The Ennio Morricone Desert Tv Trilogy

Editor: Digitmovies

Artists: Ennio Morricone

Digitmovies publishes a box set with three double vinyls entitled “THE ENNIO MORRICONE DESERT TV TRILOGY” with Ennio Morricone’s soundtracks from the TV series “Secret of the Sahara” (1988), “The law of the desert” a.k.a. “Beyond justice” (1991) and “The sands of time” a.k.a. “Tower of the Firstborn” (1999).

SECRET OF THE SAHARA

THE SOUNDTRACK

Ennio Morricone’s “Secret of the Sahara” was a great sales success, especially thanks to the song “Saharan Dream” performed by Amii Stewart (C6). At the time, RCA Italiana released a CD (RCA – 74321 34225 2) and a 33 rpm (RCA BL 71559) with sixteen tracks selected by the author. This material succeeded in France on CD (RCA BD71947) and on vinyl (RCA BL71947). In 2018, the same material was reissued on vinyl by Monte Stella Records (MSR-1220008). In 2007 Maestro Morricone approved six previously unreleased tracks for an expanded edition, which GDM released on CD (GDM 4107), now that expanded version is back for the first time on double vinyl, with a duration of 76:14 minutes. Ennio Morricone wrote an epic theme for orchestra and choir introduced by the bass flute (A1), repeated in B4, C2 and in D6 where Edda Dell’Orso’s crystal voice is the absolute protagonist. To this recurring motif the composer alternates dramatic and suspenseful pieces (A2), others melodic and sensual (A3, B1, B5, B6, C1, C5), epic-mystical (C4), dances (D1, D2). Ennio Morricone also used “The mountain” (A4) and “The golden door” (B3), themes directed by Franco Ferrara that were originally written, recorded and never used in John Huston’s film “The Bible” (1966), which instead used the music of Japanese composer Toshiro Mayuzumi.

DIRECTION AND CAST

Directed in 1988 by Alberto Negrin with Michael York, Ben Kingsley, Miguel Bosé, James Farentino, Andie MacDowell, Ana Obregón, Mathilda May, David Soul, Daniel Olbrychski, William McNamara, Delia Boccardo, Diego Abatantuono, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Itaco Nardulli.

THE PLOT

An English scholar goes on an expedition to the Sahara to discover the secret of the talking mountain. A terrible sheik and a captain of the Foreign Legion also have the same goal. Desmond manages to arrive before the others, but pays for his precious discovery with the loss of his sight. Only the love of Anthea, the queen of the warriors of the Talking Mountain, will restore his sight and help him to fight.

THE LAW OF THE DESERT

THE SOUNDTRACK

In 1991, Mercury pressed a CD (848 553 -2) and a vinyl (848 553 -1) with selections prepared by the composer himself. In 2000 GDM released an expanded CD with four bonus tracks and in 2012 the more complete version with thirty tracks. Now for the first time we reissue on double vinyl that material from the last CD version, with a total duration of 77:23 minutes. The main theme is an evocative epic-romantic motif in which the voice of soprano Pina Magri (A1) (already the lead vocalist in the soundtrack of Dario Argento’s “Phenomena”) intervenes, repeated in B7 and D3 and in the magical “Lei, una voce” (A4). Ennio Morricone creates a theme in the style of “Il segreto del Sahara”, a magical, suspended motif that then develops for orchestra and choir (A2, D1, D7, D9). The soundtrack is enriched by suspense music (A3, A6, B3, B4, B5, B6, C1, C4, D2 and the light epic-nostalgic theme “Morte di Mulay” (C2). In the endless stretches of sand, there is no shortage of love as in “Attimi d’amore” (A5, D4), “Ninna nanna per un’insonnia” (C3) and “Una luce, mille luci” (C6).

DIRECTION AND CAST

Directed in 1991 by Duccio Tessari and starring Rutger Hauer, Carol Alt, Omar Sharif, Elliott Gould, Kabir Bedi, Stewart Bick, David Flosi, Brett Halsey, Peter Sands, Christopher Ahrens, Larry Dolgin.

THE PLOT

A group of mercenaries under the command of Tom Burton go in search of Catherine Sanders’ 13-year-old son, kidnapped by Moulay Beni-Zair (Sanders’ ex-husband), on behalf of his father Emir Beni-Zair, a stern but noble desert sheik.

THE SANDS OF TIME

THE SOUNDTRACK

In 1999, RCA released a CD (RCA Original Cast – 74321720502) assembled by the author. We are pleased to reissue for the first time on double vinyl (59:09) this OST that had never been reissued in the twenty-five years since its original release. Ennio Morricone composed an extremely romantic song in the style of “Saharan dream” entitled “And will you love me?” interpreted by the splendid voice of Antonella Ruggiero accompanied by the Capital Voices choir and the London orchestra (A1) and reprised in an orchestral version (D4). Romantic themes are present in the songs: “Sopra di noi” (A2), “Un’avventura romantica” (B1), “La torre dei primogeniti” (B2), ‘Sembra un cielo sereno’ (B5) and “I due fratelli” (C2), alternating with mysterious, dramatic and violent themes (A3, B3, B4, B6, C1, D1, D2). Ennio and Andrea Morricone conduct the orchestra.

