Maurice Jarre - Mandingo (Soundtrack, 1975)

Intrada
Treat for Maurice Jarre fans! Two previously unreleased Paramount film soundtracks on one CD! Anchoring is 44-minute score from Mandingo, vivid adaptation of Kyle Onstott tale of Southern slavery, directed by Richard Fleischer, starring James Mason, Perry King, Ken Norton, Susan George. Dino Delaurentiis produces film after earlier attempts by others fail, then works with screenwriter Norman Wexler to ensure novel's potent violence, sex, sadism arrive intact on screen. Maurice Jarre tackles challenging assignment, brings melodic gifts to fore, then adds colors of banjo, dissonant strings, primitive percussion, other disturbing ideas to create unsettling feel for lurid plantation life. Contrasting styles provide considerable depth. Score also features Muddy Waters vocal ("Born In This Time"), used in film at Jarre's request, who draws upon melody/countermelody of song throughout his orchestral score. Presented from 2" 16-track stereo session masters housed in Paramount vaults. Second score finds Jarre in still-melodic but now breezier, jazz-like mode for Neil Simon's Plaza Suite, directed by Arthur Hiller, featuring Walter Matthau, Maureen Stapleton, Lee Grant. Brief score melds both warm humor, light drama into one cohesive musical showcase of composer's tuneful talent. Lukas Kendall helms album assembly, John Takis provides detailed liner notes, Joe Sikoryak provides colorful graphic design. Maurice Jarre conducts both scores. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!

Tracklist
01. Born in This Time (Muddy Waters, vocal)
02. The Dinner Table/Pearl’s Bath/Reading Lesson
03. Meet Mr. Wallace
04. Ellen’s Seduction
05. First Meeting No. 1/First Meeting No. 2
06. Wedding Day
07. Blanche Comes Home
08. Display of Strength
09. Blanche’s Problems
10. Ellen Pleads
11. After Cicero’s Hanging/Sickness
12. The Fight
13. The Earrings
14. A Gift for Blanche
15. To the Market (Muddy Waters, vocal)
16. Prelude to the Love Scene
17. Blanche and Mede
18. Ellen Is Jealous
19. Death Potion
20. End Credits (Muddy Waters, vocal)
21. Brothel Baby
22. Pearl’s Bath (original version)
23. Meet Mr. Wallace (original version)

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