Sony Music: "THE UPSIDE" music by Rob Simonsen

Sony Music announces the release of THE UPSIDE (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) with music by renowned film composer and newly-signed Sony Music Masterworks artist Rob Simonsen (The Front Runner, Foxcatcher, 500 Days of Summer).  Available January 18, the soundtrack features music from the Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston starring film from STX Films, in theaters now.

Of the soundtrack, composer Rob Simonsen says: “It was an honor to work with Neil Burger and his extremely creative team on the score for The Upside - finding just the right balance of emotion and levity in the score.”

Based on French film The Intouchables, The Upside is director Neil Burger’s heartfelt comedy about a recently paroled ex-convict (Kevin Hart) who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston). The film also stars Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies and Aja Naomi King.

ABOUT ROB SIMONSEN... Having learned to play the piano at a young age and with an educational background in jazz, electronic and traditional orchestral music, Sony Music Masterworks artist ROB SIMONSEN has lent his scoring talents to a wide range of film projects.  Since the early 2000s, he’s worked on an expansive list of film soundtracks, among them The Front Runner, Love, Simon, Nerve, Foxcatcher, The Way, Way Back and The Spectacular Now.  Under the apprenticeship of composer Mychael Danna, Simonsen worked on films like 500 Days Of Summer and Moneyball, in addition to collaborating with Danna on his Academy Award-winning score for Ang Lee’s Life Of Pi.  In addition to his lengthy catalogue of film scores, Simonsen is the founder of The Echo Society, a Los Angeles-based non-profit artist collective.  Surrounding himself with a network of like-minded artists, Simonsen founded The Echo Society in order to connect, inspire, challenge and enrich the creative community in Los Angeles by sponsoring live, professional sonic/visual performances and offering immersive and interactive audience experiences.  Inspired by a lifetime of making music and emboldened by his work with The Echo Society, Rob Simonsen will step out from behind the screen for the release of his solo debut with Sony Music Masterworks in 2019. 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Back Lot Music: "GLASS" music by West Dylan Thordson

M. Night Shyamalan brings together the narratives of two of his standout originals—2000’s Unbreakable, from Touchstone, and 2016’s Split, from Universal—in one explosive, all-new comic-book thriller: Glass. From Unbreakable, Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, known also by his pseudonym Mr. Glass. Joining from Split are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast. Following the conclusion of Split, Glass finds Dunn pursuing Crumb’s superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.

West Dylan Thordson is an American film composer. He is best known for his original scores to Joy, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, Foxcatcher and M. Night Shyamalan's Split and Glass.
 

great film and score! Ignore the critics, if you liked the first two parts... you will dig this too!

Jeremy [Six Strings]

ScreamWorks Records: "THE FARM" Music by Sergei Stern

ScreamWorks Records opens up the new year with the chilling score to a roadside attraction you should never stop at. Written and directed Hans Stjernswärd, The Farm tells the story of a young couple who get kidnapped and treated like farm animals after stopping at a roadside diner to eat meat. Characterized by little dialogue and a lot of atmosphere, the film takes us to an alternate reality where humans live through the same things animals go through before they land on the plates - and then some…

The score ranges from the maniac strings of the “Main Title” to the more experimental and disturbing material for the protagonists’ descent into animaldom. As composer Sergei Stern explains: "The goal of this soundtrack was to create a unique palette of live instruments, human voice and organic sound design built on unconventional harmonies, catchy motifs and unpredictable counterpoint that would portray the story of the film the right and, at the same time, weird way.” The last piece entitled “On My Land” is an original 'folk' song that was written and performed by me which tells a story of a farmer running in contrast to the actual horrific farm from the film where the song is playing from the local radio.

Sergei Stern is a classically trained composer with music band background and a deep interest in electronic music. He has scored seven feature films and over 80 short films, while his music can be heard in various feature films, TV shows and video games. The Farm marks his soundtrack release debut, while the film itself is his fourth collaboration with director Hans Stjernswärd, following the short films Gepetto, Lady in Red and Rapunzel.

On the link below, you can view a video, featuring a suite from the score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh1UTysAqmg
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Silva Screen Records: "GENERAL MAGIC" music by Benji Merrison

Benji Merrison’s hypnotic, lyrical soundtrack to the story of General Magic, Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude‘s award winning documentary about the 1989 Silicon Valley startup.

From the first smartphones to social media, e-commerce and even emojis, the ideas that now dominate the tech industry and our day-to-day lives were born at General Magic, a 1989 Silicon Valley startup that most of us haven't heard of. General Magic is the story of one of history’s most talented technology teams and this documentary is a tale of how great vision and epic failure can change the world. With members of the original Mac team and the creators of the iPhone, Android, eBay and more, this is the story of one of history’s most talented teams and what happens when those who dream big fail, fail again, fail better and ultimately succeed.

Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival 2018, General Magic has already won Best Documentary at the LA Film Awards and Williamsburg Independent Film Festival, as well as the Jury Award at Napa Valley Film Festival.

