"A hat trick for Analogue Productions, this is the third of their Mancini soundtrack reissues and it's another audiophile-friendly gem. Back in 1996, I reviewed a vinyl reissue of this magnificent album from Germany, one of Audiophile Record Service's RCA 'Shaded Dog' reissues of long-worship LPs. Their Hatari! is now a hard-to-find collectable, so this takes care of the absence, albeit digitally. However, this SACD is so punchy, open and lifelike that its credentials as demo-worthy remain intact. This film was a 1962 Oscar-winner and remains best known for the bouncy 'Baby Elephant Walk' and i's one of Mancini's finest. It will make you smile as much as listening to the Pink Panther theme." — Sound Quality = 92% - Ken Kessler, HiFi News, "Years Best" Yearbook 2017
"Hatari! (originally released in 1962) contains more dramatic underscore (primarily in the nearly seven-minute 'The Sounds of Haatari' cue) than most of Mancini's formulaic 'soundtracks.' The musical highlights are the theme from Hatari! with two incredibly catchy classic Mancini funky pop cues ('Baby Elephan Walk' and 'Your Father's Feathers). All of this sounds amazing on one of Mancini's best Living Stereo recordings. The musical and sonic centerpiece for most listeners will be the 'Baby Elephant Walk' with its shrieking woodwinds that still manage to sound musical and are not distorted despite the close miking." — Arthur Lintgen, The Absolute Sound, April 2017
Coming off a double Oscar win for his Breakfast at Tiffany's score, Henry Mancini produced this score for the Howard Hawks-directed, John Wayne-starring safari comedy Hatari!.
"This is at first a fun blend of jazz and Afro-exotica, jungle drums mixed with a classic bop combo. Elsewhere, however, the soundtrack opts for some pleasant, but very Western jazz, only stopping for the African instrument-sampler "The Sounds of Hatari," which features some nice treated piano. The filmmakers were probably hoping that the Mercer and Carmichael song "Just for Tonight" would be as much a success as Tiffany's "Moon River," but if Hatari! is memorable for anything, it's for the incredibly goofy "Baby Elephant Walk," which has gone on to be infamous musical shorthand for kookiness of any stripe." — AllMusic.com.
Now Music from the Paramount Picture score Hatari! is back bigger and better than ever! We've gone the deluxe Analogue Productions route — remastered from the original analog tape by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound and now available as a Hybrid Stereo SACD. This Hybrid SACD plays in both CD and SACD players, as well as all SACD-compatible DVD players. A great title, a brilliant reissue — what could be better?
Tracklist:
1 Theme From "Hatari!" 2:53
2 Baby Elephant Walk 2:40
3 Just For Tonight 2:00
4 Your Father's Feathers 3:30
5 Night Side 3:22
6 Big Band Bwana 3:01
7 The Sounds Of Hatari 6:41
8 The Soft Touch 2:43
9 Crocodile, Go Home! 2:53
Recording information:
Title: Hatari! Music From The Motion Picture Score
Artist: Henry Mancini
Genre: Jazz
Media: 1x Hybrid SACD Stereo , Remastered, . Playable on SACD player or standard CD player
Label: Analogue Productions
Cat#: CAPP2559SA
Released: 2015 in US
Original release: 1962 by RCA Victor LSP-2559
EAN: 0753088255960
Discogs rel.#: 8472748
