Soundtrack: Cinecocktail
Supervisor(s): Paolo Scotti and Daniele De Gemini
Released: 1960s-1970s
Genre(s): 1960's, 1970's, Score, Italian




DOWNLOAD -- Cinecocktail

Keeping up with last week's post from perhaps the best known Italian composer comes a compilation from some lesser known Italian composers. From Italian soundtrack aficionados Paolo Scotti and Daniele De Gemini and straight out of the Beat Records archives, Cinecocktail is a superb collection of 20 easy listening and bossa beauties from 60s and 70s Italian movie soundtracks.

Soundtrack: A Fistful of Dollars & A Few Dollars More
Composer(s): Ennio Morricone
Released: 1964
Genre(s): 1960's, Score, Western




DOWNLOAD -- A Fistful of Dollars

From what initiated an entire genre of classic westerns in the 1960's. Known popularly as Spaghetti Westerns, this film was initially released in Italy in 1964 and released a few years later in the states in 1967. The film immediately took off and from it two Spanish sequels came shorty thereafter.

As one of the first Spaghetti Westerns to be released in the United States, many of the European cast and crew took on American stage names. These included Leone himself ("Bob Robertson"), Gian Maria Volontè ("Johnny Wels"), and composer Ennio Morricone ("Dan Savio").

The film's music was written by Ennio Morricone, credited as Dan Savio. Morricone recalled Leone requesting him to write "Dimitri Tiomkin music" for the film. The trumpet theme is similar to Tiomkin's El Degüello theme from Rio Bravo (1959) (that was called Un dollaro d'onore in Italy) while the opening title whistling music recalls Tiomkin's use of whistling in his Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). Though not used in the completed film, Peter Tevis recorded lyrics to Morricone's theme for the film. As a movie tie-in to the American release, United Artists Records released a different set of lyrics to Morricone's theme called Lonesome One by Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Soundtrack: Kill Bill Vol. 1
Supervisor(s): RZA
Released: 2003
Genre(s): Rock'n'Roll, 1960's, 1970's Score




DOWNLOAD -- Kill Bill Vol. 1

I saw the Kill Bill films back to back at a special screening in Hollywood in 2003. Tarantino spoke in between both films. Its the only time I've ever seen him speak. He was exactly as hilarious and ridiculous as you would think. A total character of himself he obsessed over Uma, he threw excitement out in the crowd on the films that he obsessed with-- his inspirations for both films. One of my favorite moments was talking about his collaboration with the RZA for making the Kill Bill duo. The "Main Title" in Vol. 1 was something the RZA heard in a Vietnamese restaurant in West LA. He was eating dinner and liked it so much that he convinced the restaurant to lend him the actual CD. He called Quentin after dinner and said he "found it".

I found this really cool interview with the RZA. Check out this excerpt:

"It was more of a collaboration. He had an idea and a vision when he wrote the script. I think I was more of somebody that kept it in the guidelines of what he wanted. He was like, here go the eggs, the milk, the cake, the sugar, everything, and I’m going to stir it up. Put this in the oven, watch it, take it out in forty five minutes. Now, am I going to take it out in forty five minutes or am I going to fall asleep? I made sure it got out and if I saw something wrong with it, I fixed it. So when he saw it, he was like, this is cake. ...there was one situation where you see, "Crane and White Lightning", that’s part of the original score, so it’s not really a song. A lot of that stuff is what I use to keep the vibe going between songs. "Crane and White Lightning" is a piece of music that Quentin wanted on the soundtrack, but was originally set for a Metallica track. There’s only one piece of music that I didn’t feel comfortable with when we were done. We lost a sample, I made one Hip Hop beat. I was like I gotta throw one in there. Quentin loved this beat. We rocked with it and it was one of the first things we did. I could've gotten away with it, it was a sample, but so undetectable, so unnoticeable. I wanted to take a chance, but in the movie business you can’t take those kind of chances. I wouldn’t risk nobody else. If it was my movie, I would have taken a chance, but this is Quentin Tarantino’s movie.

Soundtrack: Cinemaphonic Soul Punch
Supervisor(s): David Hollander
Dates Recorded: 1970-1976
Genre(s): Rock'n'Roll, British, Funky, 1970's, Score




DOWNLOAD -- Cinemaphonic Soul Punch

Another amazing comp of spy-thriller funky jams from the Cinemaphonic series. This time Los Angeles-based DJ David Hollander compiles jams from deep in the vaults of rare British action films out of the 1970's. Some of these I've never even heard of, but the jams are fantastic! Released in 2001 this comp is out of print. I feel fortunate to have found it and to share it with you.

Soundtrack: Vigilante! Cult Film Soundtracks
Composer(s): Roy Budd
Released: 1971-1977
Genre(s): Funky, Score, Jazz




DOWNLOAD -- Vigilante! Cult Film Soundtracks

Feeling funky this month. I think things are going to stay in the 1970's. Roy Budd is the man. Scoring nearly 50 films, he is best known for his Jazz-Influenced Funk which he sprinkles amongst large anthems that you could rob a bank or get in a car chase to.

Check out Roy Budd playing his classic theme for the superb 1971 Mike Hodges/Michael Caine film, 'Get Carter'... so cool!

Soundtrack: Cinemaphonic: Electro Soul
Supervisor(s): RZA
Released: 2003
Genre(s): 1970's Score




DOWNLOAD -- Cinemaphonic: Electro Soul

Highly enjoyable listening. Pretty downbeat and not very aggressive, this comp really covers easy listening soul and funk. Now you know where David Holmes came up with those Oceans 11 Grooves.

A killer selection of grooves culled from the archives of the Major/Valentino Records library. Features tracks from notable artists like Jonny Hawksworth (British soundtrack and library music composer), Mario Nascimbene (Italian soundtrack composer) and Walter Murphy (Composed "A Fifth of Beethoven" for the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack).

Soundtrack: Iam Sam
Composer(s): The Beatles (all Cover Songs)
Released: 2001
Genre(s): Rock'n'Roll, Score



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Soundtrack: Death Proof
Supervisor(s): Quentin Tarantino
Released: 2007
Genre(s): Funky, Score, Classical, Rock'n'Roll




DOWNLOAD -- Death Proof

A Soundtrack of Soundtracks. From Morricone to Jack Nitzsche, Tarantino compiles another homage of goodies. Only this time, suspense weighs in even heavier.