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Yeti — Il Gigante Del 20' Secolo
Sante Maria Romitelli
Beat
In the wake of Dino De Laurentis' remake of King Kong, director Gianfranco Parolini made Yeti — Il Gigante del 20' Secolo (aka Yeti — The Giant of the 20th Century, '77), an abominable snowman/big foot thriller, featuring a stylistically schizophrenic score by Sante Maria Romitelli.
On one hand, Romitelli composed majestic arctic adventure music that effectively evokes the amazing discovery of an ancient giant frozen in ice. On the opening title, "The Giant," vigorous strings, big brass and crashing percussion generate a strong sense of anticipation and excitement. Then, on "Idyllic Largo," the mood turns tender and romantic as a connection between the "monster" and the leading lady is established. Another memorable cue, "Magic Epilogue," is a melancholy meditation on the mysterious Yeti that boasts an austere, haunting melody played on pulsing strings and cascading brass and winds; the track may remind some listeners of Philip Glass' Low and Heroes symphonies. These and other tracks display Romitelli's considerable classical training and gift for orchestration — outclassing the movie itself.
On the other hand, we also get vivacious funky disco numbers performed by a session group dubbed The Yetians. That's where the schizophrenia sets in. Like the incongruous "King Kong Hits the Big Apple" on John Barry's score for the disco era De Laurentis flick, "Yeti" and the instrumental "Funky Disco Soul" attempt to inject the score with contemporary flavor and a bit of fun. Nevermind that they clash with Romitelli's classical-style score. That said, both tracks are well crafted and fun to listen to — in isolation of the other cues.
Yeti is yet another example of a cheesy film that is features music of entrancing beauty as well as sublime silliness.
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