Press Release from Music Box
In collaboration with EMI Music Publishing France, Music Box Records presents the newly remastered and slightly expanded edition of Ennio Morricone’s score to the 1983 adventure film Le Ruffian, starring Lino Ventura, Bernard Giraudeau and Claudia Cardinale.
Le Ruffian, the twelfth feature film of director and writer José Giovanni is an action-filled adventure movie shot in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, with the majestic Wapta Falls as its main natural setting. The score allowed Ennio Morricone to pick up various elements from his melodic and instrumental palette in order to deliver a colorful and catchy score. According to his usual method, the Italian maestro proposed several themes, notably for the main theme. This album allows listeners to discover for the first time four never-before-released tracks, including two unused versions of Le Ruffian’s theme, revealing a more nostalgic approach than the glib melody that was actually chosen for the movie. The final score of the film is built around three recurring themes for which Morricone collaborated again with harmonica player Franco de Gemini. The composer summoned up the iconic pieces of his repertoire from the 60s/70s and infused José Giovanni’s pictures with the Western-like sound he had coined.
This newly remastered edition features the complete program already released on the Italian label Beat Records in 2004 with all the alternate versions. The album also presents the original 1983 General Music soundtrack album, remastered from a new pristine condition stereo master tape, and also includes for the first time four never-before-released demo tracks which were vaulted at EMI Music Publishing France. The package includes an 8-page booklet with liner notes by Sylvain Pfeffer, discussing the film and the score. The CD release is limited to 500 units.
