--- name: "Riz Ortolani" canonical: "https://film.one/person/riz-ortolani" fi1m_id: "riz-ortolani" imdb_id: "nm0006221" tmdb_id: 33804 wikidata_id: "Q288217" roles: ["Composer"] born: "25 March 1926" died: "23 January 2014" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-26T14:35:48.018701+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Riz Ortolani ## Identity Riz Ortolani - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/riz-ortolani - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** riz-ortolani - **IMDb ID:** nm0006221 - **TMDB ID:** 33804 - **Wikidata ID:** Q288217 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riz_Ortolani, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288217, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006221/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/33804 Composer. Born 25 March 1926 in Pesaro, Marche, Italy. Died 23 January 2014. ## Details - **Work:** Composer - **Born:** 25 March 1926, Pesaro, Marche, Italy - **Died:** 23 January 2014 - **Also known as:** Riziero Ortolani, Roger Higgins, Ritz Ortolani - **Golden Globes:** 1 Golden Globe (1 won · 3 nominated) - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riz_Ortolani, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288217, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006221/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/33804 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Mondo Cane*](https://film.one/film/mondo-cane.md) (58) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Biography Riz Ortolani (25 March 1926 – 23 January 2014) was an Italian composer, conductor and orchestrator of film scores. He wrote the music for the 1962 film *Mondo Cane* and scored more than 200 films and television programmes between 1955 and 2014. Ortolani worked extensively in the Italian mondo, giallo and spaghetti western genres. Among his credits are *Il Sorpasso* (1962), *Day of Anger* (1967), *Don't Torture a Duckling* (1972), *House on the Edge of the Park* (1980) and *Cannibal Holocaust* (1980). He also scored several English-language films, including *The Yellow Rolls-Royce* (1964) and *Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell* (1968). His composition "More" from *Mondo Cane* won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. In the early 1950s Ortolani founded and played in a jazz band. He studied at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini" in Pesaro and worked with the RAI orchestra. Ortolani married singer Katyna Ranieri in 1956. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Mondo Cane* (1962), Fi1m 58, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/mondo-cane.md) ## Complete filmography (202) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Hell is Already in Us* (2017), Music - *Giallo a la Campagna* (2017), Music - *Those Days with Lucio* (2016), Music - *Un matrimonio* (2013), series, Original Music Composer - *A Second Childhood* (2010), Original Music Composer - *Il figlio più piccolo* (2010), Music - *Giovanna's Father* (2008), Music - *The Hideout* (2007), Original Music Composer - *A Dinner for Them to Meet* (2007), Original Music Composer - *The Second Wedding Night* (2005), Original Music Composer - *Ma quando arrivano le ragazze?* (2005), Music, Original Music Composer - *Christmas Rematch* (2004), Music - *The Godfathers of Mondo* (2003), Actor - *In the Jungle - The Making Of Cannibal Holocaust* (2003), Original Music Composer - *Incantato* (2003), Original Music Composer - *Knights of the Quest* (2001), Music, Original Music Composer - *Midsummer Night Dance* (1999), Original Music Composer - *Ama il tuo nemico* (1999), series, Original Music Composer - *Grandes ocasiones* (1998), Music - *The Best Man* (1997), Music - *The Voyeur* (1994), Original Music Composer - *Magnificat* (1993), Original Music Composer - *The Angel with the Gun* (1992), Original Music Composer - *Brothers and Sisters* (1992), Original Music Composer - *Paprika* (1991), Original Music Composer - *Killer Crocodile 2* (1990), Original Music Composer - *Una fredda mattina di maggio* (1990), Original Music Composer - *A Season of Giants* (1990), Original Music Composer - *In The Rose Garden* (1990), Original Music Composer - *The Dark Sun* (1990), Original Music Composer - *The Story of Boys and Girls* (1989), Original Music Composer - *Killer Crocodile* (1989), Original Music Composer - *Una casa a Roma* (1989), Original Music Composer - *Via Panisperna Boys* (1989), Music, Original Music Composer - *Massacre Play* (1989), Original Music Composer - *Sposi* (1988), Original Music Composer - *The Last Minute* (1987), Original Music Composer - *Brothers in Blood* (1987), Music - *Love & Passion* (1987), Original Music Composer - *The Inquiry* (1986), Original Music Composer - *Christmas Present* (1986), Original Music Composer - *Una domenica sì* (1986), Original Music Composer - *The Corruption* (1986), Music - *Miranda* (1985), Music - *Graduation Party* (1985), Original Music Composer - *Christopher Columbus* (1985), series, Music - *Impiegati* (1985), Original Music Composer - *The Three of Us* (1984), Original Music Composer - *Tuareg: Desert Warrior* (1984), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *The Octopus* (1984), series, Original Music Composer - *Warriors of the Year 2072* (1984), Music - *A School Trip* (1983), Original Music Composer - *That Awful Mess on Via Merulana* (1983), series, Music - *A Hole in the Windshield* (1983), Music - *Revenge of the Dead* (1983), Original Music Composer - *Valentina* (1982), Original Music Composer - *The Girl from Trieste* (1982), Music - *Holy Cow* (1982), Original Music Composer - *I camionisti* (1982), Original Music Composer - *Più bello di così si muore* (1982), Original Music Composer - *Fear in the City* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Nobody's Perfect* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Honey* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Ghost of Love* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Help Me Dream* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Madhouse* (1981), Original Music Composer - *House on the Edge of the Park* (1980), Original Music Composer - *The Warning* (1980), Original Music Composer - *Chocolate* (1980), Original Music Composer - *Maria - Nur die Nacht war Zeuge* (1980), Original Music Composer - *Cannibal Holocaust* (1980), Original Music Composer - *The Return of Casanova* (1980), Original Music Composer - *Fangio: Una vita a 300 all'ora* (1980), Original Music Composer - *Il corpo della ragassa* (1979), Original Music Composer - *Mimi* (1979), Original Music Composer - *Gegè Bellavita* (1979), Original Music Composer - *Atrocious Tales of Love and Death* (1979), Original Music Composer - *The Fifth Musketeer* (1979), Original Music Composer - *The Burning Years* (1979), Original Music Composer - *Tigers in Lipstick* (1979), Original Music Composer - *From Hell to Victory* (1979), Original Music Composer - *First Love* (1978), Original Music Composer - *Brutes and Savages* (1978), Original Music Composer - *Le braghe del padrone* (1978), Music - *Rings of Fear* (1978), Original Music Composer - *Cyclone* (1978), Music - *The Pyjama Girl Case* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Double Murder* (1977), Conductor, Original Music Composer - *I Am Afraid* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Sahara Cross* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Casanova & Co.* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Death Steps in the Dark* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Mimì Bluette... Flower of My Garden* (1976), Music - *Submission* (1976), Original Music Composer - *Holiday Hookers* (1976), Original Music Composer - *Blonde in Black Leather* (1975), Original Music Composer - *Ritratto di Donna Velata* (1975), series, Music - *Paolo Barca, Elementary School Teacher, Practically a Nudist* (1975), Music - *Mondo candido* (1975), Original Music Composer - *How to Kill a Judge* (1975), Original Music Composer - *Vieni, vieni amore mio* (1975), Music - *There Is No 13* (1974), Music - *To Love Ophelia* (1974), Original Music Composer - *War Goddess* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Mean Frank and Crazy Tony* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Teresa the Thief* (1973), Original Music Composer - *One Way* (1973), Original Music Composer - *The Counsellor* (1973), Original Music Composer - *The African Deal* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Hospitals: The White Mafia* (1973), Original Music Composer - *No, the Case Is Happily Resolved* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Mafia Junction* (1973), Original Music Composer - *The Heroes* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Dear Parents* (1973), Original Music Composer - *One Russian Summer* (1973), Original Music Composer - *A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die* (1972), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *Don't Torture a Duckling* (1972), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *Girolimoni, the Monster of Rome* (1972), Original Music Composer - *Jus primae noctis* (1972), Original Music Composer - *The Dead Are Alive* (1972), Original Music Composer - *Shadows Unseen* (1972), Music - *Seven Blood-Stained Orchids* (1972), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *The Valachi Papers* (1972), Original Music Composer - *Where the Bullets Fly* (1972), Original Music Composer - *Goodbye Uncle Tom* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Secret Fantasy* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Do Not Commit Adultery* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Web of the Spider* (1971), Original Music Composer - *The Hunting Party* (1971), Music, Conductor - *Confessions of a Police Captain* (1971), Original Music Composer - *The Statue* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Say Hello to Yesterday* (1971), Music - *The Lovemakers* (1970), Original Music Composer - *Madron* (1970), Original Music Composer - *The