L'Uomo, L'Orgoglio, La Vendetta

Originally released on long playing record back in 1968 and re-issued as part of the CAM soundtrack encyclopaedia on compact disc in 1992, which was a straight replication of the vinyl recording running for around 36 minutes. L’UOMO L’ORGOGLIO,LA VENDETTA is in fact not as many believe a western. This is a dramatic and interesting reworking of the story of CARMEN obviously set in Spain, and filmed in Alicante which is one of reasons why many thought it to be a western. It stars Franco Nero, Klaus Kinski and Tina Aumont. The score by Carlo Rustichelli certainly contains many Spanish flavoured sounds and motifs and was for many years always filed under the category of being a spaghetti western score, and to a degree I suppose along with the location in which the movie was filmed this combined with the fact that record dealers back in the 1970,s when the LP was first released advertised it as a spaghetti western, knowing full well that spaghetti western fever was sweeping through the film music world would make it irresistible to collectors. To be honest the music is more classically and Spanish flavoured rather than western driven. But saying that Rustichelli was not a composer that was part of what was known as the Italian western score fraternity, because his style was always more classically infused as opposed to being filled with trills, shrieks and whistles. MAN PRIDE AND VENGEANCE, contains a number of themes which accompany the films three central characters and with this the expanded version of the score we can here numerous alternate takes on these that have not been available until now. The opening theme is a brooding and tense sounding piece in its early stages, the composer utilizing strings and guitar which is underlined by brass and percussion with a solo trumpet being introduced fleetingly to create a Spanish feel within the composition, Rustichelli also introduces little nuances from the organ within the piece and these prove to be highly effective, overall though this is a more dramatic and tense infused track as opposed to containing any real theme.

One of the action pieces combines a definite Hispanic sound with that of dramatic and action music performed on horns and strings with somewhat offbeat sounding percussive lines that are supported by frantic Spanish guitar, this composition is first heard in IL COLPO and then the central more dramatic portion of the theme is given a fuller and more robust symphonic working in L’INSEGUIMENTO DI GARCIA, it is shall we say something of an acquired taste but one that certainly gets the attention of the listener. There are also a number of pleasant and haunting guitar solo cues, these are heard in DA LILLAS, HABANERA GITANA and also in the composition entitled TEMA DI JOSE which is an enticing and captivating piece written for Nero’s character in the movie. There is also FANDANGO which is what it says and purveys wonderfully the sound of Spain with guitar taking centre stage which is not only played, plucked and strummed but also used as a percussion instrument. Then there is TEMA DI SOLITUDINE, which is guitar again supported by strings that create an almost dreamy sounding background whilst the guitar picks out a plaintive and engrossing theme, Rustichelli also adds organ to the composition midway through creating a tense and mysterious atmosphere but soon returns to the sensitive guitar solo that is underlined by subdued strings. Then in SUL FIUME we hear the grand sounding Rustichelli with a sweeping opening that segues into a romantic sounding theme performed by strings and choir that itself then melts into a guitar version of the composition, this builds and grows with strings being brought into the mix to add substance and stature to the proceedings. The track MORTE DI JOSE is almost operatic in its style and sense of tragedy, brass and percussion open the cue, which are joined by a grand sounding choir (BY PIERO CARAPELLUCCI) depicting a sense of catastrophe, the harsh opening soon alters to a solo guitar and strings that bring the cue to its conclusion with a version of JOSE’S theme. In many way this soundtrack is very similar to Rustichelli’s RIDERS OF VENGEANCE (which I think should also be considered for a CD release), it has a fully symphonic near classical sound to it and is bursting with bold themes, expansive and broad musical statements and also has its fair share of quieter emotive and romantically laced properties. I do recommend that you buy this score, but saying that if you do already have the CAM compact disc, I cannot really see the point as the extra music included here is basically repeats of the themes you already have, the art work for this release is far superior to that of the CAM release, so if you are a collector that does insist on having re-issues with extra tracks it’s for you, however sometimes less is more as they say, and alternate takes can be a little mis-leading, especially when one of them is billed as a piano saloon version of the theme, but this is not a western ?