THE INVISIBLE WOMAN La Donna Invisibile Laid back Morricone #42
This series is inspired by a controversy thread where someone posited the idea that besides THE MISSION and some Sergio Leone westerns Ennio Morricone hasn't written anything great. Rather than making my usual comment that most of Morricone's great scores are from Italy and trying to get Americans to listen to them is like getting them to see movies with subtitles, I decided to take another tact. Since I am at an age where I will only be able to make my case a finite number of times I decided to turn this into a series presenting each great score one at a time, sort of like recordman.
This, I thought, would be a good place to bring up METTI UNA SERA A CENA but since a thread was brought up recently about that score I postponed it and substituted this one that I think is just as good but more obscure. This is another arthouse movie that has a wonderful entertaining score. Here is "Alla Serenita" the loungy latin version of the main theme:
This is another art film about the bored affluent (like METTI) that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. It is only one of four films written and directed by Paolo Spinola and the only one scored by Morricone. It is about a college professor Andrea (Silvano Tranquilli) his wife, Laura (Giovanna Ralli) and her strange cousin, Delfina (Carla Gravina) who is also a maid (and is also something else entirely). The invisible woman is the wife who is so neglected she feels she isn't even seen. Morricone's main theme is done pensively suggesting there is something going on underneath this whole mix of relationships, but is also done delightfully lounge as above. A secondary lounge theme "Ritratto D'autore" gets both a straight version and a slightly rock one that renders it unrecognizable (which is cool , it sounds like a whole other theme). One other theme "In Un Sogno Il Sogno" leaves Edda Del Orso room for her scat singing. Plus another rock song on the Avanz album and two bonus cues from another film makes this a loungy spectacular!
One of the catchiest cues, "La Moda" has a great folksy quality. So catchy that when Morricone's son Giovanni made his one and only film AL CUORE SI COMANDA on the soundtrack, co-written by Ennio and his other son Andrea, they used "La Moda." Then as a tribute to their father they added lyrics in English "We Love Ennio". This piece also includes an intro by what I am guessing is his grandson.
Another film scored by the Maestro which I haven't seen (I don't think I've ever seen its availability, either) and, from your description, I'm not sure I'd provide the time to view.
But as with so many others, another lovely score. Does it work in the film? I don't know (and my main criticism of his scores - which I know others will challenge - is that I find his music can stand proud of the images and become a little too obvious) but on disc each and all are worth hearing. And some, like this present one, are great listens.
This is a score I came almost new to in recent years. Whilst I had a theme or two from many of his other scores on the old vinyl compilation albums, this one had not been so represented and I first heard a selection of its themes (5 of) on that marvellous 3CD set Mondo Morricone - The Trilogy back in 2004 (subsequently replaced by the OSTs).
Another film scored by the Maestro which I haven't seen (I don't think I've ever seen its availability, either) and, from your description, I'm not sure I'd provide the time to view.
But as with so many others, another lovely score. Does it work in the film? I don't know (and my main criticism of his scores - which I know others will challenge - is that I find his music can stand proud of the images and become a little too obvious).
Well my only defense, at least of his Italian films, is that he is the victim of the Italian film industry. For some peculiar reason they never developed their sound equipment for films so the result was they have had some of THE strongest photographic styles in the world with directors like Visconti, Antonioni, Fellini, Bertolucci, Zefirelli, etc. changing the very visual language of the cinema. The downside is their dialogue always had a hollow dead quality because it was all dubbed and their music, with a few exceptions, was not done to picture. Many of his scores had designated emotional hits (suspense, love, spectacle) that the editors would line up in the editing room with the rest being opened-ended mood pieces that he would turn over to them to cut and paste anywhere they pleased (my favorite 12 minute REVOLVER piece was made this way). No doubt this can result in some awkward music placement but I think it gives also a certain sense of freedom to Italian composers that American ones might envy. Yin and yang.
My two all time favorite Morricone non-western scores are this & Metti Una Sera A Cena. The Invisable Woman is the classier one & Metti is the most fun, but two fantastic scores that I listen to a lot, & I'm sure anyone who likes Morricone would have both.
Another film scored by the Maestro which I haven't seen (I don't think I've ever seen its availability, either) and, from your description, I'm not sure I'd provide the time to view.
No, the film itself doesn't inspire any searching for:
Another film scored by the Maestro which I haven't seen (I don't think I've ever seen its availability, either) and, from your description, I'm not sure I'd provide the time to view.
But as with so many others, another lovely score. Does it work in the film? I don't know (and my main criticism of his scores - which I know others will challenge - is that I find his music can stand proud of the images and become a little too obvious).
