Film Reviews

Henry Mancini: The Classic Soundtrack Collection

17th Nov 2014

Henry Mancini gets the boxset treatment with this nicely packaged 18 soundtrack set.

There are 9 CDs in all – each comprising of two soundtracks each. Each CD comes in a cardboard case (Each side of the case has the appropriate artwork for both soundtracks contained within).

Just to be clear – Here is a chronological list of all the soundtracks included – Although they do not appear in the boxset in this order!

High Time (1960)
Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)
Experiment In Terror (1962)
Hatari! (1962)
Charade (1963)
The Pink Panther (1964)
The Great Race (1965)
Arabesque (1966)
What Did You Do In The War, Daddy? (1966)
Two For The Road (1967)
Gunn (1967)
The Party (1968)
Me, Natalie (1969)
Darling Lili (1970)
Visions Of Eight (1973)
Oklahoma Crude (1973)
The Return Of The Pink Panther (1975)
Who Is Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe? (1978)

Didier C. Deutsch (who had produced this boxset with Mark Wilder) provides an introduction in the 48 page booklet. The rest of the booklet has track listings for each soundtrack as well as accompanying artwork.

Some may be surprised that only a couple of the Pink panther movies get an appearance – but with so many other films included that Mancini did with Blake Edwards (The Party, Breakfast At Tiffany’s) it’s hardly something to complain too much about. This collection comprises his work with the RCA, Epic and Columbia labels. A life time of work and it is these 18 selected titles that have been chosen to represent Mancini’s work. And it is over an 18 year period that they represent.

Along with the infamous theme tune for the Pink Panther series is also highlights like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade and even tracks like Peter Gunn are going to be a notable instrumental (also vocalised in Bye Bye Bye).

A real collector’s item this gathers a lot of key material in the composers discography in one box making it for an ideal gift as well.