Rota Does Poe

Nino Rota's music for Federico Fellini is among the brightest and most interesting Italian film music of the '60s and early '70s. Scores such as LA DOLCE VITA, LA STRADA, JULIET OF THE SPIRITS are among the composer's most profoundly delightful works, exhibiting that Fellini notion of "life as a circus" with a variety of playful, jazzy, and extravagant musical compositions, and most are available either on whole score CDs or compilations, such as the terrific 1991 double CD from CAM, Tutti Fellini, that contained themes from each of Fellini's film scores.

One exception, though, was Rota's exceptional score for TOBY DAMMIT, which was Fellini's contribution to the 1968 horror trilogy, SPIRITS OF THE DEAD, which was compiled of three episodes based on Edgar Allan Poe stories (Roger Vadim's METZENGERSTEIN, and Louis Malle's WILLIAM WILSON completed the cycle, each composed by the director's own musical scorer. This was an abstract, Europeanized version of Poe, a far cry from the celebrated AIP films of the earlier '60s, and wasn't quite as successful.

Previously available only in suite form on compilations such as Tutti Fellini, the complete score to TOBY DAMMIT, in its original mono recording, has been released as one of three Rota Fellini scores on Fellini Rota (GDM limited club release 7018). In addition to the complete score (16 tracks), three bonus tracks are includes, alternate version of two cues, and an excerpt from the recording session with the voices of Rota, Fellini, and others). The CD also includes a reissue of the SATYRICON soundtrack LP in stereo (first time on CD) as well as the original mono film score to ROMA (same content as the 1998 Screen Trax CD) but includes for the first time five stereo cues.

TOBY DAMMIT is a completely enthralling film score. Based on a pair of themes (one for the title character a dizzyingly jazzy motif for keyboards, woodwinds, and cup-muted trumpets over a quirky bass riff that sounds not unlike that of the Cantina Band in STAR WARS; and one for the demon child, a slow, eerie mesmerization for organ and piano), the score is wonderfully giddy, galloping along like a dance marathon band on steroids. The main theme is given all sorts of varieties, from clear jazz to foxtrot to big band, to heavy swing organ, and so on), so while it is almost constantly present it never grows tiring. That theme, incidentally, was recycled by Rota in 1972 for his celebrated GODFATHER score, where it appears under a driving sequence (it's the cue, "The Pickup," on the soundtrack album). The Demon Child theme stays fairly constant in its orchestration, as fits the character it is portraying.

The music for 1969's SATYRICON is among Rota's more bizarre scores, a very atonal and musically abrasive, somewhat difficult to listen to on CD, creating a disturbing and primitive ambience of percussion, plucked strings, sitar, blaring brass, voices, and other soundmaking devices (by the way, if you listen very closely to the background brass underneath the percussion in the opening cue, "Teatriuno Di Vernacchio," you will hear faint echoes of what will become the GODFATHER theme). ROMA, on the other hand, contained one of Rota's loveliest themes in its overture and main titles ("Aria Di Roma"), a richly romantic and Gothic composition reflective of the sturdy columns of ancient Rome. Thoroughly acoustic, its gentle lyric sways beautifully in the cadence of coliseum breezes. The "Fashion Show" music is sprightlier, with woodwinds dancing in lively carnival fashion. The world premiere stereo cues really allow the music to open up nicely.

Unfortunately the CD contains no background information or liner notes, which would be been nice to afford some additional appreciation for the music.

The CD is available now from www.intrada.com

A companion CD, Fellini Piovani, is also available from GDM (Club 7019) and features Nicola Piovani's scores for the director's last three films, GINGER & FRED, LA VOCE DELLA LUNA, and INNERVISTA; www.screenarchives.com has this one available now.

Intrada also offers three other Italian Euroshock scores that have just become available for the first time on CD. Pino Donaggio's tense UN DELITTO POCO COMUNE (AN UNCOMMON MURDER), released on Digitmovies CDDM 010, is a trademark suspense score for slashing violins, piano, winds, bells. The movie was a kind of cat-and-mouse thriller starring Michael York and Donald. A few tracks reportedly display slight tape wow, which is unfortunate, but evidently all that was available to the recording. The same label also offers the complete score, for the first time, of Giorgio Gaslini's LA NOTTE DEI DIAVOLI  (NIGHT OF THE DEVILS; Digitmovies CDDM 009). Gaslini's score or this Italian-Spanish "living dead" movie is creepy enough. The stings and shocks balanced out by a number of tonal ambiences and wordless female voice. The CD presents complete score in stereo from Cinevox vault masters, includes brief 1991 suite constituting sole available recording until this expanded issue. The third release is Maurizio Abeni's score for MASCHERA DI CERA (WAX MASK), Sergio Stivaletti's adaptation of the Gaston Leroux story that also inspired HOUSE OF WAX (DigitMovies CDDM 011), a completely remastered edition of this atmospheric orchestral score. The release contains four previously unreleased tracks.

