Murder for Pleasure

Released in 1997 on the obscure Gatto Nero ("Black Cat") label, this compilation of Italian giallo and thriller themes is of dubious origin.

The 28 tracks come from 25 different films and represent a wide range of filmmakers and composers working in the giallo arena. The only absences, Dario Argento and Ennio Morricone, are conspicious ones, with most of the directors and composers featured here – Umberto Lenzi, Renato Polselli, Stelvio Cipriani and Carlo Rustichelli to name but four – being known only to the cognoscenti.

As the tracks have been sourced from the films themselves, diegetic sounds – dialogue, screams, gunshots and other ambiences – are often present. Sound quality is varied. Some tracks are fine, others are muffled and have the air of an nth generation dupe.

All in all, it's hard to recommend this CD to anyone other than completists searching for that rare cut they can't find elsewhere. More casual listeners seeking an introduction to the music of Italian popular cinema would be better served by one of the Easy Tempo or Beat at Cinecitta compilations.