Italian composer (1926–2014)
Musical artist
Riziero Ortolani (Italian pronunciation: [ritˈtsjɛːro ˈritts ortoˈlaːni] ; 25 March 1926 – 23 January 2014) was an Italian composer , conductor , and orchestrator , predominantly of film scores .[ 1] He scored over 200 films and television programs between 1955 and 2014, with a career spanning over fifty years.[ 2]
Internationally, he is best known for his genre scores, notably his music for mondo , giallo , horror , and Spaghetti Western films. His most famous composition is "More ," which he wrote for the infamous film Mondo Cane . It won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 36th Academy Awards .[ 3] The song was later covered by Frank Sinatra , Kai Winding , Andy Williams , Roy Orbison , and others.
Ortolani received many other accolades, including four David di Donatello Awards , three Nastro d'Argento Awards , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . In 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement from the World Soundtrack Academy .
Ortolani was born on 25 March 1926 in Pesaro , Italy . He was the youngest of six children. Ortolani's father, a postal worker, gave his son a violin at age 4.[ 4] Ortolani later switched to flute after injuring his elbow in a car accident. He studied at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini" in his hometown of Pesaro before moving to Rome in 1948 and finding work with the RAI orchestra.[ 2] Though the chronology is unclear, he also likely served as a musician in the Italian Air Force orchestra, formed a Jazz ensemble, and came to the United States as a Jazz musician in Hollywood, all before scoring his first film.[ 4]
Ortolani married Katyna Ranieri in 1956.[ 2]
In the early 1950s, Ortolani was founder and member of a well-known Italian jazz band. One of his early film scores was for Paolo Cavara and Gualtiero Jacopetti 's 1962 pseudo-documentary Mondo Cane , whose main title-song More earned him a Grammy and was also nominated for an Oscar as Best Song . The success of the soundtrack of Mondo Cane led Ortolani to score films in England and the United States such as The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964), The Spy with a Cold Nose (1966), The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968) and Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968). He also scored the 1972 film The Valachi Papers , directed by Terence Young and starring Charles Bronson .
Ortolani scored all or parts of over 200 films, including German westerns like Old Shatterhand (1964) and a long series of Italian giallos , Spaghetti Westerns , Eurospy films , Exploitation films and mondo films . These include Il Sorpasso (1962), Castle of Blood (1964), Africa Addio (1966), Day of Anger (1967), Anzio (1968), The McKenzie Break (1970), The Hunting Party (1971), A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972), Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (1972), The Fifth Musketeer (1979), From Hell to Victory (1979), the controversial Ruggero Deodato films Cannibal Holocaust (1980) and The House on the Edge of the Park (1980), and the first series of La piovra (1984). In later years he scored many films for Italian director Pupi Avati .
His music was used on soundtracks for Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1999), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), Drive (2011) and Django Unchained (2012). [citation needed ]
In 2013, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Soundtrack Academy .
Ortolani died on 23 January 2014 in Rome, aged 87.[ 5]
Selected filmography [ edit ]
Year
Film
Directed by
Singles
Latest CD / Digital Release
1961
Ursus in the Valley of the Lions
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Digitmovies / CDDM209 / 2012
1962
Mondo Cane
Paolo Cavara , Franco Prosperi , Gualtiero Jacopetti
CAM Sugar / 2021
