Sound
192
Man
25 Mar 1926
23 Jan 2014 (87)
Pesaro, Marche, Italy
Riz Ortolani
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.
Year | Movie / TV show / Other | Role |
---|---|---|
2012 | The Importance of Being Uncomfortable: Gualtiero Jacopetti | Himself |
2008 | Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1 | Self |
2007 | Linee d'ombra | Self |
2003 | The Godfathers of Mondo | |
2003 | In the Jungle: The Making Of Cannibal Holocaust | Himself |
1958 | Music of Always |
Year | Movie / TV show / Other | Role |
---|---|---|
2010 | Il figlio più piccolo | Music |
2010 | A Second Childhood | Original Music Composer |
2008 | Giovanna's Father | Music |
2007 | The Hideout | Original Music Composer |
2007 | A Dinner for Them to Meet | Original Music Composer |
2005 | The Second Wedding Night | Original Music Composer |
2005 | Ma quando arrivano le ragazze? | Music |
2003 | Incantato | Original Music Composer |
2003 | In the Jungle: The Making Of Cannibal Holocaust | Original Music Composer |
1998 | Grandes ocasiones | Music |
1997 | The Best Man | Music |
1994 | The Voyeur | Music |
1993 | Magnificat | Original Music Composer |
1992 | L'angelo con la pistola | Original Music Composer |
1991 | Paprika | Original Music Composer |
1990 | Killer Crocodile 2 | Original Music Composer |
1990 | A Season of Giants | Original Music Composer |
1990 | The Dark Sun | Music |
1990 | In The Rose Garden | Original Music Composer |
1990 | Una fredda mattina di maggio | Music |
1989 | Killer Crocodile | Original Music Composer |
1989 | The Story of Boys and Girls | Music |
1989 | Massacre Play | Music |
1989 | Una casa a Roma | Original Music Composer |
1987 | Love & Passion | Original Music Composer |
1987 | The Last Minute | Original Music Composer |
1987 | Brothers in Blood | Music |
1986 | Christmas Present | Music |
1986 | The Corruption | Music |
1986 | The Inquiry | Original Music Composer |
1985 | Miranda | Music |
1985 | Graduation Party | Music |
1985 | Impiegati | Original Music Composer |
1985 | Christopher Columbus | Music |
1984 | The Octopus | Original Music Composer |
1984 | Warriors of the Year 2072 | Music |
1984 | Noi tre | Music |
1984 | Tuareg: Desert Warrior | Original Music Composer |
1984 | Tuareg: Desert Warrior | Conductor |
1983 | Zeder | Original Music Composer |
1983 | A Hole in the Windshield | Music |
1983 | Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana | Music |
1982 | Holy Cow | Original Music Composer |
1982 | Valentina | Original Music Composer |
1982 | The Girl from Trieste | Music |
1982 | Più bello di così si muore | Original Music Composer |
1982 | I camionisti | Music |
1981 | Madhouse | Original Music Composer |
1981 | Ghost of Love | Original Music Composer |
1981 | Nobody's Perfect | Original Music Composer |
1981 | Honey | Original Music Composer |
1981 | Help Me Dream | Original Music Composer |
1980 | Cannibal Holocaust | Original Music Composer |
1980 | House on the Edge of the Park | Original Music Composer |
1980 | The Warning | Original Music Composer |
1980 | Maria - Nur die Nacht war Zeuge | Original Music Composer |
1979 | Atrocious Tales of Love and Death | Original Music Composer |
1979 | The Fifth Musketeer | Original Music Composer |
1979 | Tigers in Lipstick | Original Music Composer |
1979 | From Hell to Victory | Original Music Composer |
1979 | Mimi | Original Music Composer |
1979 | Gegè Bellavita | Original Music Composer |
1979 | Il corpo della ragassa | Original Music Composer |
1979 | The Burning Years | Original Music Composer |
1978 | Cyclone | Music |
1978 | First Love | Original Music Composer |
1978 | Rings of Fear | Original Music Composer |
1978 | Brutes and Savages | Original Music Composer |
1978 | Le braghe del padrone | Music |
1977 | The Pyjama Girl Case | Music |
1977 | Death Steps in the Dark | Original Music Composer |
1977 | I Am Afraid | Original Music Composer |
1977 | Casanova & Co. | Original Music Composer |
1977 | Double Murder | Conductor |
1977 | Double Murder | Original Music Composer |
1977 | Sahara Cross | Original Music Composer |
1976 | Submission | Original Music Composer |
1976 | Holiday Hookers | Original Music Composer |
1976 | Mimì Bluette... Flower of My Garden | Music |
1975 | Mondo Candido | Original Music Composer |
1975 | Blonde in Black Leather | Original Music Composer |
1975 | How to Kill a Judge | Original Music Composer |
1975 | Paolo Barca, maestro elementare, praticamente nudista | Music |
1975 | Ritratto di Donna Velata | Music |
1975 | Vieni, vieni amore mio | Music |
1974 | To Love Ophelia | Original Music Composer |
1974 | There Is No 13 | Music |
1973 | Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes | Original Music Composer |
1973 | War Goddess | Original Music Composer |
1973 | No, the Case Is Happily Resolved | Original Music Composer |
