Outbreak Park: "Lethal Comics and Holy Crow Press present Outbreak Park! The Walking Dead meets Jurassic Park! Writer Allan Amato and artist Andy Belanger bring you their startling vision of a post-post apocalyptic world. Humanity exists in vastly smaller numbers, within fortified enclaves mirroring the early city-states of ancient Greece. While a vaccine inoculating humans against a bite has been created, most of the planet is still subject to roving herds of undead. And equally frightening anarchist wellness Men’s groups..
In New Alhambra, Outbreak Park is built to further research into the undead phenomenon, using docile zombies as teaching tools for the children growing up in the new republic. Lest the near extinction of humanity ever be forgotten, and repeated.
But while humanity is slowly clawing it way back from the brink, underneath the veneer of civilization lies a fervent minority plotting against the yoke; religious zealots that insist...
In New Alhambra, Outbreak Park is built to further research into the undead phenomenon, using docile zombies as teaching tools for the children growing up in the new republic. Lest the near extinction of humanity ever be forgotten, and repeated.
But while humanity is slowly clawing it way back from the brink, underneath the veneer of civilization lies a fervent minority plotting against the yoke; religious zealots that insist...
- 5/20/2024
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The recent trend of docu-feature series exploring the history of popular IPs is gradually becoming popular among dedicated fans due to how genuinely interesting and informative they can be. The most recently released among such ventures is the first season of Robodoc: The Creation of Robocop, a Screambox original, which takes a look back at the excruciating production process, development, and brainstorming that went behind the 1987 sci-fi classic Robocop. The movie is still considered one of the topmost sci-fi pieces ever released by Western media, which was not only topical and philosophical but it has also proven itself to be timeless, at least in the current era more than ever.
The four one-hour-long episodes, which include excerpts from detailed narrations of the chief creator duo Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, director Paul Verhoeven, the Robocop actor Peter Weller himself, cinematographer Josh Vacano, production designer Phil Tippett, William Sandell (Rob Bottin...
The four one-hour-long episodes, which include excerpts from detailed narrations of the chief creator duo Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, director Paul Verhoeven, the Robocop actor Peter Weller himself, cinematographer Josh Vacano, production designer Phil Tippett, William Sandell (Rob Bottin...
- 9/26/2023
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Crimson Peak Vinyl Soundtrack from Waxwork Records
Crimson Peak’s original motion picture soundtrack is available on 2xLP vinyl for $40 via Waxwork Records. The score is composed by Fernando Velázquez.
Between Jérémy Pailler’s ethereal artwork on the gatefold jacket and the “Ice Blue & Red Clay” splatter color vinyl, not to mention Velázquez’s haunting music, this is certain to be one of the most beautiful records in your collection.
My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray from Lionsgate
My Best Friend Is a Vampire will be released on Blu-ray on July 25 as the 30th installment in Lionsgate’s Vestron Video Collector’s Series. Matthew Therrien designed the cover art for the 1987 horror-comedy.
Also known...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Crimson Peak Vinyl Soundtrack from Waxwork Records
Crimson Peak’s original motion picture soundtrack is available on 2xLP vinyl for $40 via Waxwork Records. The score is composed by Fernando Velázquez.
Between Jérémy Pailler’s ethereal artwork on the gatefold jacket and the “Ice Blue & Red Clay” splatter color vinyl, not to mention Velázquez’s haunting music, this is certain to be one of the most beautiful records in your collection.
My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray from Lionsgate
My Best Friend Is a Vampire will be released on Blu-ray on July 25 as the 30th installment in Lionsgate’s Vestron Video Collector’s Series. Matthew Therrien designed the cover art for the 1987 horror-comedy.
Also known...
- 6/9/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Composer Christopher Lennertz was declared a BMI Icon at Broadcast Music Inc.’s 39th annual Film, TV and Visual Media Awards Wednesday night (May 10) in Beverly Hills.
Lennertz, a two-time Emmy nominee, veteran film composer and game-music creator, was honored for his 30-year career in media music-making.
BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill presented the award, noting that Lennertz was “legendary for his diverse and distinct impact across the worlds of film, television and gaming” and telling the 51-year-old composer, “your captivating scores have taken us on a thrilling ride.”
Added BMI’s VP creative, film, TV and visual media Tracy McKnight: “His compelling body of work, from blockbuster films to hit TV shows and gaming, highlights Christopher’s passion for all styles of music and has made him one of the industry’s most sought-after composers. He is also dedicated to giving back through philanthropic work and advancing the next generation of composers.
Lennertz, a two-time Emmy nominee, veteran film composer and game-music creator, was honored for his 30-year career in media music-making.
BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill presented the award, noting that Lennertz was “legendary for his diverse and distinct impact across the worlds of film, television and gaming” and telling the 51-year-old composer, “your captivating scores have taken us on a thrilling ride.”
Added BMI’s VP creative, film, TV and visual media Tracy McKnight: “His compelling body of work, from blockbuster films to hit TV shows and gaming, highlights Christopher’s passion for all styles of music and has made him one of the industry’s most sought-after composers. He is also dedicated to giving back through philanthropic work and advancing the next generation of composers.
- 5/11/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Composer Bear McCreary discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wolf Man (1941) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Wolf Man movie power rankings
Host (2020)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Cat-Women Of The Moon (1953)
The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Ten Commandments (1956) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary
The Swarm (1978) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Batman (1989)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) – Mike Schlesinger’s trailer commentary
Chinatown (1974) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary
The Professor And The Madman (2019)
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Do The Right Thing (1989) – Allan Arkush...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wolf Man (1941) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Wolf Man movie power rankings
Host (2020)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Cat-Women Of The Moon (1953)
The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Ten Commandments (1956) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary
The Swarm (1978) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Batman (1989)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) – Mike Schlesinger’s trailer commentary
Chinatown (1974) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary
The Professor And The Madman (2019)
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Do The Right Thing (1989) – Allan Arkush...
- 12/6/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
“Excuse me. I have to go. Somewhere there is a crime happening.”
Robocop 4K Ultra HD 2-Disc Limited Edition Collector’s Set will be available April 12th From Arrow Video
RoboCop, from Orion Pictures, marked director Paul Verhoeven’s (Flesh + Blood) Hollywood debut & now the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive 4K Ultra HD presentation packed with hours of brand new bonus features & exclusive collectible packaging.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Limited Edition Contents
4K restoration of the film from the original negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul VerhoevenNew artwork by Paul ShipperDirector’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two 4K (2160p) Uhd Blu-ray discs with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-hd Ma 5.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound optionsOptional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearingSix collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)Double-sided...
Robocop 4K Ultra HD 2-Disc Limited Edition Collector’s Set will be available April 12th From Arrow Video
RoboCop, from Orion Pictures, marked director Paul Verhoeven’s (Flesh + Blood) Hollywood debut & now the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive 4K Ultra HD presentation packed with hours of brand new bonus features & exclusive collectible packaging.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Limited Edition Contents
4K restoration of the film from the original negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul VerhoevenNew artwork by Paul ShipperDirector’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two 4K (2160p) Uhd Blu-ray discs with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-hd Ma 5.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound optionsOptional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearingSix collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)Double-sided...