Benji Merrison is an award winning composer, known for BBC’s Dynasties, Class, Horizon and ITV’s Victoria. His distinctive musical voice is in high demand and he has scored music for hundreds of projects across film, television, installations and events. He has worked with all major UK broadcasters, along with many other networks and brands worldwide.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Silva Screen Records: "THE BOX OF DELIGHTS" music by Roger Limb

1984 score by Roger Limb and The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, compiled and mastered by Mark Ayres and commercially made available for the first time.

Poet Laureate John Masefield's classic 1935 fantasy novel was adapted by the BBC and broadcast in six parts between 21st November and 24th December in 1984. The story of a young schoolboy whose ownership of a magic box allows him to shrink, fly, revisit the past and experience incredible wonders and creatures inspired ambitious special effects and scooped three BAFTA awards, one for best children's series and two for television craft. Starring Patrick Troughton and Robert Stephens and filmed in a variety of scenic locations in the UK at a cost of £1 million, The Box of Delights proved to be the most expensive children's series to date in the history of the BBC.

Composer Roger Limb, a specialist in electronic music and working with The BBC Radiophonic Workshop is famed for his Doctor Who work. His range extends much further than science-fiction and includes Martin Luther: Heretic and the Look And Read serials. Much like the visuals the music matches with a truly innovative score combining acoustic instruments with synthesised sounds. Included on this release is the delightful original theme, Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony: Andante quasi lento e cantabile performed by the Pro Arte Orchestra.

Roger Limb comments - “As creator of the incidental music, I approached the story with all the tools of a Radiophonic Workshop studio. However, this is not science fiction; certainly, magical things happen, but within the confines of an almost believable reality. This could be a definition of successful fantasy writing. So, to keep the music in line with this vision, I regularly incorporated conventional musical instruments into the score and from time to time I reference Hely-Hutchinson’s harp motif to underscore a particular emotional moment.”
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Silva Screen Records: "INFORMER" music by Ilan Eshkeri

Ilan Eshkeri's soundtrack to BBC's hit character-driven thriller set in East London featuring Paddy Considine, Nabhaan Rizwan, Bel Powley.

Informer is a complex story that explores identity and how a situation can change the perception of an individual. Raza, a young second generation British-Pakistani man from East London is coerced by Gabe, a Counter-Terrorism Officer into informing for him. Gabe, who has a past he wants to remain secret, is joined by Holly, his new and ambitious partner whose endless curiosity becomes a threat to him. As the central counter-terrorism investigation heats up, the stakes for all three, their families and relationships, get higher and higher.

Composed as five stand-alone pieces of music, the score is made up of repeating lines of melodies performed by individual instruments. This reflects the dynamic of the characters in the show, as they weave in and out of each other’s lives with their own agendas. The score is made up from variations of these pieces of music.

The album is presented with each complete piece and its variations following so that the listener can unravel the elements in the main piece.

The score features vocals by Daisy Chute, former member of the classical cross over vocal quartet All Angels. It is performed by Sinfonia Nord and conducted by Atli Örvarsson.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Silva Screen Records: "Doctor Who Series 11" Music by Segun Akinola

Composer Segun Akinola's eclectic and fresh soundtrack for the all-new Doctor Who.  With these recordings, fans will be able to relive the excitement of Series 11 as Segun’s music conjures up the wonder and mystery of the Doctor Who universe and Jodie Whittaker’s first series as the Doctor.

Matt Strevens, Executive Producer Doctor Who comments: ‘Working with Segun on the new series of Doctor Who has been a total joy and a musical revelation. His mission was to provide a new soundscape for a new era, a new version of the show and for Chris Chibnall’s vision. In that, he excelled and then some. We wanted to make 11 stand-alone movies and he has given us 11 standalone scores.’

Achieving the highest viewing figures in the history of Doctor Who for the series launch episode, with Chris Chibnall as showrunner and Jodie Whittaker’s arrival as the new Doctor, the show presents a new look, new feel and new sound.

As the new composer, Segun Akinola embraced the history of the show, delving into the best traditions of the pioneering BBC Radiophonic Workshop. An alumnus of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and part of 2017’s BAFTA Breakthrough Brit programme, he has proven to be equally adept in working with found sounds and experimental music as well as pop, ambient, big classical orchestral scores and electronic soundscapes. For Series 11 he created a fresh take on the legendary Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire theme tune.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms [Blu-Ray/DVD AND 4K]

Disney's dazzling adventure "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms"- inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann's classic tale and the beloved ballet "The Nutcracker"- carried audiences along with 14-year-old Clara (Mackenzie Foy) to a magical, mysterious world with breathtaking performances by Misty Copeland plus sweets, snowflakes, soldiers, scurrying mice... and no shortage of surprises. Destined to become an annual viewing tradition for adventurers of all ages, the film arrives home instantly with never-before seen extras and deleted scenes on Digital and Movies Anywhere, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and DVD Jan. 29, 2019.

