on. It probably fits the film like a glove but on its own it just doesn’t hold up.

Rating: ***

Title: Lady Frankenstein

Year: 1971

Composer: Alessandro Alessandroni

For the last score Alessandroni took a complete turn compared to the two others. The music is serious, suspenseful yet beautiful where it needs to be. The film continues the story of Dr. Frankenstein where his daughter carries on his work and creates a new monster.

Right from the get-go a bleak tone is established with atonal harmonies and dramatic high string melodies with condemning low-key piano. After a while it cools down and leaves room for flutes, glockenspiel and a fastening piano-ostinato which leads the cue into a horrific conclusion. Seq. 2 includes the similar wind sound effects heard in Suor omicidi and combines them to faint electronic organ, flutes and the same piano melody from the last cue which rolls on with movement. Seq. 5 returns to the horror with crackling electric guitar and string chords, later presenting electronic manipulation perfectly suitable for a 70s mad scientist set. The last powerful horror statement comes in Seq. 7 which includes an array of orchestral devices to create a dooming atmosphere, however unlike the other cues it doesn’t really go anywhere.

Luckily there are also moments of beauty on the album. Seq. 3 begins with another chilling horror cue though but middleway turns into a fragile lament for just the strings including a rising longlined minor key melody that is sure to make your eyes water especially at the end with tremolo string backing. Seq. 4 is the film’s romantic main theme in major key with similar old-fashioned string section, added wonderful piano flourishes and jazzy chord progressions. It’s more hopeful than the preceding cue and not as overblown like the romantic material for instance in Suor omicidi. In Seq. 6 the melody is reprised but then flute continues it over a backing track which gets more and more suspenseful as the cue progresses ending with another dramatic string moment. The final strings only version is heard in Seq. 8 with some flute at the end and a proper conclusion to the melody. The last cue is probably for the running credits. It has a very pop-music like descending chord progression later with added light percussion which reminds me of Morricone’s main theme for Il clan dei Siciliani. It’s nothing special but a suitable end to the album for sure.

Luckily they saved the best for last. Lady Frankenstein has a lot of variety, genuinely chilling suspense that is intersected with romantic interludes. The composer passed away this year so hopefully his memory will be respected with new releases of his unreleased scores (here’s hoping for La spacconata in particular).

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. Suor omicidi - seq. 1 (04:00) ***

2. Suor omicidi - seq. 2 (05:02) ****

3. Suor omicidi - seq. 3 (01:41) ****

4. Suor omicidi - seq. 4 (04:49) *****

5. Suor omicidi - seq. 5 (01:29) ****

6. Suor omicidi - seq. 6 (01:57) ***

7. Suor omicidi - seq. 7 (03:37) ***

8. Suor omicidi - seq. 8 (03:56) ***

9. Suor omicidi - seq. 9 (02:09) *****

10. Suor omicidi - seq. 10 (03:10) ***

11. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 1 (01:53) ****

12. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 2 (01:31) ***

13. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 3 (01:49) ***

14. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 4 (01:36) ***

15. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 5 (02:42) ****

16. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 6 (02:07) ***

17. Lo strangolatore... - seq. 7 (03:02) ****

18. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 1 (02:58) *****

19. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 2 (02:47) *****

20. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 3 (03:00) *****

21. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 4 (02:01) *****

22. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 5 (03:15) ***

23. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 6 (03:17) ****

24. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 7 (03:21) ***

25. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 8 (01:53) *****

26. Lady Frankenstein - seq. 9 (03:50) ****

Oh, the horror: part 10

Title: Patrick

Year: 2013

Composer: Pino Donaggio

Pino Donaggio is an Italian composer who has had surprisingly plenty international success and is still writing film music in his 70s. A remake of an Australian supernatural horror film of the same name also received a score by him. The original Patrick had a score by the band Goblin in its Italian release but Donaggio’s score bares no resembles to their style. It’s dark, orchestral music reminiscent of works by Bernard Herrmann with some added modern electronics. Unfortunately is a bit too anonymous to leave a lasting mark.

Deadly needle opens the score with ominous strings that lead the way to musical knife stabs with electronic effects. After a pause, the main theme is introduced with a 4-note horn-call. A more longlined version is then heard on the piano supported by a solo cello and later moving to the string section. That peaceful mood doesn’t last long though because Car scene offers the first signs of fast-paced action music once again with underlying electronic additions. The main theme is used as an action-motif here in a fashion similar to Jerry Goldsmith’s thematic writing.

Most of the album’s duration is devoted to horror/suspense music with occasional bursts of action. The lift begins with ticking mystery writing once again reminiscent of Goldsmith. After a few brassy main theme statements it cools down to uninteresting territory. Kathy enters opens with some powerful action music but unfortunately it once again flops before reaching full satisfaction. Similar jagged, string-heavy action writing is the basis of both Cassidy dies and You decide. The mystery aspect of the score is exploited in Patrick computer with twisted harmonies bordering tonal and atonal writing and Telepathy beach which includes lengthy main theme statements disturbed by weird electronic effects and cluster harmonies. Telekinesis is one of the score’s most effective suspense cues with the emphasis on strings once again with repeating lines growing in intensity with varying electronics and changes in pace finally resolving into a more straightforward action cue.

