La Passione (1996 film)

Last updated

La Passione
Directed by Chris Rea
Written byChris Rea
Starring
Release date
CountryUnited Kingdom

La Passione is a 1996 British drama film written and produced by Chris Rea, directed by John B. Hobbs, and starring Sean Gallagher, Paul Shane and Shirley Bassey. The film premiered on 14 November 1996 at the BFI London Film Festival. The film features a cameo appearance by Rea, as well the same-titled soundtrack also composed by him. [1] The soundtrack reached the #43 position in UK album charts, [2] and was certified Silver by BPI in 1997. [3]

Contents

Background

The film was released in five UK cities cinema from 16 May 1997. [4] It is a tale of 10-year-old northern boy, the son of an Italian immigrant ice-cream making family, who develops a lifelong obsession with motor racing and especially with the real-life racer Wolfgang Von Trips, who was killed in his sharknose Ferrari 156 at the Monza Grand Prix in 1961. [4] [5] The film is partially inspired by Rea's childhood experience. [4] Rea commented how "everyone's got a Von Trips in their life ... for some people it happened through football or movies - a day when a boy's empty, innocent mind suddenly has all kinds of new stuff blown into it." [4]

Production

Rea initially wanted to direct his own screenplay but Warner Vision, the film's distributors, did not let him and appointed John B Hobbs, a retired television director. [4] The studio executives kept trying to turn his simple tale of childhood fantasy into something else, with which he felt disappointed. [4] Rea commented that "there was a lot of hard work in making La Passione, and a lot of grief, because I had very set ideas about how I wanted it to be, and everyone else had a different idea ... I wanted none of it. My thing was about how fantasies occur, about passions, enjoying them." [4] In a 2016 interview he recalls that Billy Connolly and Peter Capaldi were in advanced talks to star, but his original idea and script were changed. The primary idea was to be Warner Bros' first music DVD, "something to watch whilst you're listening to music". However, although they liked the idea and started to work on it, Rea lost complete control over it and under corporate pressure many people started to show up, with those especially from the USA not understanding the idea as it started to turn into, as Rea felt, a "boring film". [1] [6]

Music

La Passione
La Passione (Chris Rea) album.jpg
Soundtrack album by
Chris Rea
Released1996
Length54:50
Label East West, Jazzy Blue
Producer Chris Rea
Chris Rea chronology
The Best of Chris Rea
(1994)		La Passione
(1996)		 The Blue Cafe
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Louder Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

On the film soundtrack, Shirley Bassey provides vocals on two tracks: La Passione and a duet with Chris Rea entitled Shirley Do You Own A Ferrari? The song La Passione was a big hit for Dame Shirley Bassey. The soundtrack was redone in recent years with new music, [8] and was re-released in November 2015 in a deluxe package which consists of two CDs, consisting of remastered and remixed original and new tracks, and two DVDs, first consisting of re-edited original and new short films to accompany the music along with an interview with Rea, while second of a documentary about Wolfgang Von Trips, [9] enclosed within a 72-page book. [1] [10]

Track listing

All songs by Chris Rea.

  1. "La Passione" (Film Theme) – 4:55
  2. "Dov'è II Signore?" – 6:04 (Vocals: Toby Draper; recorded at the Mill Studios Cookham 23/11/93)
  3. "Shirley Do You Own a Ferrari?" (Vocals: Chris Rea/Shirley Bassey) – 4:43
  4. "Girl in a Sports Car" – 5:16
  5. "When the Grey Skies Turn to Blue" – 3:43
  6. "Horses" – 3:05
  7. "Olive Oil" – 4:26
  8. "Only to Fly" – 5:42
  9. "You Must Follow" – 5:29
  10. "'Disco' La Passione" (Vocals: Shirley Bassey) – 4:57
  11. "Dov'è II Signore? Pt. 2" – 2:31 (Vocals: Toby Draper)
  12. "Le Mans" – 3:59

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Bassey</span> Welsh singer (born 1937)

Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists in Britain.