Bonus features include a discussion with American Ballet Theatre’s Misty Copeland about her role as the enchanting Ballerina Princess, her personal history with “The “Nutcracker” ballet, and her inspirational and historic rise within the world of dance. Extras take viewers on the set of “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” to meet both new and reimagined characters, and discover how the Land of Sweets, Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and mysterious Fourth Realm were created to such dazzling effect. Deleted scenes provide a look at magical moments that didn’t make the final version of the movie. 

In “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms,” Clara travels along a golden thread, presented at Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual party, eagerly searching for a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a music box that holds a priceless gift. When she enters a mysterious parallel world, Clara encounters a Nutcracker soldier named Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), a gang of mice and three Realm regents, including the Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley). Ultimately, she must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to retrieve the key and return harmony to the unstable world.

The stunning feature film will be packaged and released in several different formats, giving families the flexibility to watch it on a variety of different devices. Viewers can instantly watch the film in Digital UHD, HD and SD, and bring home a physical copy of the film as the Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K UHD, Blu-ray and Digital Code), Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Code) or a single DVD.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Varèse Sarabande: "THE WEST WING" music by W. G. Snuffy Walden

Varèse Sarabande are excited to announce a single CD release of THE WEST WING - Original Television Soundtrack on January 18, 2019. The TV music fans have spoken and the new release of W. G. Snuffy Walden’s (THIRTYSOMETHING, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, THE WONDER YEARS) masterful compositions from THE WEST WING is their answer.

“As I turned the pages of that first script, the rich characters and informative stories captivated me,” said Walden in describing his first reaction to THE WEST WING. “I was convinced: this would be an opportunity that was very rare in network television. As the project got deeper into production, it became obvious that this was exceptional work and I was blessed to be a part of the experience.”

When the erudite Democrat Josiah "Jed" Bartlet is elected U.S. president, he installs his administration. He places confidants from his electoral campaigns in the White House. Each of these people plays a significant role in the Washington power game: the Chief of Staff (Leo McGarry), his deputy (Josh Lyman), Communications Director (Toby Zeigler), deputy (Sam Seaborn, and later, Will Bailey), and press secretary (CJ Cregg). Also in key positions are the assistants of each of the power players. We follow these people through many political battles, as well as some personal ones. Also playing roles are the First Lady (Abigail Bartlet), the President's daughters (Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Zoey), and the personal aide to the President (Charlie Young). All make this series, which supposedly follows the political events (often paraphrasing historical reality) almost day by day, more than merely a political soap.

“With our schedule and its breakneck speed, we hardly had time to give a second thought to what we were creating, but I knew it was magical,” Walden explained.  “I wasn’t able to appreciate the artistry of the collective achievement in the moment, but I could feel its magnitude in the response from the devotees who watched it religiously every week!”

For seven years, Walden’s theme for THE WEST WING was as presidential as “Hail to the Chief.”  The theme became “a piece of music that everybody identified with,” Walden says.  “It was magical how people felt proud to be an American when they hear that music.  I don’t know how else to say it.  I’ve just been told over and over and over again through the years by people who’ve been so moved by that.”

THE WEST WING is available where series are streamed and sold. Varèse Sarabande excited to announce a single CD release of THE WEST WING - Original Television Soundtrack on January 18, 2019. [www.varesesarabande.com]

 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

CARMINE APPICE’S "GUITAR ZEUS"

Legendary drummer Carmine Appice is scheduled to re-release his GUITAR ZEUS project, a compilation album featuring a who’s who list of the best and world-renowned guitarists on the planet backed by his core band featuring Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder) on bass, Kelly Keeling (T.S.O., M.S.G) on vocals / keys / rhythm guitar, and Appice on drums.Written and playing some well crafted timeless songs.

Originally released as two separate albums in 1995 & 1997, this new re-mastered album (by Stephen DeAcutis - Vanilla Fudge, Corey Glover, Overkill, Cyndi Lauper) combines both releases as one complete version on January 18, 2018 for the first time ever across all digital platforms, as well as feature 5 brand new songs with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Pat Travers, John Norum, and top Japanese guitarists RaiZi and Char.  Select songs will also be available on a special limited-edition vinyl and CD. 

Carmine Appice’s Guitar Zeus showcases the complete and prolific talents of many world-renown rock guitarists including Brian May, Slash, Neil Schon, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bruce Kulick, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Paul Gilbert, Mick Mars, Richie Sambora, Zakk Wylde, Bob Daisley, Dweezil Zappa, Vivian Campbell, Leslie West, Warren DeMartini, Steve Morse, Ty Tabor (Kings X), Ted Nugent, Dug Pinnick, John Norum and others…

RLJ Entertainment: "WHEN IT COMES AROUND" [DVD]

Urban Movie Channel (UMC) and RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) will release the romantic film WHEN IT COMES AROUND on DVD on February 5, 2019. Directed by Dan Garcia (“Bronx SIU,” Falling in Love Again), the film stars Jackée Harry (“Sister, Sister,” “Everybody Hates Chris”), Brad James (“Superstition,” “For Better or Worse”), Shanica Knowles (“The Young and the Restless”) Denyce Lawton (“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”, “Castle”) and Chico Benymon (Ali, “Half & Half”). WHEN IT COMES AROUND quickly became one of the channel’s most viewed titles on UMC in 2018. UMC and RLJ Entertainment will release WHEN IT COMES AROUND on DVD.

