Part of our on-going series, Notebook Soundtrack Mixes.
Perhaps a less eye-grabbing, but still “driving” title for this third MUBI soundtrack mix should be Shifting Gears...as such, it’s a free-falling, propulsive survey of scores focusing on the thriller in all of its manifestations: detective procedurals, bank heists, neo-noirs, spy films, psychodramas, giallos, chases, races, and sci-fi mind-games. Featured also are a few composers better known for their more famous musical projects. Police drummer Stewart Copeland’s metallic, rhythmic score for Rumble Fish, gamely taunts the self-conscious black and white street theatre of Francis Ford Coppola's film. So-called fifth Beatle, producer George Martin’s funky Shaft-influenced Live and Let Die score ushers in a more leisurely 70s-era James Bond, as incarnated by Roger Moore. Epic crooner visionary Scott Walker’s fatally romantic melodies for Leos Carax’s inventively faithful Melville adaptation Pola X is remarkably subdued and lush. Finally, Godzilla’s sonic frontman, Akira Ifukube offers up a lovely calm for Josef von Sternberg’s set-bound island of the mind film, The Saga of Anatahan. Curious collaborations include jazz legends Stan Getz and Ornette Coleman improvising over the title sequences for Eddie Sauter’s Mickey One and Howard Shore’s Naked Lunch soundtracks: the first being an Arthur Penn French New Wave-styled vision of Amerika, the second an artful Cronenberg adaptation of Burrough’s beat collage fever-dream. Amidst all of this, listeners may note that the breakneck swing of Michel Legrand’s Le Mans is punctuated by a sneeze! Who goes there?!
1. Henry Mancini, Charade, “Metro Chase” (edit) (0:00)
2. Michel Legrand, Le Mans, “The race, first laps” (edit) (1:29)
3. George Martin, Live And Let Die, “Trespassers Will be Eaten” (edit) (3:06)
4. Vic Mizzy, Don’t Make Waves, “Daybreak at Malibu” (4:21)
5. Lalo Schifrin, Bullitt, “Shifting Gears” (6:32)
6. Roy Budd, The Black Windmill, “The Plant” (edit) (9:45)
7. Quincy Jones, The Split, “Funny Money” (edit) (12:52)
8. John Barry, The Man With The Golden Gun, “Scaramanga’s Fun House” (edit) (17:14
9. Stelvio Cipriani, La polizia chiede aiuto, “La Polizia Chiede Aiuto” (edit) (18:14)
10. Paul Glass, Bunny Lake Is Missing, “End Title” (19:29)
11. Michel Legrand, La Piscine, “Suspicion” (edit) (20:39)
12. Nelson Riddle, A Rage To Live, “Kiss Me Pumpkin” (21:35)
13. John Barry, Body Heat, “Searching For Matty” (edit) (23:51)
14. Miklos Rozsa, Jungle Book, “Suite” (edit) (24:57)
15. Eddie Sauter/Stan Getz, Mickey One, “Once Upon A Time” (edit) (25:37)
16. Henry Mancini, Experiment In Terror, “Main Title” (29:35)
17. Jerry Goldsmith, The Detective, “Joe’s Decision” (31:50)
18. Nelson Riddle, Lolita, “Lolita Ya Ya” (34:08)
19. Johnny Dankworth, Fathom, “Fathom’s Arrival” (edit) (37:29)
20. Michel Legrand, The Thomas Crown Affair, “The Boston Wrangler” (38:57)
21. Goblin, Deep Red, “Mad Puppet” (edit) (41:40)
22. Stewart Copeland, Rumble Fish, “Brothers On Wheels” (46:00)
23. Francois De Roubaix, Le vieux fusil, “La Mort” (edit) (50:07)
24. Francois De Roubaix, Maquette de travail inédite, “Reverie” (52:00)
25. Ennio Morricone, Frantic, “Six Short Interludes” (edit) (54:32)
26. Akira Ifukube, The Saga Of Anatahan, “Suite” (edit) (55:22)
27. Bernard Herrmann, The Night Digger, “Scene Seven” (edit) (57:57)
28. Scott Walker, Pola X, “Light” (58:55)
29. Toru Takemitsu, The Face Of Another, “Waltz l” (1:00:52)
30. Howard Shore/Ornette Coleman, Naked Lunch, “Main Title” (1:02:56)
31. Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Last Emperor, “Rain (I Want A Divorce)” (edit) (1:05:23)
32. John Barry, The Golden Child, “The Child Is Taken” (edit) (1:06:48)
33. Francois De Roubaix, Le samouraï, “Le samouraï” (edit) (1:07:12)
34. Franz Waxman, The Two Mrs. Carrolls, “Main Title” (edit) (1:08:37)
35. Hans Zimmer, Inception, “Dream Within A Dream” (edit) (1:09:43)
36. Elliot Goldenthal, Heat, “Of Separation” (edit) (1:10:48)