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Manfred Hübler & Siegfried Schwab, "Vampyros Lesbos" |
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Written by Jessica L Tibbits
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Monday, 23 January 2006 |
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the previously obscure scores were widely released on CD by Motel
Records and Crippled Dick Hot Wax in 1995 as the compilation Vampyros Lesbos: Sexadelic Dance Party,
its newfound popularity was in large part responsible for the
subsequent wealth of ‘60s and ‘70s European B-movie soundtracks to be
reissued.
Crippled Dick Hot Wax
The films for which Huebler and Schwab wrote and conducted the music in
1969 (performed by “The Vampire Sound Incorporation”) are a diverse
trio of genre movies, all directed by Jesus Franco. The most
famous, Vampyros Lesbos,
is a mind-bending, disjointed tale of blood-sucking countess in Turkey
who moonlights as an avant-garde nightclub performer. Lesser
known are She Killed In Ecstasy, about a woman who takes sexy revenge on the people who drove her husband to suicide, and The Devil Came From Akasava,
a rather dubious spy thriller based on a novel by Edgar
Wallace. Aside from having the soundtrack composers and the
maverick Spanish director in common, the three films also share the
legendary actress Soledad Miranda, who tragically passed away in an
auto accident shortly after completing them.
Crippled Dick Hot Wax does great justice to these soundtracks, not only
by way of reissuing bonus tracks on the CD, but with an excellent
remastering job which makes this once nearly lost work sound better
than ever. The liner notes from 1995 by cult film expert Tim Lucas are
reproduced here, as well as a brief bio of star Soledad Miranda, whose
lovely image graces the cover and numerous photos in the booklet. The
CD in its entirety is dedicated to her memory. Newly added is a short
essay on Franco’s work.
Musically, there is something unifying in the three scores, despite the
range of films for which they were created. The overall sound is
so well integrated that the compilation seems as if it could be a
complete album unto itself. All 15 tracks (including three bonus cuts
not found on the Motel Records edition) on this recent reissue from
Crippled Dick Hot Wax could easily be lumped into a “lounge music”
category for their combination of danceable funk, exotic
instrumentation, and full-on acid-drenched weirdness. Fuzzy
guitars and a bright horn section commingle with growled, murmured and
squeaked vocals. Playful harpsichord and winsome xylophone are
seamlessly matched with sultry sitar and tight percussion. But
rather than being just another example of this genre, this album sets
the standard by which all other such music can be measured.
samples:
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