Our month of Mancini concludes as we show three more films he scored–a thriller with the great Audrey Hepburn, a western with the Duke (who else?), and a tale of some (yes, you guessed it) outer space vampires seeking to wreck havoc on planet earth!
“Wait Until Dark” (1967)
Wait Until Dark (Warner Bros., 1967)
Friday, September 27 @ 7:30 PM
A blind woman (Audrey Hepburn) is terrorized by a trio of thugs as they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment. One of the screen’s most memorable thrillers, based on Frederick Knott’s play. The score is notable for Mancini’s use of two pianos, tuned a quarter-tone apart, with the “wrong” notes echoing the “right” ones to add to the eerie effect. Color, 108 min. (Digital)
Hatari! (Paramount Pictures, 1962)
Saturday, September 28 @ 2:00 PM
Director Howard Hawks reteams with John Wayne, who leads a daring team of animal wranglers in the African wilderness. Fresh off his double Oscar win for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mancini adds a sparkling score highlighted by the incredibly goofy “Baby Elephant Walk,” which subsequently became musical shorthand for kookiness of any stripe. Get this tune in your head and it sticks! Color, 159 min. (35mm)
Lifeforce (MGM, 1986)
Saturday, September 28 @ 7:30 PM
A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos. Director Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist) specifically sought out Mancini, who contributes a provocative, dramatic, and dynamic orchestral score—which mostly fell victim to the cutting room floor during post-production. Michael Kamen was tapped at the last minute to compose additional cues. Color, 101 min. (35mm)
For more information on LC screenings, see this link.