Commemorating Dario Argento’s 78th birthday, Waxwork Records is releasing not one but three film scores from his iconic body of work. Profundo Rosso, Inferno, and Phenomena will go on sale on Friday, September 7 in expanded new editions featuring alternate versions, instrumentals, source music and sound effects, each housed in deluxe packaging with incredible, exclusive artwork.
Profundo Rosso, also known as Deep Red, marked Argento’s first collaboration with Goblin, the Italian prog-rock band that has become synonymous with his work. Cinevox has reissued the original LP on vinyl several times over the last decade, but Waxwork’s edition offers a comprehensive presentation of music from the film across three LPs on “Bloodied Doll” vinyl and featuring art by Italian illustration collective Malleus. (A “Profundo Rosso” 7″ discovered almost two decades ago in a local record store was the author’s entry to Goblin’s film music, and this set is worth grabbing if only to get a beautifully mastered new version alongside “Death Dies” and the soundtrack’s many other incredible cues.)
The late Keith Emerson, prog-rock luminary and onetime member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, composed the score for Inferno, Argento’s follow-up (both chronologically and thematically) to Suspiria. Emerson’s work is an outlier among Argento’s many collaborations with Goblin, but it features some absolutely astonishing cues, and the 2-LP Waxwork edition offers a definitive version that not only includes the complete 1980 soundtrack but plenty of outtakes and alternate tracks.
Argento’s 1985 film Phenomena (also known as Creepers) stars Jennifer Connelly as a young girl who discovers the ability to communicate with insects, and who employs that power to investigate a serial killer. The original vinyl edition primarily featured tracks by heavy metal bands like Motorhead and Iron Maiden; this double-vinyl edition focuses on Goblin’s remarkable score and an incredible collection of unused, unreleased cues. It also comes with an 11″x11″ art print by Kilian Eng.
Waxwork is a New Orleans-based record label that has in recent years raced to the forefront of the soundtrack vinyl market thanks to incredible releases of Komeda’s music for Rosemary Baby, John Harrison’s Day of the Dead score, The Warriors, Ennio Morricone’s work on John Carpenter’s The Thing, and more. They’ve released five of Harry Manfredini’s scores for Friday the 13th (and counting), while simultaneously promoting the work of newer films and upcoming composers, such as Henry Jackman’s stellar contributions to Kong: Skull Island, and Jed Kurzel’s essential contributions to The Babadook. Check out Waxwork Records’ website for ordering information and further details about these releases.
Images: Waxwork
