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Ennio Moricone's "The Untouchables"

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Author	Topic: Ennio Moricone's "The Untouchables"

Andrew Oscar® Winner	I would like to know if the all, or some, of the tracks on Ennio Moricone's "The Untouchables" are as good as the first track. -Andrew
posted 08-29-2000 04:08 PM PT (US)

Timmer Oscar® Winner	Yes definately, especially Al Capones theme (track 2 I think), I love this score and recommend it unreservedly.
posted 08-29-2000 04:17 PM PT (US)

Cole Oscar® Winner	if you mean the finale track that happens at the begining of the album....well...personally i think that one is the best track on the album so i say no. but. the entire album is worth having, there r some really grreat tracks
posted 08-29-2000 04:20 PM PT (US)

Jeron Oscar® Winner	Andrew - I just purchased this one and am very happy with it. Definitely consider getting this cd - especially if you are a fan of Morricone. Jeron
posted 08-29-2000 04:22 PM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	Come on you goofballs! Three responses, all saying "I'm happy with it" or "I love it," but none suggesting why! Why are you happy with it? Why do you love it? Why should a fan of Morricone get this one over the 7,000 other scores he's done?? Oh, flumpernuts. Maybe Andrew wasn't asking why. But then again, Andrew didn't quantify what "good" meant to him, so how are we even supposed to answer this solicitation? I am just yearning for a few excellent, honest reasons why people like stuff, as opposed to knowing simply THAT they like it. I would write a bunch myself, but I am busy jumpstarting this web site's monstrous ecommerce capabilities. Am I hoping for too much? Please don't get mad at me... PeterK NP - "Mansfield Park" by Lesley Barber
posted 08-29-2000 04:50 PM PT (US)

JJH Oscar® Winner	I like it. Why do I like it? for one thing, the main theme, as heard in the end credits is heroic and inspiring, and is as good as anything Morricone ever wrote. the rest I like because it is inventive in in instrumentation. Only the good Maestro Morricone is so daring. (Remember the pipe organ in M2M?) It sounds weird in the film, yet it's strangely effective anyway. dammit. now I have to go dig out my copy of the score. NP -- The Lamentations of Jeremiah, Thomas Tallis
posted 08-29-2000 05:12 PM PT (US)

Lancelot Oscar® Winner	Al Capone's Theme is one of the oddest pieces of music on this album. Not that it's a bad think--it's sort of a concert arrangement. You never hear the full version in the film--it starts with that 1920's out-of-tune piano melody which is shortly accompanied something of an anachronistic drum beat and a jazz trumpet. Overall, the effect is...well...appropriately "slimy". Overall, the score does somehow manage to be a little anachronistic, yet Morricone throws in those instruments (the Trumpet, the Harmonica) to suggest an almost Gershwin-esque Depression era quality. It's quite good stuff, really.
posted 08-29-2000 06:15 PM PT (US)

Al Oscar® Winner	Morricone's triumphant theme for The Untouchables (found, of course, on the first track "The Untouchables") is the real reason to get this album. Complex victorious music, really, and it sounds like nothing else. A lot is going on in the track, but there is one thing that I love. Morricone uses a wonderful compositional idea in this, a quickly descending and repeating three-note motif performed by all forms of instruments. It has also been used in Legend of 1900 and Mission to Mars (its most exhilariting use) performed by French Horn. There is also odd Morricone action music in the main title and "On the Rooftops" that has some quirky but surprisingly listenable woodwind writing. The rest of the suspense music is of no importance. Then of course there are two soft, moving themes that are pure Morricone. Beautiful themes, one is a happier tranquil piece. The other, a death theme featured on two tracks, is a moving death theme. This is very much worth picking up, and you don't have to pay too much for it either.
posted 08-29-2000 08:17 PM PT (US)

Scott Oscar® Winner	I won't say much about the first track, everyone else has, so allow me to move right into track 2. Gosh, much has been said about that one as well...off to track 3 then. Waiting at the border is, in musical terms, exactly that. A piece full of anticipation and a little bit of percussion instrumentation. It continues the style and form set up in the two previous tracks. Track 5. A very heroic piece that features the main title theme without the heavy drums. This is then continued and further developed in track 6 Victoruous. This is track one with differnet orchestrations and more heroic sounding. Trak 8 is the best track. It is the piece that started the movie.The heavy drum parts just get me everytime. Track 9 is a sweet, family type theme that features a flute very prominently. We are back to the heroic main theme in the Untouchables (track 11). It's the type of theme that will have you sign up to become a cop anyday. Machine Gun Lullaby is the longest track and is the music that was featured in the stairway scene. Initally, with over 7 minutes of music, the lullaby that starts the cue can get a bit boring. Soon however the orchestra joins in and builts the whole thing up to a Bolero type of style and finish. Very well done indeed. I am not the biggest fan of Morricone, but you can't go wrong with this one. Scott NP: Exodus (lousy quality, but great score)
posted 08-29-2000 09:34 PM PT (US)

BMikeJ Oscar® Winner	quote: Originally posted by Scott: I am not the biggest fan of Morricone, but you can't go wrong with this one. Scott NP: Exodus (lousy quality, but great score) Scott, I could play some Morricone for you that would make you blubber like a baby... Seriously, though, I think Untouchables is one of his more accessible scores and I think one of his most commercial successes. If I had one complaint about this disc, it's the sequencing. Morricone rarely, if ever, releases the music in film order. When I first seriously got into film music, I remember picking up this soundtrack and scratching my head over the sequencing...
posted 08-30-2000 12:02 AM PT (US)

