GFF 2011: The Good, The Bad and the Morricone

In 2007, Ennio Morricone was presented with an honorary Academy Award for his indelible contribution to cinema. It was an overdue reward for a five-time nominee yet to be recognised with an Oscar of his own, though Celine Dion did her best to scupper the moment’s poignancy by warbling a version of 'Deborah’s Theme' from Once Upon A Time in America beforehand. Morricone was presented the statuette by Clint Eastwood (who stuck around to translate the Italian composer’s speech), helping to cement an already-firm association between the twin icons of the Spaghetti Western: the latter’s squint and poncho the genre’s visual paradigm; the former’s guitar twangs, whistles and marching trumpets its aural counterpoint.

The wide popularity of the soundtracks to The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West and other opus oaters potentially obscures the breadth of the octogenarian’s work. With nearly five hundred film credits to his name, he’s proven as comfortable scoring pastoral dramas (Days of Heaven), gruesome science fiction (The Thing), political thrillers (The Battle of Algiers) and horror (in collaborations with Dario Argento for The Bird With the Crystal Plummage and The Cat o’ Nine Tails) as he is accompanying the exploits of six-shooting outlaws. Not to mention Mario Bava’s camp classic Danger: Diabolik, which screens at this year’s GFF as part of its Superhero strand (if you plan to make a day of it, Mondo Morricone ticket-holders are eligible for discounted entry to the Saturday showing). His popularity is as strong among consumers as it as among the filmmakers vying to employ him; his Platinum Collection is permanently nestled in Amazon’s bestselling soundtracks chart, holding its own against Glee compilations and Disney behemoths.

On Saturday, Mondo Morricone will celebrate the composer's career further. First performed in 2000 by Davie Scott of The Pearlfishers and Duglas T Stewart of BMX Bandits, the cast assembled to recreate Morricone’s beloved soundtracks this time is impressive: as well as Stewart and Scott, ex-BBC Scotland presenter Peter Easton returns for a second time alongside Mick Slaven and Jim Gash of Deacon Blue, folk singer Jo Mango, jazz musicians Brian Molley and Allon Beauvoisin, The Wellgreen’s Marco Rea, Sarah-Beth Brown of Born By Wires, Gareth Perrie of Randolph’s Leap, and Stevie Jackson of Belle and Sebastian, each contributing their respective skills to an exciting pool of talent. The contents of the set are under wraps, though Stewart has been sharing some of his favourite Morricone tracks online, so 'Ecstasy of Gold' is a likely bet from the Western contingent, while 'Rabbia E. Tarantella' (written for Allonsanfan but now better known for its appropriation by Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds) and the beautiful Metti, Una Cera a Cena score may also creep their way in (and, if non-soundtrack-work qualifies, a version of Mina Mazzini’s astonishing 'Se Telefonando' wouldn’t go amiss). Of course, if the song selection process is democratic, all bets are off; find out what does make the cut tonight.