Big Giallo Taxi

Keith Emerson - Mater Tenebrarum

Inferno OST, 1980

Genuinely thought I was hearing Dario Argento's prog band mates, Goblin the first time I watched Inferno (1980); the second film in his Three Mothers trilogy. It turned out to be one third of Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Keith Emerson. Same ball park, innit?

If you heard Goblin's prior soundtracks, particularly Suspiria (1977) and Buio Omega (1979), it's an easy mistake to make, in my opinion. That isn't a slight on Keith Emerson's Inferno score, as they're excellent, but on account of them sounding so remarkably similar. The track Mater Tanebrarum might be the best example with how well Emerson's carries on from Goblin's sound at the time.

Keith Emerson - Taxi Ride Rome

Inferno OST, 1980

Taxi Ride Rome is easily the most insane theme and my personal fave off Inferno's soundtrack. Makes complete sense that it was written by a mad lad who would somersault with a grand piano as part of his routine while playing live in concert.

Incidentally, both Taxi Ride Rome and the Suspiria theme are both featured in phantasmagorically beautiful scenes involving a dreamlike taxi ride.

Tanz Macabre

Suspiria (Olga's Dance scene)

(Luca Guadagino, 2018)

There's a special place in Hell reserved for anyone who prefers Luca Guadagino's washed out remake of Suspiria over Dario Argento's 1977 colourful original. In a perfect world all those involved in the remake's production ought to have been ridiculed and flogged for this blasphemy. I mean, who's idea was it to have Tilda Swinton play three roles; including as an old codger, or replace Goblin's iconic score with a thoroughly depressed Thom Yorke on the piano? To add insult to injury, make the film run about an hour longer than the original.

On a positive tip, Guadagino's film does have one redeeming scene about it which stops me from throwing a complete wobbly like Madame Blanc. That scene is when Dakota Johnson's Susie Bannion does her performative dance while inflicting her witch powers upon poor old Olga; leaving her like a broken ragdoll. Perhaps the most disturbing scene and the only real notable highlight from this celluloid travesty.

Suspira (Olga's "Snakes!" scene)

(Dario Argento, 1977)

Since I'm posting about Suspiria, albeit if it's only about the one redeeming feature from the remake, can we at least show some love for the O.G Olga, played by Barbara Magnolfi from the ultra sleazefest giallo, The Sister of Ursula (1978)? Argento originally wanted children as his Tanz Dance students, but, incredibly, even the Italians back then thought it was unwise to feature kids as victims in his technicolour splatter. Hence the adults acting like children at times and none more apparent than the scene between Olga and Sara having a childish spat in this classic scene from the perfecto original.