Fortunately the saving grace for the score is the melodramatic romantic material that gets its first go in First day that wanders a while before releasing the main theme with a more attractive style. The strings in this score in particular have a very classic film music feel and heighten the listening experience. Kathy meets Patrick includes an absolutely lovely flute melody that is disappointingly interrupted by a sudden horror movie sting. That melody is reprised in Patrick spits museum that turns into the most romantic theme of the album after a moment of rugged action. Though it’s over-the-top writing, it’s just so nice to hear some proper orchestration and romantic chord changes in a modern film score. Lighthouse offers more of that lovely flute and harp work before reprising some of the chord progressions of the romantic theme that lead to a mysterious conclusion. Another frustrating cue is Kathy’s imagination which begins with beautiful main theme moments that are ruined by either lame melodrama or mediocre suspense. After a disappointing second half, the score redeems itself during the last two tracks. Kathy back to work changes from full action unnoticeably into more romantic music with movement and ends with the final horn-call stinger. The last cue includes a full orchestra version of the main theme and finally a lovely reprise of the romantic material of track 6.

The album is way too long to sustain the large quantity of music and hence can be a quite tedious experience at times. The suspense scoring is the stumbling block of it all but luckily the romantic undertones offer at least some enjoyment. Overall Donaggio did an average job that really offered nothing new but just enough to work within the picture.

Rating: ***1/2

Tracklist:

1. Deadly needle (03:45) ****

2. Car scene (01:54) ****

3. First day (04:02) ****

4. Kathy meets Patrick (02:20) ****

5. The lift (03:58) ***

6. Patrick spits museum (03:15) *****

7. Kathy enters (02:37) ***

8. Cassidy dies (02:54) ***

9. Patrick computer (02:38) ****

10. Telepathy beach (02:18) ****

11. Telekinesis (04:52) ****

12. Cassidy visits Kathy (02:38) **

13. Waveform Crazy (01:52) **

14. Lighthouse (03:48) ***

15. Kathy’s imagination (03:57) ***

16. Nurse Williams dies (04:12) ***

17. You decide (03:59) ***

18. Kathy back to work (02:15) ****

19. Dream or reality (04:21) ****

Oh, the horror: part 9

Title: The legend of blood castle (aka Le vergini cavalcano la morte)

Year: 1973

Composer: Carlo Savina

Erzsébet Báthory was rumoured to be one of the most notorious serial killers who was responsible for hundreds of deaths at the turn of the 17^th century. Whether or not the myth is that accurate, her case has been an inspiration of many literary and film works, also for The legend of blood castle. The music by Carlo Savina plays homage to modern classical composers and the whole work plays out a bit like a suspenseful tone poem better appreciated as a whole than a series of single cues.

Main titles start the score with eerie drum beats that are then joined by a foreboding choir, electric organ, harpsichord and a buzzing string section that offer a moment of rising tension. It’s a perfect opening to the score which is followed by Dark presences, a passionate viola solo still shrouded in darkness with its abstract harmonies. That same instrumentation carries over to Into Hell which also has a surprising addition of sassy saxophone and brass instruments in the middle of the cue before the suspenseful viola ends the cue with ominous murmurs. Harpsichord concert is a short piece of Baroque source music that is still very much in tune with the other cues. It has an original beginning that then turns into a direct quote from J.S. Bach’s Well-tempered clavier and then goes its own way with similar rising chords Savina utilized in the suspense cues.  Reprises of the previous moments of horror with the viola are heard once more in Bloody ceremony and at the beginning of Devil’s hunt. The latter also introduces a ghostly vocal theme that resembles a children’s tune I used to sing as a kid. That melody has atonal harmonies though, so that’s where the similarities to that tune end pretty much.

Forceful electric guitar and piano chords start the score’s loudest cue Night terror along with powerful choral voices. Finally it lands to a more stable base with tinkling and swirling orchestration while the choir lurks in the background. Hungry ghosts is a reprise of the main titles which results in screaming chorus and eventual march-like percussion which ends the cue quietly. What follows is an 8-minute suite full of slowly wandering strings, the only attempts at major key compositions around the 2- and 8-minute marks, barely audible percussive beats with sparse harpsichord, piano and musicbox tinkles which finally make way to a powerful closing string coda. It’s a letdown compared to the preceding, more effective suspense material but luckily the childlike vocal theme returns in The haunting bringing together several quotations from the preceding material. Finale is similar in a way beginning with the choral judgment of track 7, then reprising the vocal theme and finally concluding to a quiet coda consisting of electric guitar notes, piano and harpsichord harmonies and a solitary female voice singing in the darkness and slowly fading away.