- 3/30/2022
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I’d recently been absorbed in the deep colors and heartache of Douglas Sirk's melodramas, following on from this I found myself pining for more white picket fence drama, but with a twist. This is where John Waters came back into my world, how I had missed him, so this edition of Notebooks Soundtrack Mix is a sonic ode to a pioneer of perversion. I started back with Polyester (1981) and Serial Mom (1994), which, alongside Gus Van Sant's 1995 To Die For is a double bill I’m always dreaming of. The work of John Waters ramps up the technicolor dreams of Sirk and places them in a camp world of dysfunctional misfits. His work is a reminder to not take things so seriously and that there is a place for everyone in this world which, importantly, includes the poor, repugnant and nasty! Waters is famous for his use of...
- 2/23/2021
- MUBI
Just because it’s Thanksgiving week here in the states, home media releases don’t get any time off, and we’ve got a brand new batch of titles coming our way tomorrow. Scream Factory is giving us a double dose of horror from 1979 with their new Blu-rays for Dracula (1979) and Prophecy (1979), and for those of you RoboCop fans out there, you’ll definitely want to pick up Arrow Video’s brand new Steelbook release as well.
Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for November 26th include Mary, Don’t Let Go, Shock, First Person Shooter, Eegah, and The Zombie Apocalypse in Apartment 14F.
Don’t Let Go
Detective Jack Radcliff (David Oyelowo) gets a shocking phone call from his recently murdered niece Ashley (Storm Reid). Working together across time, they race to solve her murder before it can happen. Don't Let Go is a classic thriller with a supernatural twist from Blumhouse,...
Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for November 26th include Mary, Don’t Let Go, Shock, First Person Shooter, Eegah, and The Zombie Apocalypse in Apartment 14F.
Don’t Let Go
Detective Jack Radcliff (David Oyelowo) gets a shocking phone call from his recently murdered niece Ashley (Storm Reid). Working together across time, they race to solve her murder before it can happen. Don't Let Go is a classic thriller with a supernatural twist from Blumhouse,...
- 11/26/2019
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
“Excuse me. I have to go. Somewhere there is a crime happening.”
Robocop 2-Disc Limited Edition Collector’s Set will be available November 26th From Arrow Video
Part Man, Part Machine, All Cop.
RoboCop, from Orion Pictures, marked director Paul Verhoeven’s (Flesh + Blood) Hollywood debut & now the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive Blu-ray presentation packed with hours of brand new bonus features & exclusive collectible packaging.
Limited Edition Contents
4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 & approved by director Paul VerhoevenNewly commissioned artwork by Paul ShipperDirector’s Cut & Theatrical Cut of the film on two High Definition (1080p) Blu-rayTM discsOriginal lossless stereo & four-channel mixes plus DTS-hd Ma 5.1 surround sound option on both cutsOptional English subtitles on both cutsSix collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)Double-sided, fold-out poster (Limited Edition exclusive)Reversible sleeve featuring original & newly commissioned artworkLimited edition collector...
Robocop 2-Disc Limited Edition Collector’s Set will be available November 26th From Arrow Video
Part Man, Part Machine, All Cop.
RoboCop, from Orion Pictures, marked director Paul Verhoeven’s (Flesh + Blood) Hollywood debut & now the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive Blu-ray presentation packed with hours of brand new bonus features & exclusive collectible packaging.
Limited Edition Contents
4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 & approved by director Paul VerhoevenNewly commissioned artwork by Paul ShipperDirector’s Cut & Theatrical Cut of the film on two High Definition (1080p) Blu-rayTM discsOriginal lossless stereo & four-channel mixes plus DTS-hd Ma 5.1 surround sound option on both cutsOptional English subtitles on both cutsSix collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)Double-sided, fold-out poster (Limited Edition exclusive)Reversible sleeve featuring original & newly commissioned artworkLimited edition collector...
- 11/21/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Nick Redman, Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker, award-winning soundtrack producer and co-founder of the Twilight Time video label, died Thursday afternoon, Jan. 17, at a Santa Monica Hospital, after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 63.
He was nominated for an Academy Award as producer of the 1996 documentary “The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage,” a look back at Sam Peckinpah’s controversial film. He also produced and directed the 1998 “A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers,” about the making of the Western classic, a prizewinner at multiple film festivals.
In 2007 he produced and directed the feature documentary “Becoming John Ford,” which debuted at the Venice International Film Festival and detailed the long and complex relationship between the famous director and 20th Century-Fox studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck.
He made numerous other short films including profiles of actress Stella Stevens and film composers Basil Poledouris and Jerry Fielding.
He was nominated for an Academy Award as producer of the 1996 documentary “The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage,” a look back at Sam Peckinpah’s controversial film. He also produced and directed the 1998 “A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers,” about the making of the Western classic, a prizewinner at multiple film festivals.
In 2007 he produced and directed the feature documentary “Becoming John Ford,” which debuted at the Venice International Film Festival and detailed the long and complex relationship between the famous director and 20th Century-Fox studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck.
He made numerous other short films including profiles of actress Stella Stevens and film composers Basil Poledouris and Jerry Fielding.
- 1/18/2019
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Varèse Sarabande, renowned as Hollywood’s preeminent soundtrack label, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, going into its fifth decade under new ownership — Concord Music acquired the label in February — while renewing its goal of presenting the best of movie and TV music, both current and past.
According to label VP and veteran producer Robert Townson, Varèse’s mandate hasn’t changed. It’s all about “focusing on the big picture, maintaining a role in the community and standing by the next generation of composers,” Townson says. “The entire history of Varèse is about taking calculated gambles, maintaining an artistic integrity and releasing scores even when we knew we were going to lose money.”
Townson should know. He has produced more than 1,400 soundtracks since his association with the label began 32 years ago. As an ambitious 19-year-old in Whitby, Ontario, he launched his Masters Film Music label to provide a home...
According to label VP and veteran producer Robert Townson, Varèse’s mandate hasn’t changed. It’s all about “focusing on the big picture, maintaining a role in the community and standing by the next generation of composers,” Townson says. “The entire history of Varèse is about taking calculated gambles, maintaining an artistic integrity and releasing scores even when we knew we were going to lose money.”
Townson should know. He has produced more than 1,400 soundtracks since his association with the label began 32 years ago. As an ambitious 19-year-old in Whitby, Ontario, he launched his Masters Film Music label to provide a home...
- 12/8/2018
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
With every reboot of a classic TV series, the producers face a key question: Reprise the musical theme of the old show or go for an entirely new sound appropriate to a new cast and concept?
Zack Estrin, executive producer of Netflix’s “Lost in Space,” available for streaming on April 13, chose the former, with a twist. “We’re maintaining the core spirit of the show — this great family survival adventure — and along with the rights to the show came this incredible trove of original John Williams compositions,” he says. “We wanted you to feel like you were in a great Steven Spielberg experience of a movie, and what better way to feel that than to have a hint of John Williams?”
The legendary composer, who was a frequent collaborator with “Lost in Space” creator Irwin Allen, wrote two themes for the sci-fi series, which aired on CBS from 1965-...
Zack Estrin, executive producer of Netflix’s “Lost in Space,” available for streaming on April 13, chose the former, with a twist. “We’re maintaining the core spirit of the show — this great family survival adventure — and along with the rights to the show came this incredible trove of original John Williams compositions,” he says. “We wanted you to feel like you were in a great Steven Spielberg experience of a movie, and what better way to feel that than to have a hint of John Williams?”
