Riz Ortolani
- Known for
- Sound
- Born
- March 25, 1926
- Died
- January 23, 2014 (aged 87)
- Birthplace
- Pesaro, Marche, Italy
Biography
Riziero "Riz" Ortolani (25 March 1926 – 23 January 2014) was an Italian film composer. Ortolani scored over 300 films working mostly within the Italian genres of Mondo, Giallo, and the Spaghetti Western. Ortolani also scored many Hollywood films and has had some of his compositions reused in films like Drive and Django Unchained. Ortolani's most famous composition is More, which he wrote for the infamous film Mondo Cane. It won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 36th Academy Awards. The song was later covered by Frank Sinatra, Kai Winding, Andy Williams, Roy Orbison, and others. Ortolani was born on 25 March 1926 in Pesaro, Italy. He was the youngest of six children. Ortolani's father, a postal worker, gave his son a violin at age 4. Ortolani later switched to flute after injuring his elbow in a car accident. He studied at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini" in his hometown of Pesaro before moving to Rome in 1948 and finding work with the RAI orchestra. Though the chronology is unclear, he also likely served as a musician in the Italian Air Force orchestra, formed a Jazz ensemble, and came to the United States as a Jazz musician in Hollywood, all before scoring his first film. Ortolani married Katyna Ranieri in 1956. In the early 1950s, Ortolani was founder and member of a well-known Italian jazz band. One of his early film scores was for Paolo Cavara and Gualtiero Jacopetti's 1962 pseudo-documentary Mondo Cane, whose main title-song More earned him a Grammy and was also nominated for an Oscar as Best Song. The success of the soundtrack of Mondo Cane led Ortolani to score films in England and the United States such as The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964), The Spy with a Cold Nose (1966), The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968) and Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968). He also scored the 1972 film The Valachi Papers, directed by Terence Young and starring Charles Bronson. Ortolani scored all or parts of over 200 films, including German westerns like Old Shatterhand (1964) and a long series of Italian giallos, Spaghetti Westerns, Eurospy films, Exploitation films and mondo films. These include Il Sorpasso (1962), Castle of Blood (1964), Africa Addio (1966), Day of Anger (1967), Anzio (1968), The McKenzie Break (1970), The Hunting Party (1971), A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972), Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (1972), The Fifth Musketeer (1979), From Hell to Victory (1979), the controversial Ruggero Deodato films Cannibal Holocaust (1980) and The House on the Edge of the Park (1980), and the first series of La piovra (1984). In later years he scored many films for Italian director Pupi Avati. His music was used on soundtracks for Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1999), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), Drive (2011) and Django Unchained (2012). In 2013, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Soundtrack Academy. Ortolani died on 23 January 2014 in Rome, aged 87. Source: Article "Riz Ortolani" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For
Filmography
Giallo a la Campagna
Movie · Music
Hell is Already in Us
Movie · Music
Those Days with Lucio
Movie · Music
Un matrimonio
TV · Original Music Composer · 6 eps
Il figlio più piccolo
Movie · Music
A Second Childhood
Movie · Original Music Composer
Giovanna's Father
Movie · Music
The Hideout
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Dinner for Them to Meet
Movie · Original Music Composer
Ma quando arrivano le ragazze?