McKenzie Break* (1970), Music - *A Girl Called Jules* (1970), Music - *The Adventures of Gerard* (1970), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *Disperatamente l'estate scorsa* (1970), Music - *The Unholy Four* (1970), Original Music Composer - *The Dove Must Not Fly* (1970), Original Music Composer - *Un caso di coscienza* (1970), Original Music Composer - *Andrea Doria -74* (1970), Original Music Composer - *With What Love, With How Much Love* (1970), Original Music Composer - *Viva Cangaceiro* (1969), Original Music Composer - *Night of the Serpent* (1969), Original Music Composer - *The Ravine* (1969), Original Music Composer - *So Sweet... So Perverse* (1969), Music - *La coppia* (1969), Original Music Composer - *One on Top of the Other* (1969), Original Music Composer - *Salt in the Wound* (1969), Original Music Composer - *Bootleggers* (1969), Music - *The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal* (1969), Original Music Composer - *The Fight for Rome* (1968), Original Music Composer - *Emma Hamilton* (1968), Original Music Composer - *Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell* (1968), Original Music Composer - *The Girl Who Couldn't Say No* (1968), Original Music Composer - *The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom* (1968), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *Anzio* (1968), Original Music Composer - *Beyond the Law* (1968), Original Music Composer, Conductor - *The Violent Four* (1968), Original Music Composer - *Sardinia Kidnapped* (1968), Original Music Composer - *The Biggest Bundle of Them All* (1968), Original Music Composer - *Day of Anger* (1967), Original Music Composer - *On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...* (1967), Original Music Composer - *Woman Times Seven* (1967), Conductor, Original Music Composer - *Tiffany Memorandum* (1967), Original Music Composer - *Soldier's Girl* (1967), Original Music Composer - *Kill and Pray* (1967), Original Music Composer - *Make Love, Not War* (1966), Music - *The Spy with a Cold Nose* (1966), Original Music Composer - *Lightning Bolt* (1966), Original Music Composer - *Africa Blood and Guts* (1966), Original Music Composer - *Special Code: Assignment Lost Formula* (1966), Music - *David Copperfield* (1965), series, Original Music Composer - *Spy in Your Eye* (1965), Original Music Composer - *Con rispetto parlando* (1965), Music - *Red Dragon* (1965), Original Music Composer - *The Glory Guys* (1965), Original Music Composer - *The Devil Also Cries* (1965), Original Music Composer - *The Car That Became a Star* (1965), Music - *The Yellow Rolls-Royce* (1964), Conductor, Original Music Composer - *Hour of Death* (1964), Music - *The 7th Dawn* (1964), Music - *Le ore nude* (1964), as Compositor - *Old Shatterhand* (1964), Music - *Ride and Kill* (1964), Original Music Composer - *Castle of Blood* (1964), Original Music Composer - *The Pitiless Three* (1964), Original Music Composer - *Ecco* (1963), Original Music Composer - *Horror Castle* (1963), Original Music Composer - *The Fall of Rome* (1963), Original Music Composer - *Women of the World* (1963), Original Music Composer - *Mediterranean Holiday* (1962), Original Music Composer - *Il Sorpasso* (1962), Original Music Composer - *Mondo Cane* (1962), Music — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/mondo-cane.md) - *Ursus in the Valley of the Lions* (1961), Original Music Composer - *Very Important Person* (1961), Original Music Composer - *Music of Always* (1958), Actor - *Terrore sulla città* (1957), Music - *Processo all'amore* (1956), Original Music Composer - *Le vacanze del Sor Clemente* (1955), Music ## Gallery - ![Riz Ortolani](https://film.one/media/person/3908489/gallery-9c4a6b289ba9.jpg) Riz Ortolani — Indeciso42 at the Italian Wikipedia project., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Riz_Ortolani_1955.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Riz Ortolani](https://film.one/media/person/3908489/gallery-ecd41f4b623e.jpg) Riz Ortolani — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated - 1971: Best Original Song (nominated), for *http://www.wikidata.org/.well-known/genid/67c452f3ad597a6602418f869a66ff44* - 1964: Best Original Song (nominated), for *More* ### Golden Globes — 1 won, 3 nominated - 1970: Best Original Song (nominated) - 1968: Best Original Song (nominated) - 1965: Best Original Song (won), for *Forget Domani* - 1965: Best Original Score (nominated), for *The Yellow Rolls-Royce* ### Other awards — 3 won, 1 nominated - David di Donatello for Best Original Song 2005: David di Donatello for Best Original Song (nominated) - David di Donatello for Best Original Song 1988: David di Donatello for Best Original Song (won), for *The Last Minute* - David di Donatello for Best Original Song 1987: David di Donatello for Best Original Song (won), for *Christmas Present* - Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition 1963: Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (won), for *More* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/riz-ortolani