1973 | Teresa the Thief | Original Music Composer |
1973 | Hospitals: The White Mafia | Original Music Composer |
1973 | Counselor at Crime | Original Music Composer |
1973 | Mafia Junction | Original Music Composer |
1973 | Mean Frank and Crazy Tony | Original Music Composer |
1973 | One Way | Original Music Composer |
1973 | One Russian Summer | Music |
1973 | Dear Parents | Original Music Composer |
1973 | The African Deal | Original Music Composer |
1972 | Don't Torture a Duckling | Original Music Composer |
1972 | Don't Torture a Duckling | Conductor |
1972 | The Valachi Papers | Original Music Composer |
1972 | Seven Blood-Stained Orchids | Conductor |
1972 | Seven Blood-Stained Orchids | Original Music Composer |
1972 | A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die | Music |
1972 | The Dead Are Alive | Original Music Composer |
1972 | Girolimoni, the Monster of Rome | Original Music Composer |
1972 | Shadows Unseen | Music |
1972 | Where the Bullets Fly | Original Music Composer |
1972 | Jus primae noctis | Original Music Composer |
1971 | Goodbye Uncle Tom | Original Music Composer |
1971 | The Hunting Party | Music |
1971 | The Hunting Party | Conductor |
1971 | Confessions of a Police Captain | Original Music Composer |
1971 | Secret Fantasy | Original Music Composer |
1971 | Web of the Spider | Original Music Composer |
1971 | Do Not Commit Adultery | Original Music Composer |
1971 | The Statue | Original Music Composer |
1971 | Say Hello to Yesterday | Music |
1970 | The McKenzie Break | Music |
1970 | A Girl Called Jules | Music |
1970 | Madron | Original Music Composer |
1970 | The Unholy Four | Original Music Composer |
1970 | The Lovemakers | Original Music Composer |
1970 | The Dove Must Not Fly | Original Music Composer |
1970 | Un caso di coscienza | Original Music Composer |
1970 | Disperatamente l'estate scorsa | Music |
1970 | Andrea Doria -74 | Original Music Composer |
1970 | With What Love, With What Love | Original Music Composer |
1969 | One on Top of the Other | Original Music Composer |
1969 | So Sweet... So Perverse | Music |
1969 | Viva Cangaceiro | Original Music Composer |
1969 | Salt in the Wound | Original Music Composer |
1969 | Night of the Serpent | Original Music Composer |
1969 | The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal | Original Music Composer |
1969 | The Ravine | Original Music Composer |
1969 | Bootleggers | Music |
1968 | Anzio | Music |
1968 | Beyond the Law | Original Music Composer |
1968 | The Violent Four | Original Music Composer |
1968 | Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell | Music |
1968 | The Biggest Bundle of Them All | Original Music Composer |
1968 | The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom | Original Music Composer |
1968 | The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom | Conductor |
1968 | Sardinia Kidnapped | Original Music Composer |
1968 | Emma Hamilton | Original Music Composer |
1968 | The Fight for Rome | Original Music Composer |
1968 | The Girl Who Couldn't Say No | Original Music Composer |
1967 | Day of Anger | Original Music Composer |
1967 | Woman Times Seven | Conductor |
1967 | Woman Times Seven | Original Music Composer |
1967 | Kill and Pray | Original Music Composer |
1967 | On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who... | Music |
1967 | Tiffany Memorandum | Original Music Composer |
1967 | Soldier's Girl | Original Music Composer |
1966 | Africa Addio | Original Music Composer |
1966 | Lightning Bolt | Original Music Composer |
1966 | The Spy with a Cold Nose | Music |
1966 | Non faccio la guerra, faccio l'amore | Music |
1966 | Cifrato speciale | Music |
1965 | The Glory Guys | Original Music Composer |
1965 | Red Dragon | Original Music Composer |
1965 | Spy in Your Eye | Music |
1965 | The Devil Also Cries | Original Music Composer |
1965 | Con rispetto parlando | Music |
1965 | The Car That Became a Star | Music |
1964 | Castle of Blood | Original Music Composer |
1964 | Old Shatterhand | Music |
1964 | The Yellow Rolls-Royce | Conductor |
1964 | The Yellow Rolls-Royce | Original Music Composer |
1964 | The 7th Dawn | Music |
1964 | Hour of Death | Music |
1964 | The Pitiless Three | Original Music Composer |
1964 | Ride and Kill | Original Music Composer |
1964 | Le ore nude | Compositor |
1963 | Horror Castle | Original Music Composer |
1963 | Women of the World | Original Music Composer |
1963 | Ecco | Original Music Composer |
1963 | The Fall of Rome | Original Music Composer |
1962 | Il Sorpasso | Original Music Composer |
1962 | Mondo Cane | Music |
1962 | Mediterranean Holiday | Original Music Composer |
1961 | Very Important Person | Original Music Composer |
1961 | Ursus in the Valley of the Lions | Original Music Composer |
1957 | Terrore sulla città | Music |
1955 | Le vacanze del Sor Clemente | Music |