WHEN IT COMES AROUND follows Dexter (James), a man with all the moves, with the ladies, on the basketball court and in the cutthroat business of sports management. But this player is about to be played. When his company hires a new agent named Jerry and Jerry turns out to be a stunning, competitive woman with moves of her own...Dex will learn a thing or two about relationships and what it feels like to lose. He may just realize that the only way to win is to play from the heart.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

MVD Entertainment Group: "HORROR EXPRESS" [1972] (BLU-RAY/DVD)

Horror royalty and Hammer alumni Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee reunite for this tale of mad monks, primitive humanoids and bloodthirsty zombies set aboard a train bound for Moscow - all aboard the Horror Express! Renowned anthropologist Saxton (Lee) boards the Trans-Siberian Express with a crate containing the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid which, he believes, may prove to be the missing link in human evolution. But all hell breaks loose when the creature thaws out, turning out to be not quite as dead as once thought! Directed by Spanish filmmaker Eugenio Martin, Horror Express remains one for the most thrilling (and, quite literally!) chilling horror efforts of the early 1970s.

Year of Production: 1972
Director: Eugenio Martín
Actors: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alberto de Mendoza

 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Back Lot Music: "BILBY" and "BIRD KARMA" Academy Award consideration for Best Animated Short Film

Back Lot Music is releasing two EP's from DreamWorks Animation - "Bilby" by Benjamin Wallfisch and "Bird Karma" by Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum. Both short films have been shortlisted for Academy Award consideration for Best Animated Short Film!

 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

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Intrada: "APOLLO 13" (2Cd) Music by James Horner

 

Intrada kicks off 2019 with a 2-CD set showcasing James Horner's stunning, Oscar-nominated score to the Universal Pictures film Apollo 13. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing. The film recounts the harrowing true-life story of the Apollo 13 mission that fails when an oxygen tank explodes, crippling the command module en route to the moon. The astronauts and Mission Control desperately team to prevent the capsule from drifting off into space or burning up during reentry. On film, the Apollo 13 team had composer James Horner along for the flight to envelop the audience in the astronauts' dire circumstances and hope for a safe return to earth. 

 

For this tale of quiet nobility and brilliant professionalism, director Ron Howard agreed with Horner not to turn Apollo 13 into an action movie, but convey patriotism and the American spirit instead, giving the score a majestic, sometimes ethereal soul. The main theme is correspondingly elegant, particularly when rendered with virtuosic grace by trumpet soloist Tim Morrison. While the astronauts triumph in what seemed certain disaster, their mission ultimately failed – a juxtaposition Horner musically captures with the haunting vocalize of Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox.

At the time of the film's release, MCA released a concept album featuring period vocals, dialog and portions of Horner's score interspersed throughout. Horner had prepared a 59-minute score-only presentation for release, which was the original intent, before it morphed into the concept album. Nonetheless, MCA pressed up a limited number of promotional copies for Oscar consideration, featuring a black-and-white version of the cover. For this new edition, producer Mike Matessino accessed the 192k 24bit high-resolution transfers of Shawn Murphy’s original mixes on 1/2” tape, with all performance edits meticulously recreated. Disc one features the complete score, with the synthesizer tracks in a suite after the main orchestral program, while disc two recreates the original 59-minute program Horner had originally intended.

Special thank you goes to Universal Pictures, Universal Music Group and Imagine Entertainment for making this release possible.

For track listing and sound samples, please visit the APOLLO 13 [SCORE] PAGE

TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AMAZING, IT JUST LANDED HERE AT INTRADA!
Jeremy [Six Strings]

Varèse SarabandeL "THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: PART 2" Music by Lee Holdridge

Varèse Sarabande Records proudly announces TODAY’S release of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: PART 2 - Official Motion Picture Soundtrack with original music of composer Lee Holdridge (SPLASH, FLASHDANCE, MR. MOM). The CD premiere of this passionate score features a beautiful love theme, which is heard in variations throughout the album, as well as in two songs sung by Merrily Webber (arranged by the composer). After years of fan requests, Varese is happy to announce a limited edition of 1,500 copies. 

Hit sequel to the acclaimed 1975 box office success, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: PART 2 picks up the story of national slalom champion, Jill Kinmont, several years after the death of her beloved Dick “Mad Dog” Buek. Jill and her mother leave Los Angeles to spend their summer in their hometown of Bishop, California. They rent a summer house from a handsome truck driver named John Boothe. Jill is instantly captivated by John, but denies it to everyone, including herself. Eventually, Jill and John fall in love, but deep fears and hurts from the past threaten.

