Roma Film Festival Honors Composer Ennio Morricone

Update 29 February 2016
Since Ennio Morricone won the Oscar last night for Best Original Score, there's been a lot of talk about his past work. Here is a link on Amazon to check out some of his materpieces..

In addition to Morricone's Oscar nomination, Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth" is also on the ballot tonight for Best Original Song by David Lang.. "Simple Song #3"
Check it out here.

And Ennio Morricone takes home the Oscar.... Check out some of his work..
Ennio Morricone on Amazon

Update 10 January 2016
Ennio Morricone wins Golden Globe for Best Original Score for Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight".

The 20th edition of the Roma Film Festival will pay tribute to the prolific career of renowned composer Ennio Morricone.

Born in Rome in 1928, Morricone has written the music for hundreds of films and television shows. His most recognizable titles include "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "Once Upon a Time in the West", "The Exorcist II", the comedy trilogy "La Cage aux Folles", "The Mission", "Once Upon a Time in America", "The Untouchables", "Bugsy", "Cinema Paradiso", "Hamlet" and most recently, Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight".

Morricone began his career in music rearranging previously composed work for RCA. His career took off when he began composing the music for films in the 1960's and then well into the 70's. It was during those years that he collaborated with directors like Sergio Leone, Duccio Tessari, Sergio Sollima and Sergio Corbucci on the epic Spaghetti Westerns. (Read Quentin Tarantin's list of his favorite Spaghetti Westerns) During those busy years, he also collaborated with several other Italian directors such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Dario Argento, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Elio Petri. After the 70's, Morricone reached beyond the borders of Italy for Hollywood and began composing for some of the biggest names in the film industry such as Brian De Palma, Barry Levinson, Mike Nichols and Oliver Stone. My favorite Morricone film composition is his 1988 collaboration with Giuseppe Tornatore on "Cinema Paradiso". The melody is unique and beautiful beyond words and still gives me the chills. I'll never forget the ending scene when Toto takes the film reel made by his childhood mentor back to Rome and watches those beautiful clips. It remains my favorite scene in the history of cinema.

Adriano Pintaldi and Ennio Morricone

My compliments to Adriano Pintaldi and everyone at Cineteca Nazionale and the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia for choosing such a worthy filmmaker to honor. I only wish that I was in Rome to attend this festival.

The Roma Film Festival will take place from 15-20 December at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia film school across from the Cinecittà Studios on Via Tuscolana. Admission is free of charge. If you are taking the Metro, take the A line in the direction of Anagnina and exit at Cinecittà.

Program

15 December
5:00pm - "I Basilischi" by Lina Wertmüller (1963)

7:00pm - "Per un pugno di dollari" by Sergio Leone (1964)

9:00pm - "La battaglia di Algeri" by Gillo Pontecorvo (1966)

16 December

5:00pm - "Diabolik" by Mario Bava (1968)

7:00pm - Q&A with Ennio Morricone moderated by Adriano Pintaldi with his documentary "Il fascino discreto di un genio" on the life and distinguished career of the maestro to follow

9:00pm - "L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo" by Dario Argento (1970)

17 December

4:30pm - "Sacco e Vanzetti by Giuliano Montaldo (1971)
6:45pm - "La Luna" by Bernardo Bertolucci (1979)

9:15pm - "Un sacco bello" by Carlo Verdone (1980)

18 December

5:00pm - "C'era una volta in America" by Sergio Leone (1984)

9:00pm - "Mission" by Roland Joffe (1986)

19 December

5:00pm - "The Untouchables" by Brian De Palma (1987)

7:00pm - "Legami!" by Pedro Almodovar (1990)

9:00pm - "Nuovo Cinema Paradiso" by Giuseppe Tornatore (1988)

20 December

5:00pm - "Dimenticare Palermo" by Francesco Rosi (1990)

7:00pm - "Wolf" by Mike Nichols (1994)

9:15pm - "Sostiene Pereira" by Roberto Faenza (1995)

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