When packing for Marrakech recently I thought about re- reading The Sheltering Sky, Paul Bowles' 1949 novel The Sheltering Sky. Bowles moved to North Africa in 1947 and lived there in Tangier the rest of his life, eventually dying in 1999 aged 88. The Sheltering Sky is the story of New York couple who move to North Africa in an attempt to resolve marital difficulties. I read it in 1990 when the Bernardo Bertolucci film version came out, filmed on location in Morocco, Algeria and Niger. From memory it doesn't end well for the couple, Port and Kit Moresby, and there's a load of existential despair and alienation in the book and the film that I thought maybe I didn't need to take with me on my trip to Morocco.
The film starred John Malkovich and Debra Winger. Port and Kit, travelling with their friend Tunner, pitch up in the Sahara in 1947, Tunner saying that they're probably the 'first tourists they've had here since the war'. 'We're not tourists', Kit replies, 'we're travelers'. I haven't seen the film since 1990 either. The Sheltering Sky received mixed reviews and Paul Bowles wasn't a fan. It did come with a Ryuichi Sakamoto score- The Sheltering Sky Theme is not remotely North African, no Sahara desert guitars or Berber instruments here, but a sweeping, cinematic film theme instead.
In 1983 Sakamoto provided the soundtrack and score for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, a World War II prisoner of war drama starring David Bowie. Sakamoto's main theme for the film was a tour de force and the main title theme gained a David Sylvian vocal, a new title and was released as a single. Sylvian and Sakamoto created an early 80s synth- pop/ soundtrack masterpiece with Forbidden Colours, melody and counter- melody and gorgeous synthwork.