Scott Oscar® Winner	Yeah, I know what you mean. Williams, Goldsmith don't sequence their albums in order either. Yet I find it fun, nowadays, to listen to the cds and trying to find out the sequencing myself,which of course gets rather difficult when you havn't seen the movie. Scott
posted 08-30-2000 09:02 AM PT (US)

Lancelot Oscar® Winner	If you like "Untouchables", definitely pick up "Legend of 1900"--you shall not regret it.
posted 08-30-2000 11:43 AM PT (US)

BMikeJ Oscar® Winner	quote: Originally posted by Scott: Yeah, I know what you mean. Williams, Goldsmith don't sequence their albums in order either. Yet I find it fun, nowadays, to listen to the cds and trying to find out the sequencing myself,which of course gets rather difficult when you havn't seen the movie. Scott Ah, but when you get to an album like In The Line Of Fire, that has like 6 tracks called Frank Is Depressed and another 6 tracks called Frank And Lily, what can you do? I'm slightly exaggerating, of course... <g>
posted 08-30-2000 06:13 PM PT (US)

Marcelo Ferreyra Oscar® Winner	I didn't like The Untouchables. The music is great but for me is totally out of period. In other words doesn't sound like the 20's or 30's. Perhaps I'm comparing with Nelson Riddle. But in the Riddle's theme was this beautifull line 5,+5,6,+5,5 against 4,3,b3,3 that gives the neccessary tension to show the feeling of the era. In fact there are many cues on the TV series that saves the scene. Also, REiddle follows the line of the American composers of the era with sounds like the saxophone playing in tensions and with a slight vivrato. In Morricone is just Good music. Wich is good for listen, but not for Elliot Ness.(IMHO)
posted 08-30-2000 11:33 PM PT (US)

Andrew Oscar® Winner	Hello, I just bought "The Untouchables". I especially love the first and second tracks, and my favorite track is 9, Ness and His Family.
posted 09-04-2000 09:42 AM PT (US)

André Lux Oscar® Winner	Ennio Morricone is simple the best movie music composer still working these days. To me Morricone's music is deeply atached with the movie experience, so it's really hard to keep up with him having scored so many obscure european movies. That's why a score like "THE UNTOUCHABLES" is so acessible. And it's composed for a great movie. My favorite tracks are: #1 - THE UNTOUCHABLES (End Titles) - I think everybody told enough about it. #8 - THE STRENGHT OF THE RIGHTEOUS (Main Title) - The name says it all... #4 - DEATH THEME - Incredible touching Well, I could go on forever since the entire score IS a highlight Pure Morricone's magic...!
posted 09-04-2000 02:14 PM PT (US)

Shaun Rutherford Oscar® Winner	I'll say this---if anyone here likes "The Strength Of The Righteous", you should do yourself a favor and either buy Revolver (where's Swash?) or The Thriller Collection (which features the 10+ minute suite from Revolver). The themes are almost identical. Scott, look into The Thriller Collection. Shaun
posted 09-04-2000 02:54 PM PT (US)

Swashbuckler Oscar® Winner	I'm not familiar with Revolver, Shaun... unless, of course, you're referring to the classic Beatles album... What is Revolver and would I like it? NP - North by Northwest - Original motion picture music score composed, arranged, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Bernard Herrmann (isolated DVD score) [This message has been edited by Swashbuckler (edited 04 September 2000).]
posted 09-04-2000 05:44 PM PT (US)

Shaun Rutherford Oscar® Winner	Swash, I thought it was you who suggested all kinds of whacked-out Morricone madness.....maybe it was Mr. Ware. If you think that the Main Title from Untouchables is great, Revolver is another Morricone score that sounds almost just like it (I'd almost advise you to just buy The Thriller Collection, as it has the beef of the score, wrapped up in one 10 or 12 minute track, plus about 176 other great score excerpts). I highly recommend it, and I rarely do that. Sorry for the once again rambling nature of this post, but I'm talking to my girlfriend (yes, some of us have girlfriends!) on the phone. I wish that I knew how to make those dreadful MP3s, just so you could hear some of Revolver. Shaun
posted 09-04-2000 06:21 PM PT (US)

Scott Oscar® Winner	Shaun, will have to look into that, for I never heard of Revolver or the compilation disc you are talking about. As far as MP3s are concerned, what software are you using to record them? If you need some help let me know. Better yet, let Jeron know, for he is the master in it. Scotty
posted 09-05-2000 09:56 AM PT (US)

Swashbuckler Oscar® Winner	Hmmm... I really respect your opinions, Shaun. If you're recommending this album, I think it's going on my list. I hate MP3s too.
posted 09-05-2000 03:13 PM PT (US)

Shaun Rutherford Oscar® Winner	Thanks, Swash! You're on my "listen to that guy" list as well! The one to buy is definately The Thriller Collection, which is a 2-disc set from DRG. All the weird Morricone you can shake a stick at. I was going to post the track listings, but Amazon already has 'em up (with a sound clip of Revolver!). So, if you don't trust me, check this out, guys! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000IWOE/qid%3D968217235/102-4444698-4670547 Note that both of the released cues from The Antichrist are on here. That's cool. Shaun NP---Revolver
posted 09-05-2000 10:09 PM PT (US)

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