Messages

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Hi guys,

Sorry I don't speak Italian, but I just wanted to stop by and tell you that La-La Land's new KRULL release sounds amazing!  I purchased a copy at Comic Con last week, and the sound quality is much better than the Southern Cross CDs.  Just perfect!

Josh

If you had to pick only one favorite score by Maestro Frizzi, which would you choose?

What is it about that particular score that appeals to you most?

I will be back later with my choice. 

Allow me to sing the praises of Micalizzi's amazing and funkalicous Da Corleone a Brooklyn, which I'm listening to for the first time right now.  This score exemplifies everything that I love most about Italian film music from the 70s.  Just perfect.

http://www.beatrecords.it/shop.asp?idprodotto=BCM9501&lingua=e

Many of the great Italian composers were able to create wonderful, addictive scores based on just one or two themes.  These themes are presented in many different styles and arrangements throughout the composition, so that they never become boring.  This seems to me to be a talent almost exclusive to Italian composers.  In other words, composers from other countries have tried implementing this technique, but with much less success in my opinion. 

Of course, not all listeners are able to appreciate this approach or even recognize the (sometimes slight) variations on the themes as the score progresses.  I once played Morricone's L'Assoluto Naturale during a lunch party at my work, and about halfway through the CD, one woman said, "Haven't we heard this song like 10 times already?" 

Josh     

Great idea, John.  This is more or less what I was trying to do with my "What was the first BEAT CD or LP you ever bought?" thread, and you were the only person who replied. 

Since my post in that thread is similar to what you're asking for here, I'll copy and paste it to get this party started.  Hopefully more people will join in this time!

...

A native of the USA (San Diego, California, to be exact), I only just "discovered" the world of Italian films and film scores about 10 years ago.  At the time, I was working in a hip little family-owned video rental store which had a massive collection of rare and obscure videocassettes (the type you'd never see in a commercial chain store).  Part of that collection consisted of about a zillion horror films from all over the world, and that's how I originally came to know and love Italian horror films (and their soundtracks!).  I eventually branched out and explored many other wonderful Italian film genres (such as sci-fi, sexploitation, giallo, western, peplum, etc.) , but it was horror that originally got me hooked. 

The first BEAT CD I ever purchased was BEAT Records CDCR 24, the double-header featuring Fabio Frizzi's Paura Citta Paura Nella Città Dei Morti Viventi (1980) and Giuliano Sorgini's The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974).  I was absolutely blown away when I listened to it, because it was unlike any other music I'd ever heard before.  It was one of those exciting, revelatory moments when you realize that there is another whole world of music out there to explore, just when you thought you'd heard it all.  Of course, thanks to the Italian film score labels that are working so hard to preserve and produce this excellent music for us all to enjoy, I'm able to continue to making new discoveries all the time. 

Yeah, LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE is fantastic!  I have the BEAT CD, featuring that score coupled with Frizzi's CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD.  That's one of my all-time favorite BEAT releases.  Just amazing.  What other scores did Sorgini compose, John?  Any other horror films?  I'd love to hear more of his music.

Thanks for posting that, John.  I love the style and sound of that era (70s) in European film scoring, especially films of the horror variety.  Consequently, I've been a fan of De Los Rios' WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? since the 2002 release of the Subterfuge Records CD (which featured only the original LP presentation), so this expanded release of the original tracks was a very pleasant surprise.  The inclusion of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED was a major bonus as well.  Huge thanks to Singular (now Quartet) for getting this (and others) out there for us to enjoy.

Like I mentioned over on the FSM board, I just listened to this CD for the first time the other day, and it totally blew me away.  I was expecting it to be mostly (if not completely) slow, dark suspense music, and it's certainly in there, but what I wasn't expecting was all the groovy, offbeat booty-shake tunes that inject this score with Morricone's unique and infectious air of frivolity and at the same time create a perfect balance between the light and the dark material.  This is one hell of a release.  In fact, I'm going to give it another spin right now. 

Hi eda-88!

Welcome to the board!  As you can see, I am a newbie here as well, and it is great to be able to talk with others who share a passion for Italian film scores.  I agree, there is so much unreleased music, but in a sense that can be a good thing because it gives us much to look forward to, and also provides enough projects to keep our beloved favorite soundtrack labels in business for many years to come! 

Josh

A native of the USA (San Diego, California, to be exact), I only just "discovered" the world of Italian films and film scores about 10 years ago.  At the time, I was working in a hip little family-owned video rental store which had a massive collection of rare and obscure videocassettes (the type you'd never see in a commercial chain store).  Part of that collection consisted of about a zillion horror films from all over the world, and that's how I originally came to know and love Italian horror films (and their soundtracks!).  I eventually branched out and explored many other wonderful Italian film genres (such as sci-fi, sexploitation, giallo, western, peplum, etc.) , but it was horror that originally got me hooked. 

The first BEAT CD I ever purchased was BEAT Records CDCR 24, the double-header featuring Fabio Frizzi's Paura Citta Paura Nella Città Dei Morti Viventi (1980) and Giuliano Sorgini's The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974).  I was absolutely blown away when I listened to it, because it was unlike any other music I'd ever heard before.  It was one of those exciting, revelatory moments when you realize that there is another whole world of music out there to explore, just when you thought you'd heard it all.  Of course, thanks to the Italian film score labels that are working so hard to preserve and produce this excellent music for us all to enjoy, I'm able to continue to making new discoveries all the time.   




What was the first BEAT Records CD or LP you ever bought?

~ Josh

Any Emanuelle score is cause for celebration, especially expanded and remastered with loving care as these new BEAT releases are.  Can't wait to hear it! 

I haven't heard the CD, but from the samples it sounds pretty good, especially for having been mastered from vinyl!

That cover art is gorgeous!  I haven't seen this film, but I'm looking forward to hearing the music.  Go go BEAT!