<i>The Best of Bond... James Bond</i> 1992 soundtrack album from the James Bond films by various artists

The Best of Bond... James Bond is the title of various compilation albums of music used in the James Bond films made by Eon Productions up to that time. The album was originally released in 1992 as The Best of James Bond, as a one-disc compilation and a two-disc 30th Anniversary Limited Edition compilation with songs that had, at that point, never been released to the public. The single disc compilation was later updated five times in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, and 2021. The 2008 version was augmented with the addition of a DVD featuring music videos and a documentary. Another two-disc edition, this time containing 50 tracks for the 50th anniversary of the franchise, was released in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angelo Badalamenti</span> American composer (1937–2022)

Angelo Daniel Badalamenti was an American composer and arranger best known for his work in composing for films. He is best known for his acclaimed collaborations with director David Lynch, notably the scores for Blue Velvet (1986), the Twin Peaks television series, The Straight Story (1999), and Mulholland Drive (2001).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Rea</span> English singer and guitarist (born 1951)

Christopher Anton Rea is an English rock and blues singer and guitarist from Middlesbrough. Known for his distinctive voice and his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty five solo albums, two of which topped the UK Chart, The Road to Hell in 1989 and its successor, Auberge, in 1991. He had already become "a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10" with the single "The Road to Hell ".

Since its inception in 1962, the James Bond film series from Eon Productions has featured many musical compositions, many of which are now considered classic pieces of British film music. The best known piece is the "James Bond Theme" composed by Monty Norman. Other instrumentals, such as "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", and various songs performed by British or American artists such as Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger", Nancy Sinatra's "You Only Live Twice", Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die", Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better", Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only", Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill", Tina Turner's "GoldenEye" also become identified with the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldfinger (Shirley Bassey song)</span> 1964 single by Shirley Bassey

"Goldfinger" is the title song from the 1964 James Bond film of the same name. Composed by John Barry and with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the song was performed by Shirley Bassey for the film's opening and closing title sequences, as well as the soundtrack album release. The single release of the song gave Bassey her only Billboard Hot 100 top forty hit, peaking in the Top 10 at No. 8 and No. 2 for four weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart, and in the United Kingdom the single reached No. 21.

<i>The Road to Hell</i> 1989 studio album by Chris Rea

The Road to Hell is the tenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1989. Coming on the back of several strongly performing releases, it is Rea's most successful studio album, and topped the UK Albums Chart for three weeks. Hailed as a "modern masterpiece", it was certified 6× Platinum by BPI in 2004. The album demonstrates a thematic cohesion previously absent from Rea's work, with the majority of the tracks containing strong elements of social commentary, addressing alienation, violence and redemption. The second part of the two-part title track, "The Road to Hell ", is one of Rea's most famous songs, and was his first UK Top 10 single. Geffen Records released the album in the US, adding the 1988 re-recording of "Let's Dance" and different cover artwork.

<i>New Light Through Old Windows</i> 1988 compilation album by Chris Rea

New Light Through Old Windows is the first compilation album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1988. The album consists primarily of re-recordings of songs from Rea's earlier albums, as well as the new track "Working on It", which peaked at No. 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was Rea's only No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "On the Beach" peaked at No. 9 on the US Adult Contemporary singles chart, and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached number five on the UK Albums Chart, charted for over a year, and was certified 3× Platinum by BPI until 1992. It charted in the Top 10 in New Zealand, Australia and West Germany.

<i>The Road to Hell: Part 2</i> 1999 studio album by Chris Rea

The Road to Hell: Part 2 is the fifteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1999, ten years after The Road to Hell. The single released for the album was "New Times Square". There was also a Japanese edition with the songs "Be My Friend" and "Driving Home for Christmas" included as tracks. It reached number 54 on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified Silver by BPI.

<i>Get the Party Started</i> (album) 2007 album by Shirley Bassey

Get the Party Started is a 2007 album by Welsh singer Dame Shirley Bassey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History Repeating (song)</span> 1997 single by Propellerheads

"History Repeating" is a 1997 song written by Alex Gifford and originally performed by English electronic music duo Propellerheads featuring Welsh singer Shirley Bassey. It was released shortly before their only album, Decksandrumsandrockandroll, released in 1998 by Wall of Sound in Europe and DreamWorks in the US and Japan. The single was a #1 hit on the UK Indie Chart, and was also Bassey's first top ten appearance on any US chart since 1973's "Never Never Never", making #10 on the US Dance Club Chart. According to Bassey, Gifford wrote the song especially for her. The sleeve cover, an illustration by Duke D. Jukes, takes its inspiration from classic album sleeve from the Capitol 1957 release Just One Of Those Things by Nat King Cole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Bassey discography</span>

This article presents the discography of Shirley Bassey.

<i>Never Never Never</i> 1973 studio album by Shirley Bassey

Never Never Never is a 1973 album by Shirley Bassey. It features the hit single title track, which was a UK top 10 hit, which became one of Bassey's best-known songs. The album also became a top 10 hit in the UK and was a moderate hit in the US.