The legendary composer, who was a frequent collaborator with “Lost in Space” creator Irwin Allen, wrote two themes for the sci-fi series, which aired on CBS from 1965-...
- 4/13/2018
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Sean Wilson Mar 16, 2017
From Total Recall and RoboCop through to Turkish Delight and Flesh+Blood, we look at the musical scores of Paul Verhoeven films...
The Netherlands' arch-provocateur and filmmaker extraordinaire Paul Verhoeven is back in cinemas right now with Elle. A characteristically confrontational and provocative thriller, it spins a rape-revenge storyline into a mordantly funny, blackly comic and off-kilter odyssey, and has garnered an Oscar nomination for extraordinary lead Isabelle Huppert in the process.
See related The Maze Runner 3: Dylan O’Brien seriously injured on set Maze Runner 3 release now delayed, Dylan O’Brien still not back
It's exactly what we've come to expect from a veteran director who's done it all, having made jaws drop in both Europe and Hollywood - but beneath Verhoeven's love of excess and shock tactics lurks real artistry, and nowhere is this more evident than in the remarkable run of film scores...
From Total Recall and RoboCop through to Turkish Delight and Flesh+Blood, we look at the musical scores of Paul Verhoeven films...
The Netherlands' arch-provocateur and filmmaker extraordinaire Paul Verhoeven is back in cinemas right now with Elle. A characteristically confrontational and provocative thriller, it spins a rape-revenge storyline into a mordantly funny, blackly comic and off-kilter odyssey, and has garnered an Oscar nomination for extraordinary lead Isabelle Huppert in the process.
See related The Maze Runner 3: Dylan O’Brien seriously injured on set Maze Runner 3 release now delayed, Dylan O’Brien still not back
It's exactly what we've come to expect from a veteran director who's done it all, having made jaws drop in both Europe and Hollywood - but beneath Verhoeven's love of excess and shock tactics lurks real artistry, and nowhere is this more evident than in the remarkable run of film scores...
- 2/9/2017
- Den of Geek
You don’t dare cross Beverly Sutphin… Scream Factory has a special treat in store for John Waters fans, as they have announced a new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of 1994’s Serial Mom that will make its North American Blu-ray debut this May, including a new conversation with Waters himself.
Press Release: If you are ill-mannered, have a poor sense of social etiquette or just plain irresponsible, then beware of the cheerfully psychotic housewife Beverly Sutphin from John Waters’ wickedly hilarious cult classic, Serial Mom. She will stop at nothing to rid of anyone failing to live up to her moral code! Starring Kathleen Turner (Romancing the Stone) as Beverly Sutphin, Sam Waterston (Grace and Frankie) and Ricki Lake (Hairspray), writer-director and pop culture icon John Waters puts a twist on the everyday mediocrity of suburban life in this outrageous dark comedy brimming with his unique brand of perverse humor and high camp.
Press Release: If you are ill-mannered, have a poor sense of social etiquette or just plain irresponsible, then beware of the cheerfully psychotic housewife Beverly Sutphin from John Waters’ wickedly hilarious cult classic, Serial Mom. She will stop at nothing to rid of anyone failing to live up to her moral code! Starring Kathleen Turner (Romancing the Stone) as Beverly Sutphin, Sam Waterston (Grace and Frankie) and Ricki Lake (Hairspray), writer-director and pop culture icon John Waters puts a twist on the everyday mediocrity of suburban life in this outrageous dark comedy brimming with his unique brand of perverse humor and high camp.
- 2/1/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
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Diverse, awe-inspiring and memorable treasures that have sadly fallen off the radar
The noughties were a tough decade for film music fans. Not only was there the unprecedented loss of four great masters in the form of Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Michael Kamen and Basil Poledouris; the nature of the industry itself began to go through some seismic changes, not all of them for the better.
With the art of film scoring becoming ever more processed, driven increasingly by ghost writers, electronic augmentation and temp tracks, prospects looked bleak. However, this shouldn’t shield the fact that there were some blindingly brilliant scores composed during this period. Here’s but a small sampling of them.
25. The Departed (Howard Shore, 2006)
When it came to the sound of his Oscar-winning crime thriller, director Martin Scorsese hit on the inspired notion of having composer Howard Shore base it around a tango,...
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Diverse, awe-inspiring and memorable treasures that have sadly fallen off the radar
The noughties were a tough decade for film music fans. Not only was there the unprecedented loss of four great masters in the form of Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Michael Kamen and Basil Poledouris; the nature of the industry itself began to go through some seismic changes, not all of them for the better.
With the art of film scoring becoming ever more processed, driven increasingly by ghost writers, electronic augmentation and temp tracks, prospects looked bleak. However, this shouldn’t shield the fact that there were some blindingly brilliant scores composed during this period. Here’s but a small sampling of them.
25. The Departed (Howard Shore, 2006)
When it came to the sound of his Oscar-winning crime thriller, director Martin Scorsese hit on the inspired notion of having composer Howard Shore base it around a tango,...
- 3/3/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
At this point, Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn is as well-known for his musical curation as he is for embracing the sheer brutality of violence: To wit, the glistening synth-pop that soundtracked his 2011 commercial breakthrough Drive was as instantly iconic as the scorpion jacket Ryan Gosling wore in the film. So it makes sense that Refn's taken his curation skills to the next level with Milan Records' Nicolas Winding Refn Presents series, which collects some of his favorite film soundtracks on vinyl with stylish packaging. The series has already included the soundtracks to Park Chan-wook's 2003 revenge opus Oldboy and this year's surprise horror buzzmaker It Follows, with a reissue of Basil Poledouris's score for the classic dystopian sci-fi actioner Robocop set for release on July 14 — before that, though, comes the soundtrack for Refn's giddy, murderously operatic 2008 biopic Bronson, which paired Tom Hardy's violent rampages as...
- 6/5/2015
- by Larry Fitzmaurice
- Vulture
From Muppet Treasure Island to Speed, we take a look at the 90s soundtracks that deserve another listen...
Ah, the 1990s. The decade that brought us The Lion King. Titanic. Quentin Tarantino. That wordless bathroom scene in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. Angelo Badalamenti's Twin Peaks. Duel of the Fates from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. In the Mood for Love.
It was a good 10 years for film music, no doubt.
But scratch the surface of 1991 through 1999 and there are tons of good scores ready to spring a surprise on your ears. Some were attached to sorely underrated movies, others were overshadowed by wildly successful ones, and some have simply been forgotten in the passage of time.
Here, in no particular order, are the top 25 underappreciated film soundtracks from the 1990s.
1. Chaplin - John Barry
Okay, let's start with a big one. Richard Attenborough. Robert Downey Jr. John Barry.
Ah, the 1990s. The decade that brought us The Lion King. Titanic. Quentin Tarantino. That wordless bathroom scene in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. Angelo Badalamenti's Twin Peaks. Duel of the Fates from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. In the Mood for Love.
It was a good 10 years for film music, no doubt.
But scratch the surface of 1991 through 1999 and there are tons of good scores ready to spring a surprise on your ears. Some were attached to sorely underrated movies, others were overshadowed by wildly successful ones, and some have simply been forgotten in the passage of time.
