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Riz Ortolani

Sound

Riz Ortolani

Riz Ortolani is a composer born on March 25, 1926 in Pesaro, Marche, Italy. He died on January 23, 2014, aged 87. He is known for Cannibal Holocaust, Il Sorpasso and Paprika. GloboWatch shows where to watch one of his movies and TV shows, country by country.

Known for
Sound
Born
March 25, 1926
Place of birth
Pesaro, Marche, Italy
Died
January 23, 2014
Also known as
Riziero Ortolani · Roger Higgins · Ritz Ortolani

Biography

Riziero "Riz" Ortolani (25 March 1926 – 23 January 2014) was an Italian film composer. Ortolani scored over 300 films working mostly within the Italian genres of Mondo, Giallo, and the Spaghetti Western. Ortolani also scored many Hollywood films and has had some of his compositions reused in films like Drive and Django Unchained. Ortolani's 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. The song was later covered by Frank Sinatra, Kai Winding, Andy Williams, Roy Orbison, and others. 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. 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. 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. Ortolani married Katyna Ranieri in 1956. 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). In 2013, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Soundtrack Academy. Ortolani died on 23 January 2014 in Rome, aged 87. Source: Article "Riz Ortolani" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Filmography

  1. 2010A Second ChildhoodMusic
  2. 2007The HideoutMusic
  3. 2007A Dinner for Them to MeetMusic
  4. 2005The Second Wedding NightMusic
  5. 2005Ma quando arrivano le ragazze?Music
  6. 2003IncantatoMusic
  7. 2001Knights of the QuestMusic
  8. 1994The VoyeurMusic
  9. 1991PaprikaMusic
  10. 1990Killer Crocodile 2Music
  11. 1989Killer CrocodileMusic
  12. 1987The Last MinuteMusic
  13. 1987Love & PassionMusic
  14. 1986Christmas PresentMusic
  15. 1985Graduation PartyMusic
  16. 1985ImpiegatiMusic
  17. 1984The OctopusMusic
  18. 1983A School TripMusic
  19. 1983Revenge of the DeadMusic
  20. 1982Holy CowMusic
  21. 1981Nobody's PerfectMusic
  22. 1981HoneyMusic
  23. 1981Ghost of LoveMusic
  24. 1981MadhouseMusic
  25. 1980House on the Edge of the ParkMusic
  26. 1980Cannibal HolocaustMusic
  27. 1979Atrocious Tales of Love and DeathMusic
  28. 1978First LoveMusic
  29. 1978Rings of FearMusic
  30. 1977The Pyjama Girl CaseMusic
  31. 1977I Am AfraidMusic
  32. 1977Death Steps in the DarkMusic
  33. 1976SubmissionMusic
  34. 1975Mondo candidoMusic
  35. 1973War GoddessMusic
  36. 1973No, the Case Is Happily ResolvedMusic
  37. 1973Seven Deaths in the Cat's EyeMusic
  38. 1972A Reason to Live, a Reason to DieMusic
  39. 1972Don't Torture a DucklingMusic
  40. 1972The Dead Are AliveMusic
  41. 1972Seven Blood-Stained OrchidsMusic
  42. 1972The Valachi PapersMusic
  43. 1971Goodbye Uncle TomMusic
  44. 1971Secret FantasyMusic
  45. 1971Web of the SpiderMusic
  46. 1971Confessions of a Police CaptainMusic
  47. 1969One on Top of the OtherMusic
  48. 1968Buona Sera, Mrs. CampbellMusic
  49. 1968AnzioMusic
  50. 1968Beyond the LawMusic
  51. 1968The Violent FourMusic
  52. 1967Day of AngerMusic
  53. 1967Woman Times SevenMusic
  54. 1967Kill and PrayMusic
  55. 1966Africa Blood and GutsMusic
  56. 1965The Glory GuysMusic
  57. 1964The Yellow Rolls-RoyceMusic
  58. 1964Castle of BloodMusic
  59. 1963Horror CastleMusic
  60. 1962Il SorpassoMusic