Get the latest score from Howlin' Wolf Records “DON'T GO IN THE HOUSE”, “HOLIDAY HELL” and “GOOD TID

MONSTER BRAWL!!! Makes me want to make a monster movie too.

Totally plotless MONSTER BRAWL punches us in the face with a fun but simple concept. The idea is that you turn on your television and watch a wrestling show like WWE but instead of professional wrestlers you are treated to monsters biting each others faces off. SOLD! The makers say it is classic eighties wrestling with classic eighties monsters and they are right. If you like those two things then MONSTER BRAWL will be an enjoyable experience. If you don't then you probably shouldn't be reading this blog.

MONSTER BRAWL excels past its budget limitations because of the talent behind and in front of the camera. Watch the behind the scenes documentary and see what everyone went through to get this movie made. It will give you a deeper appreciation for what you are seeing. For the most part the film achieves the goal of meshing classic monster movies with the excitement of a WWE showdown smashfest. The monsters look great and strategically placing familiar faces from the wrestling world like Kevin Nash and Jimmy Hart into key roles brings success to that goal. At one point Frankenstein and the Wolf Man are going at it in the cemetery busting tombstones over each other and giving us one heckola of a fight. Then it occurred to me that I was really watching Frankenstein and the Wolf Man fighting each other. MONSTER BRAWL suddenly develops a Universal Studios classic monsters movie vibe to it. That is a hard thing to do. Its a thrill to see these two fight to the death. They never really did in the old black and white movies. If they did it was way too short and not much to brag about. MONSTER BRAWL can brag about delivering two classic monsters in an epic fight to the death without it feeling like a cheap generic knock-off.

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MEAN GUNS: A good Christopher Lambert movie?

I am just going to come out and say it, folks. MEAN GUNS is a good movie. It is a simple, violent shoot'em up that happens to be a little on the unpredictable side. A crime organization known as the Syndicate has Moon (Ice-T) gather a bunch of criminals together in a newly built highly sophisticated prison and have them kill each other. Before there was BATTLE ROYALE there was MEAN GUNS. What is really interesting is that instead of there only being one person allowed to survive this game allows for three. That adds an interesting dynamic to this movie. Alliances actually have real meaning. Nowadays most of these movies only allow for one unless your movie is THE HUNGER GAMES which pusses out a little and changes the rules last second to allow two survivors. I call that cheating the audience out of good dark drama. Oh, well I am sure that happened in the book. That justifies everything I suppose.

Christoher Lambert plays that one guy who didn't have to be there but volunteered anyway just like that one psycho kid from BATTLE ROYALE who volunteered because he enjoys killing and getting stuff blown up in his face. Lambert insisted on being there. But he is a little off. He brought his daughter along and left her in the car in the prison parking lot. Hey, it was a convertible. He didn't leave her to burn to death in an oven with wheels. At first he is the cool character that kicks all kinds of ass and he has this back story about accidentally killing some kid and now wants out of this life of crime. He is here for the money so he can start a new life with his daughter. A noble reason. Oh, yea I forgot. I probably should have mentioned that the three who survived get to split 10 million dollars between them. He is the one guy you are suppose to sympathise with. But as the movie goes along you can see that he is having the time of his life blasting fellow baddies. At one point he storms into a room full of not nice people running on top of tables and shooting them John Woo style with double pistols smiling the whole time. I figure he was probably pretending that the floor was hot lava and the tables were safe. They had to die. They were standing in lava.

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Little Erin Merryweather [2012] - Paul Cristo

Little Erin Merryweather [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: KeepMoving Records
Composer: Paul Cristo

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

“A flash of RED then thump you're DEAD!” goes the saying around a New England campus. Students mysteriously fall dead to a killer who seems to have been inspired by the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. This is the tale of Little Erin Merryweather (Vigdis Anholt), a doll-like beauty who was abused as a girl and can't cope with the trauma. When honor student Peter Bloom (David Morwick) takes an interest in the murders, he simultaneously gets to know Erin better - but will he escape the fate of his mates or become the next victim of Little Erin Merryweather?

5/5 What innocent evil should sound like!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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A Royal Affair [2012] - Gabriel Yared and Cyrille Aufort

A Royal Affair [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: MovieScore Media
Composer: Gabriel Yared and Cyrille Aufort

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

The beautiful, classical-sounding orchestral score is a romantic and thematic work permeated by a sense of forbidden passion throughout. The pairing of highly experienced composer Gabriel Yared (an Oscar winner for The English Patient in 1997 and the author of over 70 feature film scores including Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr Ripley and Betty Blue) and newcomer Cyrille Aufort (who worked as an orchestrator for Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat and got his impressive feature film scoring breakthrough with Splice in 2009) is a great one where the result is an engaging, sophisticated and handsome score that fits the film perfectly and works beautifully as a stand-alone listening experience.

 5/5 Sweeping Period Piece!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Hysteria [2012] - Gast Waltzing and Christian Henson

Hysteria [2012]
Available: June 19, 2012
Released By: Lakeshore Records
Composer: Gast Waltzing and Christian Henson

 For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Hysteria is a romantic comedy with an accomplished cast led by Hugh Dancy (Adam, Confessions of a Shopaholic), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart, Nanny McPhee Returns), Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean, Miss Saigon on Broadway), and Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding), that tells an untold tale of discovery – the surprising story of the birth of the electro-mechanical vibrator at the very peak of Victorian prudishness. Hysteria is directed by Tanya Wexler.

