SOUNDTRACK:
Piero Piccioni composed one of his most brilliant soundtracks for this film. He uses sentimental and elegant themes to accompany the protagonist on his journey from Italy to India, including numerous pieces using sitar and tablas. On this OST, Edda Dell'Orso and her crystal voice is the exceptional guest star we can hear on numerous tracks.
Originally, General Music had released an LP (GM 30720) containing sixteen tracks in stereo. For our double album (total length 146: 32) we’ve included over an hour and a half of new material with film versions and alternate takes which we discovered in addition to the original master which had been assembled for the album. This album proves the artistic greatness of Piero Piccioni once again, not only for the huge amount of material recorded (most of which was not used in the film), but also the high quality of the scores, which are reprised in different versions and with different instruments.
DIRECTOR AND CAST:
Directed in 1985 by Sergio Corbucci. Starring Alberto Sordi, Eleonora Brigliadori, Elsa Martinelli, Gisella Matthews, Maurizio Micheli, Ines Pellegrini, Sergio Stefanini, Teresa Dossi, Marco Di Venanzio, Néstor Garay, Massimo Gargia, Claudio Gora, Pippo Baudo, Gianni Bonaugura, Lorenzo D'Avanzo.
PLOT:
In this film, Roberto Razzi is the host of a television program intended for people who love the paranormal. But Razzi is down-to-earth and likes to publicly expose fake fakirs and alleged "mediums" by revealing their tricks.
When Razzi is sent to India for a television report, he discovers the tricks used by many cheaters and false holy men, but he also finds a real "guru" (Babishàn, who unexplainably appears and disappears on the plane during the flight). During his trip Razzi falls from an elephant and finds himself in a coma in a clinic in Rome. However, the incident seems to have brought out his exceptional powers- he is able to bend silverware and move chairs. He also hears strange music and has bizarre visions, is able to draw skillfully, resurrect dead cats and even manages to trigger a small tornado during a party. More shocked than excited by this discovery, the television talking head is now at the mercy of powers he can no longer control. He returns to India to look for Babishàn (Babasciò), the wise old man, in his cave. Razzi levitates the man towards him and the man sputters the secrets to life and happiness in his ear.
TRACK LIST
CD 1
The original album
01. OVERTURE - GOTTA GET AWAY FROM YOU 4:30
02. FLY AS HIGH AS YOU CAN 2:30
03. BABASCIO’ 2:30
04. TRIP TO WONDERLAND 2:05
05. PERSISTENTLY YOU 1:25
06. ELEPHANT LOVE CALL 1:54
07. HALF WAY TO THE MOON 2:05
08. SUMMER IS YOU 1:47
09. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU 2:24
10. TEASING 1:28
11. LOVE IN FLIGHT 1:44
12. I'LL GO ON LOVING YOU 3:08
13. DOUBLE INTRIGUE 3:29
14. STORM IN A TEA CUP 1:33
15. HALF WAY TO THE STARS 2:29
16. DEVIL OF MINE 3:10
Film versions and alternates
17. HALF WAY TO THE STARS (#2) 2:31
18. TRIP TO WONDERLAND (sax version) 2:56
19. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (strings version – take 1) 1:05
20. BABASCIO’ (sitar) 1:42
21. GOTTA GET AWAY FROM YOU (take 1) 3:21
22. DEVIL OF MINE (strings introduction) 0:41
23. ELEPHANT LOVE CALL (sitar, flute and percussions) 2:50
24. GOTTA GET AWAY FROM YOU (night Club rock Sax and trumpet) 2:51
25. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (strings version – take 2) 0:58
26. FLY AS HIGH AS YOU CAN (magic flutes take 1) 1:21
27. STORM IN A TEA CUP (complete take) 1:31
28. BABASCIO’ (Indian village / the cave scene) 2:03
29. BABASCIO’ (cellos and moog take 1) 0:57
30. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (strings version – take 3) 0:56
31. BABASCIO’ (dance scene sitar and flute) 1:45
32. FLY AS HIGH AS YOU CAN (female vocalism version) 3:11
33. BABASCIO’ (suspence) 2:25
34. BABASCIO’ (strings only) 0:53
CD 2
Film versions and alternates (cont.)
01. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU (long version) 4:08
02. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (female vocalism version) 0:57
03. BABASCIO’ (India 1) 1:13
04. DEVIL OF MINE (swing version) 3:28
05. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (alt. female vocalism version) 1:53
06. FLY AS HIGH AS YOU CAN (magic flutes take 2) 1:14
07. BABASCIO’ (India 2) 1:14
08. BABASCIO’ (cellos take) 1:01
09. GOTTA GET AWAY FROM YOU (night Club rock) 2:50
10. BABASCIO’ (India 3) 1:17
11. FLY AS HIGH AS YOU CAN (slow flutes version) 1:08
12. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (orchestra version) 3:50
13. GOTTA GET AWAY FROM YOU (night Club rock – alt. take) 1:11
14. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU (muted strings) 3:17
15. BABASCIO’ (tablas and female vocalism) 2:16
16. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU (rhythmic version with female vocalism) 3:11
17. BABASCIO’ (bathrooms background) 4:16
18. BABASCIO’ (suspence 2) 0:58
19. STORM IN A TEA CUP (effected rhythmic take 2) 1:31
20. BABASCIO’ (viola 1) 1:43
21. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (strings and rhythmic) 2:30
22. BABASCIO’ (dance scene complete version) 1:44
23. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU (main titles orchestra) 3:11
24. I'LL GO ON LOVING YOU (swimming pool party) 3:10
25. TRIP TO WONDERLAN D (rhythmic and electric piano) 2:54
26. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (strings version) 1:54
27. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU (main titles rhythmic version) 3:12
28. TRIP TO WONDERLAND (piano and rhythmic) 3:27
29. YOU PERSISTENTLY YOU (main titles vocalism version) 1:27
30. BABASCIO’ (rhythmic N° 1 woods only) 1:02
31. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (muted strings version) 1:01
32. BABASCIO’ (India 6) 0:44
33. I'LL GO ON LOVING YOU (night club rock intro) 0:37
34. HALF WAY TO THE MOON (magic female vocalism) 2:11