Quartet Records presents a double-bill of Spanish horror cult-films directed by Michael Skaife, both featuring original scores by Alfonso Santisteban.
El asesino de muñecas (Killing of the Dolls) (1975) is a rarity—a “giallo” in Spanish cinema of the early ’70s. It is far removed from the usual fantasy/terror films of those years because it plays with an eroticism centered on its male protagonist, rather than the more common spotlight on female exhibitionism. Alfonso Santisteban provides a cool score, an undiscovered masterpiece, with a powerful, funky main theme (its sound halfway between scores for the popular Italian giallo and polizziesco genres), as well as a beautiful love theme, dynamic suspense music and Baroque pop!
Necrophagus (aka The Butcher of Binbrook) (1971) was Skeife’s first film, and it stands out among the numerous Spanish fantasy/terror films of those years, surprising in its absence of eroticism, and in its brief scenes that construct a dark, intriguing puzzle halfway between Gothic tales and Latin American telenovelas. Santisteban provides an intense musical experience featuring both tonal and atonal passages, with a strong focus on certain instruments such as harpsichord, organ and harmonica, in a score that mimics the sound of some Hammer films.
This is the first release of both scores in any form. The CD was mastered by Nicolás Tsabertidis from original master tapes. The package includes a 12-page booklet with liner notes by Juan Sánchez that discuss the films, the scores and the composers. This release is strictly limited to 300 units.
