The Swimming Pool (Original Version)/Scorpio's View (Parts 2 And 3 - Alternate Vocal Take)
Flush with popular successes that spanned film (the Oscar nominated score for Cool Hand Luke Bullitt ) and TV (the Grammy-winning Mission: Impossible, Mannix) Argentine-born composer Lalo Schifrin infused director Don Si... more »egel's original, epochal Dirty Harry with one of the 70's most riveting, consistently original jazz-fusion scores. It was also one that, until now, was only available in mono-mixed snippets on obscure compilations; this release marks the full-score's first, three-decade-overdue release (remixed in stereo for the first time and including alternate takes). The 1971 score folds Schifrin's classical training and years as jazzman into a context that's undeniably charged by the contemporary electric excursions (Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Live at the Fillmore East) of Miles Davis. Its cues for renegade San Francisco detective Harry Callahan are variously driven by restless, propulsive electric bass, a small string ensemble, East-Asian percussion and spare Fender Rhodes lines, a musical tack that would be revived a quarter-century later and hailed as "acid jazz." But in portraying the serial killer Scorpio, Schifrin fuses the anxiety of 20th century classical modernism with electric psych-rock, then overlays it with an eerie, wordless soprano that beats Morricone at his own game. Also included here are smatterings of Schifrin's various source music (mostly disposable jazz and r&b kitsch) that colored the film's various San Francisco diners and dives, a context that only underscores the stunning, electric cool of his dramatic cues. --Jerry McCulley« less
Flush with popular successes that spanned film (the Oscar nominated score for Cool Hand Luke Bullitt ) and TV (the Grammy-winning Mission: Impossible, Mannix) Argentine-born composer Lalo Schifrin infused director Don Siegel's original, epochal Dirty Harry with one of the 70's most riveting, consistently original jazz-fusion scores. It was also one that, until now, was only available in mono-mixed snippets on obscure compilations; this release marks the full-score's first, three-decade-overdue release (remixed in stereo for the first time and including alternate takes). The 1971 score folds Schifrin's classical training and years as jazzman into a context that's undeniably charged by the contemporary electric excursions (Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Live at the Fillmore East) of Miles Davis. Its cues for renegade San Francisco detective Harry Callahan are variously driven by restless, propulsive electric bass, a small string ensemble, East-Asian percussion and spare Fender Rhodes lines, a musical tack that would be revived a quarter-century later and hailed as "acid jazz." But in portraying the serial killer Scorpio, Schifrin fuses the anxiety of 20th century classical modernism with electric psych-rock, then overlays it with an eerie, wordless soprano that beats Morricone at his own game. Also included here are smatterings of Schifrin's various source music (mostly disposable jazz and r&b kitsch) that colored the film's various San Francisco diners and dives, a context that only underscores the stunning, electric cool of his dramatic cues. --Jerry McCulley
CD Reviews
The last score on my list of "holy grail" OST albums
Into | everywhereandnowhere | 03/14/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Like many others of you out there, I've waited an absurdly long period of time for the complete OST album of Lalo Shifrin's Dirty Harry score to be reissued on CD. Collecting OST's can be exasperating because record labels tend to keep them in print for relatively short periods of time compared to other albums, and even classic scores can take years--or even decades--to be reissued. Over the past few years, I've watched the last few of my favorite "lost" scores to be reissued on CD--including Leonard Rosenman's Fantastic Voyage and Beneath the Planet of the Apes; and Komeda's Rosemary's Baby (although the latter is absurdly overpriced)--and, since Dirty Harry is one of my all-time favorites, I suppose it is fitting that is the last one to "fall" from my list.
I'm not going to pretend that Dirty Harry is "high art," but imo it is the best "cop flick" ever; and it has elements of a good psychological thriller to boot...then there's the atmospherically creepy night scenes, perfectly accented by Shifrin's eerie score.
It has been menioned by reviewers of this album, and the less-than-satisfactory Dirty Harry Anthology, that some of the best moments have been left off of previous albums bearing excerpts of this score: the crucial "Dawn Discovery" and End Title music have not previously appeared on CD, and the Main Title music only appeared as a "bleeding chunk" excerpt. This album is not missing any of the essential cues, and anyone who is a Dirty Harry buff, or just a movie score/OST album buff will find everything they've been waiting for right here."
Finally, the original Dirty Harry soundtrack on CD!
Into | 07/09/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like the music heard in the original Dirty Harry film - you will certainly like this CD - it has every composition on it (including the songs with vocals played in the background during the movie), and all songs are played in its entirety, (bonus songs are cool too, they fit nicely at the end)- and the sound quality is great! A definite must for anyone who appreciates original soundtrack music. (Lalo Schifrin's 1971 score influenced so many composers who followed, akin to what Ennio Morricone did with the spaghetti westerns.) And by the way, the first 2 songs on the CD is EXACTLY what you hear during the opening scene/credits to the film! Awesome!!!"
The real movie music.
Ross P. Hyland | Stanwell Tops, N.S.W. Australia | 08/29/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is the actual music from the Dirty Harry movie. I must admit that this means the album contains a lot of material that I now never listen to. Small incidental pieces that work in the context of the movie, but do not make good general listening material in my opinion.
Having said that, there are about six tracks that I absolutely love that make the purchase worthwhile for me. Expensive ? Yes, but you can't get this music any other way. I started learning the drums as a young teenager after falling in love with the main theme. I'm now 45 and still drumming.
Another odd little tip for parents with young kids. If you ever organize giant family games of "hide and seek" in the house, or run around snipeing each other with plastic toy guns, then this CD provides a great backdrop. Just programme in the half dozen really good tracks and set it on repeat. The tension and excitement in the music makes a boring old game quite exciting for the kids (and the parents)."
Reexperiencing the movie through music
G. Hall | Tucson, Arizona | 05/06/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With every track of this cd it provides a mental image of that particular scene in the movie (for those of us who have a good memory). I highly recommend this cd for any Dirty Harry fan."
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1