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, there’s a certain flow in the music that brings great cohesion to the overall experience. It’s not a cheerful score, but an intriguing one nevertheless. Most importantly it’s never unpleasant to listen to and there is even something eerily beautiful with the delicate chamber-sized orchestrations.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Main titles) (01:55) ****

2. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Dark presences) (02:09) ****

3. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Into Hell) (05:10) ****

4. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Harpsichord concert) (03:56) *****

5. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Bloody ceremony) (02:24) ***

6. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Devil’s hunt) (02:50) ****

7. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Night terror) (03:31) *****

8. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Hungry ghosts) (03:14) ****

9. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Maidens ride death) (08:39) ***

10. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (The haunting) (02:06) ****

11. Le vergini cavalcano la morte (Finale) (03:19) ****

Oh, the horror: part 8

Title: La cripta e l’incubo (Crypt of the vampire)

Year: 1964

Composer: Carlo Savina

A black-and-white horror film starring Christopher Lee as a count who lives in a gloomy gothic castle. Though that might sound like a recipe for a horror classic, this time that wasn’t the case. The score for the film was provided by Carlo Savina whose mainly quiet music borders on sound effects but luckily has some romantic interludes to break up the dark atmosphere.

The first 4 cues introduce the palette of sounds which Savina builds the score on: harp, small string section, buzzing organ, musical saw, solo woodwinds, harpsichord and a varied percussion section that sometimes sounds like someone creeping around in the dark and sometimes like a thunderstorm. There are no clear motifs or thematic development rather the score seems just to underscore the actions happening on screen whether it is a crescendo for a horrific discovery or quiet murmurs for exploring the dark corridors.

Though most of the score is built this way, there are some exceptions to the rule. For instance, there is some twisted, mischievous or even humorous material. This is introduced first in Cena al castello which includes the clichéd solo harpsichord, which isn’t used in a Baroque manner but in a more playful and bouncy fashion. Attesa grottesca has similar effect this time introducing almost a childlike tune with a hint of Dies irae to it, simultaneously having suspenseful strings playing underneath.

Surprisingly there is also some expressive romantic material introduced in Tema d’amore. Another melodic, though more introspective theme is heard in Il ritratto di Sheena by a solo violin. Both of these themes are performed in Estasi e tormento starting with the love theme and then moving to a more sinister string variation of the second theme which eventually resolves into an orchestral stringer. Non-thematic though lovely flute work on top of bed of harps starts Calma interrotta which once again turns sour at the end. Attimo romantico is another full version of the love theme that is just achingly beautiful. The two themes are combined cleverly in Il mistero del ritratto where a flute starts with the love theme’s rising intervals that then comes down as the second theme. The rest of the track does a good job combining the themes with mild suspense writing and eventually with the comedic music of track 9. A victorious final version of the love theme also ends the whole score into a glorious major chord.

As for the numerous other suspense and horror cues, there isn’t much to describe. It’s more about mood than melodies. Tetra prigione has percussion that sounds like someone being escorted to the gallows whereas Mente folle is another death march with a steady organ pulse that’s just slowed down so that it’s completely unrecognizable. L’incubo della cripta has some of the most effective horror stringers with added faster harpsichord notation bouncing among the strings. However after the two themes are introduced, some snippets of them start to appear within the suspenseful cues, which is a clever move by the composer. For instance a faster version of the second theme turned into a classic horror stinger ends both Laura è Sheena? and Il presagio in a dramatic fashion. The final moments of suspense are packed into two 6-minute cues first of which builds quietly during its whole duration towards a horrific conclusion that unfortunately never arrives. It’s unnerving and effective scoring nevertheless. Psichedelico macabro on the other hand is mostly organ variations of the secondary theme with pretty abstract harmonies that are interrupted with percussion hits and stringers from time to time.

The album is a pretty uneven experience. Though there are moments of sheer brilliance both in the romantic and the suspenseful material, there is also way too much dull space where it feels that barely anything happens. Therefore it’s a quite hard to give it a higher rating. If you’re familiar with Savina’s suspense writing you might get something more out of it than the casual listener. For them I recommend checking out some better ones by him before this one.

Rating: ***

Tracklist:

1. La maledizione di Karlstein (Titoli) (01:49) ****

2. La cripta e l'incubo (Ombre nel buio) (01:09) ***

3. Angoscia (01:45) **

4. Presenze maligne (02:09) **

5. Cena al castello (00:46) ****

6. La cripta e l'incubo (Perversione) (03:02) **

7. La cripta e l'incubo (Tetra prigione) (01:55) *

8. Tema d'amore (01:29) *****

9. La cripta e l'incubo (Attesa grottesca) (00:58) ****

10. Il ritratto di Sheena (01:01) ****

11. Estasi e tormento (02:48) ****

12. La cripta e l'incubo (Atmosfera di morte) (01:07) **

13. Calma interrotta (01:12) ****

14. La cripta e l'incubo (Attimo romantico) (01:23) *****

15. La cripta e l'incubo (Mente folle) (04:05) ***

16. L'incubo della cripta (01:38) ****

17. Il mistero del ritratto (01:49) ****

18. Laura è Sheena? (01:40) ****

19. La cripta e l'incubo (Corridoio oscuro) (05:58) ***

20. Laura posseduta (01:30) ***

21. Il presagio (01:23) ****

22. La cripta e l'incubo (Psichedelico macabro) (06:27) **

23. Finale (01:16) *****

Oh, the horror: part 7

Title: La corta notte delle bambole di vetro (Short night of glass dolls)

