Pino Donaggio
About
Biography
Biography
A versatile and highly prolific composer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, Pino Donaggio has produced perhaps his most notable efforts in the suspense genre, particularly in his collaborations with Brian De Palma. His scores for "Carrie" (1976), "Dressed to Kill" (1980), "Blow Out" (1981), "Body Double" (1984) and "Raising Cain" (1992) enhanced both the mood and action of these films with vivid orchestrations that created a true sense of foreboding. In a departure from their norm together, the composer provided a neatly farcical score for the pro-am outing "Home Movies" (1979), constructed by De Palma and his Sarah Lawrence College students. There are many other directors with whom Donaggio has enjoyed repeat performances, but he has worked three times each with David Schmoeller, Liliana Cavani and Carlo Vanzina. The 70s and 80s found his music more frequently in US films, but since the advent of the 90s he has favored his Italian homeland, doing two movies there for every one in this country.
Filmography
Music (Feature Film)
Life Events
1956
Made solo debut as violinist in a Vivaldi concerto for Italian radio
1973
Scored music for first feature, "Don't Look Now"
1976
First collaboration with Brian De Palma, and first song credit, "Carrie"
1979
Contributed a neatly farcical score for the pro-am outing "Home Movies", constructed by De Palma and his Sarah Lawrence College students
1979
Worked with David Schmoeller for first time on "Tourist Trap"
1980
Scored Joe Dante's "The Howling"
1982
First pairing with director Liliana Cavani on "Oltre la Porta/Beyond the Door"
1985
Initial collaboration with Carlo Vanzina on "Sotto il Vestito/Nothing Underneath"
1986
TV debut with the NBC movie, "The Fifth Missile"
1992
"Raising Cain" marked sixth collaboration with De Palma
1996
Scored Carlo Vanzia's "Squillo/Call girl"
1997
Provided music for Maurizio Zaccaro's "Il Caniere/ The Gamebag"