Movie · Music, Original Music Composer
The Second Wedding Night
Movie · Original Music Composer
Christmas Rematch
Movie · Music
In the Jungle - The Making Of Cannibal Holocaust
Movie · Original Music Composer
Incantato
Movie · Original Music Composer
Knights of the Quest
Movie · Music, Original Music Composer
Midsummer Night Dance
Movie · Original Music Composer
Ama il tuo nemico
TV · Original Music Composer · 2 eps
Grandes ocasiones
Movie · Music
The Best Man
Movie · Music
The Voyeur
Movie · Original Music Composer
Magnificat
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Angel with the Gun
Movie · Original Music Composer
Brothers and Sisters
Movie · Original Music Composer
Paprika
Movie · Original Music Composer
Killer Crocodile 2
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Season of Giants
Movie · Original Music Composer
In The Rose Garden
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Dark Sun
Movie · Original Music Composer
Una fredda mattina di maggio
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Season of Giants
TV · Original Music Composer · 3 eps
Killer Crocodile
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Story of Boys and Girls
Movie · Original Music Composer
Massacre Play
Movie · Original Music Composer
Via Panisperna Boys
Movie · Music, Original Music Composer
Una casa a Roma
TV · Original Music Composer · 2 eps
Sposi
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Last Minute
Movie · Original Music Composer
Love & Passion
Movie · Original Music Composer
Brothers in Blood
Movie · Music
The Corruption
Movie · Music
The Inquiry
Movie · Original Music Composer
Christmas Present
Movie · Original Music Composer
Una domenica sì
Movie · Original Music Composer
Impiegati
Movie · Original Music Composer
Graduation Party
Movie · Original Music Composer
Miranda
Movie · Original Music Composer
Christopher Columbus
TV · Music · 4 eps
Warriors of the Year 2072
Movie · Music
Tuareg: Desert Warrior
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
The Three of Us
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Octopus
TV · Original Music Composer · 6 eps
Revenge of the Dead
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Hole in the Windshield
Movie · Music
A School Trip
Movie · Original Music Composer
That Awful Mess on Via Merulana
TV · Music · 4 eps
The Girl from Trieste
Movie · Music
Holy Cow
Movie · Original Music Composer
Più bello di così si muore
Movie · Original Music Composer
Valentina
Movie · Original Music Composer
I camionisti
Movie · Original Music Composer
Madhouse
Movie · Original Music Composer
Ghost of Love
Movie · Original Music Composer
Help Me Dream
Movie · Original Music Composer
Nobody's Perfect
Movie · Original Music Composer
Honey
Movie · Original Music Composer
Fear in the City
Movie · Original Music Composer
Cannibal Holocaust
Movie · Original Music Composer
House on the Edge of the Park
Movie · Original Music Composer
Maria - Nur die Nacht war Zeuge
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Warning
Movie · Original Music Composer
Fangio: Una vita a 300 all'ora
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Return of Casanova
Movie · Original Music Composer
Chocolate
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Fifth Musketeer
Movie · Original Music Composer
Tigers in Lipstick
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Burning Years
Movie · Original Music Composer
Il corpo della ragassa
Movie · Original Music Composer
Mimi
Movie · Original Music Composer
Gegè Bellavita
Movie · Original Music Composer
Atrocious Tales of Love and Death
Movie · Original Music Composer
From Hell to Victory
Movie · Original Music Composer
Brutes and Savages
Movie · Original Music Composer
Le braghe del padrone
Movie · Music
Cyclone
Movie · Music
First Love
Movie · Original Music Composer
Rings of Fear
Movie · Original Music Composer
Death Steps in the Dark
Movie · Original Music Composer
Sahara Cross
Movie · Original Music Composer
Casanova & Company
Movie · Original Music Composer
Double Murder
Movie · Conductor, Original Music Composer
I Am Afraid
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Pyjama Girl Case
Movie · Original Music Composer
Holiday Hookers
Movie · Original Music Composer
Submission
Movie · Original Music Composer
Mimì Bluette... Flower of My Garden
Movie · Music
Mondo candido
Movie · Original Music Composer
How to Kill a Judge
Movie · Original Music Composer
Blonde in Black Leather
Movie · Original Music Composer
Paolo Barca, Elementary School Teacher, Practically a Nudist
Movie · Music
Vieni, vieni amore mio
Movie · Music
Ritratto di Donna Velata
TV · Music · 5 eps
To Love Ophelia
Movie · Original Music Composer
There Is No 13
Movie · Music
Mafia Junction
Movie · Original Music Composer
Teresa the Thief
Movie · Original Music Composer
No, the Case Is Happily Resolved
Movie · Original Music Composer
Dear Parents
Movie · Original Music Composer
