 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hey guys! As part of my New Years resolution to try out other film music genres, I have decided to start with peplum scores. So, do you guys have any recommendations for absolutely must-have peplum scores? A brief description of each score would also be appreciated.
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Jan 1, 2012 - 9:02 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
ToneRow
(Member)
|
Hey guys! As part of my New Years resolution to try out other film music genres, I have decided to start with peplum scores. So, do you guys have any recommendations for absolutely must-have peplum scores? A brief description of each score would also be appreciated.
Thanks!
I wouldn't say the ones I would recommend are must-haves, but simply the ones I like overall.
Don't have much in this category myself, but it's an interesting area to me because it reflects Italian genre movie scores prior to Ennio Morricone's era of Westerns.
I'm fond of late-1950s & early-1960s, and this seems to be the only other collectable genre from this time period besides Hollywood historical/religious epics.
This genre also demonstrates a sort-of "who's who" from the Italian movie music scene at this time.
In no particular order:
I appreciate any opportunity there is to mention Roberto Nicolosi!
Nicolosi may have been scoring films for only a short time (say 1959 through 1964), but I've never been disappointed by any soundtrack of his, and his ROMA CONTRO ROMA is a good place to start.
Mario Nascimbene + 1959 + chorus = a two-fer disc that should not be ignored.
CARTHAGE IN FLAMES peplum plus Hollywood biblical epic SOLOMON AND SHEBA - 2 related genres in 1 disc (can't go wrong with this).
Gino Marinuzzi, Jr. is another under-appreciated Italian composer.
HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN features percussion prominently and evokes antiquity via its use of archaic-sounding scales/intervals.
The Steve Reeves HERCULES is the grand-daddy of them all.
If there is a must-have, this should be it. Enzo Masetti's music is sumptuous.
Armando Trovajoli provides thick atmospheric soundscapes for HERCULES IN THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
A strong musical entry for the genre, from the hardly-ever-talked-about Teo Usuelli.
Shouldn't omit any Angelo Francesco Lavagnino, should we? So here's SAFFO!
Images of Tina Louise as SAFFO are additional incentives to get this one.
Since Piero Piccioni is my favorite Italian composer, I'm plugging one for him!
Where's "wayoutwest"?
I'm sure he's got dozens more! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the reply :-)
These scores seem very intriguing... I will check them out :-)
Further recommendations are of course welcome!
Oh, and Happy New Year to everyone!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jan 1, 2012 - 12:20 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
MMM
(Member)
|
There are so many that are excellent (definitely get the Masetti Hercules scores), including those mentioned above, but for me, the giant of them all is "The Last Days of Pompeii" by Lavagnino. In a poll by "Soundtrack!" readers decades ago (an old,d defunct magazine), it was the #1 most-wanted score of all time -- in any genre. Another very popular one is Rustichelli's "Thief of Bagdad." Also, Carlo Savina's "Ursus Nella Terra Di Fuoco" as well as some of his other scores is fun. De Masi's include "Maciste L'Eroe Piu Grande Del Mondo," "Maciste Nelle Miniere Di Re Salomone," "La Rivolta Delle Gladiatrici," Il Figlio Dello Sceicco," "Seven Slaves Against Rome," "La Vendetta Di Spartacus," and he often has more oomph (pounding timpani) in his scores than some others. Still, my first choice would be Lavagnino's "The Last Days of Pompeii." If you don't like this one, you don't like Peplum!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jan 1, 2012 - 12:45 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
dan the man
(Member)
|
From about 1958 to about 1965, in Italy the sub genre of sword and sandels, Greek mythology, Roman Empire films etc etc greatest asset was their often fine film scores from fine Italian film composers of the day.Alot of lovely melodies in themes and good solid action mood cues throughout.Local TV Stations throughout America used to show these films many times in the late 60's and early 70's, then for the most part, bingo, they didn't pick up the packages or for other reasons better yet for the experts to tell they vanished from the airwaves, Cable in the last 30 years have not been as kind with that subgenre, i remember back in the early 90's one weekend TNT when they had movies, had a weekend marathon on those films, a small morsel of the hundreds that were made in that genre. Video and DVD in recent years have helped to a certain extent, but to me the biggest lost of the too often obscurity of these films is the music, good music backing up often terible effects and props, often jagged editing, confused plots and inept dubbing, that became a reason to make comic remarks on those efforts..Good idea to try to dig out and examine the scores available in those films.i notice on You tube, The foreign westerns from the 60's have been nicely exposed, also alot of good music, where mainstream availabilty are long gone.They should have a western Channel no 2 that covers all the hundreds of westerns made around the world in the 60's till early 70's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I totally agree with all of the above and would just add Piero Piccioni's "Duel of the Titans" (aka “Romolo e Remo”) which is one of my own favorites.
