LA RESA DEI CONTI was the first episode of Sergio Sollima’s western trilogy which later included FACCIA A FACCIA and CORRI UOMO CORRI. LA RESA DEI CONTI was filmed in 1967 during the peak of the spaghetti western genre fathered by Sergio Leone, and starring Lee Van Cleef and Thomas Milian. Morricone wrote for this movie one of the most interesting western classics. The critics consider LA RESA DEI CONTI and IL BUONO IL BRUTTO E IL CATTIVO, the western masterpieces by Morricone. Both scores contain the same basic ingredients recreating an atmoshpere of wild nature accentuated by the rhythm of percussion, the predominance of popular instruments such as the arghilofono and the human voice imitating animal cries.
LA RESA DEI CONTI, aka THE BIG GUNDOWN, EL HALCON Y LA PRESA , LUODIN LAKI, EN BODIG KNIV, ETT DOEDANDE SKOTT, COLORADO, DER GEHETZTE DER SIERRA MADRE, is a movie released in the italian theatres on the 3th march 1967 directed by Sergio Sollima and starring Lee Van Cleef, Tomas Milian, Nieves Navarro, Walter Barnes, Jose Torres, Gerard Herter, Nello Pazzafini, Fernando Sancho, Luisa Rivelli, Antonio Casas, Benito Stefanelli, Calisto Calisti, Tom Felleghy, Roberto Camardiel, Maria Granada, Spartaco Conversi, Romano Puppo. Jonathan Corbett (Lee Van Cleef) is a very brave gunman who cleared many bandits from Texas. After accepting the proposal to be a candidate to the Senate of the United States. he came across a revolting crime apparently committed by the Mexican Cuchillo (Tomas Milian), who had raped and killed a 12 years old girl. Corbett was commissioned to capture Cuchillo. During the long manhunt, in which Cuchillo always manages to get away eluding his chaser, Corbett gets to know closely his prey… At the end the big gundown takes an unexpected turn. Corbett, who discovered the truth behind that terrible crime, solved the case and revealed the thruth on the rape murder of the teen girl that finally cleared Cuchillo from the accusation. This movie, considered one of the most important of its kind, is truly brilliant really because it compared two icons of the Italian Western such as Van Cleef and Milian, really perfect in their roles as American gunfighter and Mexican bandit challenging each other bloody duels with no holds barred. Ennio Morricone created one of his most evocative soundtracks for the Italian Western composing a wild orchestral theme introduced in the Main Titles Song performed by the sharp throat of Christy, a well known name among fans of film music. The arghilofono, with an ethnic atmosphere, with sound effects that mimic the cry of birds and preys and with Latin percussion accompaniment, slowly anticipates a powerful development for orchestra and choir in the instrumental version, where the crystalline voice of Edda Dell’Orso is featured. This heroic motif is alternated with mysterious and often dramatic passages drawn from experimental music. The author incorporates fragments of Fur Elise (Beethoven) as background to the clash between Corbett and Baron Von Schulenberg, (Gerard Herter) who uses a special holster of his invention. In Italy the album was released in audio mono on Parade Label (EPL 2891) and in America in stereo by United Artists (SULP 1228) . Reprinted on CD in Italy and in Japan, this new version has a longer duration of 54:09 and it is the definitive presentation. This CD includes both the original album tracks in stereo and the mono film versions with completely restored sound and also it contains a true rarity bonus track: the film version of the FINALE with a never released intro featuring a grotesque effect of arghilofono with strings and oboe.
TRACKLISTING:
1. RUN MAN RUN 2.49
2.LA VEDOVA 1.11
3. TITOLI DI TESTA (La Caccia) 2.40
4. LA CORRIDA 1.52
5. DOPO LA CONDANNA 1.44
6. PRIMO DESERTO 2.30
7. LA CONDANNA 1.13
8. LA RESA 2.48
9. LA RESA DEI CONTI (Seconda Caccia) 2.20
10. ARRIVA CUCILLO 0.50
11. CORO DEI MORMONI 1.40
12. SECONDO DESERTO 1.24
13. TITOLI DI CODA (La Resa dei Conti) 1.03
14. CORRI UOMO CORRI 2.49
15. ARRIVA CUCILLO (Versione Alternativa) 0.59
16. LA RESA DEI CONTI (Titoli-Ripresa) 2.00
17. PRIMO DESERTO (Jonathan Corbett) 1.51
18. LA VEDOVA (Il Ranch) 2.04
19. PRIMO DESERTO ARRIVA (Arriva Corbett) 1.52
20. LA RESA DEI CONTI (Square Dance Nuziale) 5.08
21. PRIMO DESERTO (Il Morso del Serpente) 4.25
22. LA RESA DEI CONTI (Rosita) 2.22
23. PRIMO DESERTO (Preso nell’Imboscata) 0.55
24. LA RESA DEI CONTI (Mariachi) 0.41
25. RUN MAN RUN (TITOLI FINALE) 2.47
