Piero Umiliani (17 July 1926 – 14 February 2001) was an Italian composer of film scores.

Piero Umiliani
Umiliani at his recording studio
Umiliani at his recording studio
Background information
Born(1926-07-17)17 July 1926
Florence, Kingdom of Italy
OriginItaly
Died14 February 2001(2001-02-14) (aged 74)[1]
Rome, Italy
Genres
Occupations

Biography

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29 August 1981: Rimini Meeting. Concert in Rimini of the Rai Orchestra directed by Master Piero Umiliani.

Umiliani was born in Florence, Tuscany. Like many of his Italian colleagues at that time, he composed the scores for many exploitation films in the 1960s and 1970s, in genres such as Spaghetti Westerns, Eurospy, Giallo, and softcore sex films.

His composition "Mah Nà Mah Nà" (1968) was originally used in Sweden: Heaven and Hell, a 1968 Mondo documentary about Sweden. It was a minor charting single (spending 6 weeks on the Billboard chart and peaking at #55, and reaching #22 in Canada), popularized by The Red Skelton Show, first airing in October 1969, and The Muppets, who covered the song several times; starting on episode 0014 of Sesame Street on 27 November 1969, then The Ed Sullivan Show three days later, and again on the syndicated series The Muppet Show in 1977. The track was also a hit in the UK, reaching number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1977.[2]

Umiliani's other scores included Son of Django, Orgasmo, Gangster's Law,[3] Death Knocks Twice, Five Dolls for an August Moon,[1] Baba Yaga, The Slave and Sex Pot. His orchestra score "Arrivano I Marines" for War Italian Style, a 1966 comedy about two USMC soldiers in Italy, is used in the Armored Trooper Votoms series as "March of the Red Shoulders".

His composition "Crepuscolo Sul Mare" was used in Ocean's Twelve.[4] More recently, his composition Echi Della Natura featured on the soundtrack of Ashim Ahluwalia’s 2012 film Miss Lovely.[5][6]

Outside of his film score work, Umiliani formed the rock band Braen's Machine with Alessandro Alessandroni.[7]

Umiliani died in Rome in February 2001, at the age of 74.[8]

Selected filmography

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Year Film Directed by Singles
1958 Big Deal on Madonna Street
1960 The Traffic Policeman Luigi Zampa A1: Titoli Di Testa / A2: Il Vigile
1961 On The Tiger's Back
Creole Venus Lorenzo Ricciardi
1962 Getting Away with It the Italian Way Lucio Fulci
Smog (1962 film) Franco Rossi
1963 Omicron Ugo Gregoretti Omicron (Titoli Di Testa)
1964 Intrigue in Los Angeles Romano Ferrara
Samson and His Mighty Challenge
1965 La Celestina P... R...
Sons of the Leopard Sergio Corbucci
Agent 3S3: Passport to Hell
The Reckless Giuliano Montaldo
Two Mafiosi Against Goldfinger Giorgio Simonelli
The Dreamer
Agente X 1-7 operazione Oceano Tanio Boccia
Lady Morgan's Vengeance Massimo Pupillo
Operation Poker Osvaldo Civirani
1966 Man on the Spying Trapeze Juan de Orduña
Agent 3S3, Massacre in the Sun
_target Goldseven
Ring Around the World
Due mafiosi contro Al Capone
Requiem for a Secret Agent Sergio Sollima
Blockhead
War Italian Style Luigi Scattini Arrivano I Marines
Nero Giovanni Vento
1967 The bridge of Asia Corrado Sofia
Blueprint for a Massacre
Argoman the Fantastic Superman
Italians and Industry Romolo Marcellini
Lotus Flowers for Miss Quon
Son of Django
Last of the Badmen
I barbieri di Sicilia
1968 Il marchio di Kriminal
Two Eyes To Kill Renato Borraccetti
Chrysanthemums for a Bunch of Swine Sergio Pastore
Sweden: Heaven and Hell Luigi Scattini
1969 Orgasmo Umberto Lenzi Fate Had Planned It So
The Archangel Giorgio Capitani
Gangster's Law Siro Marcellini Crepuscolo Sul Mare
Witchcraft '70 Luigi Scattini
Death Knocks Twice Harald Philipp
1970 Le Isole Dell'Amore Pino de Martino
Five Dolls for an August Moon Mario Bava Cinevox / BX MDF 149: Cinque Bambole (Versione Coro) / Ti Risveglierai Con Me (Versione Film)
A Quiet Place to Kill Umberto Lenzi
Don Franco e Don Ciccio nell'anno della contestazione Marino Girolami
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack Mario Bava
Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Fifth Floor Neighbour Ramón Fernández
1971 Vengeance Is a Dish Served Cold Pasquale Squitieri
1972 History and Prehistory
Il Mondo Dei Romani
Sex of Their Bodies Luigi Scattini
1973 La Ragazza Fuoristrada Luigi Scattini
Baba Yaga Corrado Farina
The Slave Giorgio Capitani
1974 La governante Giovanni Grimaldi
The Body Luigi Scattini
Blood River Gianfranco Baldanello
Il domestico Luigi Filippo D'Amico
1975 Il fidanzamento Giovanni Grimaldi
Sex Pot Giorgio Capitani
The School Teacher Nando Cicero
1976 Eva Nera Joe D'Amato
1977 Twilight of Love Luigi Scattini
Pane, burro e marmellata Giorgio Capitani
1978 Blue Nude Luigi Scattini
1979 Lobster for Breakfast Giorgio Capitani
1980 I Hate Blondes Giorgio Capitani
1981 There Is a Ghost in My Bed Luigi Scattini
Teste di quoio Giorgio Capitani
Quando la coppia scoppia Giorgio Capitani
1982 Vai avanti tu che mi vien da ridere Giorgio Capitani

Library Music

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Year Album Singles
1971 Paesaggi
Synthi Time
Underground
1972 Percussioni ed effetti speciali Echi della natura
1973 Temi ritmici e dinamici
To-Day's Sound Open Space (4:16) / Slogan (4:10)
1974 Mondo inquieto
Musica classica per l'uomo d'oggi
Nuove arie romantiche
1975 Paesi Balcani
1978 Discomusic
Motivi allegri e distensivi
1979 Film concerto
Panorama italiano
Tensione
1981 Album di viaggio
1983 Suspence elettronica

References

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  1. ^ a b Lucas, Tim (2007). Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark. Video Watchdog. pp. 821–2. ISBN 978-0-9633756-1-2.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London, England: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 575. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ Piero Umiliani: La legge dei gangsters - Music Streaming - Listen on Deezer, January 1969, retrieved 18 February 2020
  4. ^ "Ocean's Twelve (2004) Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  5. ^ "MISS LOVELY's Ashim Ahluwalia talks 'Bollywood Underground' « Spectacular Optical".
  6. ^ "From 1983 to..." www.umiliani.eu.
  7. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Braen's Machine - Underground Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  8. ^ M. Lentz iii, Harris (24 October 2008). "Umiliani, Piero". Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2001: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 209. ISBN 978-0786412785. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
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