Well my only defense, at least of his Italian films, is that he is the victim of the Italian film industry. For some peculiar reason they never developed their sound equipment for films so the result was they have had some of THE strongest photographic styles in the world with directors like Visconti, Antonioni, Fellini, Bertolucci, Zefirelli, etc. changing the very visual language of the cinema. The downside is their dialogue always had a hollow dead quality because it was all dubbed and their music, with a few exceptions, was not done to picture. Many of his scores had designated emotional hits (suspense, love, spectacle) that the editors would line up in the editing room with the rest being opened-ended mood pieces that he would turn over to them to cut and paste anywhere they pleased (my favorite 12 minute REVOLVER piece was made this way). No doubt this can result in some awkward music placement but I think it gives also a certain sense of freedom to Italian composers that American ones might envy. Yin and yang.
Interesting comments, Morricone, which tie in with my understanding that Maestro Morricone ... and his fellows ... seem (I do not know) to have composed based on ideas/scripts rather than against the films, on many, if not all, cases. I believe other composers have done the same but of the few Italian films I've watched I do find the music more prominent. Those US originated films which carry scores by Mr. Morricone (such as Bugsy, Disclosure, Two Mules for Sister Sara) are more typical of the US/UK sound.
Of course, it could simply be that after a life-time of exposure to US/UK output, anything different is going to sound strange to me.
I'm presently reading A History of Film Music by Mervyn Cooke which I know deals with the Italian film music industry ... but not until pp365 ... and I'm at p114 (Hollywood's Golden Age) just now. Maybe that will provide me with more of an insight into the practices of Cinecittà and its kind.
Does it work in the film? I don't know (and my main criticism of his scores - which I know others will challenge - is that I find his music can stand proud of the images and become a little too obvious).
Well my only defense, at least of his Italian films, is that he is the victim of the Italian film industry. For some peculiar reason they never developed their sound equipment for films so the result was they have had some of THE strongest photographic styles in the world with directors like Visconti, Antonioni, Fellini, Bertolucci, Zefirelli, etc. changing the very visual language of the cinema. The downside is their dialogue always had a hollow dead quality because it was all dubbed and their music, with a few exceptions, was not done to picture. Many of his scores had designated emotional hits (suspense, love, spectacle) that the editors would line up in the editing room with the rest being opened-ended mood pieces that he would turn over to them to cut and paste anywhere they pleased (my favorite 12 minute REVOLVER piece was made this way). No doubt this can result in some awkward music placement but I think it gives also a certain sense of freedom to Italian composers that American ones might envy. Yin and yang.
That's a very salient point Henry. And well put. I'd like to add that Ennio is one of the very best composers at judging what a film will take, music-wise. And how much it will take, in certain areas. Clearly, we dont know, with over 450 plus films how many were composed to the film, how many off scripts, or how many purely off discussions with directors. We do know he has composed "blind" on many occasions and such is his bank of melody in his head, he has provided themes that fit like a glove. Some have accused him of providing OTT music at times and there are occasions where you would think "this theme here is too much" but somehow - against all known logic - it works perfectly when viewing the film. He proves instincts wrong. One of the maddest ones - and most well-known example - is probably the use of a powerful soprano aria in the middle of a western. Who would not expect that to grate and look out of place? But its one of the most startling moments in cinematic history - credit, of course, goes to the space Leone gave him to take over the film, but he did take over the film - and it was genius. The film was better and more memorable for Ennio's boldness, his cheek, if you like. Frayling described it as "the origin of rock videos."
I witnessed the similar "reaction" as musicmad describes above when I took a girlfriend - years ago - to a screening of Duck you Sucker and a meal in town. At this point, film music had not come up in our conversations, merely that she said she liked westerns because her Dad watched them when she was young. After sitting through two hours of Sean, sean, sean, she said to me afterwards she thought the music was "a little odd" and "in your face". During the meal I caught her humming it. Three days later she asked me if I knew where she could get the music!!
That's a very salient point Henry. And well put. I'd like to add that Ennio is one of the very best composers at judging what a film will take, music-wise. And how much it will take, in certain areas. Clearly, we dont know, with over 450 plus films how many were composed to the film, how many off scripts, or how many purely off discussions with directors. We do know he has composed "blind" on many occasions and such is his bank of melody in his head, he has provided themes that fit like a glove. Some have accused him of providing OTT music at times and there are occasions where you would think "this theme here is too much" but somehow - against all known logic - it works perfectly when viewing the film. He proves instincts wrong. One of the maddest ones - and most well-known example - is probably the use of a powerful soprano aria in the middle of a western. Who would not expect that to grate and look out of place? But its one of the most startling moments in cinematic history - credit, of course, goes to the space Leone gave him to take over the film, but he did take over the film - and it was genius. The film was better and more memorable for Ennio's boldness, his cheek, if you like. Frayling described it as "the origin of rock videos."