Here, in no particular order, are the top 25 underappreciated film soundtracks from the 1990s.
1. Chaplin - John Barry
Okay, let's start with a big one. Richard Attenborough. Robert Downey Jr. John Barry.
- 4/28/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
A film easy to admire but equally hard to love, Paul Verhoeven’s 1985 film Flesh+Blood, his last title to make it to DVD about a decade ago, gets an exciting Blu-ray transfer this month. Notable in multiple regards, this was the last infamous collaboration between Verhoeven and his star Rutger Hauer, the pair having completed five previous films. Reportedly a grueling shoot, and the rising tensions between director and star didn’t help anything, this was also Verhoeven’s first English language film, the first time he didn’t use storyboards, and the last film he would make in his native Netherlands for two decades. While this sounds like a recipe for disaster, there is more to praise than damn in this ambitiously realized portrait of Medieval Europe that’s worthy of reconsideration.
It’s Western Europe in 1510, and amidst the bloodletting, Bubonic plague, and scourging of lands, a...
It’s Western Europe in 1510, and amidst the bloodletting, Bubonic plague, and scourging of lands, a...
- 9/23/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Director Tim Story’s Think Like A Man Too opens in theaters this weekend on June 20. The film is the follow-up to the hit ensemble comedy Think Like A Man and reunites the original cast, including Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union and Taraji P. Henson.
Story teamed up again with composer Christopher Lennertz for the film’s score.
He first made a splash with his breakout score for Alvin And The Chipmunks, which has grossed over $360 million worldwide. Since then he’s proven his steadfast talent with films like the star-studded Horrible Bosses, and Universal’s box office smash Ride Along.
Lennertz’s other recent scores include the hit comedy Identity Thief and the critically acclaimed drama Thanks For Sharing with Mark Ruffalo & Gwyneth Paltrow.
While his knack for comedy is undeniable in films like Think Like A Man, he’s also contributed his unique...
Story teamed up again with composer Christopher Lennertz for the film’s score.
He first made a splash with his breakout score for Alvin And The Chipmunks, which has grossed over $360 million worldwide. Since then he’s proven his steadfast talent with films like the star-studded Horrible Bosses, and Universal’s box office smash Ride Along.
Lennertz’s other recent scores include the hit comedy Identity Thief and the critically acclaimed drama Thanks For Sharing with Mark Ruffalo & Gwyneth Paltrow.
While his knack for comedy is undeniable in films like Think Like A Man, he’s also contributed his unique...
- 6/17/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We're holding a free screening of a crime classic of your choice next week. Here's a closer look at another option: the original RoboCop...
Feature
On the 5th June, we're holding a free crime classic cinema screening to celebrate the launch of the videogame Murdered: Soul Suspect. You can find out details of the screening, and how you can vote for the film you most want to see, here.
For now, here's our look back at the first of the films you can choose from: Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic, RoboCop.
Nb: The following contains mild spoilers.
There are many reasons why RoboCop endures as one of the best films of the 1980s, but one of them stands out from the rest: it’s so many things at once. It’s a sharp corporate satire. It’s a violent action movie. It’s a pitch-black comedy. It’s a science fiction film about mortality and technology.
Feature
On the 5th June, we're holding a free crime classic cinema screening to celebrate the launch of the videogame Murdered: Soul Suspect. You can find out details of the screening, and how you can vote for the film you most want to see, here.
For now, here's our look back at the first of the films you can choose from: Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic, RoboCop.
Nb: The following contains mild spoilers.
There are many reasons why RoboCop endures as one of the best films of the 1980s, but one of them stands out from the rest: it’s so many things at once. It’s a sharp corporate satire. It’s a violent action movie. It’s a pitch-black comedy. It’s a science fiction film about mortality and technology.
- 5/28/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
I’d like to tackle the main question right off the bat, since it’s what most people instantly wonder when it comes to remakes: Is RoboCop a rehashed waste of time?
Answer: No.
This RoboCop is, by no means, a great movie. But it’s also not a completely forgettable endeavor like other remakes- including 2012′s Total Recall, which failed to bring anything interesting to the table in its attempt to remake Paul Verhoeven’s other 80′s sci-fi classic. You can tell that this was project was placed in the hands of filmmaker, José Padilha, that actually had something to say. There are deeper ideas beneath the surface, in what could have just been another mindless action spectacle. Those ideas, though, make the end result frustrating. More on that later.
It should be noted that this isn’t a from-scratch remake, like Batman Begins. It’s more of a retooling-a-classic-for-a-modern-audience reboot,...
Answer: No.
This RoboCop is, by no means, a great movie. But it’s also not a completely forgettable endeavor like other remakes- including 2012′s Total Recall, which failed to bring anything interesting to the table in its attempt to remake Paul Verhoeven’s other 80′s sci-fi classic. You can tell that this was project was placed in the hands of filmmaker, José Padilha, that actually had something to say. There are deeper ideas beneath the surface, in what could have just been another mindless action spectacle. Those ideas, though, make the end result frustrating. More on that later.
It should be noted that this isn’t a from-scratch remake, like Batman Begins. It’s more of a retooling-a-classic-for-a-modern-audience reboot,...
- 2/12/2014
- by Mario-Francisco Robles
- LRMonline.com
We’re just a few weeks into 2014, and it’s already time for film goers to encounter the dreaded “r word”. Or could it be a trio of words? Alright, let’s fully address the controversial threesome: remakes, reboots, and re-imaginings. The oldest is the first one, the now-spurned remake. They were commonplace particularly in the early sound era as many silent films were revisited in order to utilize the new sound technology. Then a few years later these early “talkies” were done once more in full, blazing Technicolor (and 3D and stereophonic sound, Cinerama, etc.). The Mystery Of The Wax Museum was remade in color and 3D as House Of Wax. But soon remakes were getting a “bad rap”, perhaps spurred in the mid-1970′s when the dismal Dino DeLaurentis produced King Kong flopped with critics and the public. Maybe cable TV and the burgeoning home video market had a hand in this.
- 2/12/2014
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
If you're a male of a certain age, the idea of remaking "RoboCop" is very nearly unfathomable.
The movie was a deeply personal one that showed a lot of us what the possibilities of action filmmaking really were (along with "Die Hard," released a year later); at once totally of its time and utterly timeless. And yet, a remake is exactly what we're getting this week, with MGM and Sony's big-screen overhaul of "RoboCop."
This new story features some familiar elements, mostly having to do with a street smart Detroit cop (this time played by Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman from TV's "The Killing"), who is horribly injured in the line of duty but brought back to life (sort of) using cutting-edge technology. He might be mostly machine now, but the existential questions of humanity and the soul still remain, buried within his hardwired programming.
Before the movie, a colleague casually...
The movie was a deeply personal one that showed a lot of us what the possibilities of action filmmaking really were (along with "Die Hard," released a year later); at once totally of its time and utterly timeless. And yet, a remake is exactly what we're getting this week, with MGM and Sony's big-screen overhaul of "RoboCop."
This new story features some familiar elements, mostly having to do with a street smart Detroit cop (this time played by Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman from TV's "The Killing"), who is horribly injured in the line of duty but brought back to life (sort of) using cutting-edge technology. He might be mostly machine now, but the existential questions of humanity and the soul still remain, buried within his hardwired programming.
Before the movie, a colleague casually...