Transferred from composer Lee Holdridge’s archive of analog tape, the CD debut of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: PART 2 - Official Motion Picture Soundtrack will be available on January 11, 2019 from Varèse Sarabande. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: PART 2 is available where movies are streamed and sold. [www.varesesarabande.com]

 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Milan Records: "Alita: Battle Angel" Music by Tom Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL)

Having turned a number of heads for his breakthrough scores for Deadpool and Mad Max: Fury Road (and most recently, Mortal Engines), Holkenborg has produced a wide-reaching symphonic score filled with emotion and packed with action. The score is set for release on February 15th via Milan Records, complimenting the February 14th theatrical release date of the film from 20th Century Fox. The spectral track "What's Your Dream?", perhaps best capturing the mystery and mystique of the film, is streaming now via Soundcloud.

From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (AVATAR) and Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY), comes ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past – she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she’s grown to love.

In his film score work, Holkenborg is able to draw on his extensive knowledge of classical forms and structures while keeping one finger planted firmly on the pulse of popular music — with the perspective of having roots in electronic music and topping charts as a producer in the early part of his career. When this versatile background is paired with his skill as a multi-instrumentalist (he plays keyboards, guitar, drums, violin, and bass) and mastery of studio technology, a portrait emerges of an artist for whom anything is possible.

Holkenborg’s career started in the 1993 when he started industrial rock band Nerv and was also producing hardcore and metal bands like Sepultura and Fear Factory. Drawn by electronic breakbeats he started Junkie XL in 1997 debuting with the album Saturday Teenage Kick. Holkenborg went on to produce five more albums under the moniker while playing headline shows all over the world. In 2002 the producer remixer scored a number 1 hit in 24 countries with his rework of “A Little Less Conversation”. Following the success Holkenborg collaborated with celebrated artists like Dave Gahan, Robert Smith, Chuck D, and remixed artists such as Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Madonna, the latter of which earned him a Grammy nomination for his remix of " 4 Seconds" in 2008. In addition Holkenborg created the music for video games like Need For Speed, The Sims, and SSX and commercials for global campaigns like Nike, Heineken, Adidas, Cadillac and VISA.

With a solid command of the craftsmanship of film scoring, the understanding of the history, but always with an eye on the future, Junkie XL is a unique new voice in modern composition and film music.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Lakeshore Records: "Three Identical Strangers" Music by Paul Saunderson

Lakeshore Records has announced the upcoming release of the soundtrack to the heartwarming story Three Identical Strangers, directed by Tim Wardle with original music from Paul Saunderson.  Three Identical Strangers tells the story of three complete strangers accidentally discover that they are identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds' joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but it also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives - and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.  The soundtrack will be available on iTunes and Apple Music on December 14th.  The soundtrack will then be available on all other digital platforms on January 4th, 2019.

 “Three Identical Strangers is a thought provoking, emotional rollercoaster of a story, full of twists and turns and I wanted the score to follow suite, and really connect with the audience to help them feel the raw emotion of what these boys went through. I knew at the beginning of the project that scoring this true story would be a challenge, as the film deals with very sensitive real subject matters.”

“The score was recorded with the London Contemporary Orchestra (two cellos, violin and a piano), along with a range of bowed metals, bowed guitars and electronics. With this line up I was able to create interesting organic textures proving useful for the cues relating to mental illness and the darker psychological moments in the film. The unusual choice for the two cellos instead of the traditional trio line up was made to help create an unconventional sound, with the first cello playing mostly high in its register, almost fragile in it’s timbre.”

“From the beginning of the process the director and I set out to create a very organic and cinematic score. Having a small collection of instruments helped to keep the music focused and give it an identity. It was important to me to keep the music sounding cohesive despite the large range of styles and moods that occur.”

“I feel that we really found the perfect balance of story telling, being powerful and emotive where the score needed to be without becoming to overwhelming and at the same time creating something unique.”
 

Paul Saunderson is a British film composer and multi-instrumentalist who is as equally at home with orchestras as he is with contemporary music, known for his diversity and emotion within his writing never being afraid to push the boundaries of acoustic, orchestral and electronic music.

Saunderson has recently collaborated on MTV's eagerly awaited action adventure series The Shannara Chronicles, as well as completing the score for Jim O'Hanlon's directorial debut A Hundred Streets starring Idris Elba & Gemma Arterton and Bill Clark's heartbreaking true story Starfish, currently gaining rave reviews at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2016. Other work includes scoring the RomCom Syrup starring Amber Heard & Kellan Lutz as well as the psychological gothic horror The Sleeping Room.

Saunderson learnt his craft working as arranger and programmer on over 35 feature films including Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaughn), Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes), Black Sea (Kevin Mcdonald), Johnny English: Reborn (Rowan Atkinson), 47 Ronin (Keanu Reeves), and Aardman's latest feature animation Shaun The Sheep: Movie.

After receiving his Music degree from The University of Leeds in composition and electro acoustic music he immersed himself into the world of film music working as assistant to the award winning composer llan Eshkeri (Still Alice, The Young Victoria, Stardust, Layer Cake) and production assistant to Grammy award winning film music producer Steve McLaughlin (About A Boy, Heat, Batman, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon).

