Moderators: lazyben, static14, texasvinyl

By ghostfires
#75591
I am very happy to submit my second Deep Cut, Francis Lai's original 1975 film score for Emmanuelle 2. I've been in love with this French film score for many years, and was lucky earlier this year to find a copy of it on vinyl (not such a rare score, but rare to find the Mexican release in a record shop in North Texas!). It is similar in style to my first Deep Cut post, Histoire d'O by Pierre Bachelet, and yes you'll hear the similarities (I've read at least one story that Bachelet actually assisted Lai in writing this score) but I believe you'll also notice a very strong difference in how they conjure emotions. If you listened to this score without the knowledge of it being written for an erotica film, you would think it is all about love and loss. I hope everyone enjoys this review, and more importantly - finds that they enjoy the music.


Francis Lai - Emmanuelle 2 Original Soundtrack

1975, WIP Records

Francis Lai began composing film scores in 1965 when, at a young age, he was given the opportunity to compose the score for French filmmaker Claude Lelouch. In 1966 the score for A Man and a Woman was released, earning Lai a Golden Globe nomination for best original score. He was a shooting star from that point on, composing many film scores in France, United Kingdom, and even the U.S. Lai was a very diverse composer, and is also a well known accordionist. Within his broad scope of film music, several soft erotica film scores were composed that sometimes sat his music somewhere between the film score work of Pierre Bachelet, and (yes, this might sound like a stretch but bear with me!) Fabio Frizzi.

In 1975, director Francis Giacobetti released the film Emmanuelle 2. A French softcore erotica film, Emmanuelle 2 is based on the novel Emmanuelle: The Joys of a Woman by Emmanuelle Arsan. There is some controversy that Marayat Rollet-Andriane, Emmanuelle Arsan being her pen name, actually had her husband write the book, though I’ve not read further of any proof whether this claim is true or false. The Emmanuelle erotica film series had success, though none of the film scores ever stood out to be as exciting as Lai’s score has for me. Yes, Bachelet’s score for the first Emmanuelle film is very enjoyable…but there is some kind of extra layer of emotion just beneath the surface of Lai’s Emmanuelle 2 score that just can’t be ignored once you’ve begun your listening experience.

The score opens with a French pop song written by Lai and sung by actress Sylvia Kristel. Titled L’Amour D’Aimer - it is erotic, exciting, and very French. Kristel’s breathy voice creepily lulls you in quickly, almost soothing but all the while you know you can’t trust her. She is carefree and careless at the same time with her heart, and you can hear it in her voice. It is a pop song that I could spin ten times over, and pick out a different emotion each time. There are several electronica acts of the mid-90s that really found inspiration in French pop music like this. There is something very dark and exciting to it. You won’t hear the electric guitar from this track any longer in the score, and that is the only let down you’ll experience.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBwx852QiLQ[/video]

The second track, Les Fantasies D’Emmanuelle, is a wonderful synth track. Something you would absolutely hear on a Steve Moore film score today. Whimsical and playful, but never childish. There is sadness buried just beneath the carefree attitude of the synthesizers at work here. Shimmering synth sounds rain down on the piano notes in an attempt to resurrect happiness when you can tell ultimately there is none. I’m actually happy this track goes on for nearly 6 minutes. I think in today’s film scores - a synth track like this would have been cut to less than 2 minutes, and those are usually the songs you just want to haze out to for more than a minute and a half.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON6oFjo9H6c[/video]

Le Jardin De Jade is track number three, and while it fits well in the score - it almost has a Dexter Gordon jazz sensibility to it. Picture hanging out in the alley late night behind a jazz club…uncertainty in both directions, but the music keeps you feeling good. A saxophone slides into the mix just as you turn back to face inside the club. Not sure if you want to leave yet or not, you allow yourself to settle into the music once more, just for a minute or two. Maybe just one more drink.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOBAZYevrSI[/video]

Emmanuelle 2, track four on Side A, is the very sad piano theme to this film. There is something so nostalgic for me listening to this piece of music with my record crackling and popping with every rotation…it sounds like what I remember old films made for TV looked like in the early 1980’s. The strings and winds rise and fall like the emotions inside the main character of the film, and all you can do is sit by quietly and listen as they wash in and out of your speakers.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSX5uslVslw[/video]