- 2/11/2014
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
It’s no surprise that Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop has stood the test of time. A perfect mix of biting satire, black humour and thrilling action, fans of the beloved cult hit were less than happy when a remake was announced. Thankfully, rather than go the direct remake route, José Padilha’s 2014 reimagining is an intelligent piece of sci-fi entertainment in its own right.
Padilha’s RoboCop takes place in the year 2028, with Multinational Corporation OmniCorp vying to put its robot drones on Us streets to help police its citizens as they have done in Iran. However, the initiative is continually derailed by public and governmental anxiety, due in no small part to the drones’ empathy-void nature. Enter Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), an honest cop who is critically injured after an attempt on his life. Calling on bionic engineer Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman), OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellers (Michael Keaton) quickly...
Padilha’s RoboCop takes place in the year 2028, with Multinational Corporation OmniCorp vying to put its robot drones on Us streets to help police its citizens as they have done in Iran. However, the initiative is continually derailed by public and governmental anxiety, due in no small part to the drones’ empathy-void nature. Enter Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), an honest cop who is critically injured after an attempt on his life. Calling on bionic engineer Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman), OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellers (Michael Keaton) quickly...
- 2/6/2014
- by Amon Warmann
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
RoboCop was always a prime candidate for the remake treatment given the character's potential and enduring popularity, but Jose Padilha's upcoming reboot has the unenviable task of living up to one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time.
The 1987 original marked the Hollywood debut of director Paul Verhoeven, the Dutch filmmaker who went on to helm the likes of Total Recall, Basic Instinct and Starship Troopers.
Written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, RoboCop was an example of multi-layered storytelling at its finest - action-packed sci-fi with deep philosophical themes intertwined among the blood and carnage.
Verhoeven's opus was more than just a movie about a cyborg police officer in a crime-ridden near future, it was an exploration of the life-after-death concept and a poignant piece of social commentary dealing with issues such as capitalism, privatisation and gentrification.
RoboCop is set in an alternate version of Detroit, Michigan...
The 1987 original marked the Hollywood debut of director Paul Verhoeven, the Dutch filmmaker who went on to helm the likes of Total Recall, Basic Instinct and Starship Troopers.
Written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, RoboCop was an example of multi-layered storytelling at its finest - action-packed sci-fi with deep philosophical themes intertwined among the blood and carnage.
Verhoeven's opus was more than just a movie about a cyborg police officer in a crime-ridden near future, it was an exploration of the life-after-death concept and a poignant piece of social commentary dealing with issues such as capitalism, privatisation and gentrification.
RoboCop is set in an alternate version of Detroit, Michigan...
- 9/21/2013
- Digital Spy
Paul Verhoeven has stated that he’d like to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Legend of Conan. The two previously worked together on the original Total Recall, with great results.
Here’s Verhoeven:
“If they asked me, I’d certainly love to – let’s put it that way. But I don’t know what the script is. I don’t know what Arnold wants. I’m a big fan in fact of Conan. That’s a great movie and I found that the composer, Basil Poledouris, basically inspired many of my movies [the soundtracks] like Arnold, Robocop, Starship Troopers and Total Recall. The score of Conan is great. The style of editing that (John) Milius used was very beautiful, and Arnold does a great job. He was really the perfect choice.”
There’s no director yet. Hell, the script isn’t even finished, but given their past working relationship I suppose it...
Here’s Verhoeven:
“If they asked me, I’d certainly love to – let’s put it that way. But I don’t know what the script is. I don’t know what Arnold wants. I’m a big fan in fact of Conan. That’s a great movie and I found that the composer, Basil Poledouris, basically inspired many of my movies [the soundtracks] like Arnold, Robocop, Starship Troopers and Total Recall. The score of Conan is great. The style of editing that (John) Milius used was very beautiful, and Arnold does a great job. He was really the perfect choice.”
There’s no director yet. Hell, the script isn’t even finished, but given their past working relationship I suppose it...
- 5/21/2013
- by Philip Sticco
- LRMonline.com
We all know that Arnold Schwarzenegger is coming back for the new film The Legend of Conan, and in a perfect world it will be the serious-minded and bloody sword and sandal flick we've all been hoping for. But will we get it?
The Arnold Fans recently caught up with the man himself to talk about the upcoming sequel...
“Well, age doesn’t mean anything to me because I work out every day," says Schwarzenegger of the physicality of the film at his age. "I work out twice a day, as a matter of fact. At night I work out with weights, and in the morning I do cardiovascular training. So for me, to get on the set and to swing the sword around again and to ride the horses and all those things doesn’t mean anything [and does not scare me] because I feel like I did thirty years ago. So as long as I stay in shape,...
The Arnold Fans recently caught up with the man himself to talk about the upcoming sequel...
“Well, age doesn’t mean anything to me because I work out every day," says Schwarzenegger of the physicality of the film at his age. "I work out twice a day, as a matter of fact. At night I work out with weights, and in the morning I do cardiovascular training. So for me, to get on the set and to swing the sword around again and to ride the horses and all those things doesn’t mean anything [and does not scare me] because I feel like I did thirty years ago. So as long as I stay in shape,...
- 1/25/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
"Wolverines!" Ryan takes a look back at director John Milius' Cold War action epic, Red Dawn...
John Milius’ films have long been about rugged men surviving against the odds, usually with a gun in their hands, and full of fabulous, terse dialogue. Remember Quint’s monologue about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in Jaws? That was his, in part. “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” from Apocalypse Now? Milius wrote that line in an early draft. “Do I feel lucky” from Dirty Harry? Milius’ uncredited words.
Milius followed up his directorial debut Conan The Barbarian with Red Dawn, probably the jewel in his career so far; it’s full of fabulously ripe dialogue, hundreds of guns and many more deaths. It’s simultaneously very funny and extraordinary bleak.
In an alternate version of the 1980s, a politically isolated United States stands alone against communism. Along...
John Milius’ films have long been about rugged men surviving against the odds, usually with a gun in their hands, and full of fabulous, terse dialogue. Remember Quint’s monologue about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in Jaws? That was his, in part. “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” from Apocalypse Now? Milius wrote that line in an early draft. “Do I feel lucky” from Dirty Harry? Milius’ uncredited words.
Milius followed up his directorial debut Conan The Barbarian with Red Dawn, probably the jewel in his career so far; it’s full of fabulously ripe dialogue, hundreds of guns and many more deaths. It’s simultaneously very funny and extraordinary bleak.
In an alternate version of the 1980s, a politically isolated United States stands alone against communism. Along...
- 3/12/2012
- Den of Geek
Gunplay, car chases, shouting, one-liners and kung-fu – here’s our pick of the 50 most memorable action movie moments…
You’d think that compiling a list of memorable action movie moments would be quite simple, since there are so many violent, exciting, funny and downright bizarre nuggets to choose from. As we quickly discovered, the sheer number of classic moments in the genre’s history makes whittling them down to 50 extremely tricky.
To this end, we’ve established a few arbitrary rules: one, that the movies in question have to be live-action – so the wonderful downhill chase sequence from last year’s Tintin, for example, is out of the running.
Second, only movies that are in the action genre first and foremost actually qualify. Action movies with sci-fi, fantasy or comedy elements are fine, but space operas with action elements (sorry, Star Wars franchise) and dramas with glimmers of pulse-racing violence (The Godfather,...
