Categories
Morricone

The Morricone Collection: “Slalom” (1965)

Italian theatrical poster.
A young Maestro, around the time he composed the score for “Slalom.”
The Maestro’s screen credit.

The Album:

From the liner notes to Dagored’s 2000 pressing of “Slalom“:

“It is without doubt thanks to the perfect harmony between the composer and the director (a subject that I wit repeat again and again, since the final result is, of course, a single work which is presented to the spectator in the audience) that Morricone’s music for “Slalom” by Luciano Salce is an exharating, small work of art in its category.

Front cover sticker.

It is certainly a reliable example of our own Morricone’s activity in the 60s and 70s. Certainly, the rhythmic, melodic accents would not have been the same without the impressive participation of Alessandroni’s choral formation, and without Alessandro himself, whose contribution often results as being fundamental (and this is particularly the case here) not only for the formal but also for the substance of the work of music itself. Both amused and amusing, the music closely follows the vicissitudes of Gassman who is all the best of his theatrical art (and this music becomes a sort of grateful homage, from myself and from DAGORED, to the memory of Gassman, since the tributes after his death have not been numerous).

The music emphasizes with irony and (it is here that we can see the genius of Morricone’s compositions) above all with a perfect, formal style, the frenzied and amusing events that begin at Sestriere but… who knows where they will finish!

(The orchestration, and we are speaking of a master composer, is rich and vivacious and (Bruno) Nicolai’s orchestral direction is rigorous and has style and, at the same time, is tastefully characterized by a good, healthy sense of rhythm).

See the film if you have the chance… it’s two hours of fun! I have already mentioned Alessandroni, but I would like to further emphasize how the contribution (always discreet, as Sandro isn’t a person who likes to be in the spotlight at all costs) Of “I Cantori Moderni“, which, at the time, included voices such as those of Edda Dell’Orso, Gianna Spagnuto, Raoul, Giulia Alessandroni (just to name a few that first come to mind) returns to this beautiful and enjoyable soundtrack the improvised flavor of a genuine dish of real Italian music… the same music which, with the same name and excellent quality (Morricone) has rightly become a legend all over the world.”

Roberto Zamori/ Film Music Art Studio

Listen to the main theme (“Titoli”) from “Slalom” here:

Ennio Morricone – Titoli – Remastered – Slalom (1965)

Listen to the complete score here:

Ennio Morricone – Slalom – vinyl lp album – Luciano Salce – Vittorio Gassman Daniela Bianchi Dagored

Purchase a copy of the vinyl on Discogs here:

Slalom” on Discogs.

Other Editions:

2000 Dagored pressing.
Gatefold.
Slalom (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Secondary, 2 of 6
Reverse album cover.
2000 Dagored CD release.
2006 Japanese CD release.

The Film:

From MUBI.com:

From Wikipedia:

Slalom is a 1965 Italian comedy film directed by Luciano Salce and starring Vittorio Gassman.[1]

SLALOM
Directed byLuciano Salce
Written byFranco Castellano
Giuseppe Moccia
Produced byMario Cecchi Gori
StarringVittorio Gassman
CinematographyAlfio Contini
Edited byMarcello Malvestito
Music byEnnio Morricone
Release date24 September 1965
Running time108 minutes
CountryItaly
LanguageItalian

Plot

Lucio and Riccardo, a pair of married pals, take their wives on a ski vacation in Sestriere but get distracted by the beautiful and seductive Nadia and Helen, who lure them into unexpected adventure and danger where Lucio is forced to go to Egypt with another passport and identity.

Cast

References

  1.  Brantley, Ben (2007). “New York Times: Slalom”. Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2008.

Title Sequence:

Watch the opening titles for “Slalom” here:

#584– SLALOM opening credits

The Director:

Poster:

Italian theatrical poster.

Categories
Morricone

The Morricone Collection: “Death Rides A Horse” (1967)

When you’ve waited fifteen years to kill a man… It’s a shame you can only kill him once!”

-Tagline for “Death Rides A Horse.”
Theatrical Poster.
Title Shot.
Morricone’s On-Screen Credit.
Dagored’s re-issue of Morricone’sDeath Rides A Horse.”

From the album cover sticker on Dagored’s excellent 2017 re-issue of Morricone’s score to Giulio Petroni’s 1967 Spaghetti Western, “Death Rides A Horse“:

“The soundtrack for this epic western movie featuring the great Lee Van Cleef bears the signature of Ennio Morricone: Guitars, flute, piano, timpani, drums and a Native-American choir style make this motion picture a kind of original masterpiece in the maestro ouvre. I Cantori Moderni di Alessandro Alessandroni perform here in their own unique way with Alessandro Alessandroni on evidence with his original whistling.

Reverse Album Cover Art.
Album Insert.
Reverse Album Insert.

The main musical theme was employed by Quentin Tarantino in ‘Kill Bill vol. 1′ and in Inglorious Basterds!'”

Album Cover Art.
Album Cover Art.
Lee Van Cleef in “Death Rides A Horse.”
John Phillip Law (l), with Van Cleef (r).
Law and Van Cleef.
Earlier Album Pressing.
Italian Poster Art: “Da Uomo A Uomo” aka “Death Rides A Horse.”
Alternate Poster Art.
French Poster.
Alternate Poster Art
DVD Cover Art.

Links:

Listen to the complete score here:

https://youtu.be/Jy5D7D_XzaU?si=Xdauo27R6uUmnN9f

Watch the complete film for free here:

Complete film on YouTube.
www.baystreetvideo.com

If you are in the Toronto area, say hi to my Filmography podcast co-host, Bjorn, and order the film from Bay Street Video.

Outside of Toronto, you can find “Death Rides A Horse” on blu-ray at Amazon here:

https://a.co/d/06Ys5up

Read Roger Ebert’s one-star review of “Death Rides A Horse” here:

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/death-rides-a-horse-1969