Quentin Tarantino’s decision to hand The Hateful Eight’s aural reins over to famed Italian film composer Ennio Morricone was one apparently not made easily. Unwilling to “trust a composer with the soul of [his] movie,” the idiosyncratic filmmaker usually scores his films by flipping through his exhaustive personal music collection and compiling tracks from various sources, both symphonic and pop. So—although he’s used bits of Morricone’s compositions in earlier films—ceding that much power over the tone of his new film was a gamble. And, as is evident from the soundtrack’s just-released opening track, “L’Ultima Diligenza Di Red Rock (versione integrale),” it’s one that seems like it will pay off. Take a listen:
When the chorus of grunting men kicks in at around the five minute mark, the track flips from excellent to transcendent. It’s both reminiscent of Morricone’s legendary scores for Sergio Leone and something altogether new. This is a soundtrack that will likely take a prominent spot in many record collections. (It’s easy to see why Third Man Records decided to release this in a special vinyl edition.) The full soundtrack will be available for purchase this Friday.
[via Pitchfork]