You’d think that compiling a list of memorable action movie moments would be quite simple, since there are so many violent, exciting, funny and downright bizarre nuggets to choose from. As we quickly discovered, the sheer number of classic moments in the genre’s history makes whittling them down to 50 extremely tricky.
To this end, we’ve established a few arbitrary rules: one, that the movies in question have to be live-action – so the wonderful downhill chase sequence from last year’s Tintin, for example, is out of the running.
Second, only movies that are in the action genre first and foremost actually qualify. Action movies with sci-fi, fantasy or comedy elements are fine, but space operas with action elements (sorry, Star Wars franchise) and dramas with glimmers of pulse-racing violence (The Godfather,...
- 3/8/2012
- Den of Geek
A quick round of updates.
Netflix has finally launched in UK and Ireland and both Caprica and Battlestar are available for streaming. If you know people there who haven't seen the shows, you can nag them to do it now, while Netflix is offering a free month of trials.
Blackstone, with Carmen Moore, returns with the season two opener, "Blood Is Thicker Than Water," tonight on Aptn in Canada. The episode should air at 9 pm Et on Aptn East, West, and HD, and at 8 pm Pt, but check your local listings to be sure.
Carmen Moore was also one of the people who made an appearance in Arctic Air yesterday. If you haven't seen the pilot, check it out. There are more BSG people in the first five minutes of that show than there were in the opening scenes of BSG. And they share scenes and everything.
The Vancouver Sun...
Netflix has finally launched in UK and Ireland and both Caprica and Battlestar are available for streaming. If you know people there who haven't seen the shows, you can nag them to do it now, while Netflix is offering a free month of trials.
Blackstone, with Carmen Moore, returns with the season two opener, "Blood Is Thicker Than Water," tonight on Aptn in Canada. The episode should air at 9 pm Et on Aptn East, West, and HD, and at 8 pm Pt, but check your local listings to be sure.
Carmen Moore was also one of the people who made an appearance in Arctic Air yesterday. If you haven't seen the pilot, check it out. There are more BSG people in the first five minutes of that show than there were in the opening scenes of BSG. And they share scenes and everything.
The Vancouver Sun...
- 1/12/2012
- by fanshawe
- CapricaTV
The Movie Pool grows out a brostache for the Tom Selleck western Quigley Down Under on Blu-ray!
Blu-ray Specs
Release date: November 1, 2011
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 120 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: English 2.0 Surround DTS-hd Master Audio, Spanish Mono, French Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Spanish, French
Special Features: "Rebirth of the Western" documentary, TV spots, Theatrical trailer
The Set-up
Legendary sharpshooter Matthew Quigley travels to Australia, only to find his potential employer is an Outback rancher planning to exterminate the Aborigines living near his land. Rather than join him, Quigley joins the natives in a fight for survival.
Directed by: Simon Wincer
The Delivery
This very underrated 1990 movie starring Tom Selleck was not a commercial success, but it is an entertaining flick that will hopefully gain new fans with its first-ever Blu-ray release. Set against the gorgeous Australian Outback, Selleck plays Old West sharpshooter...
Blu-ray Specs
Release date: November 1, 2011
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 120 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: English 2.0 Surround DTS-hd Master Audio, Spanish Mono, French Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Spanish, French
Special Features: "Rebirth of the Western" documentary, TV spots, Theatrical trailer
The Set-up
Legendary sharpshooter Matthew Quigley travels to Australia, only to find his potential employer is an Outback rancher planning to exterminate the Aborigines living near his land. Rather than join him, Quigley joins the natives in a fight for survival.
Directed by: Simon Wincer
The Delivery
This very underrated 1990 movie starring Tom Selleck was not a commercial success, but it is an entertaining flick that will hopefully gain new fans with its first-ever Blu-ray release. Set against the gorgeous Australian Outback, Selleck plays Old West sharpshooter...
- 12/15/2011
- by medina.victor@sbcglobal.net (Victor Medina)
- Cinelinx
As part of our writers' favourite film series, Maxton Walker sings the praises of a surfing movie with dudes, poetry and a big heart
Is this review swell? Write your own here – or surf the waves of critique in the comments section below
Point Break has an awful lot to answer for. Kathyrn Bigelow's over the top, homoerotic surfing buddy-fest has become the surfing movie of our era. And that's a monstrous injustice. Any Point Break aficionado who decides to watch Big Wednesday will be instantly struck by the huge debt Bigelow owes to John Milius's freewheeling homage to 1960s Californian hedonism.
Big Wednesday follows three young surfer dudes from 1962 to 1974, as they catch waves, fight, have sex and try – successfully on the whole – to avoid growing up. There's no homoeroticism on these shores. Meet Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), the greatest surfer of his generation, dealing with the demands of...
Is this review swell? Write your own here – or surf the waves of critique in the comments section below
Point Break has an awful lot to answer for. Kathyrn Bigelow's over the top, homoerotic surfing buddy-fest has become the surfing movie of our era. And that's a monstrous injustice. Any Point Break aficionado who decides to watch Big Wednesday will be instantly struck by the huge debt Bigelow owes to John Milius's freewheeling homage to 1960s Californian hedonism.
Big Wednesday follows three young surfer dudes from 1962 to 1974, as they catch waves, fight, have sex and try – successfully on the whole – to avoid growing up. There's no homoeroticism on these shores. Meet Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), the greatest surfer of his generation, dealing with the demands of...
- 12/13/2011
- by Maxton Walker
- The Guardian - Film News
Robocop and Starship Troopers are both classic Paul Verhoeven films. But is one really better than the other?
You may remember a few weeks ago Matt Edwards wrote a column that put Rocky IV up against Demolition Man – if you haven’t read it, it might be worth starting there. The piece was inspired by a daily movie game I run on Twitter, where my followers choose which is the better of two related movies – basically, Matt did all of the groundwork for me, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.
Having run dozens of these so far, I thought I’d write a movie showdown article based on two films that received the highest number of votes, and also one of the closest run contests: Robocop versus Starship Troopers.
Premise
If faced with the choice of watching a film about a robot cop dishing out justice, or a film...
You may remember a few weeks ago Matt Edwards wrote a column that put Rocky IV up against Demolition Man – if you haven’t read it, it might be worth starting there. The piece was inspired by a daily movie game I run on Twitter, where my followers choose which is the better of two related movies – basically, Matt did all of the groundwork for me, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.
Having run dozens of these so far, I thought I’d write a movie showdown article based on two films that received the highest number of votes, and also one of the closest run contests: Robocop versus Starship Troopers.
Premise
If faced with the choice of watching a film about a robot cop dishing out justice, or a film...
- 10/10/2011
- Den of Geek
In this week’s Music in the movies, Glen rounds up more of the summer season’s blockbuster scores...
The latest part of our summer score round up features cowboys, aliens, a superhero, apes and a particularly famous barbarian. What more could you want?
Captain America: The First Avenger – Alan Silvestri
Alan Silvestri may not enjoy the level of success he once did, but he’s still had an impressive output over the past few years, with his work often being overlooked due to the type of films it accompanies. Here, Silvestri comes up with a score that both recalls the film’s 40s era, and his best work, notably his 80s output. Like nearly every aspect of the film itself, Silvestri’s score perfectly captures the WWII feel of the film.