DIRECTION AND CAST

Directed in 1999 by Alberto Negrin and starring Ben Cross, Peter Weller, Romina Mondello, Marco Bonini, Guy Lankester, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Heino Ferch, Ione Skye.

THE PLOT

Diane, an attractive young archaeologist, is intent on unravelling the mystery linked to her father, scientist Dr Shannon, who disappeared in Africa while searching for the “Tower of the firstborn”, a mysterious place which, according to ancient legends, holds the secret of space and time, and bestows knowledge and wisdom. Diane undertakes the journey ignoring the warnings of her friends and overcoming various dangers, clashing with a sheik and his horde of savage desert marauders, and meeting the courageous officer Léon commanding the Foreign Legion. Finally, together with Rashid, a mysterious desert prince and friend of her missing father, Diane finds the mysterious place and her father.

• A1 - Secret Of The Sahara - 4:28
• A2 - Red Ghosts - 4:27
• A3 - Sholomon - 3:22
• A4 - The Mountain - 10:13
• B1 - Kerim - 2:54
• B2 - The Hawk - 3:03
• B3 - The Golden Door - 2:05
• B4 - The Myth And The Adventure - 4:28
• B5 - Anthea And The Desert - 3:24
• B6 - Farewell Orso - 1:51
• C1 - Death Of Tamameth - 1:38
• C2 - Secret Of The Sahara - 1:55
• C3 - First Dedication - 3:48
• C4 - Second Dedication - 3:25
• C5 - Miriam And Philip - 2:23
• C6 - Saharan Dream - 3:08
• D1 - Dance Of The Snakes - 3:42
• D2 - Dance Of The Chess Game - 2:32
• D3 - Meeting Orso - 1:46
• D4 - Tale From Poland - 2:46
• D5 - Tuareg - 3:35
• D6 - Secret Of The Sahara - 4:28
• A1 - Il Figlio E La Nostalgia - 3:44
• A2 - Il Principe Del Deserto - 2:46
• A3 - Sguardo Nascosto - 3:00
• A4 - Lei, Una Voce - 1:15
• A5 - Attimi D’Amore - 3:12
• A6 - Riflessioni Sulle Radici - 3:24
• A7 - Il Nonno - 2:04
• B1 - Preparazione Alla Corsa - 1:48
• B2 - Dissolvenze Desertiche - 5:02
• B3 - Sola, Nuda - 1:51
• B4 - Lo Scrigno - 2:41
• B5 - Una Strana Tromba - 1:42
• B6 - Arrivano - 1:41
• B7 - Il Figlio E La Nostalgia (#2) - 3:44
• C1 - Scorpione - 2:42
• C2 - Morte DI Mulay - 2:25
• C3 - Ninna Nanna Per Un’Insonnia - 1:59
• C4 - Tra Sentimento E Tensione - 4:18
• C5 - Insolita Rincorsa - 3:03
• C6 - Una Luce, Mille Luci - 3:13
• C7 - Nostalgia - 3:42
• D1 - Il Principe Del Deserto (#2) - 2:46
• D2 - Prima Del Ritrovamento - 2:43
• D3 - Il Figlio E La Nostalgia (#3) - 2:31
• D4 - Attimi D’Amore (#2) - 0:48
• D5 - Nostalgia (#2) - 1:37
• D6 - Prima Del Ritrovamento (#2) - 1:45
• D7 - Il Principe Del Deserto (#3 – Tromba) - 0:59
• D8 - Nostalgia (#3) - 0:58
• D9 - Il Principe Del Deserto (#4 – Titoli DI Testa) - 2:47
• A1 - And Will You Love Me? - 4:24
• A2 - Sopra DI Noi - 3:49
• A3 - L'Ultima Battaglia - 5:58
• B1 - Un'Avventura Romantica - 3:41
• B2 - La Torre Dei Primogeniti - 3:04
• B3 - Zadic - 1:27
• B4 - Mistero E Mistero - 2:22
• B5 - Sembra Un Cielo Sereno - 2:40
• B6 - Ritorsione - 2:59
• C1 - Deserto E Deserto - 2:25
• C2 - I Due Fratelli - 3:35
• C3 - Lo Sceicco E Le Sue Donne - 3:12
• C4 - Un Equivoco - 3:32
• D1 - Fantasmi DI Giorno - 4:31
• D2 - Inseguire Nel Vento - 3:03
• D3 - Sabbia E Sabbia - 3:26
• D4 - I Guardiani Del Cielo - 4:25