Year: 1971

Composer: Ennio Morricone

Happy Friday the 13th! There have been many literary and film adaptations about a person waking up in a paralyzed state and being mistaken for a corpse. 1971’s La corta notte delle bambole di vetro is one of them, this time taking place in Prague. A man is waiting for an autopsy fully realizing what’s happening to him, trying simultaneously figure out how he ended up there. For this chilling premise Maestro Morricone provided one of his most oppressive film scores.

As with many horror scores, this one opens with a beautiful theme that contrasts with the other material. This time the opening and bookend cues are a romantic waltz, Valzer, with the chromatic vocal solo by Edda dell’Orso and a minimal piano/string arrangement backing it. Its unexpected harmonies and sublime orchestration are just a bliss to hear and an eventual salvation from the nightmares.

That’s where the listenable material ends for the following 40 minutes or so. The listener is transported into nightmare territory with Emmetrentatre which doesn’t hold back even the slightest bit. It consists of nauseating string writing that could make someone physically ill. In a brilliant but disturbing Morriconean fashion that’s not all: the strings are combined to sighing voices that sound like a giant orgy. This is a cue you can’t play if there’s a possibility to get caught listening to it. Yet somehow the effect is so powerful, you just have to admire the creativity behind it. For instance the cue sends shivers down my spine when it reaches a ‘climax’ in which the orchestra drops out for a moment and only a bare heartbeat and sighs are left.

After that shocker Notte e bambole offers a more slow-paced version of the same idea, but there’s still tension building up steadily which results in dramatic, atonal string harmonies. Those reappear in many cues afterwards offering the only identifying thematic thread the score has. The film’s title mentions glass dolls, so there’s a brilliant element of shards of glass tinkling together in Brividi di archi supported only by high strings. Unfortunately the score’s middle portion has mostly pretty uninteresting underscore with wandering atonal strings. A nice little addition is Edda’s ghostly voice at the end of Oppressione. Other exception is Oppressione di mostri, which is the score’s only stab at light action writing, in which intensive swirling strings are combined to fast-paced piano playing with entertaining results.

The score starts to pick up its pace again in Bambole di vetro, in which a simple opening gets more and more twisted and distorted finally being joined by a solitary female voice sighing of agony or pleasure. After a pause the aforementioned string ‘theme’ enters in its most dramatic form eventually cooling down to barely audible strings with underlying electronic effects. Finally everything comes back a full circle ending in an orchestral crescendo. The following two cues reprise some moments from their predecessor. Irrealtà e follia in particular is another effective horror cue, which borrows the opening of track 10 but then lands on a chilling sustained chord on top of which a ghostly voice is singing and strings are playing in a manner that reminds me of crawling insects. The last moment of horror, Sospiri di morte consists of just a heartbeat sound, electric effects resembling some hospital equipment and a heavily breathing voice that goes on for 4 straight minutes. After a pause the beat slows down and the breathing gets fainter finally leaving just the electric sounds left. It’s a descriptive cue but too long and unpleasant to really enjoy.

Maestro’s score for this film is highly disturbing, ugly and thoroughly unpleasant experience. Undoubtedly it was something the film needed and benefited from. Nevertheless it surely makes your hair stand up in many places and makes you question whether to leave the light on tonight or not.

Rating: ***

Tracklist:

1. Valzer (02:23) *****

2. Emmetrentatre (04:07) *****

3. Notte e bambole (02:32) ****

4. Brividi di archi (04:41) ***

5. Oppressione (03:09) ***

6. Depressione (01:18) **

7. Oppressione di mostri (01:20) *****

8. Incoscientemente (02:07) **

9. Incubi solitari (01:43) ***

10. Bambole di vetro (06:48) ****

11. Il bisturi (02:38) ***

12. Irrealtà e follia (02:08) ****

13. Sospiri di morte (04:41) **

14. Valzer (#2) (02:50) *****

Oh, the horror: part 6

Title: Lady Lucifera

Year: 1979

Composer: Stelvio Cipriani

I’m glad that several record labels still keep releasing scores from the most obscure films imaginable. For instance Lady Lucifera aka Polvos mágicos is the kind of film I’ve never would have imagined looking more into when I started listening to film music. It’s a horror comedy about suitors trying to tempt the devil’s daughter who needs them to gain eternal youth. Usually a score for a film like this might be played for laughs but surprisingly Stelvio Cipriani delivered a dead-serious horror score with only a few lighter moments.