4/5 Rousing and Clever!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Hemingway And Gellhorn [2012] - Javier Navarrete

Hemingway And Gellhorn [2012]
Available: June 19, 2012
Released By: Varese Sarabande
Composer: Javier Navarrete

For More Details:  [CLICK HERE]

HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN recounts one of the greatest romances of the last century — the passionate love affair and tumultuous marriage of literary master Ernest Hemingway and the beautiful, trailblazing war correspondent Martha Gellhorn — as it follows the adventurous writers through the Spanish Civil War and beyond. As witnesses to history, they covered all the great conflicts of their time; but the war they couldn’t survive was the war between themselves.

4/5 Great Music, Strong Horns!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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New Water Music [2012]

New Water Music [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: Silva Screen Music
Composer: Various

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

On July 17, 1717 George Frideric Handel premiered his composition Water Music after King George I requested a concert to be performed on the River Thames. Close to 300 years later this major musical milestone will be emulated on London’s famous waterway.

The New Water Music draws on Handel’s original titles with eleven leading contemporary British composers contributing a newly written five-minute movement each. The work will be performed for the first time on a barge, which will be part of a 1000 boat flotilla celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant will take place on Sunday June 3rd in the presence of The Queen and, will be televised worldwide with an estimated one billion audience.

The composers include Anne Dudley (Oscar winner for The Full Monty), Stephen Warbeck (Oscar winner for Shakespeare In Love), Christopher Gunning (Poirot), Debbie Wiseman (Wilde), and Julian Nott (Wallace & Gromit).

  1. Anne Dudley with Ensemble H2O - Fast – Slow – Fast
  2. Debbie Wiseman with Ensemble H2O - Gigue
  3. John Lunn with Ensemble H2O conducted by Gavin Greenaway - Bourree
  4. Howard Goodall with Ensemble H2O - Rigaudon
  5. Stephen Warbeck with Ensemble H2O conducted by Gavin Greenaway - Air On The River
  6. Gavin Greenaway with Ensemble H2O - Passepied
  7. Julian Nott with Ensemble H2O - Overture & Allegro
  8. Christopher Gunning with Ensemble H2O - Jubilee Gavotte-rock
  9. Graham Fitkin with Ensemble H2O - Slowish
  10. Adrian Johnston with Ensemble H2O conducted by Gavin Greenaway - Alla Hornpipe
  11. Jocelyn Pook with Ensemble H2O conducted by Gavin Greenaway - London Bells
5/5 Love the Collective Works
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

Jerry Goldsmith Collection Vol. 1: The Rarities [2012]

Jerry Goldsmith Collection Vol. 1: The Rarities [2012]
Available: June 19, 2012
Released By: BuySoundtrax Records
Composer: Various

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]


In the early 60s Goldsmith moved more into the feature film realm, earning widespread acclaim for his score for the western Lonely Are the Brave and his first Academy Award nomination in 1962 with Freud. Throughout his long career, Goldsmith with be nominated 17 more times, for A Patch of Blue, The Sand Pebbles, Planet of the Apes, Patton, Papillon, Chinatown, The Wind and The Lion, The Omen – nominated for original song and earning the Award for original score – The Boys From Brazil, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Poltergeist, Under Fire, Hoosiers, Basic Instinct, L.A. Confidential, and Mulan. He would also earn 5 Emmy Awards, for The Red Pony, QB VII, Babe, Masada and Star Trek: Voyager. His credits also include beloved films and cult classics including Gremlins, Rudy, The Secret of N.I.M.H., First Blood, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, The Mummy, Logan’s Run, The Great Train Robbery, and Alien.

Jerry Goldsmith Vol. 1: The Rarities features 23 tracks of new recordings of some of Goldsmith’s rarely heard themes including a Dominik Hauser’s recording of the complete score for Seven Days in May, the unused theme for the modern crime thriller 2 Days in the Valley, “Comes The Night” from the rarely screened Sebastian, Chuck Cirino’s rendition of Goldsmith’s theme from Rio Conchos, arranger Joohyun Park’s take on “The Sentence” from Warlock, vocalist Katie Campbell’s interpretation of the theme from The Illustrated Man, and “If We Could Remember” from one of his final films The Sum of All Fears.

3/5 Good, I prefer the originals!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

Room 36 [2012] - Scott Benzie [Limited 500]

Room 36 [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: KeepMoving Records
Composer: Scott Benzie

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Savage, sexy and stylish, Room 36 is a tour-de-force thriller that combines the razor-edge suspense of classic Hitchcock with the uncompromising brutality and evocative visuals of SIn City.

As the sun goes down on a seedy London hotel, a politician arrives with classified information destined to bring down the British government, a prostitute begins her night’s work, and a hitman contemplates his next assignment. Before the night is over, a convergence of duplicity and paranoia will draw each one into a remarkable and deadly chain of events that will forever leave a legacy of terror in... Room 36.

