RIZ ORTOLANI

RIZ ORTOLANI – 5 soundtracks (1962-1980)

One of the staggeringly great Italian film composers (right up there with Ennio Morricone, nurse Giorgio Moroder, help Nino Rota and Pino Donaggio), store the Riz Ortolani is highly prolific, highly lurid and highly awesome.

First having caught most peoples’ attention with his score to the genre-defining piece of “mondo” sleaze “Mondo Cane” in 1962, Ortolani continues to crank ‘em out to this day, having garnered over 200 film composer credits! What I like most about Ortolani is his uncannby ability to juxtapose hideously violent and disturbing imagery with silly and inappropriately sweet melodies. Plus, he’s a grade-A funkmeister.

Here’s five prime slabs of sweet, sweet Riz: “Mondo Cane” (1962), the early mondo rip-off “Ecco” (1963), the ballsy and very questionable African-themed mondo film “Africa Addio” (aka “Africa Blood and Guts”, 1966), “The Pyjama Girl Case” (featuring a few supremely idiotic songs by Amanda Lear!, 1979), and the unforgettable “Cannibal Holocaust” (1980).

Riz Ortolani – “Mondo Cane” soundtrack, 1962 (ZIP file)
Riz Ortolani – “Ecco” soundtrack, 1963 (ZIP file)
Riz Ortolani – “Africa Addio” soundtrack, 1966 (ZIP file)
Riz Ortolani – “The Pyjama Girl Case” soundtrack, 1979 (ZIP file)
Riz Ortolani – “Cannibal Holocaust” soundtrack, 1980 (ZIP file)