The main theme is a real winner. Usually I say that Cipriani’s melodies tend to run into each other and you really cannot distinguish one from another. This isn’t the case with Lady Lucifera though because the theme has something unexpected about it (even though the same exact melody was used in 1979's another Cipriani score Un'ombra nell'ombra). Maybe it’s the Goblinesque synthesizers and irregular-sounding rhythms (even though it goes in regular 9/8 waltz groove if you listen closely) or the nostalgic feeling you get from the chord progressions which don’t follow regular pop music progressions directly. Even though the theme really doesn’t feature a longlined melody rather than one that appears in between the rhythmical arpeggios, it still is captivating yet eerily sinister. Seq. 5 is the first reprise of the theme but it doesn’t go into the more nostalgic second part of the melody but just plays around the intro for a short while. The third reprise in Seq. 9 is probably the most beautiful one, sounding translucent somehow. The finale cue sounds like an outtake because the intro is repeated a bit amateurishly before the track gets going.

Seq. 2 introduces a minor romantic theme which is more in Cipriani’s regular style and easily hummable though nothing that special. However what I love about this track is that it actually begins with a bassline that reappears later in the horror tracks, and in the middle of the romantic mood we also get disturbing organ clusters which bend the atmosphere into more foreboding direction. A pure and innocent version of the melody for piano and flute appears in Seq. 13 which is a breath of fresh air after the brooding horror tracks. There’s also one other romantic piece, Seq. 11, a classicaly-inspired piano waltz that sounds slightly broken and humorous as it’s interrupted by unnecessary piano runs.

Most of the album’s duration is devoted to straight-up horror music. These tracks have a certain structure to them: they’re usually built around a simple repeating bass phrase which is intensified with added instrumental colours. Similar bass writing has been used in many Italian giallos representing a heartbeat though Cipriani’s is more musical. For instance Seq. 3 has a Chopinesque funeral march feel to it even though the countermelodies provided by the organ don’t go into that direction at all. Seq. 4 repeats the bassline from Seq. 2 and accelerates it like a racing heart of a murder victim. The syncopated rhythms and previously mentioned funeral organ are combined to synthetic strings and a flute that reminds me of 60s agent flicks more than a horror film in both Seq. 6 and Seq. 10. The album’s longest piece Seq. 7 offers a great number of intelligent horror tropes like icy piano notes, a sense of time ticking by and eerie electric organ chords which turn rather comical with their insane sound manipulation. There are some more action-oriented pieces as well like Seq. 8 and Seq. 12 with almost tribal-like quality to them perfectly suitable for the manhunt going on. The best horror track however is the last one, Seq. 14 which manages to give genuine chills with an atmosphere straight from a Goblin album, even featuring the rhythmic tinkling synthesizer heard in the main theme.

If I had to describe the score with two words, those would be dreamlike and hypnotic. There’s something really disturbing about the building atmosphere of the suspenseful moments that are contrasted with the seemingly serene main theme which too has its dark edge. The problem I have is that though the intent is to create atmosphere, there is no resolution and thus the horror falls flat. Even though the duration is just under 40 minutes, the album actually feels longer than it really is which shows the downside of the repetition. So even though I give it a high score, you might want to consider a while first before making your purchase.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. Lady Lucifera - Seq.1 (02:13) *****

2. Lady Lucifera - Seq.2 (02:29) *****

3. Lady Lucifera - Seq.3 (02:15) ***

4. Lady Lucifera - Seq.4 (01:40) *****

5. Lady Lucifera - Seq.5 (01:56) ****

6. Lady Lucifera - Seq.6 (03:06) ****

7. Lady Lucifera - Seq.7 (05:14) ****

8. Lady Lucifera - Seq.8 (01:17) ****

9. Lady Lucifera - Seq.9 (02:09) *****

10. Lady Lucifera - Seq.10 (03:25) ****

11. Lady Lucifera - Seq.11 (01:13) ****

12. Lady Lucifera - Seq.12 (03:09) ****

13. Lady Lucifera - Seq.13 (01:52) *****

14. Lady Lucifera - Seq.14 (03:43) *****

15. Lady Lucifera - Seq.15 (03:45) ****

Oh, the horror: part 5

Title: Un urlo dalle tenebre (The return of the exorcist)

Year: 1975

Composer: Giuliano Sorgini

This Italian horror film has tons of different titles, one video title even claiming to be the third film in the Exorcist series (though the second film was actually released after this one in 1977) probably trying to cash in for its success. The true third film was released in 1990s. Well this one doesn’t have any relation to its American counterpart and even the score is by a fairly unknown composer and keyboardist Giuliano Sorgini who I only know from one other horror score: The living dead at Manchester morgue. The result is an ok horror score which unfortunately doesn’t really have musical highlights that would rise above the genre’s usual conventions.

