Stelvio Cipriani - Il Fiume Del Grande Caimano

8.0 - Italy - 1979

Another soundtrack by Cipriani, this time for a Jaws knock-off about a giant alligator (and god for the natives) terrorizing tourists in some Caribbean / Amazon resort. Reissued in 2015 by Chris' Soundtrack Corner, this one's not quite the masterpiece that was Papaya Dei Caraibi, but still thoroughly decent listen. Unlike Papaya, Grande Caimano doesn't have an arresting, recurring main theme: the opening titles (which are reprised on this edition with two alternate versions) feature a sexy bass and percussion groove, but lack a strong, lyrical melody. This soundtrack, however, does vary quite a bit. The usual late 70s Cipriani elements are there: percussive grooves led by an insistent electric bass, but they are also joined by a number of pieces built around wavy modulated synths that are designed to evoke, as the titles say, "underwater fear". There are a couple of humourous missteps: "Alligator Boogie-Woogie" sounds like something played by the house band at an Italian diners club (you know, that band that consists of one dude playing guitar along to a preprogrammed keyboard/drum machine backing with a plump, middle-aged woman with too much make-up singing and swaying along) and "Alligator Waltz" is similar, but in a waltz time. Still a bloody good soundtrack (and top-notch restoration/mastering work by Chris' Soundtrack Corner). Also: "Alligator Dance" is a top shelf slice of euro-sleaze.