Tuesday 21 August 2012

Krzysztof Penderecki - Rękopis Znaleziony W Saragossie (The Saragossa Manuscript) (1965)


Composer: Krzysztof Penderecki

Tracklist
1 - 29 Untitled 42:45

'Rekopis Znaleziony w Saragossie' ('Manuscript Found in Saragossa') by the famous Polish director Wojciech Jerzy Has 
was originally released in 1965 and since then has become a mile-stone of the avant-garde world cinema.
The haunting and downright bizarre score was composed by Krzysztof Penderecki in 1963, 
a famous Polish contemporary/avant-garde composer. All the special effects and sound treatments took place at the Experimental Studio of Polish Radio in Warsaw (one of the first studios of this kind in Europe) 
under the supervision of Bohdan Mazurek in 1963-1964. 
A great example of music concrete, free tape manipulation and a head-on trip 
into the analog music technology on the early 60s. Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Luis Bunuel and Jerry Garcia have at various times described The Saragossa Manuscript as their favorite film. 
Based on the book by the highly-esteemed Count Jan Potocki, the film version is reputedly a respectful, mostly faithful adaptation of this literary cat s cradle set in the weird fantasy landscapes of arid 17th-century Spain. 
The film creates a magical, sometimes disturbing, world of the supernatural.
Jerry Garcia, along with Martin Scorsese, put up part of the money to have it restored to its full length.
 Besides the convoluted structure,(stories within stories, and again stories within stories) 
characters pop in and out of each others tales with the random logic of a trip. 
The characters includes sexy ghost princesses, gypsies, scientists, occultists, demon-possesions. 
The intriguing stylistic flourishes sit against the wonderful soundtrack of Krzysztof Penderecki,
famous for the scores of The Shining and Inland Empire.

Memory

5 comments:

  1. Penderecki has made pretty amazing music so I trust this score will be very interesting too. Thanks!

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    1. Yes indeed Velkaarn, Penderecki is a great composer!
      Also if you are into this kind of "surreal" movies you should check this one,
      amazing stuff.

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  2. Danke Panacea. This is a long-sought soundtrack: loved the film and LOVE Penderecki.

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    Replies
    1. A great soundtrack for an amazing film!
      Thanks for your comment.

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