5/5 Crazy Mix!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Sorcery [2012] - Mark Mancina [Limited 3000]

Sorcery [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: La-La Land Records
Composer: Mark Mancina

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

La-La Land Records and SCEA present the original score to the new videogame SORCERY. Renowned film composer Mark Mancina (SHOOTER, SPEED, TWISTER, BAD BOYS) brings his cinematic musical muscle to this exciting, fantasy-based, dungeon-crawling game in which the player is a powerful sorcerer's apprentice who must master the Magick of the Faerun in order to drive back the Nightmare Queen, who has broken an age-old contract with mankind. Mancina fashions a powerful, imaginative musical score that whisks the listener into the game's fantastic world and beyond. This special CD release is limited to 3000 Units. 

5/5 Epic and Fantasy Filled!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]


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ABOUT SORCERY
Sorcery puts the power in the players’ hands using the PlayStation®Move motion controller to conjure and command powerful magic as they brave the dark world of the Faerie Kingdoms. On their journey, players will encounter a multitude of enemies, solve ingenious puzzles, learn powerful spells, and craft strange potions immersing them in a unique fantasy adventure like never before. As a young sorcerer’s apprentice named Finn, it is up to the player to master the arcane arts and fight back the the Nightmare Queen who has broken the ancient pact with mankind and threatens to cover the land in eternal night.

96 Minutes [2012] - Kurt Farquhar

96 Minutes [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: MovieScore Media
Composer: Kurt Farquhar

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

The winner of multiple festival awards, Aimee Lagos action thriller 96 Minutes features an urban, percussive and contemporary film score courtesy of composer Kurt Farquhar (Soul Food, Not Easily Broken, Lifted).

Farquhar juxtaposes beautiful and shimmering melodic textures with gritty, sometimes deliberately distorted melds of electronica and industrial sound design. As described by We Are Movie Geeks, “the music ranges from viscerally tense soundscapes to influences of hip hop” and the reviewer also notes that “the composer has clearly brought his own personal experience into the making of this movie.” 


4/5 Great Score!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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1 Out Of 7 [2012] - Frederik Wiedmann

1 Out Of 7 [2012]
Available: June 11, 2012
Released By: Kaleido Sound
Composer: Frederik Wiedmann

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Frederik Wiedmann
http://www.frederikwiedmann.com/

Lexi, seeking to escape her overbearing mother runs away to the streets of Portland, Oregon. Lexi searches for belonging, but her underground life crumbles when she finds herself alone and pregnant. Lexi turns to Devon, a woman with her own demons, and an emotional bond builds between them as Devon attempts to make up for past mistakes by nursing Lexi toward her impending delivery...

Outstanding Release and Strong Score! 5/5
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Dolph Lundgren's DETENTION.....Yea, I never heard of it either.

DETENTION stars Dolph Lundgren as Sam an ex-soldier turned history teacher at an inner city high school. Burned out from teaching a bunch of ungrateful loud mouth trash talking yahoos, Sam turns in his resignation papers. It is his last day at school and he is asked to stay late and watch the detention students. Bad guys show up and turn the day into a really bad rip off of DIE HARD.

First thing you are going to notice is that there are a total of only five bad guys. That's bad. The reason being that you know that the action scenes are going to be few or many and unimpressive. DETENTION has many action scenes. Almost every action scene goes like this: Bad guy enters room. Bad guys shoot at nothing for five minutes. Dolph Lundgren dodges bullets and escapes. There really isn't much of Dolph kicking butt. He is either great at dodging bullets or all the villains are expert shots shooting silouettes around moving targets the size of Dolph Lundgren.

The five bad guys (one is a cop and former soldier that toured with Sam) use the school as some kind of base of operations to steal a van full of drugs being transported by the police. If you really think about it that really isn't very smart. In fact it takes a lot of work to take over a school even if you are only expecting one security guard. I understand that they use the school garage to transport the drugs into a different vehicle but couldn't they just use an empty warehouse somewhere instead of school that has alarms and cameras and such. They actually steal the drugs with ease but instead of driving away with the merchandise they all stick around so they can be killed by Dolph and the bratty kids still trapped inside the school. The bad guys plan on stealing the drugs and selling them to the secret service. That don't make no sense, Yo. I guess the secret service is big into the whole drug dealing scene. The movie shows the bad guys lining the seats of a van with the stolen drugs but the drug exhange is done by helicopter at the school. That don't make no sense either. Why not go to a different location with the drugs, tell the secret service that you are changing the place of exchange and then blow up the school? They were going to blow it up anyway. Another thing. What is all this buisness about being trapped in a school? Have you ever heard of emergency exits? They are never locked and they sound alarms to notify the authorities of bad stuff going down. Or how about breaking a window or glass door? I know one thing. If you and I were trapped in a DIE HARD situation I would break out the nearest window and leave your butt behind. I'm a nerd on the Internet, not Rambo.

Click to read on.

Six Strings with... Ronen Landa [Composer]


 I would like to take a moment to thank Ronen for his time and talent... it is always great to hear new things like the film score to "The Pact". I am also going to find his other released works, cause I am interested in the complete range of his composing... and as a bonus today more information on the score "The Pact"...
-Jeremy [Retro]

-  How did you get started in the field of music and how did that lead you to composing?