Saunderson has worked with many recording artists; recently writing arrangements for Badly Drawn Boy on Paul Weitz's Being Flynn starring Robert De Niro. He has also worked alongside Coldplay, Kasabian, KT Tunstall, Tom Odell, The Cinematic Orchestra, Ash, and Andy Burrows. Saunderson is an emerging and exciting talent gaining in respect and success within the industry.
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

MVD Entertainment Group: "MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS" [1945] (Blu-Ray)

After a promising start on Poverty Row quickies, Joseph H. Lewis (The Big Combo) made his first film at Columbia and established himself as a director to watch with this Gothic-tinged Hitchcockian breakout hit, which later proved so popular that Columbia promoted it to A-feature status. The morning after Julia Ross (Nina Foch, Executive Suite) takes a job in London as secretary to wealthy widow Mrs Williamson Hughes (Dame May Whitty, The Lady Vanishes), she wakes up in a windswept Cornish mansion, having been drugged. Mrs Hughes and her volatile son, Ralph (George Macready, Gilda), attempt to gaslight Julia into believing she is Ralph's wife, Marion. Her belongings have been destroyed, the windows barred and the locals believe that she is mad. Will Julia be able to escape before she falls prey to the Hughes' sinister charade? And what happened to the real Marion Hughes? A briskly paced and brilliantly stylised mystery that grabs its audience from the start, My Name Is Julia Ross immediately cemented Lewis' place in the noir pantheon, and anticipated the elaborate identity-based deceptions found in future classic thrillers like Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and Brian De Palma's Obsession.

Director: Joseph H Lewis
Actors: Nina Foch, May Whitty, George Macready

 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

MVD Entertainment Group: "THE POSSESSED" [1965] (Blu-Ray)

The Possessed is a wonderfully atmospheric proto-giallo based on one of Italy's most notorious crimes, The Alleghe killings, and adapted from the book on that case by acclaimed literary figure Giovanni Comisso. Peter Baldwin (The Ghost, The Weekend Murders) stars as Bernard, a depressed novelist who sets off in search of his old flame Tilde (Virna Lisi, La Reine Margot), a beautiful maid who works at a remote lakeside hotel. Bernard is warmly greeted by the hotel owner Enrico (Salvo Randone, Fellini's Satyricon) and his daughter Irma (Valentina Cortese, Thieves Highway, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire), but Tilde has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Bernard undertakes an investigation and is soon plunged into a disturbing drama of familial secrets, perversion, madness and murder... Co-written by Giulio Questi (Death Laid an Egg, Arcana) and co-directed by Luigi Bazzoni (The Fifth Cord, Footprints on the Moon), The Possessed masterfully combines film noir, mystery and giallo tropes, whilst also drawing on the formal innovations of 1960s art cinema (particularly the films of Michelangelo Antonioni.) A uniquely dreamlike take on true crime, The Possessed is presented here in a stunning new restoration.

Director: Luigi Bazzoni, Franco Rossellini
Actors: Peter Baldwin, Salvo Randone, Valentina Cortese  

Jeremy [Six Strings]

MVD Entertainment Group: "THE FIFTH CORD" [1971] (Blu-Ray)

The success of Dario Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage ushered in a host of imitators, seeking to capitalize on this new, modern take on the giallo thriller. Many were highly derivative, but a number nonetheless rose above the crowd thanks to skillful execution and a willingness to experiment stylistically. One such example is The Fifth Cord - which, in the hands of director Luigi Bazzoni (The Possessed, Footprints on the Moon), turns a conventional premise into a visually stunning exploration of alienation and isolation. When a man barely survives a brutal assault en route home from a New Year's party, washed-up, whisky-swilling journalist Andrea Bild (Franco Nero, Django) is assigned to report on the case. Before long, the maniac strikes again, this time with fatal results. As the body count rises, Andrea falls under suspicion himself, making it even more imperative that he crack the case. His only clue lies in a series of black gloves found at the location of every attack, each with a finger cut off... Adapted from a novel by David McDonald Devine, The Fifth Cord boasts a complex, Agatha Christie-esque plot, outstanding cinematography courtesy of future Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now) and supporting appearances by a raft of genre stalwarts, including Silvia Monti (A Lizard in a Woman's Skin), Edmund Purdom (Nightmare City) and Rossella Falk (Sleepless). Debuting here in high definition, arguably the most visually stunning giallo ever made now shines like never before.

Director: Luigi Bazzoni
Actors: Franco Nero, Silvia Monti, Edmund Purdom

 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Universal Studios Home Entertainment: "Johnny English Strikes Again" [BLU-RAY/DVD]

The beloved Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) returns as the much-loved accidental secret agent in the third installment of the hilarious, action-packed spy mission, Johnny English Strikes Again arriving on Digital January 8, 2019 and on Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand January 22, 2019 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Johnny English and his sidekick Bough are back in this hysterical comedy filled with even more action and more laughs for the whole family to enjoy. From one of Britain’s leading comedy directors David Kerr (Inside Number 9), the film boasts an all-star cast including Ben Miller (Paddington 2), Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace), Jake Lacy (Carol), and Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks). 