P.S. I believe there is a Piccioni listed above -- but the image doesn't display on my system so if it is "Duel of the Titans" sorry for the duplicate recommendation!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There's a film called SAUL E DAVID, which has a melodic score.
But I suppose the 2-CD set of HERCULES/HERCULES UNCHAINED is probably the best of the peplums.
Though I second all the suggestions here. I love peplums, went to see them all the time in the early 60's, and I have as many scores as I've been able to find.
There are a number of unreleased peplums I'd also love to get, like THE MONGOLS, THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES, and SWORDSMEN OF SIENA, to name a few.
As well as a number of Italian period productions, historical films not set in the ancient world, like VENERE IMPERIALE, and IL TEMPESTA, which I actually saw in the late 50's, when its U.S. title was TEMPEST, with a lovely score, which has been released on CD.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a snot-nosed eight-year old, Rustichelli's THIEF OF BAGHDAD was my first introduction to Italian cinema as kid. I saw it on the big screen and loved not only the film, but the score as well. And no, I didn't read the credits and catch Rustichelli's name. But when the film finally came to TV, I remember recording the music titles on my uncle's reel-to-reel just so I could hear the main titles again and again. Years later, I finally got the soundtrack lp and then the cd reissue. Still love it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, thanks for all the nice replies! I certainly have a lot to go on now, thanks to you guys! Super cool! Again, many thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jan 9, 2012 - 1:36 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
MMM
(Member)
|
I picked up this one after MMM recommended it and I love it many thanks
Do you realize you're the FIRST person to ever take my advice about anything? And probably the last, too. But I'm glad you enjoy it. Lavagnino was a huge fan of Rozsa's, which you can tell when listening to this score. There is a theme that (I believe) also appeared in "Saffo Venere di Lesbo." Another favorite Lavagnino scores are "Continente Perduto" ("The Lost Continent"), which is NOT a Peplum score, as it is from a documentary, but it has many lovely moments that can bring one peace and contentment and carry the listener away to exotic lands. A marvelous CD was released recently by the Alhambra label, which also produced the companion Lavagnino documentary scores for "L'Impero Del Sole" and "L'Ultimo Paradiso." Again, these are different styles from Peplum scores, but if you want to explore Lavagnino more, "Continente Perduto" is a fine place to start.
Another Lavagnino favorite is also not a Peplum score, but it is GORGO (a monster score), which our label re-recorded. It's so sad that there have been so few Lavagnino re-recordings done, as his evocative style and unique orchestral sound would make many of his works stand out even more from how the sound on 50-year-old tapes.
Maybe one of these years I'll find a pirate's treasure and be able to record one of his non-surviving Peplum scores. As far as I know, nobody has newly recorded a single Peplum score from any composer, have they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i would like to obtain THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEI and want to know what soundtrack stores have it available. thanks very much.
It might be cheaper for you to get it direct from CAM
http://www.camscores.com/site/index.php?site=ost&path=cd&idcd=187&label=cam&alpha=A
It is kind of strange, but neither this regular CAM homepage:
http://www.camoriginalsoundtracks.com/site/index.php?site=ost
nor this one:
http://www.camscores.com
will lead you to the CD of GLI ULTIMI GIORNI DI POMEPI anymore. You get only a "not available" for all their older CDs in their catalogue.
And the later website is now devoted only to the CAM Jazz group, not to soundtracks anymore!
So it seems that CAM does not sell their CDs anymore on their regular websites, only some of them on that more or less "hidden" one which Wayoutwest has discovered and mentioned above. Provided that this one is still valid! Probably this has something to do with the fact that they no longer have the rights for the scores and have sold everything to the Sugar company.
Has anyone here tried to order a CD directly from CAM during the last weeks at all and did it work? Would be interesting to know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the Nascimbene and Usuelli titles are of interest to me.
