Napule’s Power
NoonJuly 15, 2022 – 10:59 am
Boncompagni, Wertmuller, Loy, Demme, Vanzina, Majano, Troisi up to Sorrentino: many directors have been seduced by the great composers of the Movement
SIt is true that the first soundtrack in the history of Italian cinema was written by a Neapolitan, Cesare Andrea Bixio in 1930 for the film The song of love, although it is true that the music of Napule’s Power not a little effort to be considered suitable for our cinema. At the beginning, the first Italian films were inspired by famous songs, great, very catchy, romantic or sentimental melodies that were the most requested by film producers who, until the early 1960s, did not feel the need for new compositions, especially if rebellious. and alternatives, which instead characterized the music of our Musical Movement. But luckily there is always a first time.
Gianni Boncompagni who, let us remember, together with Renzo Arbore first broadcast the Showmen on Rai, author with Vito Tommaso of the music of the film Colpo di Sole, by Mino Guerini, in ’68 it was he who used music performed by the Showmen in the soundtrack. It was a signal: the Showmen with their Mediterranean Rithm & Blues were finally starting to have a great national success.
In 1972, however, the great Argentine composer, Louis Bacalov, proposed to the Osanna, who were just establishing themselves on the national scene with their first Lp, The manto create with him the soundtrack of the film Milan Caliber 9by Fernando Di Leo.
In ’74, as I remember in the book Napule’s Poweron the strength of the success we had obtained with the NCCP directed by Roberto De Simone, I proposed to RCA to produce the album with the music of De Simona (not yet known and appreciated for that great musician who) for the film How beautiful it is to die of the late Ennio Lorenzini. A very strong film, of brigands and revolution viewed with suspicion by the RCA. However, we managed to get the music for the film made and to have the record released also because the NCCP was depopulating with Tammurriata Nera. Those music of Lorenzetti’s film are and remain a masterpiece and opened a passage. Overcoming the diffidence towards our great music immediately allowed me to propose Eugenio Bennato for an important soundtrack to the great Rai director Anton Giulio Majano for his Inheritance of the Prioress, (a work on the Brigands in six episodes for the prime time for Rai). Precisely in those months with Eugenio, who had detached himself from the NCCP, we were launching Musicanova which among the new songs had some songs about brigands. And Majano decided that Eugenio suited him very well. It was a great success that immediately encouraged other directors such as Pasquale Squitieri, who in ’78 entrusted Tullio De Piscopo with the soundtrack of his film The weapon, with Claudia Cardinale and Stefano Satta Flores. Carlo Vanzina the following year with Alan Sorrenti to make the film Son of the Starsjust as Alan was enjoying world success.
Lina Wertmuller in 1985 for her very animated film A complicated intrigue of women, alleys and crimes with Harvey Keitel, Angela Molina, Isa Danieli, Peppe Barra, Elvio Porta, entrusts the music, produced by Cinevox to Tony Esposito who, the following year, will meet Steno who for his film, The shadow of Vesuvius entrusts him with the soundtrack. In those years, it was 1983, Pino Daniele writes the music for the film by Nanny Loy Picone sent mea great screenplay by Elvio Porta with Giancarlo Giannini and an amazing Lina Sastri who successfully sings the song by Pino Rehearsals. In the film Tullio De Piscopo, Vito Mercurio, Tony Cercola collaborated on the music, then there were Corrado Sfogli of the NCCP, Joe Amoruso, Rino Zurzolo, Giorgio Verdelli music consultant. In the book I published a very rare photo (left) that portrays us all around Pino, in his studio in Formia with the musicians and Willy David, Pino’s producer.
In those years the film by Lello Arena was also released No thanks, the coffee makes me nervous with James Senese, directed by Ludovico Gasparini, subject by Massimo Troisi and Lello Arena. The surreal comedy by Renzo Arbore also arrives FF SS Why did you take me to Posillipo if you don’t love me anymore?where an extraordinary Montecorvino stone emerges with Sud. There is also room for Ciro Ippolito who makes a trashy film with the hilarious Squallor, Arrapaho with Alfredo Cerruti, Tot Savio, Giancarlo Bigazzi, Giampiero Pace. Salvatore Piscicelli in 1985 directs Metropolitan blues with the music of Joe Amoruso and the participation of Tony Esposito, Pino Daniele, Tullio De Piscopo, Maurizio Capone, Franco del Prete with the group ascent and Peppe Lanzetta. The film strongly desired by Claudio Bonivento, who produces it; the screenplay, Verdelli reminds me, was also signed by a young Paolo Sorrentino.
In those same years Troisi’s films were released, I start again from Tre, Sorry I’m late, I thought it was love but it was a gig, We just have to cryand then The ways of the Lord have ended with the music of Pino Daniele of whom Massimo has always been a great friend. There are also two films with the music of Enzo Gragnaniello Come away with me e Roots.
Enzo Avitabile signs the music for the film by the great American director (Oscar for Silence of the Lambs) Jonathan Demme, Music Life.
In 2010 then John Turturro arrives and realizes Passion with an extraordinary Pietra Montecorvino and with Peppe Barra, Massimo Ranieri, Raiz, Enzo Avitabile, Lina Sastri, Peppe Servillo, James Senese and others. A brilliant musicall of the Movement.
In 2015 a serious loss for all of us: Pino Daniele passes away. Giorgio Verdelli will make a first documentary for Rai on his life and his successes. In those days the composer Louis Siciliano – who had departed several years earlier from Naples for the USA, Great Britain and India, playing above all jazz with characters such as Wayne Shorter, Mike Stern, Alex Acuna, Randy Brecker and writing international soundtracks – returned to Italy for make the music for the film It never rains in Naples, by Sergio Assisi. During the production the terrible news of Pino’s disappearance arrives and Louis dedicates a song from his soundtrack to him, very moving that he will sing himself: ‘or time. In the soundtrack of the film, among the performers there are Gigi Di Rienzo on bass, Claudio Romano on drums, Umberto Muselli on sax. The strings are those of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, directed by the Sicilian himself who will then write the music for one of the best films by Bruno Colella the following year, My Italy with Edoardo, Bennato, Lina Sastri, Eugenio Bennato, Tony Esposito, Enzo Gragnaniello, Pietra Montecorvino Luisa Ranieri, Nino Frassica, Alessandro Haber, Sebastiano Somma, Piera degli Esposti, Achille Bonito Oliva and Rocco Papaleo.
With the title inspired by my program and my book Song’e Napule then comes the film of two friends from the video clips, the Manetti Bros with music by Pivio and Aldo De Scalzi with Peppe Servillo. The film won four silver ribbons and two David di Donatello.
Then there is the beautiful and highly successful film by Giorgio Verdelli, all about Pino and the many protagonists of the Napule’s Power who have always collaborated with him Time will remain of 2017 presented at the San Carlo and in the major Italian and foreign reviews, winner of the Silver Ribbon, with Peppe Servillo, Giorgia, Massimo Ranieri, Vasco Rossi, Rino Zurzolo, Tullio De Piscopo, Tony Esposito, James Senese. The docufilm, recently revived in theaters immediately jumped to second place in the box office. There are many other films, about Carosone and other great ones, here we have mentioned a part of them.
Finally, the film by Paolo Sorrentino was the hand of Godamong the 2022 Oscar nominations, ends with the most beautiful song of the Movement: Napul ‘ by Pino Daniele.
July 15, 2022 | 10:59
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