'70s Italian/Euro cult film music?

There is so much that has been released on CD, but for the Goblin-type prog lovers out there, I've been listening to two (sadly, limited release) CDs fairly recently released on the DigitMovies label out of Italy. These are:

Un ombra nell'ombra (aka Satan's Wife, Ring of Darkness) - by Stelvio Cipriani
and
Il gatto dagli occhi di giada (aka The Cat's Victims, Watch Me When I Kill) - by 'Trans Europa Express'

Both are fantastic rock-oriented scores. There's one track on The Cat's Victims which sounds a lot to me like early '70s Pink Floyd.

 

Un ombra nell'ombra is a very good one. Parts of it are reminiscent "Tubular Bells" of The Exorcist, and it features Goblin's keyboard player. I've tried exploring Cipriani's other scores, but I haven't been successful in finding one yet that's as effective yet, though I'm still trying.




Another very good one is Gli Occhi Freddi Della / Cold Eyes of Fear by Ennio Morricone, which has a nice jazzy, experimental feel. This is one of my favorite Ennio Morricone scores.

 

Maladolescenza by Pippo Carusois another very good one, and as far as I know, the only soundtrack on CD from this prolific Italian film/TV composer ( I've looked for others, and there's only expensive vinyl), which is ironic since I doubt that this particular film itself is viewable anywhere due to controversial legal issues. It doesn't have the groove that a lot of Italian soundtracks have, but it does contain some beautiful music.

 

For those interested. There is a large article on this subject in issue # 32 of Shindig magazine.

 

Another controversial film that is connected to a nice soundtrack is Cannibal Holocaust, scored by none other than Riz Ortolani. Yes, it's 1980, but it feels more connected to the '70s. The title song is so beautiful--many would not expect it to be associated with such a controversial film:

 

Fabio Frizzi is another composer that I enjoy. Zombi 2 and Amore Libero are from the '70s, but he also composed some good stuff in the '80s too, for The Beyond and others. Amore Libero throws in some nice island-reminiscent music into the mix and, I believe, it was his first score.

 

Nico Fidenco also scored some groovy ones in the erotic/exploitation film field, including the Black Emanuelle films and, technically in the '80s, Sesso Nero, all of which I enjoy. Emanuelle in America and Emanuelle Around the World are a couple of my particular soundtrack favorites from Nico.

 

La Ragazza Fuori Strada by Piero Umiliani has some jazzy/funky tracks on it.

 

And, of course, Goblin's Suspiria is pretty great, in addition to the previously mentioned Profondo Rosso, along with their other soundtracks:

 

And this box set from Goblin is pretty great:

 

I used to have a 2LP set called Mo' Plen 2000 that was pretty good.

 

I much prefer the work of Umiliani and Piccioni to that of Morricone, who I find boring except for his "catchy" title tracks. Umiliani and Piccioni are much more fun and experimental sixties. As some mentioned, you can't go wrong with the Easy Tempo collections.

Oh, this is an old thread....

 

I gotten a bit of a taste for some of these euro horror/thriller soundtracks.
I got these from Finders Keepers records

Luboš Fišer - Valerie and her weeks of wonder
Luboš Fišer - Morgiana & The cremator
Bruno Nicolai - The case of the bloody iris
Bruno Nicolai - All the colours of the dark

From reading this thread I've just ordered
Delirium Of The Senses: Psychedelia In Italian Cinema Soundtrack
Ennio Morricone - Gli Occhi Freddi Della / Cold Eyes of Fear

 

Add to that

Andrzej Korzyński - Man of Marble
Andrzej Korzyński - Third part of the night

from finders keepers

 

Bird with crystal plummage gets talked about a lot. I found it not worthy of all the attention.


Best MICALIZZI soundtrack is Stridulum

My fav soundtrack of all time is ROTA 'Casanova - err...'69 or '70". Rota's work is all over-melodic, sticky sweet, but on this one he adds in real mystical-sound to the sweetness, using things like finger bowls. Also there in the harsh massive church organ battle sequence.


SORGINI - Pomphelos, Zoo Folle
UMILIANI - 5 bambole por la luna accosta
FRIZZI -house by cemetary, paura nella..., manchester morgue, beyond & gates of hell


Not soundtrack, but you should look into the Italian prog lps by JACULA.

Also the "Schock" soundtrack by Ital proggers...err, I forgot. Gotta look it up.

 

I always liked Goblin's score to Dawn Of The Dead (my favorite film of all time),

 

Fabio Frizzi didn't compose House By the Cemetery. That was Walter Rizzati with some cues by Alexander Blonksteiner. I've always wondered exactly why there were two composers on that project.

Schock is by Libra, an Italian funk band that at that time involved more than just the usual one member of Goblin. Aside from drummer Walter Martino, guitarist Carlo Pennisi played on Goblin's recordings made in 1979, and Maurizio Guarini contributed with synthesizer programming.

 

I got this a couple years ago and listen to it way more than I thought I would.

 

Once you dive into the world of Eurocult soundtracks there's no turning back. The Mondo Morricone series is excellent, and the scores that make up the majority of these comps, La Donna Invisible, Veruschka, La Foto Proibite Di Una Signora Per Bene, Giornata Nera Per L'ariete, are all great examples of the lounge/gialli/psych side of Morricone.

Piero Piccioni's Camille 2000 (oop, of course) is brilliant, along with Scacco Alla Regina.

I have to give another recommendation for Bruno Nicolai, especially his scores for the films of Jess Franco. digitmovies has a whole series devoted to these titles

If you ever get hooked on Eurocrime and spaghetti western scores your bank account is doomed!

 

I love this series:

 

Lots of great suggestions so far. A few that I love that may not have been mentioned:

Gianni Ferrio - Death Walks at Midnight (giallo)
Piero Piccioni - Seven Murders for Scotland Yard (giallo)
Beretta '70 - Polizia comp

 

Just discovering some of this stuff myself and I've been listening to a bunch of Alessandro Alessandroni stuff. Very cool.

 

the easy tempo comps are fantastic. no 5 is my favourite

 

Truly excellent crime film compilation and well worth grabbing if you can find it for a reasonable price.

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Beretta-70/master/55312