Ronen Landa: Sometime around junior high it became clear that I had a bit of a knack for the guitar, and my love of that instrument led me to explore all the genres that make use of it (rock, jazz, bluegrass, classical etc). In college I started taking theory and composition more seriously and was completely mesmerized by the contributions of composers from Palestrina to Cage; I also developed a fascination with ethnic music and with New York's improvisational scene. I wanted to be able to incorporate all these new influences and continue to expand as an artist so I began composing chamber pieces and trying out various approaches to music.

- Please tell us your latest score release “THE PACT” with your inspiration, getting involved, best parts of being involved, interesting stories you can share and how much musical freedom did you have?

Ronen Landa: I first got involved with THE PACT when a mutual friend introduced me to director Nicholas McCarthy who was looking for a score to accompany his original 10 minute short film by the same name. When it came time to make the feature, I was lucky enough to be looped in early-- I read the script and even spend a day on set teaching one of the actresses (Haley Hudson) a little nursery rhyme that Nick and I co-wrote called "The Judas Song".

The score was inspired by the film's setting, which is a seemingly normal, everyday home that has been infiltrated by a ghostly presence. As a result I decided to record sounds that I created in my own home with appliances and kitchen items, etc, and then I manipulated those sounds digitally to create some of the unique textures and percussion in the score.

The best parts of creating THE PACT score were my collaborations with Nick and also with the musicians. Nick is the kind of director who has extensive knowledge of film music and deeply understands its importance to the storytelling-- especially in a horror film like THE PACT where music is so critical to setting the right tone. When we work together on a cue I never feel like my artistic freedom is an issue, it's all about telling this story in the most effective way we possibly can. I've learned so much about film-making by staying open to his ideas!


- If you work with other composers or music artists, whom do you work with and what is the best part of your contributions?

Ronen Landa: I had quite a few musicians contribute their talents to the score! They are all amazing, honestly-- it sounds a little cliché but they really do bring the music to life and I am so grateful for their talents. The soloists were Anna Bulbrook (violin) and Dan Tepfer (piano) and they helped me find a beautiful tonal quality to the more emotional compositions. They also performed brilliant improvisations over my compositions that I subsequently edited into the score to create subtle textures that percolate beneath the surface.

- Who inspires you musically and whom do you listen to [composers or music]? Do you feel that music downloading is hurting the industry or your thoughts that artists should release their work on a personal website and include all the download rates and a very limited Cd release?

Ronen Landa: My influences are very numerous and all over the map! I try to listen to as much as I possibly can, and ultimately I'm drawn to composers who are willing to take risks and expand the boundaries of our art form. In the world of film scoring I'd say Ennio Morricone probably embodies that idea best for me, but there are many, many others.

I think for less established artists it's important to get heard any way they possibly can. But as the music creators they need to find a business model that works for them and these days I don't think there is any one single path to success.

- Out of all your released work, which gives you the best feeling of accomplishment and why?

Ronen Landa: Wow that is tough because I've been lucky to be involved with some beautiful projects and they all mean a lot to me. I'm immensely proud of THE PACT because it started life as a short film that was being made for no reason other than the burning creative desire to just make something, and people responded to that and it's grown from there.

If I had to point to something else, I'd probably single out my score for THE DREAMS OF SPARROWS which appeared on my last compilation album ("Picturebooks"). That documentary film was shot in by Iraqi filmmakers around 2004 in the early days of the Iraq war; I feel very privileged to have contributed to a project with that kind of historical value, and working with artists who were just emerging from underneath totalitarian oppression was an incredibly moving experience.

- Walk us throughout a typical day or not so typical?

Ronen Landa: Music surrounds my life every day. I usually answer my emails in the morning with a guitar on my lap-- I just feel better that way! When I'm scoring a scene I'll usually watch it without music a few times until I start to get a feel for the pacing, the moments I'd like to highlight and so forth. Then I get the technical elements ready in my sequencer and get to work. Honestly I feel like I'm in a different state when I'm writing music, like I'm tuned to some other frequency, from which I only emerge many hours later. Occasionally I remember to eat and sleep.

 
- BONUS: You can ask me a question or tell us something you would like us to know about you or anything you want? [Upcoming projects, some quote you live by, etc]

Ronen Landa: I'm always curious to know how people first got interested in film music-- was it a particular film or soundtrack album that hooked you?

Retro's Response: I began loving score music since the first Star Wars film was released and found myself a slow start into collecting score music. The one that started it all for me was "In the Mouth a Madness" after that I began that collection and a few thousand scores later... my ears are still finding new things musically.

The Pact [2012] - Ronen Landa

The Pact [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: Screamworks Records
Composer: Ronen Landa

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

What makes haunted house horror flick The Pact unusual is that it does not take place in some gothic mansion – imagine the haunted place being your own home! The setting of Nicholas McCarthy’s stylish tale inspired up and coming composer Ronen Landa (Divergence) to experiment a lot: “I sampled everything from my washer/dryer to my radiator to a cadre of kitchen items in order to develop textural elements and percussion that appear throughout the score.” The result is one of the most interesting genre scores we have come across recently, written for a small chamber orchestra and soloists. Beautiful melodic writing for piano and solo violin provides an elegant and emotional contrast to the more experimental parts of the score. The stand-out cue ‘Apparitions’ offers a lot of unusual instrumental techniques and is a treat for the fan of the avant-garde. Although The Pact is one of Ronen Landa’s first major feature films, his writing is very mature. The film, starring Caity Lotz and Casper Van Dien, opens in UK cinemas on June 8 and will have a theatrical release in the USA on July 6...