The beginning 30 minutes form a promotional album that was never released. Messa nera begins with some atonal choral chords before a menacing yet simple electric organ melody appears over a poppish drum beat. Either the organ notes are tampered to make the cue sound somewhat fuzzy or there might be some issues with the sound quality. There are some added uneasy electronic effects which reappear for instance later in Reparto agitati which is purely ambient sound design enhanced by electronics. Risonanza n° 3 follows in the same vain but adds wandering harpsichord tinkles to the electronic patterns. The first track to make the hairs on my arms to stand up is Risonanza n° 4 which comprises of sighing women’s voices and a disturbing atonal organ that slowly grows in intensity as the cue progresses. Repeating phrases for strings are first heard in Tensione and combined to ominous bassoon notes making a successful suspense cue. Similar string melodies carry over to Demoniaco but unfortunately they don’t make much an impact here because there is no development but just some tremolo playing in unison. The ending of the promo album is called Angeli neri which starts with a hiss sounding like the record was damaged, before reprising the string motifs of Tensone.

The latter part of the Digitmovies release presents some alternates and additional cues. The original main titles feature similar sinister strings as heard in the other suspenseful tracks. There’s a long 10-minute cue called Esorcismo which is a big letdown as the scenes for the actual exorcism in these kinds of films are usually treated with the most bombastic music. However this one is one long drone for buzzing organ and other electronics offering only a little development in the layers of sound it creates. It makes you feel uneasy but it’s a quite lousy excuse for horror scoring in my opinion. The reprise of Messa nera is far more menacing than the opening version even though the organ has an odd celestial sound to it. The last cue Titoli di coda originali is by far the most shocking horror track on the album because here the electronic effects are finally released from the depths of hell along with sighing vocals.

Though most of the album’s duration concentrates on the horror aspects, there is a variety of other musical genres as well. Organo mistico is a beautiful organ composition which offers some sacred qualities to the film. It’s followed by a completely different musical style, Momento pop which is a party cue with a fun flute solo but a quite horrendously cheery and dated electronic organ in its B section that just ruins the track for me. Suore in convento on the other hand features a softer flute solo combined to the medieval organ style of Organo mistico. Flute dominates also a composition called Momento country pop which fortunately isn’t a country pop song per se but only draws inspiration from that genre. It’s actually the best cue on the album featuring sincerely moving flute and oboe performances over base formed by acoustic guitars and light percussion, and a cheesy 70s B section for piano, mellow strings and flute flourishes.

The overall feel I get from this score is that it’s a bit amateurish. It’s almost like Sorgini had just read a book called How to score a horror film beforehand and forgot to add something of his own. I do think that some of the electronic effects are imaginative and they make you think how they were achieved. Except for the few truly shocking cues and peaceful moments I doubt that I’m going to return to this album that often unfortunately.

Rating: ***

Tracklist:

1. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Messa nera) (04:37) ***

2. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Organo mistico) (02:05) ****

3. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Momento pop) (02:51) ***

4. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Suore in convento) (01:30) ****

5. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Reparto agitati) (02:35) *

6. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Risonanza n° 3) (02:26) **

7. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Momento country pop) (05:06) *****

8. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Risonanza n° 4) (03:11) ****

9. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Tensione) (02:12) ****

10. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Demoniaco) (02:12) **

11. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Angeli neri) (03:20) ***

12. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Titoli di testa originali) (00:44) ***

13. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Organo mistico 2a versione) (02:04) ****

14. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Momento pop vrs. breve) (01:48) ***

15. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Esorcismo) (09:50) **

16. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Tensione n° 2) (02:02) ****

17. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Messa nera 2a versione) (01:27) ****

18. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Apparizione) (00:33) ***

19. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Titoli di coda originali) (01:28) ****

Oh, the horror: part 4

Title: Drammi gotici (Gothic dramas)

Year: 1977

Composer: Ennio Morricone

Drammi gotici is a rare TV miniseries of 4 episodes that has since faded into obscurity. There’s almost no information found about the series but it includes all the good stuff for Halloween like vampires, witches and madmen, and hence is a great way to end my horror reviews for this year. The series managed to get a high class score by Maestro Morricone that is once again a dissonant and demanding listen with only a few moments of serene beauty that is still shrouded in darkness.

Each new episode opens with a ‘main title’ of sorts, an atonal string and choral cluster chord. It’s a nice little distinguishing feature nevertheless that brings some cohesion to the album. The opening Kaiserstrasse continues with a short moment of a carnival tune that is buried under a dose of strings and giggling choir members. La strada della follia introduces a melody that begins similarly to Morricone’s Ecstasy of gold but is a different piece altogether. It features innocent childlike voices that disappear as the piece progresses and leave only the accompanying harp notes playing in the empty space. The follow-up Follia nella strada is largely built around the same atonal chord style as the main title but this time it’s only performed by the strings. There’s also a moment for distorted church bells that lead to the full version of the carnival tune which is my single favourite moment on the album. By itself it would be extremely moving but considering the surrounding soundscape it becomes creepy. After a moment of dissonance Morricone introduces another beautiful piece Fuori della realtà this time for solo musicbox and occasional choral voices. Pioggia is actually a reused track from Morricone’s 1971 score to Veruschka and it features menacing tinkling instruments that surprisingly are featured also during some of the album’s later cues as well.

