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By JASON COMERFORD

The reputation of Argentinian composer Waldo de los Ríos today rests largely upon a series of pop reworkings of selections from the European classical repertoire he produced throughout the 1970s, recordings which regularly climbed the charts but drove the classical elite insane; they were but one part, however, of de los Ríos’s enormous body of work. A pianist and arranger in addition to a composer and conductor, de los Ríos first achieved success as the leader of a group called “The Waldos,” which combined then-contemporary electronic elements with the jangle of Argentinian folk music. A career in film music followed, with de los Ríos contributing to dozens of films and television shows through the 1960s and 70s, in addition to his popular reimaginings of pieces from the classical canon.

An excellent gateway into the multifaceted talents of Waldo de los Ríos is his score for Narciso Ibanez Serrador’s fondly-remembered cult horror film Who Can Kill a Child? [¿Quien puede matar a un nino?] Frequently recut, released under a number of titles, and existing for years only as a tantalizing entry in genre film guides, Who Can Kill a Child? was finally made available in a 2007 DVD release from Dark Sky Films. Thematically similar to Stephen King’s short story “Children of the Corn” (published around the same time), the film concerns an English couple (Lewis Flander and Prunella Ransome) who arrive on a deserted island that seems to be populated exclusively by children – children who have decided to strike back against the adults of the world. Deliberately paced and more than a little dated, but undeniably unnerving, Who Can Kill a Child? was the second collaboration between de los Ríos and Serrador, the first being the slasher The House That Screamed, eight years prior.

A commanding and distinctive contribution to the film’s overall sense of claustrophobic horror, de los Ríos’s score bubbles and churns throughout the film, subtly increasing the tension through a canny mixture of traditional orchestral effects (tremolo celli, uneasy brass) and more modern electronic manipulations and textures. In its climactic moments, Ransome realizes, to her horror, that her unborn child is trying to kill her, and de los Ríos unleashes the score’s eerie centerpiece, “Slow Death from the Interior,” a striking collage of fractured sounds, unsettling orchestral colors, and twisted samplings of the score’s gentle, pop-styled main theme. Skittering strings and a unique processed electronic effect suggesting sounds heard from within the womb all build to an unresolved finish, giving the film’s most memorable sequence a spectral, otherworldly feel.

De los Ríos’s score is a striking example of musical creativity, mixing as it does so many different elements together into a remarkably cohesive whole, and it’s a lasting testament to the composer’s restless abilities. Sadly, it was to be one of de los Ríos’s last works; a longtime sufferer of depression, he committed suicide in Madrid on March 28, 1977. Thankfully, his memory has been kept alive through the efforts of Spanish producer Jose M. Benitez, who in 2009 produced a lavish limited edition of de los Ríos’s complete score for Who Can Kill a Child?, paired with a second disc that included the score’s original album assembly as well as de los Ríos’s score for The House That Screamed. For enthusiasts of the genre, Who Can Kill a Child? may be one of the best horror scores you’ve never heard, and comes highly recommended.

Who Can Kill a Child gif image

 



The Moment in Question:

Click below to listen to a sample from
"Slow Death From The Interior,"
composed by Waldo de los Ríos. [clip]

Waldo de los Rios portrait
....Waldo de los Ríos

Installment Prize:

Prize Info Click Here

What do you think?

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for this installment.

Awesome Websites!

WHO CAN KILL A CHILD ? Wikipedia

Waldo de los Ríos Wikipedia

WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? Bluray (Amazon)



Next Installment:

Andy Garfield gets on the wrong
ski lift.
FROZEN

Jason Comerford Bio

READER COMMENTS:

Howlin' Wolf  
The contest period for this installment will run until noon on Sunday, October 16. The constest period for Week 1 installments 1-3 is now closed and the drawing for that installment will be held soon and the winner announced. Any comments made for this installment or previous installments during the second week period will automatically be entered in the drawing for Week 2 installments 4-6. Prize information for the Week 2 installments is coming soon!
   
Jeremy  
This is one I have never personally heard of, maybe I was in a movie coma at the time. The images that I was able to find were disturbing, now I definitely have to see this film... Thank you!
   
Basil FSM
 
Not familiar with this film nor the composer, but I'm certainly intrigued to hear more sound samples now. Thanks!
   
Jonathan
 
I was reading and reading and then there was this sentence: "Who Can Kill a Child? may be one of the best horror scores you’ve never heard, and comes highly recommended". Next click I will do is find more samples and get into this score...
   
 Howlin' Wolf
 
I have not checked with SAE or the Movie Music Store to see if they can get additional copies of this 2 CD set (The House That Screamed/Who Can Kill A Child?) both scores by Waldo de los Ríos -but-  if checking the inventory by putting in a large quantity order is a reliable way to check remaining copies available, SAE only has only 9 copies currently in stock and it appears to be out of stock at the Movie Music Store - Again, not trying to rush anyone that might be interested in this title and I do not know how many copies may be available from other retailers (overseas, etc.).  If you can order now, I would contact your usual retailer and ask them about availability.  Just giving you all a heads up on what I am seeing online.  The final assessment is that it appears to still be available but in VERY limited quantities at the VERY reasonable price of $20 for a 2 CD set.
   
Jeremy  
thanks for the update... listening to samples. i am loving the tin whistle sound.
   
ScaredyCat  
I have never even heard of this movie (or score), however it looks like it has a pretty awesome flavoring of Children of the Corn and I especially like the crazy machine gun ...now I have to check it out. Thanks!
   
Josh Mitchell  
This is a gorgeous score! The 2-CD reissue, coupled with The House that Screamed, is a godsend. Highly recommended.
   
Howlin' Wolf  
This marks the end of the second week prize period - composer Robert Feigenblatt is drawing the winners for Weeks 1 and 2.  The Week 1 winner has been selected and is David Kessler (congratulations!) The Week 2 winner along with the Weeks 2 and 3 prize selection list will be announced soon!

All comments from this point forward will automatically be entered in the third week's drawing.  Please continue commenting on all of the installments - the more comments, the more interesting the commentary and analysis! 
   
Howlin' Wolf  
The prize link above for the second week of installments has been updated. This prize period ended Sunday, October 16 at noon. The winner of the drawing has been selected by composer Robert Feigenblatt and will be announced soon. We will email the winner and also post an announcement here. Congratulations again to David Kessler for being the winner for Week 1 installments.
   
Howlin' Wolf  
Congratuations to the Week 2 Installment winner Jonathan! Thanks of course to everyone who has participated so far in 13 CHILLS. Don't forget, we still have 5 more installments to go and two weeks of prizes ...and of course a GRAND PRIZE.