In a short time Ronen Landa starts to scare you bringing you to a level of low monstrous beats filled with razor sharp notes. You will sit waiting, looking over your shoulder asking who is that behind you... it's okay you can look I won't tell. It was designed to make you jump, so jump...Ronen Landa does it well! This is a great way to tell your inspiration... Landa found sounds in his own home to use in the score. “I used my washer/dryer, radiator, wine glasses, bottles, etc. to create some of the percussion and textures,” said Landa. Nice Job!
5/5
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Hatfields & McCoys [2012] (Score) - John Debney/Tony Morales

Hatfields & McCoys [Score]
Available: May 25, 2012
Released By: Silva Screen Music
Composer: John Debney/Tony Morales

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy, close friends and comrades until near the end of the Civil War, return to their neighboring homes to increasing tensions, misunderstandings and resentments.

I have to say that was one of the best "Made for Television" movies I have seen in a very long time... my hat is off to the History Channel for "Hatfields & McCoys".  John Debney/Tony Morales capture the tone to fighting and the feuding as I am very pleased with how this just flows. Also those of you who don't know, but want to know... here is the link to the trailer song from "Bartholomew - The Silent Comedy". This is a great release, I think you all know what is next... go get it.
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Lola Versus [2012] - Fall On Your Sword

Lola Versus [2012]
Available: June 12, 2012
Released By: Lakeshore Records
Composer: Fall On Your Sword

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Greta Gerwig plays Lola, a 29 year-old woman dumped by her longtime boyfriend Luke (Joel Kinnaman) just three weeks before their wedding. With the help of her close friends Henry (Hamish Linklater) and Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones), Lola embarks on a series of desperate encounters in an attempt to find her place in the world as a single woman approaching 30.


Lola is on the verge 30 and her life is not where she wants to be... and the score to this follows the ups and downs of living. It is a pleasant telling of her story, not ever wanting to bring you down so "Fall On Your Sword" does the job.
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Predator [2012] - Alan Silvestri

Predator [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: Intrada
Composer: Alan Silvestri

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Ok! You spoke... we listened! Completely re-mastered release of complete Alan Silvestri soundtrack for John McTiernan alien action movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger comes as both licensor (20th Century Fox) and composer seek re-release of wildly popular score to wider market. You asked for every drop of blood, we now give it to you. New CD restores tiny bits edited from earlier issue, removes select crossfades, includes brief cue "The Aftermath" prior to "End Credits". CD plays in chronological order as originally scored by composer. Silvestri's incredibly muscular score is dynamite example of scoring via small motifs. Rhythmic punctuation in low brass, melded with busy percussion figures, creates incredibly terse, aggressive foundation for melodic ideas in strings, upper brass. Another cool idea has heroic musical signature for Schwarzenegger anchoring score yet almost all motifs, ideas are rooted in minor harmonies, not the expected major. Resulting music remains grim, tough, violent throughout! Intrada MAF series release with modest enhancement to original graphic design by Joe Sikoryak plus reprise of informative liner notes from Julie Kirgo. Alan Silvestri conducts. 

Nothing needs to be said on this release, once sought after as one the most desirable scores... now you can have it... and you should have it.  Alan Silvestri "Predator" is a masterpiece!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Knowing the Score!

5...4...3...2...1...
I have been pondering the idea on how to promote the score/music portion of this site as I give each release it's own day so you all will have time to read it. I plan to still do this, but less of a review this way I can get more in a day... as I have been falling behind. So we are going to introduce a simple [simple] "Rating System" that will be one click away, its a 5/5 system... that's it. As you will read on it seems less important of what I may think, than the release itself. It's sometimes difficult to know how the score will work in the films and it's not really fair for me to judge it, music effects everyone different. I do encourage your to click the link and take a listen to the music that is being promoted, this way you can judge for yourself...

5/5
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

TOTALLY TUBULAR: by KC Redding-Gonzalez

TOTALLY TUBULAR
Remembering Mike Oldfield’s Theme to The Exorcist
by KC Redding-Gonzalez

Usually I stick to fiction. But for some reason I considered The Exorcist on my way to another book title, and I realized that the most significant thing about that movie (besides the terror of religious possibilities) and the book (the cover and the inability to read it at one sitting so you could distract yourself before going to bed and having the subsequent nightmares) was the music. It is the one movie soundtrack outside of Star Wars that can be summoned to mind in its entirety without the slightest hesitation. Surely, I thought, that must count for something. So for Old Time’s sake I went looking on You-Tube for a retrospective experience. And I discovered Tubular Bells, The Album.