Detractors may point out that it’s not the most original score, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing here.
The latest part of our summer score round up features cowboys, aliens, a superhero, apes and a particularly famous barbarian. What more could you want?
Captain America: The First Avenger – Alan Silvestri
Alan Silvestri may not enjoy the level of success he once did, but he’s still had an impressive output over the past few years, with his work often being overlooked due to the type of films it accompanies. Here, Silvestri comes up with a score that both recalls the film’s 40s era, and his best work, notably his 80s output. Like nearly every aspect of the film itself, Silvestri’s score perfectly captures the WWII feel of the film.
Detractors may point out that it’s not the most original score, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing here.
- 9/26/2011
- Den of Geek
I frequently get emails from burgeoning composers and new Los Angeles transplants either looking for a composer assistant position or just advice on breaking into the industry. I often agree to meet them (usually over lunch) and invariably get asked if it’s beneficial to assist and/or ghostwrite for a bigger name composer. The advice I give them is almost always the same. It comes from my own years of experience working hard to establish myself in the composer world. A feat that I feel is not only difficult, but one most all of us are ever in the constant pursuit of doing.
10 Lessons on “Breaking In”
I learn something new on every film and further hone my craft and skill with each project. There are some truly fundamental things I have learned in the last few years. Many years ago, fresh out of USC’s Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program,...
10 Lessons on “Breaking In”
I learn something new on every film and further hone my craft and skill with each project. There are some truly fundamental things I have learned in the last few years. Many years ago, fresh out of USC’s Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program,...
- 9/19/2011
- by Brian Ralston
- SCOREcastOnline.com
Off Screen is a recurring Movies.com feature that follows up on big screen characters in other media, be they comics, books, TV shows or video games. “One of the most astonishing stage presentations ever,” declares the somewhat bored voice-over for The Adventures of Conan, a Universal Studios “stunt show” attraction that ran from 1983 until 1993. “We combine gymnastics and swordplay with pyrotechnics and lasers and, well, just Wait to you see our dragon!” I’ve seen their dragon. Not bad. In fact, back in 1983, the dragon at the centerpiece of the $3.75 million production was the largest animatronic puppet of its kind. Even if the athletic cast was unrecognizable, producers hired Basil Poledouris, Conan the...
Read More...
Read More...
- 8/19/2011
- by Movies.com
- Movies.com
Conan the Barbarian Directed by: Marcus Nispel Written by: Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, Sean Hood Starring: Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang, Rachel Nichols, Said Taghmaoui It seems like some sort of weird karma that Arnold Schwarzenegger is on the verge of a Hollywood comeback at the same time that we're suddenly seeing remakes of some of his most well-loved films hit the big screen. He is one of the most iconic and irreplaceable actors who has ever lived, and certainly the idea of a new Conan movie without him is a difficult one to process (perhaps even more difficult than a Terminator film without him). However, after seeing Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo in HBO's Game of Thrones I was determined to keep an open mind about this project. With so much source material draw from, there was bound to be a new Conan eventually, and to be fair,...
- 8/19/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
The Film:
The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one – no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. [points to sword] This you can trust. – Conan’s Father
Conan the Barbarian is bad-ass cinema. It has spawned many copycats and reinvigorated a dying sub-genre, but is far more ethereal than most think. While the thought of making a live-action Frank Frazetta painting seems impossible, director John Milius came pretty damn close, by Crom. Still, for it’s blockbuster status, it’s far more concerned with the nature of God and Man, and for those living in times that feel damned, sometimes the power of the self far outweighs the will of God. To Hell with you!
Perhaps what made Conan the Barbarian so irresistible is that it uses the plot...
The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one – no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. [points to sword] This you can trust. – Conan’s Father
Conan the Barbarian is bad-ass cinema. It has spawned many copycats and reinvigorated a dying sub-genre, but is far more ethereal than most think. While the thought of making a live-action Frank Frazetta painting seems impossible, director John Milius came pretty damn close, by Crom. Still, for it’s blockbuster status, it’s far more concerned with the nature of God and Man, and for those living in times that feel damned, sometimes the power of the self far outweighs the will of God. To Hell with you!
Perhaps what made Conan the Barbarian so irresistible is that it uses the plot...
- 8/10/2011
- by Jon Peters
- Killer Films
La-La Land Records has released a new limited edition of the soundtrack for the 1997 thriller Breakdown. The film’s music by Basil Poledouris comes in 3-cd set. Disc One features the Final Revised Film Score, Disc Two contains the Alternate Early Film Score and Disc Three contains additional Alternates. Additional music is by Richard Marvin, Eric Colvin, Steve Forman and Judd Miller. The set is limited to 3000 copies and is available to order on La-La Land Records website. Also check out audio clips from the album on the page. Breakdown is directed by Jonathan Mostow (U-571, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Surrogates) and stars Kurt Russell, Kathleen Quinlan and J.T. Walsh.
Here’s the track list of the 3-cd set:
Disc One: (Final Revised Film Score)
1 Main Titles 2:54
2 Gas Station / Leaving Belle’s 2:05
3 Earl’s Truck By / Photos / No Help 4:13
4 Route 7-North 7:44
Composed by Richard Marvin...
Here’s the track list of the 3-cd set:
Disc One: (Final Revised Film Score)
1 Main Titles 2:54
2 Gas Station / Leaving Belle’s 2:05
3 Earl’s Truck By / Photos / No Help 4:13
4 Route 7-North 7:44
Composed by Richard Marvin...
- 6/13/2011
- by filmmusicreporter
- Film Music Reporter
It’s full steam ahead at MGM after numerous projects have been languishing in the development wasteland for some time as a result of the studio’s financial woes but now that appears to have been resolved they seem set to milk some of their cash cows with a slate full of sequels and remakes.
One such project that was part of the recent announcement was a new take on Robocop and now , according to Deadline, the studio seem to have found their director in the form of José Padilha who has directed a number of critically acclaimed documentaries as well as the rather ace Elite Squad movies.
As a fan of Elite Squad I have to say that Padilha is an excellent choice and is probably the best possible choice available now that Darren Aronofsky isn’t available due to his commitments on The Wolverine. On the evidence of...
One such project that was part of the recent announcement was a new take on Robocop and now , according to Deadline, the studio seem to have found their director in the form of José Padilha who has directed a number of critically acclaimed documentaries as well as the rather ace Elite Squad movies.
As a fan of Elite Squad I have to say that Padilha is an excellent choice and is probably the best possible choice available now that Darren Aronofsky isn’t available due to his commitments on The Wolverine. On the evidence of...
- 3/2/2011
- by Glen Chapman
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Catch .44
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
- 12/23/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Catch .44
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
- 12/23/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Raiders. Manhattan. Suspiria. Jeff looks back at ten of the most distinctive, unforgettable opening sequences in cinema’s history…
In fishing terminology, it’s the hook. In literature, the prologue. In teacher lingo, the ‘mental set.’ Call it what you will, movies also have methods to lure in audiences within the first several minutes.
Some of these set pieces are so meticulously orchestrated and satisfying in and of themselves that they even threaten to outweigh the rest of their respective flicks. Here are ten classic opening sequences you shouldn’t be without.
Did we miss one? Then add your own in the comments below!
