HAPPY NEW YEAR !

just wanted to take a sec to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.

thanks to everyone who has shared their soundtracks this past year (you have really made my ipod into something very special).

I cant wait to to see what soundtracks are unearthed in 2007.

As we move into 2007, here's a toast from the mouth of Colonel Sherman T. Potter: To long lives and short wars.

Dirty Harry (1971) / music by Lalo Schifrin

why we love clint, why we love lalo...

http://rapidshare.com/files/9582245/dirty1_from_dichtung.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/9581985/dirty2_from_dichtung.zip.html

The French Connection (1971) + The French Connection II (1975) / music by Don Ellis

The French Connection was on cable today and I happened to catch a few minutes while doing those after-shower male grooming things (as much grooming as one does on a vacation day with nothing planned except going to the shopping outlets to treat oneself to some late xmas presents) and next thing, of course, im looking for this disc of Don Ellis' music.

The French Connection is such a great film, I dont even hafta tell you its a great film, you already know its a great film, everyone knows how great a film it is, its one of those great films that is so great, its great no matter how many times you see it (Jaws, another example)...hackman, scheider, frog one, subway, car chase...sidebar: has anyone ever realized how many great films roy fuckin scheider was in: the aforesaids Jaws & French Connection, but also Marathon Man, All That Jazz, Sorcerer, Jaws 2 (dont say a word, its got its own iconic moments, like when the shark eats the helicopter; or like when roy tricks the shark into eating the power cable at the end), and yet does anyone ever even think about roy scheider...anyway, i digress...yes, The French Connection, great film...

Don Ellis' music is an integral part of the success of the film, from that urgent pounding opening titles track, to those ominous basso notes that cue suspense, to the building jazz progession during Doyle's foot chase of Frog One that ulimately leads into the subway scene...

No one really talks about The French Connection II, and perhaps there is good reasons for that: it is a much more conventional Hollywood movie, pretty much just a showcase for Hackman, but the final shot of the film with the sudden cut to the end titles is a classic piece of 70s filmmaking...

Ellis' music for the sequel continues the style established in the first film, jangly jazzy stuff, just listen to the opening titles track, and the tracks entitled Popeyes Montage, and the end titles track.

http://rapidshare.com/files/9475871/french1_from_dichtung.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/9476003/french2_from_dichtung.zip.html

Il Disprezzo (1963) / music by Piero Piccioni

Cineville, another (highly recommended) blog, recently shared the score to the French language version entitled Le Mepris (music by Georges Delerue). I think (but am not sure) that the US version (entitled Contempt) carried the Delerue score.

Here is the score to the Italian version of the same film.

http://rapidshare.com/files/9348350/disprezzo1.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/9348489/disprezzo2.zip.html

The Omega Man (1971) / music by Ron Grainer

As a companion to the earlier posting of the score to the Heston classic Soylent Green, here is Ron Grainer's score to The Omega Man.

While Heston's presence always ensures a certain entertainment value, I actually prefer the version of the source material (the book I Am Legend by Richard Matheson) that starred Vincent Price entitled Last Man On Earth; it was much creepier and more atmospheric than this Heston flick.

http://rapidshare.com/files/9219632/omega1.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/9220362/omega2.zip.html

The Crazy World of Jess Franco (1999) / music by Jess Franco & his B. Band

More music from the films of Jess Franco...as performed by Jess Franco.

These might be re-recordings of Franco film music as performed by Franco's own jazz band rather than the actual film recordings (the liner notes on the cd dont shed any light on the music whatsoever).

Dont expect the wild psychedelia of, say, the Vampyros Lesbos soundtrack; this is straight ahead jazz.

Its OK but perhaps for Franco completists only.


http://rapidshare.com/files/9023548/crazy_jess.zip.html

Happy Merry (& Safe) Xmas Holidays!