What you missed if you stuck to the radio version was really unexpected, even at this late discovery date. Arguably for some the music was better than the movie, but that might have been for those who couldn’t bear to open their eyes. (And then they had to go and say it was “based on fact….” Shivers! The average person is not comfortable with those kinds of thoughts.) Still the theme song is a stunning piece of music for the patient ear to digest, and still raises goosebumps on the flesh of those who recall spinning heads, vocal utterances and concepts we never really wanted to think about. So if you went on to that meditational space where a lot of instrumental music went in the 1980’s, come on back to the Dark Side: give Oldfield another listen, and experience the whole album. It’s just in time to celebrate Oldfield’s May 15th , 59th birthday – as well as being a long overdue trip into an artist’s world you’ll not soon forget…

For instance, that slow, incredibly long ostinato introduction with instruments verbally announced as they enter the acoustic space is not so unlike the first sentence in Blatty’s book: “Like the brief doomed flare of exploding suns that registers dimly on blind men’s eyes, the beginning of the horror passed almost unnoticed….” So now I’m going to go read some H.P. Lovecraft so I can get some sleep. If you were old enough in 1973, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Album Details:  originally released 1973, Virgin label, recorded 1972-73. 48:50 time; peaked at number 3 on 1974, The Billboard 200 chart (Side 1 Part 1: The theme we all remember…); re-released June 2009 multiple formats, Mercury label ($14.22; prices vary)


Book Details:  The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty; New 40th Anniversary Edition, New York: HarperCollins, c1971, 2011, ISBN 9780062094353; $16.24 (prices vary);

Movie Details:  released December 26th, 1973, Director William Friedkin, starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and Linda Blair, winner of two Oscars 1974 for writing and sound; nominated for soundtrack, BAFTA Film Award, 1975; $19.99 (prices vary)

Composer Lalo Schifrin - Gets Honored!

Press Release:

LALO SCHIFRIN TO RECEIVE 
MAX STEINER FILM MUSIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Award To Be Presented at the Annual Hollywood in Vienna Concert, October 22nd
(June 13, 2012 – Los Angeles, CA) Legendary composer Lalo Schifrin (Mission: Impossible, Rush Hour trilogy) will be the recipient of the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award, to be presented at the annual Hollywood in Vienna Concert (Vienna Concert Hall) on October 22, 2012. The concert will present selections of Schifrin’s compositions performed by the Vienna Radio-Symphony Orchestra under the direction of David Newman.

“I am very fortunate to have been invited by the City of Vienna to receive the Max Steiner Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Schifrin. “This means so very much to me because of the great legacy that this implies, especially because of its music history. I am looking forward to working with the great David Newman and all of those who are involved in making this possible.”

Femme Fatales [2012] - Joe Kraemer

Femme Fatales [2012] [1000 Units]
Available: Digital May 29 CD June 5, 2012
Released By: MovieScore Media
Composer: Joe Kraemer

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

Singled out as a main contribution to the overall success of the series by creator Mark A. Altman, Joe Kraemer’s music for the Cinemax anthology series Femme Fatales is an exciting, dark and sensual listening experience.
Featuring over 66 minutes of music (one selection from each and one of the 24 episodes comprising the first two seasons of the show), MovieScore Media’s soundtrack album is released digitally online and on CD following the premiere of season 2 on May 29. Illustrating the impact of The Way of the Gun composer Joe Kraemer’s music, Mark A. Altman said: “When I made my own directing debut with the classic noir episode, Something Like Murder, I told him I wanted a score that combined the epic romantic sweep of John Barry’s Body Heat with the menace and foreboding of Jerry Goldsmith’s Chinatown. Rather than me intimidated by that tall order, he delivered what was my favorite score of the season.”

Let's say the word "sexy" to describe this score... okay maybe not, but if you have watched the Cinemax Series you might be able to say it. It is a dark journey that will weave it's way into your heart as it fills each track to each episode. Joe Kraemer hits it on the head!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

Warning TRAILER...Sizzles!
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Night Eyes III [2012] - Terry Plumeri

Night Eyes III [2012]
Limited Edition 500 Copies
Available: March 6, 2012
Released By: KeepMoving Records
Composer: Terry Plumeri

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

As its title suggests, Night Eyes Three is the third installment in the popular erotic thriller franchise, written and directed by Andrew Stevens who also plays the lead role of security expert Will Griffith. Each film follows the same formula: through his surveillance job, Will gets involved in the private lives of his rich and famous clients who usually want to nail him in more than meaning of the word. Part Three in particular pits Will against a sensual television actress who needs protection from his jealous ex-boyfriend all the while a rival company tries to put Night Eyes Security out of business. Can Will survive the temptation and the enemy approach? According to Night Eyes Four, absolutely!
KeepMoving Records is proud to present the sensual and dark thriller score of Terry Plumeri, the man behind such fan favorite scores as Death Wish V and Black Sea Raid. The score is characterized by a beautiful and elegant main theme which Terry composed to reflect on Will’s character and his unfulfilled longing for a better life which he can only observe through his security position. The bulk of the score has a suspenseful darkness much like most neo-noir thriller scores of the 1990s with a haunting, muted brass section that captures the dark passion between Will and his employer, Zoe. A breath of fresh air is provided by the solo alto flute theme for Natalie, a 10-year old girl who gets caught up in the conspiracy. It’s dark, it’s delicious, it’s Plumeri. 