The second episode consists of very ‘Italian’ sounding tracks relying heavily on mandolin and guitar. They too have a dark twist to them because the melodies are completely atonal. The style is introduced right after the main title in Ma non è un vampiro with playful woodwinds, solo mandolin and ‘gipsy’ inspired violin solo. Suoni dissociati and E’una vampira develop the style to more dissonant and eerie direction even though the instrumental choices remain the same. Everything comes together in Il vampiro where the melodies get their simplest arrangements for only a few instruments. The odd piece out is Città ferita which begins with atonal acapella voices creating clusters that remind me of classical works of György Ligeti. Slowly instruments are added to the structure but the overall sound still remains otherworldly and alien.

The main title introduces the third episode in La casa delle streghe followed by some unsettling moments for viola solo and strings. The viola playing culminates in track 17 that is dedicated to Morricone’s longtime collaborator Dino Asciolla who performs the viola also in this score. The track is mostly very difficult to listen to and the solo viola and its atonal melodies can get quite irritating after a while and with the duration of 5.5 minutes the cue can be quite unbearable. Viole nella nebbia combines the viola solos to the tinkling material from Pioggia and even the atonal chords from the first episode to distant ghostly voices. Those voices are also included in the best suspense track Tra sospiri e lamenti where they’re accompanied only by the viola and echoing harp notes.

Diario di un pazzo is the title of the last episode ad it’s summed almost entirely into a massive 11-minute track that begins with the main title and continues from there onward with strange sound design that can’t really be considered as music. It consists of the previously heard giggling choir members but this time there are all kinds of different laughter, whispers and moans of madmen and women. Some of the laughing has also been slowed down which is just so discomforting. There are also the’ bubble’ effect heard on many other Morricone horror soundtracks. The track includes also a sample of the following track Phantavox which is like a broken cabaret band complete with whistling and percussion that sounds like kitchen utensils. The ending cue is a passionate little piece for romantic solo violin and piano which is a surprising conclusion and a great sendoff after all the madness.

Drammi gotici is a constantly surprising effort that balances different styles of film music and experiments with atonality in a fresh and original way. However, it’s not a perfect score by any means and if you want to have a more conventional horror score to listen to this Halloween, don’t pick this one up. For the fans of Morricone’s experimental works though it’s a rewarding listen with a lot to discover.

Rating: ***1/2

Tracklist:

1. Kaiserstrasse (02:40) ****

2. La strada della follia (03:21) *****

3. Follia nella strada (08:02) ****

4. Fuori dalla realtà (03:54) *****

5. Pioggia (03:40) ***

6. Ma non è un vampiro (02:41) *****

7. Città ferita (06:08) ****

8. Suoni dissociati (02:55) ****

9. E'una vampira (02:24) ****

10. Il vampiro (06:26) ***

11. La casa delle streghe (02:41) ***

12. Viole nella nebbia (05:49) ****

13. Tra sospiri e lamenti (03:12) *****

14. Ricordo di Dino Asciolla (05:29) ***

15. Diario di un pazzo (11:44) **

16. Phantavox (02:54) ****

17. Elegia per violino e pianoforte (02:02) *****

Oh, the horror: part 3

Title: I tre volti della paura (Black sabbath)

Year: 1963

Composer: Roberto Nicolosi

This is the film which gave the famous band its name. The American version had a score by Les Baxter but luckily Digitmovies released the original score by Roberto Nicolosi in 2009. The film is an anthology of 3 different episodes, one of which features one of the great horror actors, Boris Karloff.

The score like the film is devided into 3 parts each separate film having a distinct musical style combined with a couple of unifying themes and motifs. The main theme is first presented in a form of a fanfare which is soon moved to the string section. It’s a menacing little melody that receives further variation especially during the second episode.

The first episode Il telefono is jazz-inspired film noir music with emphasis on the drum set and walking bass with occasional accents from the woodwinds and brass. The harmonies heard during the first few tracks actually remind me of some of ones heard during the main theme but the actual theme is absent during the first section. Nevertheless this section has a recurring, possibly dodecaphonic melody that forms the basis of almost every track. Though most of the jazz is very subtle and threatening, there are some more romantic tracks in the mix as well such as tracks 4 ad 10. However most of the tracks are just short stingers for jazzy brass instruments that are just there to amplify the horrors seen on screen.

The second episode I Wurdalak is a vampire story and it has the most conventional orchestral horror scoring of the three episodes.  It begins with a wonderful version of the main theme played on distant horns that introduce the rural scenery. Track 16 is the only really romantic cue on the album but the darkness creeps in during the final seconds when the man theme is reprised. It is followed by some nighttime creeping around again featuring the main theme heavily in many disguises. The music continues onward with several suspenseful short tracks, some featuring the organ and reprising both the main theme and the melody from the previous episode. The album’s longest track, number 28 nicely summarizes the moods of the previous tracks and has creepy organ effects and main theme versions. The closing track has abstract sounding strings that sound like they would form a happy ending but they surprisingly turn back to the dark main theme fanfare.

