Let's talk about
The Beyond. Where did you first see the film or hear the score? My first discovery was the Blackest Heart Media soundtrack CD release with the interspersed dialog/fx tracks! I have yet to read the graphic novel it came with, but I found the digital files online back in the 90's. Did you know that the severely-cut 1983 US theatrical release as
Seven Doors of Death had a completely different soundtrack by Walter Sear? (which I've never seen or heard). I am glad to say that when I finally saw the film, it was in the uncut form with the original soundtrack. Although I had some kind of hazy, personal vision of what I thought the film *might* be like from listening to that soundtrack album, I really had no idea what I was in for with this one. Much has been said about Fulci's purposefully "plot-less" nightmare, and everybody seems to get something different out of the experience. I recently viewed the original uncut 35mm film with a crowd, and it was like experiencing a shared bad trip that had a monstrously-groaning and intense jazzfunk soundtrack. Many people in the audience were really enjoying the music in the film, and it seemed to continuously align the attention of the crowd while getting everybody through the outrageous feast of visual gore -- many scenes of which drew shocking gasps of astonishment from the audience. The scene where it cuts to Cinzia Monreale (as Emily) playing the piano perfectly in-time with Frizzi's solo piano sent the crowd buzzing -- what the fuck?! My lingering vision from the film is a loop of running up and down endless flights of stairs while that undead mellotron chorus is belting it out at maximum volume. Incredible.
Many claim that
The Beyond is their favorite work of music by Fabio Frizzi. As a whole, I am inclined to agree, and I always enjoy listening to the entire soundtrack album. Funky bass and drums aside, the combination of the mellotron and human chorus is something interesting and special, and when used together in the climax of the score, it is almost overwhelming. Alternately, there are some cues and tracks that are almost minimal in their subtlety and restraint, but feature interesting and unexpected arrangements of instruments (that flute!) along with crisp percussion. The whole thing is very unique, and seems to pull from many different directions. The album is especially enjoyable on vinyl, and it has been really fun to collect all the different pressings of this seminal album.
What do you all think we are in for with the new Composer's Cut? I am expecting a full-on blazing prog assault, along with even more bubbling acid melting everybody's face off, where by the finale our bilious remains drip all the way down to join the
sea of darkness...
