Your Pick of the Week: Ennio Morricone

Honestly, I don't know what it is about me, but I can be moved to tears by those Enniev pieces too. They weren't even intended to be sad, but they’re just so damn powerful that they hit me right in the feels 😁

Raymond Walker5 said:Just ran into a prime example of pure musical banality today—honestly, just total nothingness:
I honestly think this score hits different—it’s just pure, raw emotion from start to finish. Such a masterpiece.

Dammit. 🤦

You're being too soft today—this isn't just basic, it's straight-up crude.

Raymond Walker5 said:Honestly, what hits me hardest—it can even make me tear up over those Enniev tracks that weren't even meant to be sad, they're just so damn powerful that they get to me 😁

I mean, this situation isn't even "sad" in the usual sense. It’s actually super rare for me—that kind of crying because the sheer beauty of the form just hits you. Feels like some kind of mystical experience, I guess.

Dennis Hall41 said:Give me a break. 🤦

You're being quite mild today. This isn't just trivial; it's downright crude.

But honestly, it’s just that typical 90s music formula.

Raymond Walker5 said:I look at his music through this lens where he’s a philosopher first and a composer second. It’s about how you actually bridge that emotional gap for the listener... how do you really hook someone with a score? You don't want a hollow soundtrack just drifting in the background; you want it to hit hard. Morricone found that formula. He could pivot between totally different vibes and directors effortlessly, handling everything from gritty genre flicks to massive American epics without breaking a sweat...

👏👏👏

I think he really elevated so many movies, their directors, and their actors. I honestly can't imagine how something like Once Upon a Time in the West would even work without Morricone... When you take a solid film and add a genius composer like him, you just end up with a masterpiece... 😁
You gotta admit, that soprano vocal really made a huge difference in that Leonov film... Edda Dell'Orso...Just like his other classics, you know, like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
Her vocals on the theme from Once Upon a Time in the West are just perfectly in sync with Morricone's melody. For me, it's pure perfection... I still get goosebumps when that climax hits and her enchanting voice takes over... Jill's finally arriving... Plus there’s those heavy moments with Claudia Cardinala, like that final showdown between Bronson and Fond...

Man, this movie totally takes me back... reminds me of growing up in the eighties with those unforgettable TV theme songs... 7 days of TV...Yeah, that's one of those tracks from the Farewell to Cheyenne soundtrack. Glad you added it to the list since it's missing from most of the compilations...

Honestly, listening to Ennio is exactly what I need while I'm fighting this cold... helps a lot...👍I honestly don't think there's a better soundtrack for feeling this gloomy... Currently spinning one of those deep-cut collections from some obscure Italian cult classics. Haven't played it much, maybe once or twice, so now feels like the perfect time to dive back in...
Here's one of the tracks from that compilation... simple... fills it with a mystical jazz standard...

Man, there's definitely enough material here for at least one more poll... Seriously though, huge props to you for putting in all that work to break down Morricone for us... 👍 Probably doesn't get more into his work than this guy on the forum...

Edda Dell'Orso was such a staple in his musical arrangements, especially during that transition from the late 60s into the early 70s. She provided those haunting vocals, and by around 1970, she was often adding those soulful, breathy textures to the tracks.
I actually finished organizing my playlist just yesterday, and I'm planning to share it with you all in the next few days. I won't be including this specific track from Forza G since we're running a bit behind schedule, but the main theme from Forza G will definitely be part of the lineup 😁

Raymond Walker5 said:It’s hard to explain, but sometimes things just hit you. Even those Enniev tracks that weren't even trying to be sad—they're just so damn powerful they move me to tears.😁

It's that specific feeling, you know? When something is so genuinely brilliant that it just breaks you a little bit.😬

Raymond Walker5 said:Edda was a huge part of his sound, especially around the late 60s and early 70s. She did vocals, and even some of those soulful moans around 1970.
Already sorted out a list yesterday that I'll drop in the next few days. Won't include that track from Forza g since it's a bit late, but the main theme from Forza G will definitely be there 😁

Ah, donna... way sexier than the famous Je T'aime 😁

Hope you don't skip those two killer tracks from Granda Silenzio, probably the best spaghetti western most people on this forum haven't even heard of, plus that inspiring theme from Red Sonja... I tried looking for the clip with Brigitta Nielsen, but it's really about Arnijev's moment 😁

Also, one of the favorites from that supermodel movie Veruschki could fit in too.