Passione or La Passione may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">'Disco' La Passione</span> 1996 single by Chris Rea / Shirley Bassey

"'Disco' La Passione" is a 1996 song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea. The song was written for the film La Passione, a semi-autobiography by Rea. Shirley Bassey made her feature film debut here, but the film was a disappointment at the box office. A single was issued, produced by Rea and, unusual for Bassey, credited as co-performer. The track also appears on the soundtrack album La Passione. The single sold well in Europe, making the Top 40 of the Dutch and Belgian charts, but just missed being a Top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart, charting at number 41.

<i>Good, Bad but Beautiful</i> 1975 studio album by Shirley Bassey

Good, Bad but Beautiful is a 1975 album by Shirley Bassey. In the first half of the decade, Bassey recorded nine albums, with three making the top ten. In March 1975, Bassey released a compilation that became her highest-charting album to date, The Shirley Bassey Singles Album (#2), and reflects the momentum Bassey had maintained since her 1970 "comeback". Good, Bad but Beautiful, released in the autumn of 1975, spent seven weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at #13, and earned a silver disc. The album reflects the formula that brought Bassey back to the charts: a combination of contemporary songs combined with her forte of standards, show tunes, and torch songs, featuring arrangements aimed squarely at the adult contemporary, or middle-of-the-road, audience. This was also achieved by modifying her backup orchestra to include electric guitars, a string and brass section with a more contemporary sound, and drumming that is more soft rock-oriented than jazz-oriented, while side two's opener, "Feel Like Makin' Love" displays a smooth jazz style.

<i>The Performance</i> 2009 studio album by Shirley Bassey

The Performance is an album by the Welsh singer Shirley Bassey, released on 9 November 2009. It is her first studio album of original compositions in three decades. The album was executive produced by music executive Paul Carey and English film composer David Arnold co-produced the entire album with Mike Dixon. Songs on the album were written specifically for Bassey by renowned writers such as Rufus Wainwright, Gary Barlow and Pet Shop Boys. The recording of the album became the subject of a BBC documentary titled The Girl from Tiger Bay named after the song written for the project by James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers. The album gained favourable reviews and was certified gold in the UK for sales of over 100,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Writing's on the Wall (Sam Smith song)</span> 2015 single by Sam Smith

"Writing's on the Wall" is a song by English singer Sam Smith, written for the release of the 2015 James Bond film Spectre. The song was released as a digital download on 25 September 2015. The song was written by Smith and Jimmy Napes, and produced by the latter alongside Steve Fitzmaurice and Disclosure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soft Top, Hard Shoulder (song)</span> 1993 single by Chris Rea

"Soft Top, Hard Shoulder" is a song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in January 1993 as the third single from his 12th studio album, God's Great Banana Skin, and the soundtrack of the 1992 British comedy drama film of the same name. "Soft Top, Hard Shoulder", which was written and produced by Rea, reached No. 53 in the United Kingdom and remained on the chart for two weeks. A music video was filmed to promote the single.

<i>I Owe It All to You</i> (album) 2020 studio album by Shirley Bassey

I Owe It All to You is an album by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey, released on 6 November 2020 by Decca Records. It contains a mix of new songs and cover versions "handpicked to reflect her incredible life and career". Bassey said of the album, "My new album is a celebration of 70 years in showbiz. 70 years of support from my fans and 70 years of music! I've trodden the boards of many stages and kicked up many a diamante heel! The songs I have chosen all feel very personal and connected to my life. I hope they will do the same for my fans."

References

  1. 1 2 3 David Mead (15 June 2016). "Chris Rea on his guitar origins, Strats, the blues and La Passione". MusicRadar . Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  2. ↑ "Official Charts > Chris Rea". The Official UK Charts Company . Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "Chris Rea - La Passione". BPI . Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 John Walsh (3 May 1997). "The reluctant rocker". The Independent . Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "La rockstar Chris Rea fa un film sulla Ferrari". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 21 April 1996. p. 28. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Henry Yates (1 December 2015). "An Interview With The Straight-Talking, No-F**ks-Given Chris Rea". TeamRock. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  7. ↑ Mclver, Joel (1 December 2015). "Chris Rea - La Passione album review". Louder Sound . Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  8. ↑ Graham Young (5 November 2014). "Chris Rea says Birmingham NIA gig will be a 'holiday' from fighting pancreatic cancer". Birmingham Post . Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Warwick, Matt (29 May 2016). "Monaco GP: 'I saw Senna's glove – he'd worn through it'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Chris Rea – La Passione". Discogs. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.