The last episode La goccia d’acqua is the shortest one and it has also the least amount of instruments. It’s dominated by the organ with some unsettling percussion and harp playing. It also has its own menacing little motif that was introduced shortly in the previous episode that forms the basis for many of the tracks. It also hints to a rather beautiful melody constantly that gets finally a full yet simple version on solo organ in track 38 which is probably my favourite track on the album (it also ends the entire album as track 56). The Finale is a strange, cheerful cabaret piano piece which differs completely from the overall mood of the album. The album concludes with stereo versions of the film’s highlights. It’s probably a better listening experience than the film versions. The only new track is Sangue Viennese which is a gramophone version of a Viennese waltz composed by Johann Strauss that skips some parts like a broken record and finally slows down which gives it a distorted quality.

There’s a lot of thought behind the score. For instance the interplay between the various motifs between the episodes creates cohesion to a film that could otherwise feel a bit disjointed. The stinger-like nature of the shorter tracks is a bit troublesome for the listening experience except for the first episode where they have a wonderful jazzy feel to them. It’s not a bad score but on the album it doesn’t work that well without the visuals.

Rating: ***1/2

Tracklist:

1. I tre volti della paura (Titoli) (01:58) *****

Episode # 1: Il telefono

2. I tre volti della paura (M 2 VII) (01:20) *****

3. I tre volti della paura (M 3 IV) (01:25) *****

4. I tre volti della paura (M 4 III) (00:42) *****

5. I tre volti della paura (M 5 VI) (00:17) ****

6. I tre volti della paura (M 6 III) (00:26) ****

7. I tre volti della paura (M 7 V) (00:38) ****

8. I tre volti della paura (M 8 II) (00:20) ****

9. I tre volti della paura (M 9 III) (00:23) ***

10. I tre volti della paura (M 10 II) (01:38) *****

11. I tre volti della paura (M 11 III) (01:20) *****

12. I tre volti della paura (M 12 II) (00:49) ***

13. I tre volti della paura (M 13 IX) (00:27) ****

Episode # 2: I Wurdalak

14. I tre volti della paura (M 14 IV) (01:19) *****

15. I tre volti della paura (M 15 III) (00:39) ***

16. I tre volti della paura (M 16 VI) (02:05) *****

17. I tre volti della paura (M 17 II) (00:55) *****

18. I tre volti della paura (M 18 VI) (00:20) **

19. I tre volti della paura (M 19 VI) (00:28) **

20. I tre volti della paura (M 20 IV) (01:55) ****

21. I tre volti della paura (M 21 II) (00:39) ***

22. I tre volti della paura (M 22 IV) (00:34) *****

23. I tre volti della paura (M 23 I) (01:40) ****

24. I tre volti della paura (M 24 IV) (00:23) ***

25. I tre volti della paura (M 25 IV) (00:43) ***

26. I tre volti della paura (M 26 IV) (01:21) ****

27. I tre volti della paura (M 26 bis) (01:49) ****

28. I tre volti della paura (M 27 IV) (03:26) ****

29. I tre volti della paura (M 28 IV) (02:26) *****

Episode # 3: La goccia d'acqua

30. I tre volti della paura (M 30 II) (00:23) **

31. I tre volti della paura (M 31 V) (00:28) ***

32. I tre volti della paura (M 32 III) (00:17) ***

33. I tre volti della paura (M 33 III) (00:30) ***

34. I tre volti della paura (M 34 II) (00:30) ****

35. I tre volti della paura (M 35 IV) (00:29) ****

36. I tre volti della paura (M 36 IV) (00:55) *****

37. I tre volti della paura (M 37 II) (01:44) *****

38. I tre volti della paura (M 37 Bis II) (01:47) *****

39. I tre volti della paura (M 38 V) (00:42) ***

40. I tre volti della paura (Finale) (01:05) ***

Stereo Versions:

41. Black sabbath (01:56) *****

42. Il telefono (01:21) *****

43. Rose e Mary (01:39) *****

44. Frank (01:20) *****

45. Wurdalak (01:19) *****

46. Vladimiro e Sdenka (02:05) *****

47. Inizia la strage (00:56) *****

48. Il vecchio Gorka (01:56) ****

49. Nessuno si salverá (01:40) ****

50. Vampiro! (01:21) ****

51. La maledizione (01:49) ****

52. Il volto della paura (03:27) ****

53. Wurdalak (#2) (02:26) *****

54. La gocchia d'acqua (Sangue Viennese) (02:18) ***

55. L'Infermiera e l'anello (01:44) *****

56. Il cadavere di Miss Perkins (01:48) *****