The Ipcress File by John Barry
"If you want to see an example of what music does for a movie, go and see 'THE IPCRESS FILE'. Then you'll understand what John Barry's all about." - Michael Caine
CD re-issue of one of John Barry's most memorable film scores from the 1960's composed for the seedy and realistic spy thriller starring Michael Caine as Len Deighton's great anti-hero, Harry Palmer.
For his inspiration for the music John Barry looked to one of his favourite films "THE THIRD MAN" and its famous solo zither score by Anton Karas. With THE IPCRESS FILE he wanted to achieve an equally distinctive, repetitive yet haunting sound. In this he chose the Hungarian cimbalom as his lead instrument for his "Man Alone Theme" backed by an orchestra in a series of swing, jazz and blues variations.
Michael Caine made the first of three appearances as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer in "The Ipcress File". Palmer has no real love of espionage, but he doesn't really know any other life. With studied insolence, he takes on the case of locating missing doctor Radcliffe (Aubrey Richards), who has in his possession a valuable file that would prove injurious to the Free World should it fall in the wrong hands. The government also fears that Radcliffe will be brainwashed by the enemy, as has happened to two previous British scientists. While Palmer is off doing everyone else's dirty work, his superior, Nigel Green, is making a deal with duplicitous information "broker" Frank Gatliff to win Radcliffe's release. The price for this would seem to be Palmer, who is captured by the enemy and subjected to a grueling brainwashing session. Palmer escapes, whereupon he confronts a traitor in his midst in the climactic exchange of gunfire. Advertised as the thinking man's "Goldfinger", "The Ipcress File" offered a far more realistic view of the morally ambivalent world of espionage than did the James Bond films. Also stars Gordon Jackson (Hudson, the butler from "Upstairs, Downstairs"). 1965
Three Complete original soundtracks from TOHO's transformed sci-fi horror movie series on triple disc!
BIJO TO EKITAI NINGEN (aka THE H-MAN, BEAUTY AND THE LIQUIEDMAN): When a narcotics deal goes sour and a suspect disappears, leaving only his clothes, Tokyo police question his wife and stake out the nightclub where she works. His disappearance stumps the police - until a young scientist appears who claims that H-Bomb tests in the Pacific, evidenced by a ''ghost ship'' that has turned up in the harbor, have created radioactive creatures - ''H-Men'' - who ooze like slime and dissolve anyone they touch. Director: Ishiro Honda, Stars:Yumi Shirakawa, Kenji Sahara and Akihiko Hirata. Music by Masaru Sato.1958 TOHO.
DENSO NINGEN (aka THE SECRET OF THE TELEGIAN): Detectives must stop a homicidal madman called the ''Telegian'' from his killing rampage, while trying to save the intended victims and solve the mystery of the madman's true intentions and origin. The Telegian uses a mind-transmitting machine to teleport himself to his victims, whom he is out for revenge. Director: Jun Fukuda, Stars:Koji Tsuruta, Akihiko Hirata and Yoshio Tsuchiya. Music by Sei Ikeno. 1960 TOHO.
GASU NINGEN DAI ICHIGO (aka THE HUMAN VAPOR): A librarian is subject to a scientific experiment which goes wrong and transforms him into 'The Human Vapour'. He uses his new ability to rob banks to fund the career of his girlfriend, a beautiful dancer. The Human Vapour is ruthless in his quest for money and kills anyone who stands in his way, especially police. He soon becomes Tokyo's most wanted criminal. Can he be stopped before he kills again? Director: Ishiro Honda, Stars:Tatsuya Mihashi, Kaoru Yachigusa and Yoshio Tsuchiya. Music by Kunio Miyauchi. 1960 TOHO.
Screen Archives carries the first season soundtrack to this incredible series, as well. See a complete list of their complete Sherlock Holmes-related titles here.
Gungala La Pantera Nuda
The music of "Gungala La Pantera Nuda" uses a wide range of sounds, which makes us to a score rich in musical ideas as well as varied and suggestive. The work is dominated by the beautiful Gungala’s theme that appears over the edition with different arrangements, including superb vocal version, which this edition is included in English and Italian versions. Special importance is the careful orchestration of the string used to accompany the loveliest sublimely Africans music, the lounge themes and the melodic jazz tracks.
The Mechanic by Jerry Fielding
La-La Land Records presents composer Jerry Fielding’s (STRAW DOGS, THE ENFORCER, THE GAUNTLET, SEMI-TOUGH) classic original action score to the legendary 1972 MGM action-thriller THE MECHANIC, starring Charles Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent and directed by Michael Winner. An atmospheric marvel of sonic textures and experimental approaches, Fielding’s chilling score truly is the stone-cold-heart of this classic hitman/apprentice tale. Aside from perfectly capturing action and suspense, Fielding’s score gives the film a depth and resonance beyond its celluloid. Aside from some audio enhancements, a slightly different track order and new packaging and liner notes, the audio content is the same as the Intrada release, so this re-issue is geared for fans who do not currently own that previous release. Produced by Ford A. Thaxton and mastered by James Nelson, this release features in-depth, exclusive liner notes by film music writer Randall D. Larson. Limited to 1200 units.
