Ennio Morricone, the legendary composer who redefined music in cinema with this classic scores, has passed away at age 91.
The Italian composer, who scored over 500 films, passed away in hospital after fracturing his femur in a fall, according to Ansa, the Italian news agency.
This is an incredibly tragic loss. Morricone was an absolute legend in Hollywood and in the world of the Spaghetti Western. We’re willing to bet that everyone has heard his epic and memorable scores.
Here are just a few!
The Mission (1986)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
The Hateful Eight (2015)
The Thing (1982)
The Untouchables (1987)
You’d need a long time to go over all of his work that spans over seven decades.
Morricone received an honorary Oscar in 2007 and in 2016 he went on to win an Oscar for his work on Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. Prior to that, he received Oscar nominations for Days of Heaven, The Mission, The Untouchables, Bugsey and Malena. He remains best known for his melodies he wrote for Sergio Leone’s westerns that brought Clint Eastwood into the spotlight.
Leone once called Ennio “indispensable” and would typically get him to write the score before shooting so that he could film the shots around Morricone’s score.
Many took to social media to post tributes. Edgar Wright’s tribute was particularly heart warming. It recognizes not only Morricone’s legacy but also the importance of film soundtracks.
Where to even begin with iconic composer Ennio Morricone? He could make an average movie into a must see, a good movie into art, and a great movie into legend. He hasn't been off my stereo my entire life. What a legacy of work he leaves behind. RIP. https://t.co/qZX6qE10ke
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) July 6, 2020
Let us know your favourite soundtracks by Ennio Morricone in the comments. Ours is his work for The Mission. What a beautiful soundtrack.
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