Frightfully good music
There’s really nothing to fear in this camp and colourful collection of Italian horror highlights
Paura – A Collection of Italian Horror Sounds from the Cam Sugar Archive Themes by Morricone, Cipriani et al Various Artists
Decca/cam Sugar CS006CD
Say the words ‘horror film’ and most people think of the great American slasher movies, but actually some of the most popular and influential films of the genre were produced in Italy. Many of the more memorable ones are actually rather unrefined – low budgets, bad writing, terrible performances – but they are carried along by some of the most brilliantly colourful and esoteric music. Paura (Fear) celebrates the composers who contributed to this murky corner of cinema – a corner full of cobwebs and carving knifes. And the list includes some of Italian cinema’s greatest, the likes of Ennio Morricone, Stelvio Cipriani and Riz Ortolani very much unafraid to get their hands bloodied.
This collection of rarities takes in themes and tunes from the 1970s and early ’80s, a rich period of unique, visceral and downright absurd films, such as, well, Absurd, The Dead Are Alive!, Frankenstein ’80 and The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave.
The sound is very much of its time, and all the more brilliant for it. There is no small amount of camp here, from eerie wordless lullabies to hypnotic electro riffs. It’s a lot of fun. ★★★★★