Musical Nasties is a series of articles exploring the music of cinema’s most salacious fare. From video nasties of the ‘80s, to classic Italian gialli and schlock, to contemporary cult cinema, we aim to celebrate our favorite genre movies, their music, and the maestros behind them. Join us as we indulge in the Grand Guignol pleasure that can only be found in hearing great music play as blood flows, black gloved killers roam, and flesh is exposed, all while the celluloid rolls.
Let’s get this out of the way: Absurd is not a good movie. Even by exploitation standards, its slapdash story and stripped-down production were immediately noticeable as I tuned in during my late night Tubi viewing session. The feeling wasn’t helped by the fact the film’s creators were obviously looking to cash in on a much better movie about a nearly-invincible killer (or Shape, one might say) stalking the streets of a quiet town at night. Yet, here I am, about to wax poetic about why this flick is actually friggin’ rad. Turns out, a slick piano riff and healthy dose of prog rock go a long way to turning trash into pure schlock gold.
A cult classic of the video nasty era, Absurd (a.k.a. Rosso Sangue) is directed by Joe D’Amato and stars George Eastman as Mikos, a superhuman killing machine who, naturally, wreaks gory havoc on an unsuspecting town and its residents. Composing the score for this gonzo Italian pseudo-sequel (hence the movie’s other other title, Anthropophagus 2, the original being another of the infamous “video nasties”) is Carlo Maria Cordio – and he more than delivers the goods. With an über catchy piano motif, copious synths, and wild instrumental freak outs, this soundtrack will certainly strike a chord with fans of Goblin, the legendary rock outfit behind director Dario Argento’s most iconic soundtracks. However, with the infusion of funkier, chilled out cues as well, Absurd finds its form as a perfect midnight watch or listen.
The essence of everything Absurd’s soundtrack has to offer can be found in its very creatively titled main theme, “Sequence 1”. Here we are introduced to the arpeggiated piano melody that flows through the rest of the film like the blood of Mikos’s numerous victims. The track’s ear-worm riff opens under a sweeping wave of spaced-out synths, before drums and even more synths kick in, taking it to another level of grooviness. Eventually, the cue culminates in a full-on freak out, including a particularly manic bit of piano mashing that nicely complements many a scene of Mikos murdering, be it via drill, band saw, axe, scissors, or even an oven. Yup, you read that right. If you’re like me and can get down with hearing the needle drop on this theme over and over again, enjoying Absurd just might not be so… well, you know.
Spilled intestines aside, Absurd’s midnight movie credentials are only bolstered by the inclusion of more mellowed out fare, specifically in the music department. Whether watching the movie or listening alone at home with a nightcap of something strong in hand, Absurd’s sultry synths and noodling guitars give a hazy vibe that transports you deep into the witching hours. I’d tell you the name of the track, but it’s just another “Sequence” number something or other. My advice, song titles be damned: just sit back and let the music roll as you enjoy the ride Absurd takes you on – this is a soundtrack that, to my pleasant surprise, plays extremely well front to back. Just don’t blame me when it’s 3am on a Tuesday and you’re still trapped by Cordio’s mesmerizing late night groove.
Despite my early doubts, Absurd proved to be a smorgasbord of wacky pleasures, from its comical Italian take on downhome American traditions (spaghetti for Sunday night football!), to one very strange bed-bound little girl, to its lead monster’s costume, or rather, lack-there-of. Elevating it every step of the way is Cordio’s score. I find myself frequently reaching for this soundtrack after dark, its combination of crazy krautrock, spacey horror ambience, and easy grooves perfectly scratching that midnight movie itch. Absurd is a prime example of what I love about horror movies from this era: no matter how bad the story, costumes, performances, production design, or direction, all it takes is one great cue to mean the difference between schlocky shit and schlocky gold.
About the Author: Hey, I’m Sam. I like violent movies with synth scores and listening to library music on the beach. My perfect idea for a date is taking a trip to 1970s Italy where I can stumble into a stylish murder mystery involving a black-gloved killer featuring music by Ennio Morricone. I live in Vancouver, B.C. and think too hard about what I write on my Letterboxd. Twitter: @mondosammi