Il Sorpasso
Dino Risi
Milan / 399 552-2 / 2014
Mediterranean Holiday
Hermann Leitner , Rudolf Nussgruber
Avanz Records / SP/CR-20049 / 2009
1963
The Fall of Rome
Antonio Margheriti
The Virgin of Nuremberg
Antonio Margheriti
Quartet Records / QR231 / 2016
Three Ruthless Ones
Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent
Beat Records / CDCR148 / 2023
1964
Castle of Blood
Antonio Margheriti , Sergio Corbucci
Digitmovies / CDDM242 / 2014
Old Shatterhand
Hugo Fregonese
Brandy (film)
José Luis Borau , Mario Caiano
The 7th Dawn
Lewis Gilbert
Film Score Monthly / FSM BOX 03 / 2008
The Yellow Rolls-Royce
Anthony Asquith
Quartet Records / SCE061 / 2013
The Naked Hours
Marco Vicario
CAM Sugar / Digital / 2022
1965
The Glory Guys
Arnold Laven
Film Score Monthly / FSM BOX 03 / 2008
Red Dragon
Ernst Hofbauer
Berlin, Appointment for the Spies
Vittorio Sala
Saimel Bandas Sonoras / 3998911 / 2009
1966
Africa Addio
Gualtiero Jacopetti , Franco Prosperi
Melody / ARG 196: Africa Addio / Cape Town
Master Classics Records / 2011
Lightning Bolt
Antonio Margheriti
Maya
John Berry
The Spy with a Cold Nose
Daniel Petrie
Make Love, Not War
Franco Rossi
CAM / AMP 13: Non Faccio La Guerra, Faccio L'Amore (3:50) / Don Getulio (2:21)
Digitmovies / DGST044 / 2019
1967
Requiescant
Carlo Lizzani
Beat Records / CDCR148 / 2023
Woman Times Seven
Vittorio De Sica
Quartet Records / SCE061 / 2013
Tiffany Memorandum
Sergio Grieco
Beat Records / CFS007 / 2023
The Chastity Belt
Pasquale Festa Campanile
CAM / AMP 30: Le Notti Di Tobia / Tema D'Amore
Digitmovies / CDDM275 / 2014
Day of Anger
Tonino Valerii
GDM / GDM 2076 / 2006
1968
The Biggest Bundle of Them All
Ken Annakin
Chapter III Records / CH 37503-2 / 2001
Sardinia Kidnapped
Gianfranco Mingozzi
GDM / GDM 4313 / 2013
Bandits in Milan
Carlo Lizzani
Beyond the Law
Giorgio Stegani
GDM / GDM 2085 / 2007
Anzio
Edward Dmytryk , Duilio Coletti
The Girl Who Couldn't Say No
Franco Brusati
GDM / GDM 4340 / 2014
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
Joseph McGrath
Emma Hamilton
Christian-Jaque
GDM / CD CLUB 7077 / 2010
Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell
Melvin Frank
Dead Men Don't Count
Rafael Romero Marchent
The Last Roman
Robert Siodmak , Sergiu Nicolaescu / Andrew Marton (2nd unit)
1969
One on Top of the Other
Lucio Fulci
Beat Records Company / CDCR 134 / 2017
So Sweet... So Perverse
Umberto Lenzi
Quartet Records / QR481 / 2022
Night of the Serpent
Giulio Petroni
Digitmovies / CDDM145 / 2009
Viva Cangaceiro
Giovanni Fago
Beat Records / CDCR148 / 2023
1970
Andrea Doria-74
Bruno Vailati
Quartet Records / QR385 / 2019
The Unholy Four
Enzo Barboni
Invasion
Yves Allégret
Quartet Records / QR443 / 2021
A Girl Called Jules
Tonino Valerii
GDM / GDM 4340 / 2014
Un caso di coscienza
Giovanni Grimaldi
CF Soundtracks / CFS003 / 2019
The Adventures of Gerard
Jerzy Skolimowski
Say Hello to Yesterday
Alvin Rakoff
The McKenzie Break
Lamont Johnson
Madron
Jerry Hopper
The Lovemakers
Giovanni Grimaldi
Digitmovies / CDDM266 / 2014
1971
Confessions of a Police Captain
Damiano Damiani
GDM / CD CLUB 7073 / 2009
The Hunting Party
Don Medford
Web of the Spider
Antonio Margheriti
Quartet Records / QR467 / 2021
Goodbye Uncle Tom
Gualtiero Jacopetti , Franco Prosperi
RCA / SS-2160: Oh My Love (2:48) / Addio Zio Tom (2:32)
GDM / CD CLUB 7089 / 2010
Il merlo maschio
Pasquale Festa Campanile
CAM / AMP 93: Il Merlo Maschio (2:08) / Fotografie (3:06)
Digitmovies / CDDM266 / 2014
The Statue
Rod Amateau
Quartet Records / QR205 / 2015
1972
Do Not Commit Adultery
Giulio Petroni
CF Soundtracks / CFS003 / 2019
Seven Blood-Stained Orchids
Umberto Lenzi
The Dead Are Alive
Armando Crispino
Digitmovies / CDDM250 / 2014
Shadows Unseen
Camillo Bazzoni
The Assassin of Rome
Damiano Damiani
Don't Torture a Duckling
Lucio Fulci
Beat Records / CDCR 134 / 2017
A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die
