"The Best of Cult Fiction" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – 55 Of The Finest Cult TV & Movie Themes - Including James Bond 007, The Ipcress File, Captain Scarlet, Midnight Cowboy, The Saint, The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Danger Man, A Fistful Of Dollars, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, The Magnificent Seven, Pink Panther, Dr. Who, The Champions, M.A.S.H., Van Der Valk, Lovejoy, The Sweeney, Taxi Driver, Blake's 7, Starsky & Hutch, Tales Of The Unexpected, Hill Street Blues, Minder, Budgie, Taxi, Animal Magic, Vision On, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill and many more – Most In Stereo – Barry Gray, BBC Radiophonic Workshop, John Barry, Henri Mancini, Ennio Morricone, Bernard Hermann, Laurie Johnson, Ron Grainer, Tony Hatch, KPM Music Library and more (February 2004 UK Virgin 2CD 55-Track Compilation of Sixties, Seventies and Eighties Remasters)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Cult-Fiction-Various-Artists/dp/B0001DD3RI?crid=2DAH49CNFB7Y9&keywords=724357670128&qid=1706619113&sprefix=724357670128%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=ffa452667d7f27e45029a484841e45d1&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

"…Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)…"

Admittedly the gatefold slip-of-paper that acts as an insert is laughable – print so tiny it practically screams magnifying glass. No knowledgeable appreciation liner notes by a maniacal Film and TV buff who needs to get out more – no photos – no posters – no cast stills - no memorabilia that would evoke such great memories and make this twofer so rock. Even the rear inlay on the inside is completely blank for Gawd sake – zero effort. But – and as they say in a Sumo bathhouse - that's a big butt – there is the fun listen and the alarmingly great audio.

These Virgin catchall compilations can be blinding one minute and so-so the next or a raggle-taggle combo of both (this the same). But here it's like someone went out of their way to find the best sounding Remasters for every track. Or it could just be that when "The Best Of Cult Fiction" was issued in the spring of 2004 – all that old 'Lounge Lizard Secret Agent' stuff had already been remastered by EMI and Universal – and in either Mono or Stereo – the results were all sparkly and kick-ass.

Whatever you look at it, in the spring of 2024 (twenty years after the reissue event) – this little goofball is a cool buy and a reminder of music that has engrained itself into our subconscious, much of which we heard weekly and secretly loved – yet never thought of (actually) buying. Papa Loves Mambo indeed. Why I almost dusted down my Jetpack and polished up the Aston Martin (almost). 

So, once more, me Olive Cocktail Hearties and Danger Man Smarties unto the cool-theme-song breach. Details Mr. Blofeld please (and easy on the pirahna)…

UK released 23 February 2004 - "The Best Of Cult Fiction" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Virgin EMI New State VTDCD 997 – 7243 5 76701 2 8 (Barcode 724357670128) is a 2CD Remastered 55-Track Compilation of Sixties, Seventies and Eighties TV Themes (CD1) and Film Soundtracks and Songs (CD2) that plays out as follows:

CD1 Cult TV Themes (75:32 minutes):
1. Doctor Who – BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP featuring Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire (1963 Recording, 2000 Remaster)
2. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Theme – HUGO MONTENEGRO (1966)
3. Joe 90 (Title Theme) – THE BARRY GRAY ORCHESTRA (1968)
4. Captain Scarlet – THE BARRY GRAY ORCHESTRA with GARY MILLER (1967)
5. The Champions – TONY HATCH ORCHESTRA (1969)
6. Danger Man Theme ["High Wire"] – BOB LEAPER ORCHESTRA (1964)
7. Return Of The Saint – THE SAINT ORCHESTRA (1978)
8. New Avengers Theme – LAURIE JOHNSON And The LONDON STUDIO ORCHESTRA (1976)
9. The Two Ronnies (Theme from The Detectives) (1976 KPM Library Music)
10. Pink Panther Theme – HENRY MANCINI (1963)
11. Vision On Chase Scene ["Accroche Toi Caroline"] (1967 De Wolfe Library Music)
12. Animal Magic – LAURIE JOHNSON (1970)
13. Black Beauty ["Galloping Home"] – SOUTH BANK ORCHESTRA (1972)
14. World Of Sport – KPM Library Music (1968)
15. Superstars – KPM Library Music (1974)
16. Van Der Valk Theme ["Eye Level"] – SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA (1971)
17. Tales Of The Unexpected – RON GRAINER (1979)
18. Crossroads – TONY HATCH ORCHESTRA (1965)
19. Lovejoy – DENIS KING (1986)
20. Bergerac Theme – GEORGE FENTON (1981)
21. The Sweeney – SIMON WALLACE and SIMON BINT (1975)
22. The Professionals – LAURIE JOHNSON and the LONDON STUDIO ORCHESTRA (1977)
23. Minder Theme ("I Could Be So Good For You") – DENNIS WATERMAN (1979)
24. Auf Wiedersehen Pet Theme (That's Livin' Alright) – JOE FAGIN of Stealers Wheel (1983)
25. Grange Hill Theme – ALAN HAWKSHAW (1975 Music, 1978 TV Show)
26. Roobarb and Custard – ALAN HAWKSWORTH (1974)
27. Blake's 7 – THE DUDLEY SIMPSON ORCHESTRA (1978)
28. Budgie Theme ("The Loner") – SOUTH BANK ORCHESTRA (1971)
29. Taxi Theme ("Angela") – BOB JAMES (1978)
30. Hill Street Blues Theme – MIKE POST featuring LARRY CARLTON on Guitar (1981)
31. Starsky & Hutch Theme ("Gotcha") – TOM SCOTT (1977)
32. The Six Million Dollar Man Theme – JOHN GREGORY and His ORCHESTRA (1976)

CD2 Cult MOVIE Themes (72:26 minutes):
1. Green Hornet (from the movie "Kill Bill") – AL HIRT (1966)
2. 007 (James Bond Theme from "Dr. No") – JOHN BARRY (1963)
3. Ain't That A Kick In The Head (from "Out Of Sight") – DEAN MARTIN (1969)
4. Papa Loves Mambo (from "Ocean's Eleven") - PERRY COMO (1954)
5. Theme From The Magnificent Seven (from "The Magnificent Seven") – ELMER BERNSTEIN (1960)
6. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (from "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly") – HUGH MONTENEGRO written by Ennio Morricone (1968)
7. A Fistful Of Dollars (from "A Fistful Of Dollars") – ENNIO MORRICONE (1964)
8. The Ipcress File (from "The Ipcress File") – JOHN BARRY (1968)
9. Theme From Taxi Driver (from "Taxi Driver") - BERNARD HERRMANN (1976)

10. Theme (from "The Last Tango In Paris") - GATO BARBIERI (1972)

11. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (from "Kill Bill") - NANCY SINATRA (1966, Sonny Bono song)

12. We Have All The Time In The World (from "On Her Majesty's Secret Service") - LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1969)

13. Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) (from "Jackie Brown") - THE DELFONICS (1969) 