Dont know 'bout you but I got in-laws duties this xmas...visiting the mrs.'s family...i'll prolly take the computer and try to get a few posts in (the in-laws do go to bed rather early) but there may be some missed days as i tend to these home fires.

before that gets underway i wanted to wish everyone a very happy merry safe holidays.

fuck Its A Wonderful Life, Im gonna keep the pictured flicks playing over the next few days (in between the football games); happily, the in-laws actually love my holiday marathons so its going to be one of those moments: everyone will be sitting in the living room, in front of the warm cracklin fire, exhausted, feeling full in the stomach after that meal, maybe someone is sitting by the lighted tree fiddlin contentedly with one of the presents they received, nomar the cat (who also received presents) asleep on someone's lap and theres this gory 80s slasher flick playing, an ultra sleazy one with edward purdom pursuing a psycho killing santa clauses (one great scene that is 100% make-your-own-Mystery Science Theater-script-for-this, the psycho graphically castrates one unlucky santa victim, and another scene has yet another santa victim's face pushed into the roasting chestnuts)...

priceless...

...4...3...2...1...Morte (Perry Rhodan) (1967) / music by Anton Garcia Abril and Marcello Giombini

This one might be too much of the 1960's...lots of sci-fi female voicing effects (courtesy of Morricone regular Edda Dell'Orso), lots of go-go type music...I dont really play this one often...

here it is for the more adventurous soundtrack listeners out there...

http://rapidshare.com/files/8729965/perry.zip.html

More Roy Budd available

Budd-sters should check out the Soundtracks of Doom site (link below) who is graciously sharing Roy Budd's scores for Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (young Jane Seymour. * sigh *) and also Kidnapped (an adaptation of the Robert Lewis Stevenson tale starring Michael Caine).

Many thanks IndyB007!!!!

Budd-sters are advised to go here:

http://soundsofdoom.blogspot.com/

The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973) / music by Herbie Hancock

love that title...

check out the review for this score at the informative, highly readable, much recommended Score, Baby website (scorebaby.com) and you will see that the original release had bad sound quality; ITS NOT MY FAULT!

nevertheless, its a smokin' score (sprinkled with choice dialogue from the film), worth at least one listen, if only to gauge your tolerance for the sound.

do i really hafta twist yer arm to listen to herbie hancock circa 1973?

http://rapidshare.com/files/8609980/spook.zip.html

The Black Windmill (1974) / music by Roy Budd

Incredibly, a film by Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, Charley Varrick, The Beguiled, Telefon), it stars Michael Caine and Donald Pleasance, and...it blows. I saw this on the now-defunct Mystery cable channel and it was pretty much dead-on-arrival: uninvolving, boring. I did a double take when I saw Don Siegel's name attached as director.

Roy Budd's score does what it can to give the film a jolt and get it moving but its a losing battle (its not Budd's fault, believe me).

Someone on the You Dont Have to Visit This Blog site asked if anyone has Budd's Tomorrow Never Comes.

I'd like to hear that one but I'll also toss out - does anyone have Budd's scores for any of the following: Paper Tiger; The Sea Wolves; Soldier Blue; that Sinbad movie (I had seen this on the Forum just as it went kablooey and I didnt get to it in time).

I have Budd's score for Fear is the Key so if anyone wants that one, just let me know.

http://rapidshare.com/files/8483002/windmill.zip.html

Forza G (1971) / music by Ennio Morricone

quick one. morricone. gotta run.

http://rapidshare.com/files/8469220/forza.zip.html

Rocky Balboa opens today

look, i'm hoping he actually pulls it off...

the very idea of Rocky Balboa (an aged, puffing Rockhead still fighting in the ring after six(!) movies) sounds like something Mad magazine did with artwork by Mort Drucker when the first Rocky movie came out (30 years ago!!!).

but im behind him (am I the only one, really?), i think the idea has promise but he's gotta do it right...it could go either way: hilarious good (Rocky III), hilarious bad (Rocky IV) or Uh-Oh (Rocky V).

he got rid of adrian so thats a step in the right direction...

now, as to the new Rambo he is supposedly filming as I write this - well, even i draw the line somewhere. he's on his own with that one...

7 Hyden Park: La Casa Maledetta (1985) / music by Francesco De Masi + Seven Murders for Scotland Yard (1972) / music by Piero Piccioni

giallo! I havent posted any giallo yet!

so, heres some giallo.