When a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, the country’s only hope is called out of retirement. English’s new mission is his most critical to date: Dive head first into action to find the mastermind hacker. A man with few skills and analog methods, English must overcome the challenges of modern technology—or his newest mission will become the Secret Service’s last.

Loaded with over 30 minutes of exclusive bonus features, Johnny English Strikes Again on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital include an up-close look at the carefully selected film locations and detailed sets as well as Johnny’s notable collection of gadgets and cars, along with a breakdown of the extraordinary cast, diving deeper into the legacy of  everyone’s favorite hapless spy!

BOND WITH BEAN, AGAIN!

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Wellgo USA Entertainment: "JONATHAN" [Blu-ray/DVD]

JONATHAN, marking Bill Oliver’s feature film directorial debut, is a science fiction fable that explores identity and longing through the story of two brothers with a unique sibling bond – they live inside the same body. Jonathan, portrayed by Golden Globe® nominee Ansel Elgort (Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Baby Driver, 2017) is a young Manhattanite living a solitary life in the big city, his brother John (Elgort) is the complete opposite - outgoing, fun and adventurous. As the two divide each day into 12-hour shifts where they communicate only via daily video sessions to recount the day’s activities, secrets start to be uncovered that threatens to ruin the two sibling’s lives.

Rounding out the all-star cast are Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Patricia Clarkson (Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Pieces of April, 2003), Golden Globe® winner Matthew Bomer (Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, “The Normal Heart,” 2014) and Suki Waterhouse (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Assassination Nation), JONATHAN arrives on digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD January 15 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

In this sci-fi-tinged drama, Ansel Elgort plays two brothers living very separate lives – inside the same body. Previously content to live life in shifts with one another, their delicate balance is ruined when they become emotionally involved with the same woman (Suki Waterhouse).
 

Jeremy [Six Strings]

Screamworks Records: "Aurora" by Oscar Fogelström

Screamworks Records ventures to the seas around The Philippines with Aurora, a truly international collaboration between Filipino director Yam Laranas and Swedish composer Oscar Fogelström. In this supernatural thriller, the passenger ship Aurora mysteriously collides into the rocky sea threatening an entire island. A young woman and her sister must both survive by finding the missing dead for a bounty. The soundtrack release coincides with the movie’s premiere at the Metro Manila Film Festival on December 25, 2018.

“Aurora asks a lot of questions about our own mortality” says Oscar Fogelström about the score. “Early on we talked about writing a requiem for the (many) people that die in the fatal boat accident that is central in the films story. It was a lot of fun and a great challenge to turn that idea into a real thing, a device that I could use throughout the score. I adapted and rewrote part of the classical lyrics from the requiem mass and had it performed by a choir.” Another prominent theme in the film is the water, appearing in almost every shot. Oscar Says: ”To some extent I wanted the music to feel like water. The string arrangements in particular has a sort of a wave-like motion to them, swelling back and forth as the tide.” The score features violin solo performances by David Bergström and choral performances by the Johannebergs Vokalensemble, conducted by Jan K. Delemark and MovieScore Media's very own producer Mikael Carlsson.

Swedish composer Oscar Fogelström has been scoring, movies, TV shows and commercials for the past 20 years. His clients have included such names as Coke, Blackberry, Reebok and IKEA as well as award winning movie directors, including Lasse Hallström for whom he composed the score for Sweden's entry for the Academy Awards 2013, The Hypnotist. Aurora marks his second collaboration with director Yam Laranas, following their work together on Abomination (2018), which was nominated for best score at the Sinag Maynila Film Festival. As a songwriter, his 2016 song  "If I Were Sorry" was #1 on many European radio channels and won him his second Swedish Grammy.

On the link below, you can view a video, featuring a suite from the score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNGx4aUkSC4
 

FRONT RUNNER FOR TOP SCORE INTO THE NEW YEAR!

Jeremy [Six Strings]

It's never Too Late or Too Early for Holiday Music, when it Comes from "MovieScore Media"

All I Want for Christmas by Kristian Eidnes Andersen & Nicklas Schmidt... MovieScore Media joins the holiday celebrations with Kristian Eidnes Andersen & Nicklas Schmidt’s yuletide score for the Deluca Film’s family movie Julemandens datter (All I Want for Christmas). Directed by Christian Dyekjær, the film tells the story of 12-year-old Lucia, who lives in Greenland with her mother Claudia and her father Julius, who is working as a self-employed Santa. Lucia would also like to study the secrets of being Santa, however, but only boys have access to the International Santa Claus School. Still, she is promised a place if she can find the cure for a a mysterious disease…

The music for the film is written by Nicklas Schmidt and Kristian Eidnes Andersen. "The score is not overly Christmassy,” explains Schmidt. “Our idea was to make a lush, exciting and compelling orchestral soundtrack to go with the story. One that could both underline the adventurous drama and would lift the more human side of the plot, where the pre-teen daughter of Santa Claus tries to find her spot in a Christmas-realm heavy with traditions."

