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Posted: |
Jan 25, 2024 - 5:06 AM
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By: |
Hurdy Gurdy
(Member)
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This is gonna be hard.
I absolutely LOVE the music of Pino Donaggio.
Always have, since discovering his scores from early Brian DePalma and Joe Dante films, most via classic Varese Sarabande LPs.
His combination of that singer/songwriter gift for melody and hooks, allied to his classical training AND an adherence to a certain Bernard Herrmann style and structure...simplicity almost...in his thriller and tension writing.
And also a willingness to break from the classical norm, incorporating various other music styles, from pop and synth to jazz-like moods.
There aren't many Donaggio scores I don't like, so choosing 5 is no easy task.
But, I'll give it a go (and hopefully you will too).
One I could never leave out is CARRIE, the first LP I bought by him, after seeing and loving the film.
An absolute masterpiece of heart-breaking beauty and terrifying suspense...taking the already brilliant film up a few more notches.
And it started the legendary DePalma-Donaggio relationship that still continues.
I remember getting the TOURIST TRAP LP first (before seeing the film) and thinking WTF as that Main Title played out around my bedroom and I stared at the horrifying (but brilliant) artwork on the LP cover.
Just an incredible off-kilter piece of scoring.
Then the absolutely gorgeous Love Theme...followed by some classic thriller writing...and then the creepy as f**k Mannequins music, a combination of erotic ecstasy and terrifying horror music all in one.
DRESSED TO KILL is another classic score for Brian DePalma. Full of elegant classy scoring, playful moments of lightness and fantastic stalking/chopping terror music...AND THAT Museum cue.
Gotta Love BdeP for allowing his composers to really take over and shine in his films.
Another BdeP score would make my 5 (that's 3 in the 5).
BLOW OUT is an absolute classic film and score for me.
Donaggio's music really adds to the drama and pathos of the whole thing, from the gentle/simple Love Theme for Jack & Sally (no, this isn't THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS) to the operatic extended climax through the Liberty Bell parade and the devastating finale. Absolute 5 STAR stuff.
Those 4 are easy.
Picking number 5 is REALLY HARD.
There are so many others I adore.
BODY DOUBLE, if only for that amazing Telescope tune. I know normal people who have commented on how great that piece of music is.
DON'T LOOK NOW, for its creepiness and sad beauty and also its significance in Donaggio's career.
THE FAN...THE HOWLING...HERCULES...JENATSCH...ZELLY & ME...THE GAMBLE...
But I think the last slot would have to go to DON CAMILLO for the very thing I love about Pino Donaggio.
That eclectic nature of his scores.
This one has elements of pop, synth and Catholic church music alongside his trademark orchestral beauty and lightness of touch. Just sublime.
And those 5 don't contain one of my absolute favourite individual cues by Pino...Chiesa Cattolica from I Banchieri Di Dio (The Bankers Of God)...pure bliss to me.
But anyway...that's enough from me...let's hear your Pino Donaggio Faves...and why.
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As I'm not as big a fan, as you, kEv ,my summary will be less elaborate. So-
1. Zelly and me- coz it's lovely and either the first Pino score or first Pino cd I bought. I think.
2.La Monaca di Monza- love the choral writing and it's different than Ennio's.
3.Catacombs- again love the choral stuff.
4. Hercules - you may recall I like Italian muscle man cheese. And this film is 10 kilos worth. The music is lively, jaunty, new(er) take on the oldies.
5.Corruzione Al Palazzo di giustizia- I love the Italian police films and this Pino's spin on a favourite.
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Don't Look Now (1973)
Zelly and Me (1981)
Blow Out (1981)
Body Double (1984)
Hercules (1984)
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Carrie is surely in my top ten scores by anybody, of all time. So that's a big one.
Dressed to Kill is one of the only scores I ever bought "film-unseen," by mail order from Starlog. And I liked it.
Beyond that, I'm not familiar with what I'm missing.
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Posted: |
Jan 25, 2024 - 9:02 AM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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I've met the man, and I've heard bit and pieces over the years, but so far haven't had that one BIG walkthrough of his career to have total overview. It's been on my to do list for a long, long time. But from what I have, CARRIE wins. Then maybe DRESSED TO KILL, DOMINO, THE ORDER and PASSION.
I had the DEJA VU/GOING BANANAS/ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE triple score CD several years ago, but I believe I either sold or traded it with another FSM member in the early 2000s; name escapes me at the moment. I've had a few other Donaggios too, that for one reason or another have left my collection.
Those, as well as other Donaggio scores, will need to be reassessed soon.
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There's an interview with Donaggio where he says that he couldn't say no to a director who owned fifty of his scores. I'm up to sixty six, so I'm hoping I can get a feature off the ground while he's still working.
A lot of my favourites have already been mentioned, but I'll add HOME MOVIES and NERO VENEZIANO as well.
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Great writeup HG! I hadnt even heard of JENATSCH before. Listening to a suite now - very nice.
1. Piranha - gravitated towards this theme when I was young, still my favorite of his
2. Carrie - great main theme of course, I always loved the dark chapel vibe for when the house is collapsing at the end.
3. China 9 Liberty 37 - once again really great theme, I found myself reaching for this one a lot in college to bring up my spirits.
4. Dressed To Kill - love the extended museum cue particularly
5. Nero Veneziano - all the things I love about Pino are here - wish the CD was mastered better
I also second the praise for Hercules and The Barbarians. Lots of fun
I have most of his score releases (except for Jenatsch apparently!) and enjoy them all. Except maybe Tchin Tchin - I recall hating that one lol
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So which ones do I own you may ask?
I guess it's actually 64 since the Japanese BLOW OUT is an LP rip I downloaded and DOMINO is digital release.
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In case you are interested in Milano Palermo Il Ritorno, which I didn't see in your collection, I see it's currently pretty cheap on Amazon ($7.99!)
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Posted: |
Jan 25, 2024 - 6:13 PM
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By: |
GoblinScore
(Member)
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Excellent post K! Knew I'd eventually chime.
Donaggio is very important to me, thanks to the VHS era. So here goes....
BODY DOUBLE - I still hold this in my top faves, since most of the first half is just score & image. It was nice to hear 'Telescope ' in a pivotal moment in AIR, last year.
THE HOWLING - I saw this around 10 on tele and besides loving the film, something about this one really got to me. Really varied score and Perfect use of that grand, Gothic organ.
DRESSED TO KILL - Classic "romantic suspense" and more memorable set pieces where DePalma let's Pino drive.
CARRIE - Almost begrudgingly adding this since everyone has, but what can I say. I play it often, it's a perfect score in the film (School in Flames and the Herrmann Murder nods aside). The right way to do horror.
TOURIST TRAP - Mybe not even one of his best works, but again - played to death over the years and it's very effective in the creepy film.
Honorable Next 5:
Hercules
Deja Vu
Dont Look Now
Raising Cain
Meridian
Essential Album:
Donaggio/DePalma on Milan - you MUST get the French issue, not the US one, for what's included, despite losing two Raising Cain tracks (not re-recorded, just album tracks), and an extremely powerful reading of 'The Museum' from DtoK. Actually it's so good, might make the NYC album recording tough to go back to...
-Sean
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