Metello / Il Segreto del Sahara

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Metello (1970)

Mauro Bolognini (1922-2001) directed In 1961 the film La Viaccia. He first worked with Vasco Pratolini as a scriptwriter. Bolognini then discovered the novel Metello by the same writer. Mauro immediately saw a movie in the story. Initially he had Albert Finney for a main role in mind. But Finney was too busy with other films and the plans were shelved. After eight or nine years, the film was finally made. Remarkably it does not show it was a small budget production. Now starring singer Massimo Ranieri and Ottavia Piccolo. For financial reasons the director used a cast unknown and made Metello one of his most famous films. He wanted a sentimental movie and was not ashamed to use feelings in the film. Mauro Bolognini considered Metello and Senilitá as his two most beloved films. Ennio Morricone did the music for Metello and it's not really clear whether it was their 3rd or 4th collaboration. Bolognini's film L'assoluto naturale with Morricone's music is from the same year. The films Arabella (1967) and Un Bellisimo Novembre (1968) were earlier collaborations. Until Bolognini's death in 2001, Morricone wrote the music for 15 movies by Mauro Bolognini. Their final film together was La Villa del Venerdi in 1991. The music for Metello is melodramatic and melodic. The main theme can also be found on many compilation albums. The beauty of the music lies here again in the particular orchestration. Whether it is a saloon piano, mandolin or a brass band, the Maestro knows as always how to be original.

Il Segreto del Sahara, aka Secret of the Sahara (1988)

Secret of the Sahara is a TV Mini-Series in seven parts, starring Ben Kingsley, Michael York, Andie Mac Dowell, David Soul and others. The series were directed by Alberto Negrin. The film tells the story of an archaeologist who finds an old parchment leading to a treasure in the Saharan desert. A film with mystery and adventure. Alberto Negrin directed many TV series. A lot of them have music by Ennio Morricone and many of these soundtracks were released but titles like: Ics (2003); Mi Ricordo Anna Frank (2009); Paolo Borsellino - i 57 Giorni (2012) and L'Isola (2012) are TV series without a soundtrack being released, yet. The master tapes are no doubt at RaiTrade. The music for Secret of the Sahara is a grand scale quality score. The music is for large orchestra and choir. Rich in beautiful melodies. Sometimes subdued, sometimes overwhelming. Morricone used also ethnic instruments, as used in the desert, to come as close as possible to the Sahara sound. Two tracks on the CD, The Mountain and The Golden Door, were conducted by Franco Ferrara. Morricone wrote these tracks for the John Huston film The Bible in 1964. Because sections of this score performed well in Secret of the Sahara, the Maestro reused these same tracks to ultimately bring them to the screen. Morricone reused his music for The Bible only in the films Il Ritorno di Ringo (1965) and Secret of the Sahara. Enjoy the score. It is a masterpiece.