Nicklas Schmidt has written the score for a number of feature films, documentaries and TV series, including the Astrid Lindgren biopic Becoming Astrid (2018) released on Sony Classical, and children’s animation ranging from the 3-D adventure The Great Bear (2011) through the genre parody Ronal the Barbarian (2011) to the haunting Beyond Beyond (2014). His score for A Conspiracy of Faith (2016) is also available from MovieScore Media.

Kristian Selin Eidnes Andersen is a award winning composer with more than 30 years of experience in film music and sound. He has designed sound and written scores on more than 100 films including a long list of Lars von Trier’s productions ie.g. Manderley, Antichrist, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac. He has collaborated numerous times with Norwegian Per Olav Sørensen on the tv-series The Half Brother, The Heavy Water War, Nobel and upcoming Netflix series Quicksand. Julemandens Datter marks his 4th collaboration with director Christian Dyekjær.

On the link below, you can view a video, featuring a suite from the score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdBI0YNdbg0

Lilly's Bewitched Christmas by Anne-Kathrin Dern... Following The Jade Pendant, MovieScore Media once again teams up with Anne-Kathrin Dern to bring some holiday joy with the festive underscoring of Lilly’s Bewitched Christmas, based on the book of popular German children’s author Knister. Following the success of Lilly the Witch: The Dragon and the Magic Book (2009) and Lilly the Witch: The Journey to Mandolan (2011), this new installment finds the young witch and her pet dragon Hector in a new, yuletide adventure as they must save Christmas for all the children of the world.

"Lilly's Bewitched Christmas was my first collaboration with the wonderful producers at Blue Eyes Fiction who specialize in movie adaptations of well-known children's books,” says Anne-Kathrin Dern about the project. “Klaus Badelt, with whom I have collaborated for years, had done the first two installments of the Lilly The Witch movie series and graciously handed me this sequel. I loved the opportunity to write a very warm traditional Christmas score full of magical melodies and seasonal orchestrations. The music was elevated by the marvelous performance of the Brussels Philharmonic at the prestigious Galaxy Studios in Belgium. It only felt slightly odd to be writing Christmas music in the middle of July in the Southern Californian desert heat..."

Born in Eutin, Germany, Anne-Kathrin Dern graduated from the UCLA Film Scoring program. She started out working as a sample developer and percussion library programmer before getting her first mock-up commission on the Alan Menken / Christopher Lennertz medieval comedy Galavant. As a composer, her traditionally melodic writing can be enjoyed in such films as  Lilly's Bewitched Christmas (2017), and Help I Shrunk My Parents (2018), as well as her collaborations with Klaus Badelt, most notably on the 3D animated ballerina movie Leap! (2016). Her score for the Hong Kong adventure film The Jade Pendant (2018) is also available from MovieScore Media.
 

On the link below, you can view a video, featuring a suite from the score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9E_8K-AGU8

Jeremy [Six Strings]

MovieScore Media: "Short Cuts 2018" Music by Angelo Badalamenti, Nicholas Pike, Joe Kraemer, Cyrille Aufort, Anne-Kathrin Dern, Patrick Neil Doyle

MovieScore Media is proud to present its brand new initiative entitled Short Cuts 2018, a unique opportunity for fans of film music to discover the best scores written for short films of each year. The selection process involves the curation of dozens of entries from which the best ones are selected and released in digital format by MovieScore Media and on CD by Quartet Records.

Composers represented on this album range from industry veterans like Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks) and Nicholas Pike (Sleepwalkers), via current names such as Joe Kraemer (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation) and Cyrille Aufort (A Royal Affair) and new, fresh talent like Anne-Kathrin Dern (The Jade Pendant) and Patrick Neil Doyle (the son of the famous Patrick Doyle). Represented with the longest selection, and also the cover image, is Anthony Lledo’s award-winning score for the Batteries Not Included-inspired sci-fi short Invaders. Each of the represented composers fashioned a score that successfully encapsulates the essence of these unique stories in a polished musical gem that not only supports the visuals, but is a satisfying listening experience in its own right.

This year, the represented genres on Short Cuts include fantasy, drama, horror, sci-fi, comedy and documentary. An interesting trend is that at least a handful of these films got their start from crowdfunding sites, so it’s especially refreshing to see that some of that budget going to recording original scores with actual musicians.

Although the tracks themselves have a different feel to them due to the diversity of both the represented genres and the composers involved, we hope this selection of the best short scores from 2018 proves that great film music is still alive and well – sometimes it’s just hiding in the smallest places!

With Short Cuts 2018, MovieScore Media ends another productive year and wishes you "God Jul" and a happy 2019!

The soundtrack has a digital release date of  December 21, 2018.  On the link below, you can view a video, featuring a suite from the score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnpCRhhHG3c

FANTASTIC!

Jeremy [Six Strings]