Customer Reviews

A Fistful Of Dollars (1964 Film) / For A Few Dollars More (1965 Film)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Note, the title on the CD is misleading: this CD does *not* also have the music to "A Fistful of Dollars."

At ~28 min, this CD is short but perfectly to the point. All the themes from the movie appear to present, and are exactly as heard in the film. If you love the music from this film, this CD will not disappoint.

This soundtrack is a remarkable example of how the music composed for a film can be as integral a part of the creative whole as the directing or writing. It's impossible to think about this movie without the music running through your head!

First the good news. This is the real deal -- the great music I first heard as I sat waiting in a little theatre lobby for the next showing of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE in 1966. It is NOT one of the imitations of the film soundtrack by somebody-or-other and his orchestra which appeared on the market after the movie became a hit.

Now the bad news. There's less than 17 minutes of music on the CD, and actually just 13 if we exclude the two tracks of drum rolls and trumpet blasts Morricone wrote merely to add drama to something happening on the screen. I could hardly believe the lovely, elegaic "Goodbye, Colonel" is only 1:42 long.

I just wanted to add to the review above (or below for that matter) that the CD does contain the music of "handful", evn though it is 28 mins.Just look at the titles; track 7 is "per un..." meaning "for a handful of dollars".Tracks 7 to 12 are from that movie.You may even want to check out "handful" here in Amazon...its tracks have the same names ...if only they had added "square dance" in this compilation of the movies...there sure was room for it!

This album and it's Italian titled version, "Per Qualche Dollaro in Piu" are both out of print and music vendors are charging $45 dollars and up for what are essentially six tracks from the original movie soundtrack of "For a Few Dollars More". The good news for Morricone fans is that these same six tracks are included on the 1990 issued CD entitled "The Legendary Italian Westerns: The Film Composers' Series, Vol. 2" (Ennio Morricone). This album is an exceptional bargain and the recording is superb. This CD is available new for under $10 and you can find used copies for under $6. This album also contains most of the "A Fistful of Dollars" soundtrack plus several selections from other Ennio Morricone western film scores. I've come to appreciate all of the 31 tracks on this disc and often play it in its entirety. This disc led me to purchase four other Morricone soundtracks all of which are wonderful. Save yourself some dollars and pick up "The Legendary Italian Westerns" before it's too late. You won't be disappointed. It's a must for Morricone fans.

Both movies, "A Fistful of Dollars" and "For a Few Dollars More" are represented on this CD. There isn't a movie "A Handful of Dollars" much less one with a soundtrack on this compilation. The discrepancy is that the music is in the wrong order. The music from "Few" comes before the music from "Fistful" which is not what you would expect given the title of the CD and the release dates of the movies. What you would expect is great, dramatic music and you get that here. Get the CD. And get the movies as well as the third part of the trilogy, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." You won't regret the purchase.

Many people think that the soundtrack to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is Morricone's definative work, as they should. It is a classic and so tends to overshadow the rest of his scores. However, the soundtrack to For a Few Dollars More is by no means a throw together piece, as everybody who has watched the movie knows. It fluctuates and flows, moves and shakes, keeps the listener enthralled to the very edges of their being. Ever driven to the sound of Manko riding his horse? Ever shot apples off a tree with a classic six shooter? Ever uttered the phrase "No old man, thought I was having trouble with my counting, but it's alright now" after you've just piled all of the men you've just killed into the back of a wagon? If you have, you probably should have your own soundtrack, but if you haven't, buy this cd right now.

As this disc was produced in 2004 the reviews prior to that date do not match what is on offer here. The reviewer from 2004 gives the best analysis of the disc. It's only 16 -17 mins long and has none of the "Fistful of Dollars" tracks listed. The disc compiled in 2004 is just the soundtrack from the original film. It matches to track 6 then has POKER D'ASSI and CARILLON as tracks 7 & 8.
That said, it is ENNIO MORRICONE'S original work for the film. If you're new to the genre I suggest other compilations. At 16 mins this is more for the real fan.

Of the three films of The Man with No Name Trilogy, my favourite is For a Few Dollars More, closely followed by the The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I'd also say the same of the title tracks although, when it comes to the soundtracks as a whole, I'd say the opposite (i.e. that the Good, the Bad & the Ugly is a better soundtrack).

I really wanted to see this soundtrack as a classic, but there are two things that prevent it being so.
First, there is the number of tracks - eight, which totals to an unbelievably poor 15 minutes of music.
Second, track one is almost identical to track 8 (based on the music that the baddies pocketwatch) & so you get even less bang for your buck & are basically left with track 1/8 & track 6 ('Per Qualche Dollaro in Piu' - the title track).
For comparison, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly soundtrack has over 30 minutes of music, has the title track & 'The Ecstasy Of Gold' AND also has a rich tapestry of music among its 9 other tracks.

So, although the title track of this album is one of Ennio Morricone's finest compositions, I would recommend getting The Good, The Bad & The Ugly soundtrack first, or the double album of For a Few Dollars More/Fistful of Dollars, which includes music from A Fistful Of Dollars.
As one last alternative, if you're not that into soundtracks & just want the three title tracks off of the three films of the trilogy, then get a copy of this: The Very Best of Ennio Morricone, which has the three & other music besides.