talian filmmakers have gained a reputation for cranking out second-rate
science-fiction pictures that typically exude style but lack significant
substance. Though most of these romps have been unremarkable eye candy, now and again a production surmounts its limitations and, while perhaps not entirely successful, turns out to be quite memorable. Terrore Nello Spazio—released in the United States in 1965 as, among other names, Planet of the Vampires—is that type of movie. Despite being at times rather tedious, more often than not the film
radiates tension and terror, emotions that are largely conveyed by smart
cinematography and an unusually unsettling score.
Freshly available on CD, the adventure's arresting accompaniment is a phenomenal fusion of soundtrack and sound effect. Creepy noises vie with dynamic percussion on pieces like "Ship Landed on Planet Aura/Crazy Crew" and "'Where are They?'/Tiona's Nightmare," with "Exploring Aura/Dead Crewman Found" and "'I Know They're Dead'/Empty Grave" furnishing macabre moments intermingled with inviting intervals. Other works are thoroughly chilling, in particular "The Living Dead," a foreboding cue whipped by daunting electronic winds, and "Inside the Starship," an unnerving number dominated by dizzying to-and-fro tones.
A pair of interesting "bonus tracks" conclude the collection, presenting an alternate, less spooky rendition of "Dead Crewman Found" and a fascinating three-minute excerpt from "The 1965 Recording Session" that incorporates curt spoken-word instructions from composer Gino Marinuzzi Jr. The liner notes include a concise commentary from Lamberto Bava, the son of—and on this picture, also assistant to—director Mario Bava, plus a short essay (in fractured English) by foreign film-music expert Claudio Fuiano.
Excellent elegies blend elegance with élan
With the exception of Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota and arguably one or two other individuals, Italian soundtrack artists generally have not been recognized beyond their native soil. That's sad, because many of the melodies created by these talented individuals transcend the stilted performances and tiresome plots so prevalent in that country's low-budget cinematic fare. The Planet of the Vampires score is a perfect case in point: Practically every tune is terrific, generating an ill-omened yet intoxicating atmosphere that's at once menacing, mesmerizing and utterly masterful.
"Astronaut Lands on the Surface" combines shadowy bells and rumbling cymbals into an anxious, arresting mélange, melodically signaling both the strange world's disconcerting allure and the crew's understandable agitation. The perils are even more palpable on "The Relic Ship/Aboard the Relic Ship," wherein hard-edged horns and synthesized hums supply a wonderful wraithlike quality. Via stealthy bass and repetitive rhythms, "Time Bombs" provides a terse, tension-permeated pause, with "The Living Dead Appears" using a slinky organ and oddly upbeat tempo to convey a weird, disquieting air that's simultaneously creepy and compelling. A couple of cues—most notably the spellbinding "Evil Spirits"—even echo the famed "electronic tonalities" of Forbidden Planet, weaving processed tones and artificial wails into a harmonious, wholly hypnotic clamor.
Notwithstanding a few overly discordant sequences, Marinuzzi's melodies brilliantly capture the adventure's inescapable élan and otherworldly aura. While the overall running time of the 21-track CD is admittedly brief, delivering just over half an hour of music, almost every selection is unforgettable, proving that Planet of the Vampires offers not only impressive imagery, but also a superb score.
