Ennio, Franco and Clint Eastwood - Oh My!

Ciao a tutti,

Oh what a night! I was invited last night to a private event held by the Consul General of Italy, Diego Brasioli, at the Cultural institute for the purpose of meeting and interviewing Oscar honoree, Ennio Morricone, for our radio show "Filippo and the Chef."

I had been to the Italian Cultural Institute many times but it was never like it was last night. From valets parking cars to heavy security at the door, to ticket takers at the door not letting anyone in unless they either had tickets or where on the list. I drove with two of my friends, who had tickets. Isabella Carlini, who works at Paramount, had gotten two tickets from the Studio and had invited composer, and mutual friend of ours, Marco Missinato.

I didn't have a ticket but was told by the Consul General that my name would be on the list. Well, my friends got in, no problem, and they turned to see me giving my name to the list taker, and hearing her say my name wasn't on it.

Come to think of it, since she knew me, I wonder if she was just pulling my chain. Just as she was saying this, Elisabetta, the Consul's secretary saw me and grabbed my hand and brought me in, grazie Elizabetta.

Once inside, the tables were turned with my friends who weren't allowed upstairs into Fracesca Valente's big, beautiful office, where the press was meeting with Ennio, but I was. Of course, I found a way to get them up and can I say, a good time was had by all. As if meeting and interviewing Ennio the night before he was to be honored with an Oscar at the Academy Awards wasn't enough, guess who showed up, Clint Eastwood. I learned that night that he would be presenting the Oscar to Ennio.

The press went wild when Clint walked in, it was quite a frenzy. I just stayed back and watched it happen knowing I would have my moment with Ennio and I was hoping Cint too, afterwards. And so it was to be the case.

It was interesting how some of my friends didn't understand why I was so excited about interviewing Ennio since they didn't know him. I assured them all that they knew him and all I had to do was whistle a few notes of the opening theme song for "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly," and they then got excited too.

This was perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity too because it is interesting to learn that Ennio, who has scored over 400 movies has never stepped foot in Hollywood, or for that matter, the US. He supposedly has been offered all kinds of money and incentives over the years, including a villa in Los Angeles, to come here and work with the studios, but he has always declined. Now here he was, and I was about to interview him.

I had of course known of his music since I remember hearing the theme song I referred to earlier, but I came to know his name when I was taken by his music for "The Mission." That theme with the oboe line is heaven sent. If you haven't heard the soundtrack, you owe yourself at least a listen to that piece called "Gabriel's Oboe."

I was so grateful that the Maestro, at the end of our interview gifted me a CD, that was going to be released after Celine sang his song on the Oscars, called "We All Love Ennio Morricone," especially since it has that instrumental piece.

What can I say, he was so gracious and forthcoming with his answers and I could have talked to him all evening. Getting my friends in to meet him was special to me too especially since Marco is Italian and has known of him all his life. This is the case not only because the majority of the Maestro's movie and TV scoring has been on Italian films and shows, but also Marco, being a musician and composer has known and admired Ennio for years.

I especially thought it was interesting because, just a week or so before I had interviewed Marco because he officially released his CD Series called Pets Love Music and launched the complimentary company and website for the series which includes music for Dogs, Cats and Horses, yes horses. Veterinarians, animal whisperers, trainers and everyday animal owners and pet lovers swear to the effects of music on animals, and the positive effects of his music in particular.

I of course have heard all of his Cds and own them all, as well as have purchased them for friends and family, pet owners and non-owners alike, because the music is for everyone. You can learn more about it when we air the interview with Marco on our show next week, or you can go to our website and hear the interview in the archives.

This picture of Marco and the Maestro felt like a passing of the baton. You can see how the Maestro is smiling, truly it was his first and only smile of the evening, and he gave it to Marco.

Technically, we cannot say that in this picture Maestro Morricone was passing the baton to Maestro Missinato, because Ennio has movies he is scheduled to compose well into 2008 already, and we can expect for many years after that. This is what he said in the interview and I can't wait for you all to hear it. It should air in a couple Sundays from now, but again, if you miss it, you can always go to www.FilippoandtheChef.com and catch it in our archives.

If that wasn't enough, I got to share a moment with Clint Eastwood and talk to him about Monterey and Carmel. We all know he had been the Mayor of Carmel for years, and I was born and raised in Monterey the next city north of there. He was very pleasant and gracious as well, considering everyone wanted his time.

I can imagine it was a busy time for both of them. It was a treat to see them both on TV on Sunday. Yes, on TV, can you believe it, I wasn't invited. I was just as surprised as you are, he, he. But hey, I got more than I bargained for regarding the Oscars in this one evening alone. Next year however, I want the Red Carpet!

Speaking of more than I bargained for, I got to meet and get my picture taken with the great Italian actor Franco Nero. If you think you don't know him either, you would be surprised if you clicked on his name and saw all the films he has done. Oh, that reminds me, Ennio Morricone also wrote music for "Cinema Paradiso," now, that I know you know!

And again, speaking of getting more than I bargained for, as if all this wasn't enough for one evening, Isabella surprised me with passes to a private screening of "Dream Girls" on the lot of Paramount Studios in the screening theater where they premiered it, two nights before it was expected to win many Oscars. How cool was that? I can tell you, too cool.

I had seen at least one movie there before, for an actual premier, and the experience is always welcome. The seats alone are the most comfortable movie seats you ever will sit in. I understand that when they were first purchased they cost $8K each or something like that. And boy was this the perfect place to see a movie with music in it. As you would expect, the sound system was out of this world.

I myself was out of this world. I was flying so high, grateful for an evening of a lifetime. Here are pictures of Isabella and I after asking the Security Guard to indulge us a bit by taking our picture in front of the theater which, as you can see was already being prepared for a red carpet event on Oscar night. And I wasn't invited to that either, can you imagine?

Finally, here is a picture that the guard insisted we take. He walked with us to these gates while telling us the story and why we had to take our pictures. He said that these were the original gates that Frank, Dean, and Jerry used to use when they worked on the Paramount lot. Now what made him say that, to me of all people, I don't know. But having just performed "The Three Paisans" a couple days before, I took that as a good omen!

Amen!

Filippo

P.S. If you haven't seen this Oscar clip, or even if you have, you will get a kick out of it, if not chocked up. This clip begins immediately after Clint Eastwood speaks of him and after they showed a clip of Ennio conducting an orchestra playing a medley of his most recognizable movie music. You will delight at his modesty and sincerity as Ennio Morricone accepts his Oscar; expresses gratitude to his piers and to those who wanted him to have this honor; wishes this award to all those who deserve it; and finally dedicates it to his wife Maria. (In English and Italian)