I witnessed the similar "reaction" as musicmad describes above when I took a girlfriend - years ago - to a screening of Duck you Sucker and a meal in town. At this point, film music had not come up in our conversations, merely that she said she liked westerns because her Dad watched them when she was young. After sitting through two hours of Sean, sean, sean, she said to me afterwards she thought the music was "a little odd" and "in your face". During the meal I caught her humming it. Three days later she asked me if I knew where she could get the music!!
And another point, after listening to so many expanded scores I am amazed at how subtle and shaded his music can get. I sometimes hear a nuance that fits perfectly the idea of the film. Yet in the film itself they would pick something obvious, almost as if they couldn't hear what he was doing in the nuanced cue or didn't want to consider a different approach. It's all subjective and like the instance of Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith's ALIEN, not just an Italian phenomenon. But if Morricone had done my film I would listen 2 or 3 times to something he wrote before rejecting it.
I've been skipping over these Morricone posts until now but their sheer persistence finally got me to look. I've listened to most of the links and they have only reinforced the fact the Morricone is not my cup of tea AT ALL. Some years ago I purchased WOLF and MISSION TO MARS as blind buys out of curiosity. They seemed to me to be a conglomeration of odd sounds. I suppose that his scores work well in the films (which is all they need to do) but as listening experiences I just "don't get it". I expect if I were able to sift through the hundreds of Morricone film scores I would be able to find something I liked OK, but what a task that would be!
I've been skipping over these Morricone posts until now but their sheer persistence finally got me to look. I've listened to most of the links and they have only reinforced the fact the Morricone is not my cup of tea AT ALL. Some years ago I purchased WOLF and MISSION TO MARS as blind buys out of curiosity. They seemed to me to be a conglomeration of odd sounds. I suppose that his scores work well in the films (which is all they need to do) but as listening experiences I just "don't get it". I expect if I were able to sift through the hundreds of Morricone film scores I would be able to find something I liked OK, but what a task that would be!
Out of curiosity, who are the composers you like best and why?
I've been skipping over these Morricone posts until now but their sheer persistence finally got me to look. I've listened to most of the links and they have only reinforced the fact the Morricone is not my cup of tea AT ALL. Some years ago I purchased WOLF and MISSION TO MARS as blind buys out of curiosity. They seemed to me to be a conglomeration of odd sounds. I suppose that his scores work well in the films (which is all they need to do) but as listening experiences I just "don't get it". I expect if I were able to sift through the hundreds of Morricone film scores I would be able to find something I liked OK, but what a task that would be!
Out of curiosity, who are the composers you like best and why?
I like quite a few but I suppose I like best the usual suspects, Williams, Goldsmith (on his good days), Rozsa, Herrmann, Korngold... My movie preferences lean toward the "classic" Hollywood era, 30s-50s, and I guess that shows up in my film score preferences as well. As to why, it depends on what one considers good music, or a good sound, which is what music is. You listen to a piece of music and say to yourself, "now that's what music is supposed to sound like!"
I like quite a few but I suppose I like best the usual suspects, Williams, Goldsmith (on his good days), Rozsa, Herrmann, Korngold... My movie preferences lean toward the "classic" Hollywood era, 30s-50s, and I guess that shows up in my film score preferences as well. As to why, it depends on what one considers good music, or a good sound, which is what music is. You listen to a piece of music and say to yourself, "now that's what music is supposed to sound like!"
Ah, thanks, I'm glad you said Goldsmith on his good days. I think I could guess those. My guess for Morricone's good days would be METELLO, EL GRECO, I PROMESSI SPOSI and maybe even THE UNTOUCHABLES and a few others. But it is not important. Thanks for giving your honest response and I appreciate you being candid. I need as diverse opinions as I can get.
Is there anybody who doesnt yet have this glorious Ennio score? Its wonderful.
My two all time favorite Morricone non-western scores are this & Metti Una Sera A Cena. The Invisable Woman is the classier one & Metti is the most fun, but two fantastic scores that I listen to a lot, & I'm sure anyone who likes Morricone would have both.
These two and Vergogna Schifosi are just fabulous listens with lots variety and great themes
Is there anybody who doesnt yet have this glorious Ennio score? Its wonderful.
Yes, me! But that will hopefully soon change, because it's just been re-released by Beat Records, albeit slightly different from some previous releases. I haven't compared in any detail yet, but it seems to be... shorter than some and... longer than others.