(couldnt find any images i.e. a poster for Seven Murders for Scotland Yard. none. not a one.)

http://rapidshare.com/files/8347987/hyden.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/8347973/scotland.zip.html

Jerry Fielding Film Music 3 (Suites from The Gambler (1974), Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) and the unused score for The Getaway (1972))

I think this post has been superceded and made somewhat irrelevant by releases of full cds devoted to the complete scores for Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia and Fielding's unused score for The Getaway.

Still, this post does contain Fielding's music for James Toback scripted / Karel Reisz directed The Gambler which, as far as I know, is still unavailable elsewhere.

I dont have the full cds of The Getaway or Bring Me The Head... so this post is for everyone in the same boat as me. As we wait for another blog to post these full cd releases, hopefully this post will tide us over for now.

(although there are only three tracks, these are long suites, too big for one upload, so I had to break the posting into two uploads).

http://rapidshare.com/files/8214389/fielding1.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/8213891/fielding2.zip.html

The Illustrated Man (1969) / music by Jerry Goldmsith

I actually just discovered I had this; its been so long since I first added it to my collection and it musta simply got buried in the pile. how could i let this one, a jerry goldsmith score, disappear like that without ever wondering where the hell is was?

kind of an like an unexpected xmas present, I guess...

so i have no words to tell you about the score, and I havent seen the film in a loooong time so I cant even say a word or two about that.

http://rapidshare.com/files/8079244/illustrated.zip.html

The Ruling Class (1972) / music by John Cameron

This is my second VINYL RIP (and in 320kbs to boot).

I think you will find improved sound here over my last vinyl rip (The Boys From Brazil post way down below) as I discovered that if I simply turn up the volume on the stereo, the digital recording of the track will benefit.

Wisdom: it comes to us suddeny.

The (slight) down side here is that this LP was not in as pristine shape as the Goldsmith LP - on my Ruling Class LP, there are just a few skips to which a note of music or a word of dialogue may fall victim. Nevertheless, I thought this score was rare enough to warrant a posting no matter the less than perfect condition.

Gene Siskel (god bless 'im) put me onto this flick - I was a big fan of Siskel & Ebert (more Siskel than Ebert), back in Siskel & Ebert's glory days, when they were still on PBS. I remember it was Siskel who brought this to viewers attention, saying it should be rediscovered on video. And he was right. This flick is one of the funniest I have ever seen (if a bit long). Peter O'Toole was Oscar nominated for his pull-out-all-the-stops performance; he sings, he dances, he's hilarious, he's chillingly psychopathic.

The film breaks into spontaneous song & dance at the most unexpected moments.

The soundtrack LP features lots of O'Toole's dialogues (a great way for you to sample his performace) and the original songs that pop up. Highlights are O'Toole singing The Varsity Drag and My Blue Heaven.

http://rapidshare.com/files/7921111/ruling_class.zip.html

REQUEST: The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) / music by Maurice Jarre

Just wanted to throw this request out there.

While posting the score to Witness (see below) and having received The Mosquito Coast from one of the visitors to the blog, I came to hankering for Mr. Jarre's score for The Year of Living Dangerously.

Its the usual story - I had this one a long time ago, and I remember I really enjoyed the music back then. I havent heard this one in quite some time but hopefully the music will still stand up.

So, if anyone has this one and wouldnt mind sharing, i would greatly appreciate it.

Witness (1985) / music by Maurice Jarre

Another of my fave scores, and yet another from Mr. Jarre.
The score is composed using synthesizers but fear not, there are beautiful passages throughout this score. Even removed from the visuals, a track like "Building the Barn" has a real sweeping...i dunno, majesty (for lack of a better word).

A great companion score to The Mosquito Coast.

http://rapidshare.com/files/7810755/jarre_wit.zip.html

Sisters (1973) / music by Bernard Herrmann

One of Brian DePalm's early Hitchcock riffs wisely uses Hitchcock's favored composer. A great score that outdoes even Herrmann's score for Psycho (which DePalma's film is aping).

http://rapidshare.com/files/7682309/sisters.zip.html

The Dynamite Brothers (1973) / music by Charles Earland

Just trying to cover all soundtrack genres, so here is my first blaxploitation score.

