06.20.07
Morricone
I should be reading about Asian films in preparation for my impending exam on Friday (man do I mention that a lot these days… I wonder why), but Call of Juarez has kickstarted a sort of western phase in my film viewing habits, and yesterday I got Morten to send me the theme for The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. I actually have that theme on an old 45 RPM vinyl disc that my mother once gave me; it also has The Ecstasy of Gold on the other side, so it’s a great record, but unfortunately I have no record player, so I can only play it on my parents’ stereo.
I truly believe the theme for The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is the best soundtrack ever composed, simply because every single element of it creates associations to the western genre for me, and the entire song manages to encompass everything that defines westerns as a genre:
- The drums in the beginning; Indian war drums.
- A flute; the deserted, dusty prairie town; a tumbleweed rolls across the street.
- The whistling of a cowboy or perhaps the sheriff, waiting for something - or someone.
- The drums change to a faster rhythm; a train.
- The guitar simply smacks of mexican pistoleros and fast-paced horseback chases.
- Strings in the background paint the picture of a beautiful desert landscape; is it Monument Valley?
- Low male voices create images of workers slaving away in gold mines or laying down railroad tracks.
- A church bell rings distantly in the background.
- The rhythm picks up, and now perhaps it sounds like a horse gallop.
- A scream; coyotes, perhaps an indian warcry.
- Trumpets! The cavalry has arrived.
The only thing that’s missing is the whore with the heart of gold, but she can clearly be heard in The Ecstasy of Gold. It’s all there. This song embodies the western genre. Of course it’s the first tune everybody thinks of in relation to westerns or even just pistol dueling in general. And for your information, the guitar is my favourite part. Obviously.
