Riz Ortolani

Riziero "Riz" Ortolani (; 25 March 192623 January 2014) was an Italian composer, conductor, and orchestrator, predominantly of film scores. He scored over 200 films and television programs between 1955 and 2014, with a career spanning over fifty years.

Internationally, he is best known for his genre scores, notably his music for mondo, giallo, horror, and Spaghetti Western films. His most famous composition is "More," which he wrote for the infamous film Mondo Cane. It won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 36th Academy Awards. The song was later covered by Frank Sinatra, Kai Winding, Andy Williams, Roy Orbison, and others.

Ortolani received many other accolades, including four David di Donatello Awards, three Nastro d'Argento Awards, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. In 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement from the World Soundtrack Academy.

Early life Ortolani was born on 25 March 1926 in Pesaro, Italy. He was the youngest of six children. Ortolani's father, a postal worker, gave his son a violin at age 4. Ortolani later switched to flute after injuring his elbow in a car accident. He studied at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini" in his hometown of Pesaro before moving to Rome in 1948 and finding work with the RAI orchestra.

Selected filmography Year Film Directed by Singles Latest CD / Digital Release 1961 Ursus in the Valley of the Lions Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia Digitmovies / CDDM209 / 2012 1962 Mondo Cane Paolo Cavara, Franco Prosperi, Gualtiero Jacopetti CAM Sugar / 2021 Il Sorpasso Dino Risi Milan / 399 552-2 / 2014 Flying Clipper Hermann Leitner, Rudolf Nussgruber Avanz Records / SP/CR-20049 / 2009 1963 The Fall of Rome Antonio Margheriti The Virgin of Nuremberg Antonio Margheriti Quartet Records / QR231 / 2016 Three Ruthless Ones Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent Beat Records / CDCR148 / 2023 1964 Castle of Blood Antonio Margheriti, Sergio Corbucci Digitmovies / CDDM242 / 2014 Old Shatterhand Hugo Fregonese Brandy José Luis Borau, Mario Caiano The 7th Dawn Lewis Gilbert Film Score Monthly / FSM BOX 03 / 2008 The Yellow Rolls-Royce Anthony Asquith Quartet Records / SCE061 / 2013 The Naked Hours Marco Vicario CAM Sugar / Digital / 2022 1965 The Glory Guys Arnold Laven Film Score Monthly / FSM BOX 03 / 2008 Red Dragon Ernst Hofbauer Berlin, Appointment for the Spies Vittorio Sala Saimel Bandas Sonoras / 3998911 / 2009 1966 Africa Addio Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi Melody / ARG 196: Africa Addio / Cape Town Master Classics Records / 2011 Lightning Bolt Antonio Margheriti Maya John Berry The Spy with a Cold Nose Daniel Petrie Make Love, Not War Franco Rossi CAM / AMP 13: Non Faccio La Guerra, Faccio L'Amore (3:50) / Don Getulio (2:21) Digitmovies / DGST044 / 2019 1967 Requiescant Carlo Lizzani Beat Records / CDCR148 / 2023 Woman Times Seven Vittorio De Sica Quartet Records / SCE061 / 2013 Tiffany Memorandum Sergio Grieco Beat Records / CFS007 / 2023 The Chastity Belt Pasquale Festa Campanile CAM / AMP 30: Le Notti Di Tobia / Tema D'Amore Digitmovies / CDDM275 / 2014 Day of Anger Tonino Valerii Quartet Records / QR626 / 2026 1968 The Biggest Bundle of Them All Ken Annakin Chapter III Records / CH 37503-2 / 2001 Sardinia Kidnapped Gianfranco Mingozzi GDM / GDM 4313 / 2013 Bandits in Milan Carlo Lizzani Quartet Records / QR627 / 2026 Beyond the Law Giorgio Stegani GDM / GDM 2085 / 2007 Anzio Edward Dmytryk, Duilio Coletti The Girl Who Couldn't Say No Franco Brusati GDM / GDM 4340 / 2014 The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom Joseph McGrath Emma Hamilton Christian-Jaque GDM / CD CLUB 7077 / 2010 Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell Melvin Frank Dead Men Don't Count Rafael Romero Marchent The Last Roman Robert Siodmak, Sergiu Nicolaescu/ Andrew Marton (2nd unit) 1969 One on Top of the Other Lucio Fulci Beat Records Company / CDCR 134 / 2017 So Sweet... So Perverse Umberto Lenzi Quartet Records / QR481 / 2022 Night of the Serpent Giulio Petroni Digitmovies / CDDM145 / 2009 Viva Cangaceiro Giovanni Fago Beat Records / CDCR148 / 2023 1970 Andrea Doria-74 Bruno Vailati Quartet Records / QR385 / 2019 The Unholy Four Enzo Barboni Invasion Yves Allégret Quartet Records / QR443 / 2021 A Girl Called Jules Tonino Valerii GDM / GDM 4340 / 2014 Un caso di coscienza Giovanni Grimaldi CF Soundtracks / CFS003 / 2019 The Adventures of Gerard Jerzy Skolimowski Say Hello to Yesterday Alvin Rakoff The McKenzie Break Lamont Johnson Madron Jerry Hopper The Lovemakers Giovanni Grimaldi Digitmovies / CDDM266 / 2014 1971 Confessions of a Police Captain Damiano Damiani Quartet Records / QR566 / 2025 The Hunting Party Don Medford Web of the Spider Antonio Margheriti Quartet Records / QR467 / 2021 Goodbye Uncle Tom Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi RCA / SS-2160: Oh My Love (2:48) / Addio Zio Tom (2:32) Quartet Records / QR564 / 2024 Secret Fantasy Pasquale Festa Campanile CAM / AMP 93: Il Merlo Maschio (2:08) / Fotografie (3:06) Digitmovies / CDDM266 / 2014 The Statue Rod Amateau Quartet Records / QR205 / 2015 1972 Do Not Commit Adultery Giulio Petroni CF Soundtracks / CFS003 / 2019 Seven Blood-Stained Orchids Umberto Lenzi The Dead Are Alive Armando Crispino Digitmovies / CDDM250 / 2014 Shadows Unseen Camillo Bazzoni The Assassin of Rome Damiano Damiani Don't Torture a Duckling Lucio Fulci Beat Records / CDCR 134 / 2017 A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die Tonino Valerii Digitmovies / CDDM293 / 2018 The Valachi Papers Terence Young Quartet Records / QR627 / 2026 Brother Sun, Sister Moon Franco Zeffirelli 1973 One Russian Summer Antonio Calenda Dear Parents Enrico Maria Salerno GDM / CD CLUB 7077 / 2010 Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye Antonio Margheriti Super Bitch Massimo Dallamano CAM / AMP 116: L'Intoccabile Mr. Cliff (3:26) / Love Break (1:55) Chris' Soundtrack Corner / CSC 024 / 2018 Hospitals: The White Mafia Luigi Zampa CAM / AMP 114: Mafia Bianca (2:55) / Joe 5 (2:41) GDM / GDM 4313 / 2013 No, the Case Is Happily Resolved Vittorio Salerno Counselor at Crime Alberto de Martino Chris' Soundtrack Corner / CSC 009 / 2011 Contact Giorgio Bontempi CAM / AMP 123: Contact (2:26) / Fei Nye Mi (4:40) Quartet