Funny enough, Morricone nailed the scores for Dario Argento's early horror flicks. He would've transitioned perfectly from spaghetti westerns and romances into that giallo vibe. I think his spooky yet sweet sound—using bells and kid vocals 😁—actually influenced the band Goblin, who later scored Argento's more famous stuff like Deep Red and Suspiria.

The same year he did the score for Carpenter's The Thing, he had another notable run in that genre over in the States— White Dog
...

If you had been listening a bit more closely, you would have realized that Veruschka appears in this poll under the title 'la Bambola'. 😁
I completely understand that re-listening to everything can be exhausting for people, but it’s honestly worth the effort for Enniev. Besides, the poll stays open for an entire month, so there's really no need to rush through it all at once.

As for Red Sonja and Granda Silenzio, those will be featured in the next poll.

To be honest, he has such a massive collection of soundtracks that even I struggle to keep track of them all. It's just overwhelming. I actually put together my own massive "best of" compilation that I listen to most of the time, though I still dip back into individual soundtracks every now and then.

Raymond Walker5 said:If you were listening more closely, you'd realize Veruschka is featured in 'la Bambola'😁
Look, I get that re-listening to everything is a grind, but it's worth it for Ennio. Besides, the poll is open for a full month—no need to rush through it all at once...

Major oversight here😵

I recognized most of the stuff in this poll, and I listened carefully to the rest from start to finish, but it looks like I missed la Bambola. Maybe her name subconsciously threw me off because I associated it with Valensov's la Bamb umeti😁

Titles can really trip up even die-hard Ennio fans, especially when they're translated differently depending on where you are. Here's a crazy example. Back in the mid-90s, I picked up a Morricone compilation on cassette, and the track titles were all in German. The famous theme from the movie "la Marginal," starring Belmondo, was renamed The Outsider. Now, if someone remembers the original titles and tries to buy something by Ennio, they might pass on it if they don't see their favorite track listed—especially if foreign languages aren't their thing😍

Speaking of Belmondo, I actually watched his movie "Le Professionnel" the other day. Not to brag, but your poll definitely influenced my choice😁. It’s hard to beat gems like Chi Mai and Le Vent, Le Cri. I used Belmondo as proof for my theory that Morricone makes artists even greater, especially in cinema. Any recs for Le Professionnel (1981)

Btw, besides la Marginal and Le Professionnel, there's another Belmondo and Morricone collab. That would be the movie Le casse (1971)... talk about symbolic titles😁. It's mostly just trivia for film buffs, but those French movies accidentally got hit with Morricone's talent in its purest form
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If I had to pick just one thing from the poll, hmm, it'd definitely be Chi Mai without a doubt
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Red Sonja and Granda Silenzio will show up in the next poll.

👍

Man, he has so many soundtracks that even I can't keep track of them all. There's just too much stuff out there. I just put together a massive personal "best of" playlist that I listen to, and then I'll dip into individual soundtracks every now and then.

Have you actually sat down and watched at least a third of the movies from that poll he scored?
I'm asking because I can't even track down certain flicks like Forza g or Farewell Moscow... been trying for a while now with no luck...

Raymond Walker5 said:... Still, the poll stays open for an entire month...

If that's the case, why is the thread titled "A Week With Your Choice"?🤔

granitecyclist said:If that’s the case, then why on earth is the thread titled "A Week with Your Choice"? It feels a bit off, doesn't it?🤔

Here’s the copy-paste of the reasons from the intro post:
Voting will be open for a full month for every single artist or band on the list, though we’re going to try our best to roll out new groups and performers on a weekly basis. I wanted to set it up this way so nobody feels like they have to rush through their picks. It’s important to me that everyone has the chance to weigh in, even if you happen to miss the initial window. There's absolutely no pressure to hurry—just take your time and enjoy the process!

Michael Hughes said:Have you at least managed to watch a third of the movies from that survey where he did the music?
I’m asking because I haven't been able to track down certain films myself, like Go Gators or Goodbye Moscow (Farewell Moscow), and I've been trying to find them for quite a while now without any luck.

Oh, not even close. I’ve seen all the Leonov films, and I think I've caught pretty much all the American productions he scored. As for that Italian one, The Heart Nel Pozzo—that was basically right-wing propaganda if I recall correctly. Back in the day, I used to watch series like The Octopus and The Secret of Sarah, and I think even Marco Polo when I was just a kid, though that feels like a lifetime ago... definitely different times.
I remember Le Professionel being aired on TV several times, so I caught that one too. Little things like Melena and Baaria as well. There's probably more out there, but there's such a massive catalog of obscure Italian stuff and various other films and series that most of them probably never even made it to American television.