I'm not sure if this score gets the recognition it deserves (maybe cuz the movie is relatively unknown to the uninitiated) but maybe this post will get the ball rolling. Its an ass-kicking, no hold barred funky score.


http://rapidshare.com/files/7539455/dynamite.zip.html

Thank Youse Gentle Peoples!

Just a note that I had posted some requests for scores and all have been graciously donated by some really nice folks.

I really want to say again to everyone who provided these scores that I am very, very grateful for your providing these scores.

Everyone should check the comments under the Heavens Gate request post, & you will see the link for that score (and it is HIGHLY recommended - it is a beautiful score).

In the comments under the Mosquito Coast request post, you will find the link for that Maurice Jarre score (it is one of my faves).

Also in the comments for the Mosquito Coast post, you will find a like for Bernard Hermann's score for It Lives Again (you cannot turn down a Bernard Hermann score).

In the comments under the request post for John Barry's score for Frances, you will find a link to that score as well.

Lastly, in the comments for The Boys From Brazil score, you will find a link to an expanded cd release of that score (making my post somewhat irrelevant as the sound is way better - mine is a vinyl rip - although my post includes the vocal that is not on the expanded cd). Trust me, and just go for that cd score immediately.

(The score by Michael J Lewis for The Naked Face was donated by Cedric and has its very own posting down below).

Thanks again to everyone for everything!

Equus (1977) / music by Richard Rodney Bennett

Few things sound sweeter than Richard Burton's voice when it wraps itself around worthwhile material. It should be noted here that few things sound more hilarious than Richard Burton's voice when it is defeated by really lousy material (witness the oft mentioned Exorcist II: The Heretic, or Circle of Two, or The Klansman).

Equus (the play; the film) is great material.

This soundtrack features clips from Burton's monologues in the film and I have to tell you, I listen to those more than I do the actual music by Richard Rodney Bennett. When there is overlap and Burton is throwing down accompanied by the music, its almost like a poetry slam.

Otherwise, the music, on its own, is a kind of melancholy, faux classical, all the time played in lower registers. There are some great passages but it often becomes monotonous - the music needs Burton's angst to really soar.

Check this out - I bet you will be editing Burton's monologues out for use in your mix cds...

http://rapidshare.com/files/7402620/equus.zip.html

L'Uomo, L'Orgoglio, La Vendetta (1968) / music by Carlo Rustichelli

Time for my first western post.

http://rapidshare.com/files/7260963/luomo.zip.html

The Naked Face (1984) / music by Michael J. Lewis

This post comes to us via one of the visitors to the blog - a big shout out to Cedric for sharing this Michael J Lewis score.

Has anyone even seen this film? I remember it was out on video back in the heyday (what WASNT on video back then) but has since fallen into oblivion.

What a cast tho - in addition to Moore, you have Rod Steiger (who usually plays the simplest roles way WAY over the top, so his presence is promising), Art Carney(?!?!), and Elliot Gould(!!!!!!!). The mind reels at the thought of the acting fireworks...

I've only listened to portions of this score so far - theres a smokey saxophone weaving around a drum machine in some parts. Looking forward to hearing the rest.

Thanks again, Cedric!


http://rapidshare.com/files/7142512/the_naked_face.zip.html

3 Films by Jess Franco / music by Manfred Hubler & Siegfried Schwab

If you have the Vampyros Lesbos disc, you know what to expect here (some tracks from that cd appear here also).

I happen to dig this trippy dance music; its great for playing on long bike rides, but also to play at the gym while spending time on the treadmill: you have this playing on your walkman while you check out the chicks working out around you and viola, you create your very own Franco movie in your head.

One image accompanying this post is the cover of the cd; the other is completely irrelevant to the cd and I dont think it is a Franco film (I just like the poster).

http://rapidshare.com/files/7118031/franco_films1.zip.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/7118057/franco_films2.zip.html