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
Movie · Original Music Composer
Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye
Movie · Original Music Composer
One Way
Movie · Original Music Composer
The African Deal
Movie · Original Music Composer
War Goddess
Movie · Original Music Composer
Hospitals: The White Mafia
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Counsellor
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Heroes
Movie · Original Music Composer
One Russian Summer
Movie · Original Music Composer
Where the Bullets Fly
Movie · Original Music Composer
Don't Torture a Duckling
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
Jus primae noctis
Movie · Original Music Composer
Shadows Unseen
Movie · Music
The Dead Are Alive
Movie · Original Music Composer
Girolimoni, the Monster of Rome
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Valachi Papers
Movie · Original Music Composer
Seven Blood-Stained Orchids
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
Secret Fantasy
Movie · Original Music Composer
Confessions of a Police Captain
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Hunting Party
Movie · Music, Conductor
Say Hello to Yesterday
Movie · Music
Goodbye Uncle Tom
Movie · Original Music Composer
Web of the Spider
Movie · Original Music Composer
Do Not Commit Adultery
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Statue
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Dove Must Not Fly
Movie · Original Music Composer
Andrea Doria -74
Movie · Original Music Composer
With What Love, With How Much Love
Movie · Original Music Composer
Un caso di coscienza
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Girl Called Jules
Movie · Music
Madron
Movie · Original Music Composer
The McKenzie Break
Movie · Music
The Lovemakers
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Unholy Four
Movie · Original Music Composer
Disperatamente l'estate scorsa
Movie · Music
The Adventures of Gerard
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
Salt in the Wound
Movie · Original Music Composer
Night of the Serpent
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Ravine
Movie · Original Music Composer
So Sweet... So Perverse
Movie · Music
Bootleggers
Movie · Music
One on Top of the Other
Movie · Original Music Composer
Viva Cangaceiro
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal
Movie · Original Music Composer
La coppia
Movie · Original Music Composer
Beyond the Law
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
Movie · Original Music Composer, Conductor
Emma Hamilton
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Violent Four
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Biggest Bundle of Them All
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Fight for Rome
Movie · Original Music Composer
Sardinia Kidnapped
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Girl Who Couldn't Say No
Movie · Original Music Composer
Anzio
Movie · Original Music Composer
Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell
Movie · Original Music Composer
Woman Times Seven
Movie · Conductor, Original Music Composer
Day of Anger
Movie · Original Music Composer
Kill and Pray
Movie · Original Music Composer
Tiffany Memorandum
Movie · Original Music Composer
Soldier's Girl
Movie · Original Music Composer
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...
Movie · Original Music Composer
Lightning Bolt
Movie · Original Music Composer
Make Love, Not War
Movie · Music
Special Code: Assignment Lost Formula
Movie · Music
Africa Blood and Guts
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Spy with a Cold Nose
Movie · Original Music Composer
Con rispetto parlando
Movie · Music
The Glory Guys
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Devil Also Cries
Movie · Original Music Composer
Red Dragon
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Car That Became a Star
Movie · Music
Spy in Your Eye
Movie · Original Music Composer
David Copperfield
TV · Original Music Composer · 8 eps
Old Shatterhand
Movie · Music
The Yellow Rolls-Royce
Movie · Conductor, Original Music Composer
Ride and Kill
Movie · Original Music Composer
The 7th Dawn
Movie · Music
Castle of Blood
Movie · Original Music Composer
Hour of Death
Movie · Music
The Pitiless Three
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Fall of Rome
Movie · Original Music Composer
Women of the World
Movie · Original Music Composer
Ecco
Movie · Original Music Composer
Horror Castle
Movie · Original Music Composer
Mondo Cane
Movie · Music
Il Sorpasso
Movie · Original Music Composer
Mediterranean Holiday
Movie · Original Music Composer
Very Important Person
Movie · Original Music Composer
Ursus in the Valley of the Lions
Movie · Original Music Composer
Siempre estaré contigo
Movie · Original Music Composer
Terrore sulla città
Movie · Music
Processo all'amore
Movie · Original Music Composer
Le vacanze del Sor Clemente
Movie · Music