First I wanted to welcome "KeepMoving Records" as a new sponsor here on this site and letting us sample some of their awesome score from film, television and video games. This is a suspenseful score that is long overdue to have had a release, now it might have been available on vinyl once.. maybe a cassette... never on Cd at least that I knew about. Okay I ramble it is a great score with plenty of twisty corners, it just a solid release... so go get it, it's limited!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

Trivia: How many Night Eyes films were there?

Rough Tough Dynamite: End of the World (2012)

Rough Tough Dynamite: End of the World [EP] (2012)
Available: Now
Released by: Rough Tough Dynamite

Links:
http://roughtoughdynamite.com/
http://roughtoughdynamite.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/roughtoughdynamite



It will have you "Speaking Tongues" great enjoyable sound that will have you wanting to hear it over and over again. I do get a lot of music across my virtual desk, this slid into the cool pile and will stay there... you guys better get crackin' on that full Cd... I Want to be the first to know. I will be sitting here waiting... waiting!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Soundtrack Geek's Review: Last Breath (2010)

“The score has a lot going for it, specially if you like tension based ambient horror scores you might get a kick out of this.”
Last Breath is a horror film where a husband and wife find themselves imprisoned by a sadistic killer. They are forced to make choices that will ultimately determine their family’s survival or demise. Directed by Ty Jones and starring Mandy Bannon, James Brink and Jeff East. The composer is Vincent Gillioz.


-Zach [Howlin' Wolf Record's Creative Director]

Mean Guns - Review from Alan Rogers: MainTitles.com

Mean Guns
Score by: Tony Riparetti
Review by Alan Rogers
http://www.maintitles.net

"Any questions?....Yes, where can I get this CD?"
Review of the limited release Near the beginning of Albert Pyun's 1997 low-budget crime thriller Mean Guns, Syndicate boss Vincent Moon (Ice-T) is explaining the “rules of engagement” to 100 criminals he has brought together in a newly-built prison. Rather than have these individuals (who have at one-time-or-another crossed Moon) killed he offers a pot of $10 million to the three remaining people who can survive the to-the-death game that is about to start. When Moon asks for any questions, Lou (played by Christopher Lambert) pipes up, “Yes...where can I get this CD?”. Vincent Moon is a fan of Cuban mambo-style music and constantly plays mambo CDs through the prison's PA system during the course of the film. Lou's question refers to the music heard through the PA system that is also heard on the film's soundtrack. This film's soundtrack is one that frequently blurs the line between what is non-diagetic (traditional film scoring) and diagetic music (music heard by the film's characters). At the time of the film's release there were several calls of the release of this score because of its distinctive music (and its use) and Howlin' Wolf Records have now released Tony Riparetti's mambo-styled score on CD which features Riparetti's score as well re-recordings of a couple of mambo songs featured in the film.

TO READ MORE CLICK ON LINK ABOVE!

Thank you for your solid review!
-Wall [Howlin' Wolf Records - Founder/Project Director]

Disney's: The Black Cauldron [2012] - Elmer Bernstein

Disney's: The Black Cauldron [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: Intrada
Composer: Elmer Bernstein

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

At last! Treat for Elmer Bernstein fans, Disney soundtrack fans and lovers of great film music in general! World premiere of Elmer Bernstein's actual soundtrack for Walt Disney Pictures animation fantasy, directed by Ted Berman, Richard Rich. Not to be confused with roughly half hour of re-recorded highlights done by composer in Utah, new Disney/Intrada release offers all 75 minutes of music in dynamic stereo from actual multi-track soundtrack scoring session masters, lovingly produced by Disney's Randy Thornton. Bernstein offers wall-to-wall music for ambitious tale of young hero battling evil Horned King with titular cauldron at heart of conflict. Massive score plays as part of composer's high profile eighties animation/fantasy/sci-fi canon that includes HEAVY METAL, SATURN 3, GHOSTBUSTERS, SLIPSTREAM, SPACEHUNTER. Numerous themes populate florid score, colorful orchestrations abound. Spotlight splits between animated ideas for characters, thundering action they encounter. CD packaging sports beautiful cover painting of cauldron, liner notes by Jeff Bond & producer Thornton plus gorgeous full color shots of theatrical poster, detailed animation scenes, composer Bernstein at scoring sessions. Exciting entry in Disney/Intrada on-going series of classic soundtracks restored from the Disney vaults. Elmer Bernstein conducts. 

One of my all time favorite scores to a cartoon film, its epic... its wonderful. Oh did I mention it is expanded [75:27], remastered and a great listening experience. Right On Intrada!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Damsels In Distress [2012]

Damsels In Distress [2012]
Available: Now
Released By: Milan Records
Composer: Various

For More Details: [CLICK HERE]

After a 13-year absence Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, Last Days of Disco, Barcelona) is back with Damsels in Distress. The film is a comedy about a group of beautiful girls as they set out to revolutionize life at a grungy American university by helping severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men-including smooth Charlie, dreamboat Xavier and the mad frat pack of Frank and Thor. Witty, sharp and sophisticated, the film bears all the trademarks of a Whit Stillman picture. A true delight! 