Tonino Valerii
Digitmovies / CDDM293 / 2018
The Valachi Papers
Terence Young
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Franco Zeffirelli
1973
One Russian Summer
Antonio Calenda
Dear Parents
Enrico Maria Salerno
GDM / CD CLUB 7077 / 2010
Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye
Antonio Margheriti
Super Bitch
Massimo Dallamano
CAM / AMP 116: L'Intoccabile Mr. Cliff (3:26) / Love Break (1:55)
Chris' Soundtrack Corner / CSC 024 / 2018
Hospitals: The White Mafia
Luigi Zampa
CAM / AMP 114: Mafia Bianca (2:55) / Joe 5 (2:41)
GDM / GDM 4313 / 2013
No, the Case Is Happily Resolved
Vittorio Salerno
Counselor at Crime
Alberto de Martino
Chris' Soundtrack Corner / CSC 009 / 2011
Contact
Giorgio Bontempi
CAM / AMP 123: Contact (2:26) / Fei Nye Mi (4:40)
Quartet Records / QR240 / 2016
One Way
Jorge Darnell
Beat Records / BCM 9515 / 2012
Teresa the Thief
Carlo Di Palma
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
Michele Lupo
War Goddess
Terence Young
CineDisc / M-19: Una Ragione Per Vivre (3:38) / La Battaglia Delle Amazzoni (3:09)
Quartet Records / QRSCE029 / 2011
1974
There Is No 13
William Sachs
CAM / AMP 142: There Is No 13 (3:08) / 13th Floor (2:14)
1975
How to Kill a Judge
Damiano Damiani
Mondo Candido
Gualtiero Jacopetti , Franco Prosperi
Seven Seas / FM-1087: Un Amore Cosi Tenero (3:05) / Mondo Candido (2:46)
Dagored / Red 113-2 / 2000
Portrait of a Veiled Woman
Flaminio Bollini
Beat Records / BCM 9579 / 2017
1976
Submission
Salvatore Samperi
1977
Death Steps in the Dark
Maurizio Pradeaux
Casanova & Co.
Franz Antel as Francois Legrand
I Am Afraid
Damiano Damiani
The Pyjama Girl Case
Flavio Mogherini
Quartet Records / QR155 / 2014
Sahara Cross
Tonino Valerii
Volcano / CPC8-1216 / 2003
Double Murder
Steno
1978
Red Rings of Fear
Alberto Negrin
First Love
Dino Risi
Gegè Bellavita
Pasquale Festa Campanile
Digitmovies / DGST046 / 2019
Cyclone
René Cardona Jr.
Brutes and Savages
Arthur Davis
Quartet Records / QR527 / 2023
1979
Tigers in Lipstick
Luigi Zampa
The Fifth Musketeer
Ken Annakin
Quartet Records / QR268 / 2017
Neapolitan Mystery
Sergio Corbucci
Mimi
Florestano Vancini
Digitmovies / DGST048 / 2019
From Hell to Victory
Umberto Lenzi
Beat Records / CDCR 118 / 2012
1980
Cannibal Holocaust
Ruggero Deodato
Beat Records / DDJ 047 / 2019
House on the Edge of the Park
Ruggero Deodato
Beat Records Company / BCM 9586 / 2020
1981
Madhouse
Luigi Zampa
Help Me Dream
Ovidio G. Assonitis
Fantasma d'amore
Dino Risi
WEA / PROMO 129: Phantom Of Love (2:38) / Unforgettable Love (3:16)
Quartet Records / QR241 / 2016
Nessuno è perfetto
Pasquale Festa Campanile
aka Nobody's Perfect
Beat Records / DDJ059 / 2023
1982
The Girl from Trieste
Pasquale Festa Campanile
Beat Records / CDCR145 / 2021
Valentina, Crónica del Alba (part 1)
Antonio José Betancor
Quartet Records / QR239 / 2016
1983
Zeder
Pupi Avati
GDM / 4334 / 2021
1919, Crónica del Alba
Antonio José Betancor
Quartet Records / QR239 / 2016
1984
Warriors of the Year 2072
Lucio Fulci
Beat Records Company / BCM 9586 / 2020
Tuareg – The Desert Warrior
Enzo G. Castellari
GDM / 4336 / 2014
A Proper Scandal
Pasquale Festa Campanile
Cinevox / CD OST-PK 037 / 2018
1985
Miranda
Tinto Brass
1986
The Inquiry
Damiano Damiani
Digitmovies / CDDM279 / 2016
1987
Capriccio
Tinto Brass
The Last Minute
Pupi Avati
1989
Killer Crocodile
Fabrizio De Angelis
Kronos Records / KRONCD020 / 2013
Massacre Play
Damiano Damiani
1990
The Dark Sun
Damiano Damiani
Beat Records / BCM9614 / 2023
1991
Paprika
Tinto Brass
1992
Angel with a Gun
Damiano Damiani
Beat Records / BCM9614 / 2023
1993
Magnificat
Pupi Avati
GDM / GDM 4338 / 2014
1994
The Voyeur
Tinto Brass
2007
The Hideout
Pupi Avati
2010
A Second Childhood
Pupi Avati
Awards for Riz Ortolani
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
1947–1960 1961–1980 1981–2000 2001–present
International National Academics Artists People Other