Ennio Morricone — Una Lucertola Con La Pelle Di Donna(OST)

This recent double CD reissue highlights both the versatility, moody-setting ability and scope of Ennio Morricone’s late 1960’s–to-early 1970’s score work. Una Lucertola Con La Pelle Di Donna (aka A Lizard in a Woman's Skin) was a 1971 psychedelic tinged Giallo film directed by Italian gore master Lucio Fulci.

The films plot told of the  daughter of a respected politician, who is experiencing a series of vivid, psychedelic nightmares consisting of depraved sex orgies and LSD use. In the dream she commits a graphic murder and awakes to a real life criminal investigation into the murder of her neighbour. The films a  great heady mix of decadent & garish parties, tripped-out visuals, typical Giallo labyrinthine plotting, and the odd splattering of gore in particular the infamous bat attack scene.

Morricone’s score is a suitably varied affair moving from sultry & eerier brews of bossa Nova & lite jazzy scoring,  that’s tipped with sensual female vocalizing & whistling. Though to murky drifts into avant garde dissonance & darker  psychedelic soundscaping. Onto fuzzed-out guitar & organ jams, that are ribbed with spacey electronics. Over to flamboyant & showy church organ runs.

The two discs here take in the truly definitive version of this soundtrack with a running time of just over 90 mintues. The CD’s come in a 12 page full colour booklet that takes in the garish, psychedelic, and bloody stills/ film poster artwork. Also you get a eight page write-up in both Italian & English, which discusses the film & the soundtrack, along with touching on Morricone’s other soundtrack work for Fulci films.

Simply put Una Lucertola Con La Pelle Di Donna is one of the great Morricone soundtracks from this period, as it perfectly marries memorable themes, tripped-out & creepy atmospherics, with creative genre mixing. Really this release is a no-brainer for any fan of Morricone’s work, or dark yet groovy 60’s/ 70’s soundtracking.