The final track for Side A is La Lecon D’Amour D’Emmanuelle, and it is reminiscent of Bachelet as well as Morricone. Acoustic guitar, light drumming, and fretless bass hold the rhythm tight while the strings and vocals sweep across the spectrum of hope and loss, sadness and desire. While formatted like a French pop song, it is definitely more cinematic than anything you would hear on the radio in any decade. Kristel’s voice, while never saying anything, still pulls you in and just doesn’t let go until she is finished with you.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMusIsWaP5M[/video]

On the flip side, you are treated to another edition of the Emmanuelle 2 theme but this time it is longer, and more emotional with the classical orchestration. This full theme really proves Lai’s talent for film score composition. It is such a memorable theme - powerful - romantic - sensual - hopeful - and some how so sad every step of the way. The piano never allows you to feel actual joy, as the notes fall from the piano almost like tears. The strings collapse over you to nearly bury you in what should be pleasure, but ends in pain.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb1kamfVLUQ[/video]

L’Arrivee D’Emmanuelle is track 2 on Side B, and starts off with an electronic palette very similar in style to Mike Oldfield. The track soon turns into Lai’s version of psych funk, stepping very carefully as to not to sound exactly like any one style within the vast field of pop music. The electric piano is inviting, funky but never overwhelming. The Emmanuelle 2 theme is present, but the sadness has been masked by synth tones. This is classic 1970’s film score synth prog funk. One of the top standout tracks for me.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUwzw8yXd1Y[/video]

Track number 3 on Side B is Emmanuelle 2, and sounds like a Fabio Frizzi / Mike Oldfield cover version of the theme from the score. The fretless bass always makes these types of tracks for me - it has such a unique characteristic: it is creepy, funky, and otherworldly. Perhaps I feel that way because of such greats like David Bowie, Brian Eno, and David Sylvian putting it to unique uses throughout their musical careers - when I hear the fretless, I am immediately interested. The piano line is much more frantic in this version of the theme - a sense of panic and despair set in as you venture through the music. The drums don’t do a good job of guiding you safely through the piece, as they come in and out - just enough light to know you can make it, but where you’ll end up - you just can’t be too sure.

The final track of the Emmanuelle 2 score is titled Recontre A Bali. The strings on this track are just magical. The echo down a hallway you’ve walked through your whole life, but never actually stopped to look around inside until just now. There are string plucks safely pushing you further down the corridor, but you’re confronted by pops of the snare and hi-hat. The acoustic guitar and piano finally pick you up into a funk swing that then takes on a whole different feel from the rest of the score, thanks to the emergence of what sounds like the pairing of an electric piano and a xylophone. The notes bounce in and out as if they were bobbing out of the water at the shore of a beach you’ve always wanted to visit. There is a grand rise in the music at the end to really signal the finality of the film, but the beach funk continues. While it doesn’t contain the emotional strength the rest of the score has had for you as the listener, this is a great track to finally let go of your sadness and just relax for a few minutes. You’ve made it, things seem to be okay, and you can rest with your eyes closed. For now at least.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SElkYYn68jg[/video]
By thewaystation
#75593
Great stuff, yet again, @ghost, thank you! Emmanuelle 2 is not as easy to find as the first one over here but I've seen it a fair bit and will be looking out for it from now on. Still might prefer Piccioni's Swept Away when it comes to sun-drenched sleaze, though.

How do you rate Bachelet's work for the first part? Should sit nicely b/w Histoire and E2, one would imagine?

Glad we got the deep cuts going again. Can't wait for@bansel's follow-up.

The Jardin vid isn't working for me, by the way. Regional restrictions, probably?
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By freshoj
#75771
thanks for posting Ghosty! I know this stuff a little too well from my adolescence...
By ghostfires
#75817
Thank you guys, I'm always happy to share something that hopefully not too many people have dug into before.

@thewaystation - I really do like Bachelet's first entry into the Emmanuelle series, as I always love his work. I just always enjoy Lai's score more...it has something extra special in it, to my ears at least.

I was afraid some of those videos might not work. It was a hellacious time trying to track down videos for each song, as it's a jumbled mess on Youtube.