Howard Shore's original score for the second LORD OF THE RINGS installment, THE TWO TOWERS, received this

Howard Shore scores again with THE TWO TOWERS, his continuation of the musical mythology begun in the Oscar winning FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING.

© 2002 Reprise

Carlo Siliotto will score the upcoming Marvel Comics action adventure THE PUNISHER. Siliotto is best known for his scores for the 2002 television mini series CAESAR, the family film FLUKE and the 1993 drama FLIGHT OF THE INNOCENT. Born in Rome, Siliotto has written film music since the mid-1980s with over seventy theatrical feature and television credits on his filmography. THE PUNISHER is a dark action tale based on the Marvel Comics character, portrayed by Thomas Jane and co-starring John Travolta, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and Laura Harring. The film is set to open in the US on April 16th. musicfromthemovies.com

The massive February Varese Sarabande club release, which the label hinted at last week would be "the greatest single CD Club release ever" has proven to be just that: a [IMG5L]massive six-CD deluxe boxed set. Jerry Goldsmith at 20^th Century Fox, a grand celebration of the composer's 75th birthday (Feb 10^th) that features a dozen world premiere original soundtrack releases, nine of which have never been released in any form before - DAMNATION ALLEY, VON RYAN'S EXPRESS, THE DETECTIVE, SHOCK TREATMENT, FATE IS THE HUNTER, ANNA AND THE KING, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, S*P*Y*S, and THE VANISHING. The set also includes the what Varese describes as the CD debut release of THE CHAIRMAN (not really; the LP soundtrack was reissued, doubled with RANSOM, in 1991 on Silva Screen FILMCD 081), as well as the premiere release of the Original Soundtrack recording of Goldsmith's masterful Prologue from THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY, a premiere suite of never-before-available cues from ALIEN, including the film version of the Main Title. This historic collection features original soundtrack recordings from 39 films, housed in a boxed set that also includes a 64 page, full-color collector's edition book documenting four decades of Jerry Goldsmith's illustrious career at 20th Century Fox featuring essays, artwork and never-before-seen-photos. With over 7 hours of music, including more than 70 tracks of previously unreleased material, this collector's item is limited to only 1500 copies. Varese is taking orders at its web site (www.varesesarabande.com) on a first-come/first-served basis; the release won't ship until March, though.

Not to be outdone, Silva Screen is now readying a substantial 4 CD release of Dimitri Tiomkin's music, entitled The Alamo. It's not original soundtrack, though, but features Silva's usual outstanding orchestra, the Prague Philharmonic, in a newly recorded compilation of the best of Tiomkin's music that is scheduled for release in April. Divided into The Westerns (disc one), The Epics, Hitchcock Thrillers (disc two), Drama And High Adventure (disc two and three), THE ALAMO (disc three), and a Tiomkin Songbook (bonus disc four), the recording promises to be one of the most comprehensive Tiomkin compilations available. www.silvascreen.co.uk/

Speaking of birthdays, John Williams turned 72 on February 8^th.

John Ottman (X2) is currently working on CELLULAR, and will compose the theme for a small budget film called IMAGINARY HEROES with Sigourney Weaver - Deborah Lurie will adapt the score.

David Koepp's upcoming film version of the Stephen

Johnny Depp plays tormented writer Mort Rainey in SECRET WINDOW.

© Columbia Pictures

James Newton Howard's most recent score, Joe Johnston's HIDALGO, the Viggo Mortensen adventure film about a Pony Express courier who travels to 1890 Saudi Arabia to compete in a massive horse race remains intact. The score will be released on CD by Hollywood Records on March 2^nd.

The Golden State Pops Orchestra has announced a series of concerts at the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro, California, including many film music works such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, FORREST GUMP, and YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES. For more information, go to their website at www.GSPO.com.

Jerry Goldsmith provides a candid

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of PLANET OF THE APES with the special DVD edition of the film.

© Fox Home Video

Last week's special edition DVD release of STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, includes a comprehensive interview with composer Cliff Eidelman on the score.