La Tarantola Dal Ventre Nero

Il Diavolo Nel Cervello

Music by Ennio Morricone

 

 

 

Directed by Paolo Cavara (of Mondo Cane) La Tarantola Dal Ventre Nero (The Black Belly of the Tarantula, 1971) takes place as one of the good suspense films of its time. More consistent than the average of many exploiting giallos.

It was also a highlight in the filmography of Ennio Morricone in the genre. Intricate and dissonant, the trail makes the timbristic contrast of the instruments the dispersion necessary to atmosphere of threat. The title theme (La Tarantula dal Ventre Nero) is another musical world, especially if heard detached from the film. Obvious considers it just "thriller music," but the sound experiences goes near the avant-garde with its array of unconventional sound emissions. Some titles already define the climate, for example, Lugubre (string dispersion and occasional piano notes) or Buio Psichedelico (anti-music with harpsichord, electronic modulations and random piano). As a rule in the genre – rule started by Morricone himself in Dario Argento films – the soundtrack reserve melodic moments in Coiffeur Pour Dammes of romanticism with its sensuality and female vocals (the always wonderful Edda Dell'Orso). L'Abbracio Caldo Della Tarantola is the main romantic theme for Tellini investigator (Giancarlo Gianini in a rare role outside of comedies) and his wife Anna (Stefania Sandrelli). 

Less active than La Tarantola, the soundtrack for Il Diavolo Nel Cervello had great role in the curious suspense directed by Sergio Sollima – a kind of Rashomon of the thrillers. The thematic contrast (tonal versus atonal) is also presenet here and the thematic repetition induces emotional confinement. Among the almost abstract constructions, the piano quote of Beethoven´s Pour Elise is frequent. The piano theme concerns the little Rick (Renato Cestié), a key character in the plot of intrigue and lies. And again a beautiful main theme (again with the voice of Edda Dell'Orso) antagonizes the suspense atmospheres. La Ragione Il Cuore, L'Amore is among the most beautiful melodic pieces of Morricone, a note that seems redundant in his production of the period. But in fact the theme rivals other good moments of the composer as La Califfa or The Bird with Crystal Plumage.