Such a delight and upbeat score and song feature, watch the trailer and you feel as I do... it will leave you wanting to dance or at the very least "make you tap your foot". Heck, that is what I am doing right now... please give this a listen and tap with me... while wearing your smoking jacket!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

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Howlin' Wolf Records News: Vincent Gillioz and Guillermo Guareschi Make The List!


Congratulations to composers Vincent Gillioz and Guillermo Guareschi! Vincent's score for LAST BREATH is currently ranked lucky number 13 and Guillermo's score for PHASE 7 is currently ranked number 26 on Soundtrack Geek's Critic's Choice Rankings based on a survey of major review sites.
-Wall Crumpler

Top Scores 2012: Critic’s Choice | Soundtrack Geek V2
www.soundtrackgeek.com
This list will be updated every month and is based on the following soundtrack review websites: Soundtrack Geek, Soundtrack Magazine, Scorenotes, Filmtracks, Scoretrack, Tracksounds, Movie Wave, Soundtracks.pl, FSM, Examiner, Filmmusic.pl, Music Muse, Film, Music & Media, Soundtrack Nerd, Score Cues...

Six Strings with... Bobby Johnston


It has been a great year so far in way of meeting some great an talented people in the world and it's no different here with Bobby Johnston. He has a great ear for his work and I am glad we got chance to talk, much success in his future... Thank you!
-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

For More Information on Bobby Johnston score released by: Lakeshore Records
Mother's Day [2012]

- How did you get started in the field of music and how did that lead you to composing?

Bobby Johnston: I began playing piano by ear when I was 5 years old. Appropriately, the first things I began to figure out were snippets of music I’d heard on television. I started taking piano lessons at the age of 6 and continued for seven years. I began playing in bands when I was 14 and spent the next 20 years playing countless gigs, first in my hometown and later in Las Vegas and throughout Southern California. I fiddled around with any instrument I could get my hands on and spent most of my free time writing and recording original music.
   Film composing is something I’ve been interested in since high school. In my senior year I took an English composition class called The Art Of Film and was exposed to the work of Bernard Herrmann, Nino Rota, Elmer Bernstein and other legendary composers. I carried this seed with me as I became fairly obsessed with film over the next several years. Around 12 years ago, I finally went for it and have been very fortunate that things have fallen into place for me. 


- What are you working on now currently and what have you completed?

Bobby Johnston: I just completed 2 scores. I finished my score for ‘The Barrens’ (directed By ‘Mother’s Day’ director Darren Lynn Bousman) about 8 weeks ago and just turned in my score for ‘A New York Heartbeat’ a few days ago. In the past 12 months I’ve also completed scores for ‘Crazy Eyes’ and ‘Let Go’. Both films will be released in 2012.

-In your circle of composers who do work with and what is the best part of your contributions? 

Bobby Johnston: I’m very excited about my recent collaborations with master percussionist Greg Ellis. He’s played on three of my scores (including ‘Mother’s Day’) and we also co-compose on some of the up-tempo, action sequences…It’s really been a blast!
   I collaborated with Lisa Papineau (singer-songwriter for the band Big Sir) on the ‘Crazy Eyes’ score. Her voice is amazing and she has a rare fearlessness when it comes to using her voice as an instrument. We did some co-writing on the score as well.
   For years I played all the instruments on my scores. But, lately I’ve been using additional instrumentalists more and more. It’s become one my favorite parts of the job. I have a great group of musicians I work with, including cellist John Krovoza and violinist David Markowitz, both of whom performed on the ‘Mother’s Day’ score. 


-Who inspires you musically and who do you listen to?

Bobby Johnston: I’m inspired by such a wide variety of musicians and composers I wouldn’t know where to start. In truth, I don’t put other people’s music on very much anymore, except when I’m doing research for a score. At the beginning of most projects I explore certain performers, instruments, genres and periods that might relate to what we are trying to do with the music. Other than that I try not to be too influenced by what others are doing. Also, after 15-19 hours in the studio silence is indeed golden.

- Out of all your released work, which gives you the best feeling of accomplishment?

Bobby Johnston: That’s a tough question. They are all satisfying in different ways, but the release of my score to ‘Extra: In the Background of a Dream’ was a really good feeling. This was my very first score and many of the pieces had been used on ‘This American Life’. So, it was being heard on the radio for years, but wasn’t available until Citadel Records released the score in 2007. Kind of cool that they put it out on vinyl too! 


-Walk us throughout a typical day?

Bobby Johnston: I like to get into the studio pretty early. The first few hours of the morning are the best. I only use acoustic instruments, so live tracking takes up a large portion of the day. This is balanced with writing and many other tasks such as editing/mixing existing tracks, recording sessions with soloists and prepping work for interns or assistants. It may also include meetings with directors, producers and music editors, checking in with my agent, assembling demo submissions, mastering scores for archiving and soundtrack releases, etc...I also have to look after my publishing company lately, as I’ve been licensing music from my library for commercials and other visual mediums.

All in all, it’s a pretty full day.

-Bonus: Tell us something you would like us to know about you?

Bobby Johnston: For the first 7 years of my composing career I was teaching kindergarten during the day and scoring films in the evenings. I didn’t sleep much back then, but found both occupations very rewarding. I still miss teaching, but I’m not crazy enough to go back to 2 full-time jobs!