Records / QR240 / 2016 One Way Jorge Darnell Beat Records / BCM 9515 / 2012 Teresa the Thief Carlo Di Palma Mean Frank and Crazy Tony Michele Lupo War Goddess Terence Young CineDisc / M-19: Una Ragione Per Vivre (3:38) / La Battaglia Delle Amazzoni (3:09) Quartet Records / QRSCE029 / 2011 1974 There Is No 13 William Sachs CAM / AMP 142: There Is No 13 (3:08) / 13th Floor (2:14) 1975 How to Kill a Judge Damiano Damiani Mondo Candido Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi Seven Seas / FM-1087: Un Amore Cosi Tenero (3:05) / Mondo Candido (2:46) Dagored / Red 113-2 / 2000 Paolo Barca, Schoolteacher and Weekend Nudist Flavio Mogherini CAM / Digital / 2025 Portrait of a Veiled Woman Flaminio Bollini Beat Records / BCM 9579 / 2017 1976 Submission Salvatore Samperi 1977 Death Steps in the Dark Maurizio Pradeaux Casanova & Co. Franz Antel as Francois Legrand I Am Afraid Damiano Damiani Quartet Records / QR627 / 2026 The Pyjama Girl Case Flavio Mogherini Quartet Records / QR155 / 2014 Sahara Cross Tonino Valerii Cinevox Records / CDOSTPK049 / 2025 Double Murder Steno 1978 Red Rings of Fear Alberto Negrin First Love Dino Risi Gegè Bellavita Pasquale Festa Campanile Digitmovies / DGST046 / 2019 Cyclone René Cardona Jr. Brutes and Savages Arthur Davis Quartet Records / QR527 / 2023 1979 Tigers in Lipstick Luigi Zampa The Fifth Musketeer Ken Annakin Quartet Records / QR268 / 2017 Neapolitan Mystery Sergio Corbucci Mimi Florestano Vancini Digitmovies / DGST048 / 2019 From Hell to Victory Umberto Lenzi Beat Records / CDCR 118 / 2012 1980 Cannibal Holocaust Ruggero Deodato Beat Records / DDJ 047 / 2019 House on the Edge of the Park Ruggero Deodato Beat Records Company / BCM 9586 / 2020 1981 Madhouse Luigi Zampa Help Me Dream Ovidio G. Assonitis Fantasma d'amore Dino Risi WEA / PROMO 129: Phantom Of Love (2:38) / Unforgettable Love (3:16) Quartet Records / QR241 / 2016 Nessuno è perfetto Pasquale Festa Campanile aka Nobody's Perfect Beat Records / DDJ059 / 2023 1982 Porca vacca Pasquale Festa Campanile Beat Records / CDCR064 / 2025 The Girl from Trieste Pasquale Festa Campanile Beat Records / CDCR145 / 2021 Valentina, Crónica del Alba (part 1) Antonio José Betancor Quartet Records / QR239 / 2016 1983 Zeder Pupi Avati GDM / 4334 / 2021 1919, Crónica del Alba Antonio José Betancor Quartet Records / QR239 / 2016 1984 Warriors of the Year 2072 Lucio Fulci Beat Records Company / BCM 9586 / 2020 Tuareg – The Desert Warrior Enzo G. Castellari GDM / 4336 / 2014 A Proper Scandal Pasquale Festa Campanile Cinevox / CD OST-PK 037 / 2018 1985 Miranda Tinto Brass 1986 The Inquiry Damiano Damiani Digitmovies / CDDM279 / 2016 1987 Capriccio Tinto Brass The Last Minute Pupi Avati 1989 Killer Crocodile Fabrizio De Angelis Kronos Records / KRONCD020 / 2013 Massacre Play Damiano Damiani 1990 The Dark Sun Damiano Damiani Beat Records / BCM9614 / 2023 1991 Paprika Tinto Brass 1992 Angel with a Gun Damiano Damiani Beat Records / BCM9614 / 2023 1993 Magnificat Pupi Avati GDM / GDM 4338 / 2014 1994 The Voyeur Tinto Brass Nefertiti, figlia del sole Guy Gilles 1999 Midsummer Night's Dance Pupi Avati 2007 The Hideout Pupi Avati 2010 A Second Childhood Pupi Avati