14. Pusherman (from "Superfly") - CURTIS MAYFIELD (1972)

15. Jungle Boogie (from "Pulp Fiction") - KOOL & THE GANG (1973)

16. Across 110th Street (from "Jackie Brown") - BOBBY WOMACK (1973)

17. The Harder They Come (from "The Harder They Come") - JIMMY CLIFF (1972)

18. Stuck In The Middle (from "Reservoir Dogs") - STEALERS WHEEL (1972)

19. Oye Como Va (from "Carlito's Way") - SANTANA (1970)

20. Little Green Bag (from "Reservoir Dogs") - GEORGE BAKER (1962)

21. Hooked On A Feeling (from "Reservoir Dogs") - BLUE SWEDE (1973)

22. Everybody's Talkin' (from "Midnight Cowboy") - NILSSON (1969)

23. Suicide Is Painless (from "M.A.S.H.") - JOHNNY MANDEL (1970)

CD1 offers up many memorable TV moments - nostalgia tears for scribbles during "Vision On" and Gerry Anderson's "Captain Scarlett" getting all sophisticated supermarionation. But you have forgotten Alexandria Bastedo making us us boys weak at the knees in "The Champions" or the Brass oom-pa-pa of the "Van Der Valk" theme "Eye Level" that charted big in 1973. And there can never be enough John Barry, Tony Hatch, Ron Grainer, Laurie Johnson and the like who gave us so many short-sharp-blasts of brilliance - its a bit of a Bobby Dazzler. There are few men of my age who wouldn't get goosebumps at the sound of "The New Avengers" theme or grin at "The Pink Panther" slink or the fifty-year relationship we've had with football's "World Of Sports". But I reserve my true love for Larry Carlton's guitar playing in "The Hill Street Blues" Theme - sublime and cool - like Steely Dan good.  

Latin Saxophonist Gato Barbieri won a Grammy for his 1972 instrumental to "Last Tango In Paris" with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider rolling around in their nudie suits - but more impressive for me is the lethal one-two of "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and "We Have All The Time In The World" - Nancy Sinatra (no stranger to Bond soundtracks) and Louis Armstrong shimmering with beauty and raw emotion. Sonny Bono penned "Bang Bang..." which Quentin used to such great effect in "Kill Bill" - while once again John Barry classes up everything for Bond in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Tarrantino has also tapped smoochy Soul as a winner in his movies and the Philly-swoon of The Delfonics classic "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" provided a moment of warmth is his otherwise darkly witty "Jackie Brown". Drugs are never far from Movie or TV proceedings - so we get Curtis Mayfield giving us some 'Superfly' coke and weed distribution in his fabulously funky and social-commenting "Pusherman" - sounding just fantastically clear and punchy for its five-minutes. 

By the time we reach Track 15 and "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & The Gang - things are harder - the get down Funk taking no prisoners as Kool grunts his way to a feel-it-y'all masterclass (another "Pulp Fiction" winner). Speaking of class, who can forget Pam Grier taking that slow-moving airport walkway as the credits rolled for "Jackie Brown" - looking like a real-world woman trying to survive in a dirty man's world as Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street" plays - lyrics that hide nothing. Time to go to the islands and smell the sea air (and other fragrances) as Jimmy Cliff gets Reggae and Gangsta with "The Harder They Come" - such a tune (I have reviewed the superb Universal 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' of that soundtrack - a fully-loaded gem). Much like Ace's "How Come" or AWB's "Pick Up The Pieces" (both 1974) - Stealers Wheel and their 1972 single masterpiece "Stuck In The Middle" never seems to date - memorably used in "Reservoir Dogs" though I doubt either Gerry Rafferty or Joe Fagin imagined it would accompany such a display. Speaking of effortless cool, "Oye Como Va" will be weaving its 1970 Santana's "Abraxas" LP magic for decades more to come - stunning guitar work, keyboards and Latin-Rock rhythms.

"The Best Of Cult Fiction" romps home with the bop-bop winner that everyone had forgotten - "Little Green Bag" by George Baker - a joyous little belter from 1962 that sounds so damn good - even after a staggering sixty-two years. The hugga-chacka chant of "Hooked On A Feeling" by Blue Swede may be fun but doesn't do it for me I'm afraid. But I'm always high on believin' in Nilsson - his gorgeous "Everybody's Talkin'" that played out "Midnight Cowboy" indelibly burnt into my brain (probably one of my 45-Single A-side favourites - a Fred Neil song). CD2 ends with "Suicide Is Painless" - the theme music to the much-loved "M.A.S.H." movie and TV series that made Alan Alda, Mike Farrell, Loretta 'Hot Lips' Swit and characters Radar, Klinger, Colonel Potter and all the gang household names. Fifty-five tunes for my sixty-five years - job done. 

"Look at him sway with it...get so gay with it..." Perry sang all those decades ago about his belief in the restorative powers of the hip-swaying Mambo. And ever since then - Mama has been looking for Papa - but Papa is nowhere in sight - that's because he's down at the fleapit thrilling to illicit gyrations or on his couch getting all 'shut it' with his inner Private Eye. 

Great fun, fab audio and "The Best Of Cult Fiction" is cheap too - go for it...