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
The Indy series is more or less Steven Spielberg’s attempt to one-up James Bond (directorially speaking), with each of the movies aping 007’s opening set pieces, while not being explicitly tied to the main narrative.
Temple Of Doom probably wins...
In fishing terminology, it’s the hook. In literature, the prologue. In teacher lingo, the ‘mental set.’ Call it what you will, movies also have methods to lure in audiences within the first several minutes.
Some of these set pieces are so meticulously orchestrated and satisfying in and of themselves that they even threaten to outweigh the rest of their respective flicks. Here are ten classic opening sequences you shouldn’t be without.
Did we miss one? Then add your own in the comments below!
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
The Indy series is more or less Steven Spielberg’s attempt to one-up James Bond (directorially speaking), with each of the movies aping 007’s opening set pieces, while not being explicitly tied to the main narrative.
Temple Of Doom probably wins...
- 11/15/2010
- Den of Geek
Our latest Music in the Movies column celebrates the work of composer Basil Poledouris, whose themes have graced such movies as Conan The Barbarian and Starship Troopers...
Basil Poledouris is among my favourite composers with him having provided scores for many great films throughout his career, including one of my favourite all time iconic theme tunes for Robocop, as featured in the Iconic Themes article (linked below).
Here are some of my favourite Poledouris compositions:
Conan The Barbarian (1982)
It's hard to imagine that the original plan for the soundtrack for Conan was for it to be comprised of sourced pop songs. I'm not sure it would have fit with the mood of the film.
When the pop song idea was scrapped, a number of composers were considered, including Ennio Morricone, but director John Milius handed the job to a former classmate of his, Basil Poledouris.
Poledouris' score is packed full...
Basil Poledouris is among my favourite composers with him having provided scores for many great films throughout his career, including one of my favourite all time iconic theme tunes for Robocop, as featured in the Iconic Themes article (linked below).
Here are some of my favourite Poledouris compositions:
Conan The Barbarian (1982)
It's hard to imagine that the original plan for the soundtrack for Conan was for it to be comprised of sourced pop songs. I'm not sure it would have fit with the mood of the film.
When the pop song idea was scrapped, a number of composers were considered, including Ennio Morricone, but director John Milius handed the job to a former classmate of his, Basil Poledouris.
Poledouris' score is packed full...
- 10/4/2010
- Den of Geek
From Planet Of The Apes to Alien, composer Jerry Goldsmith has been a veritable mine of classic sci-fi themes. Glen salutes some of his very best...
Jerry Goldsmith was a giant of film composing who was among the most prolific and well respected composers to have worked in cinema. At his peak, he was rumoured to have composed an average of six scores a year, which really is quite staggering. He seemed to be able to effortlessly adapt his talents to a number of genres and set, and later redefined standards in the process.
When planning this tribute, I had a hard time narrowing down the titles I wanted to cover, so have decided to split the pieces. This first will focus on what I consider to be his greatest sci-fi scores and I will take a look at some of his selected other works in a future article...
Planet Of The Apes...
Jerry Goldsmith was a giant of film composing who was among the most prolific and well respected composers to have worked in cinema. At his peak, he was rumoured to have composed an average of six scores a year, which really is quite staggering. He seemed to be able to effortlessly adapt his talents to a number of genres and set, and later redefined standards in the process.
When planning this tribute, I had a hard time narrowing down the titles I wanted to cover, so have decided to split the pieces. This first will focus on what I consider to be his greatest sci-fi scores and I will take a look at some of his selected other works in a future article...
Planet Of The Apes...
- 9/14/2010
- Den of Geek
Set photos from 30 Minutes or Less, Sean Penn in make-up for This Must Be The Place, Daniel Craig on the set of Cowboys vs. Aliens, Mads Mikkelsen in costume on The Three Musketeers, and Martin Scorsese himself and set decoration for "The Invention of Hugo Cabret".
First look photos from Arthur, Beginners, Black Swan, Bridesmaids, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Ceremony, The Conspirator, Daydream Nation, The Dilemma.
Further first look photos from Everything Must Go, Good Neighbours, Henry's Crime, Hereafter, The High Cost of Living, The King's Speech, Passion Play, True Grit, What's Wrong with Virginia, Yogi Bear.
Next, more stills from Devil, Due Date, Faster, Making Plans for Lena, Miral, Monsters, My Soul to Take, The Social Network, Somewhere, The Tempest, The Town.
Finally, several character one-sheets for Never Let Me Go and posters for Alpha and Omega, Buried, Fair Game, The Freebie, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Life as We Know It,...
First look photos from Arthur, Beginners, Black Swan, Bridesmaids, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Ceremony, The Conspirator, Daydream Nation, The Dilemma.
Further first look photos from Everything Must Go, Good Neighbours, Henry's Crime, Hereafter, The High Cost of Living, The King's Speech, Passion Play, True Grit, What's Wrong with Virginia, Yogi Bear.
Next, more stills from Devil, Due Date, Faster, Making Plans for Lena, Miral, Monsters, My Soul to Take, The Social Network, Somewhere, The Tempest, The Town.
Finally, several character one-sheets for Never Let Me Go and posters for Alpha and Omega, Buried, Fair Game, The Freebie, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Life as We Know It,...
- 8/30/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Behind most classic movies there’s an unforgettable score. Glen runs down his eleven most iconic movie themes ever...
Many films contain musical cues that are more iconic than some of the imagery contained in the feature. Here, then, are eleven of my favourite examples of iconic theme tunes. And do feel free to add your own in the comments at the bottom...!
The Exorcist - Tubular Bells
Taken from Mike Oldfield's debut album of the same name, the use of this track in William Friedkin's 1973 horror masterpiece complimented the mood of the film and lead to a boost in album sales for Oldfield.
For a piece of music that is so recognisable for its inclusion in the film, it was a surprise for me to learn that it wasn't the director's first choice and was, in fact, used after Friedkin rejected Lalo Schifrin's original score.
The Godfather...
Many films contain musical cues that are more iconic than some of the imagery contained in the feature. Here, then, are eleven of my favourite examples of iconic theme tunes. And do feel free to add your own in the comments at the bottom...!
The Exorcist - Tubular Bells
Taken from Mike Oldfield's debut album of the same name, the use of this track in William Friedkin's 1973 horror masterpiece complimented the mood of the film and lead to a boost in album sales for Oldfield.
For a piece of music that is so recognisable for its inclusion in the film, it was a surprise for me to learn that it wasn't the director's first choice and was, in fact, used after Friedkin rejected Lalo Schifrin's original score.
The Godfather...
- 8/5/2010
- Den of Geek
Conan the Barbarian is well known for its hilarious lines and great action, but the film is also known for its wonderful musical score courtesy of the amazing Basil Poledouris. However, Jon and Al over at JonandAl.com found the Poledouris score lacking and decided to add lyrics to the mix. I give you Arnold Schwarzenegger performing “Crom!” from Conan the Barbarian: The Musical.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Jon and Al also created an excellent musical sendup to another Schwarzenegger classic: “The Mountains of Mars” from Total Recall: The Musical, though it loses points for not having a single mention of villains Vilos Cohaagen and Richter.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Jon and Al also created an excellent musical sendup to another Schwarzenegger classic: “The Mountains of Mars” from Total Recall: The Musical, though it loses points for not having a single mention of villains Vilos Cohaagen and Richter.
- 6/30/2010
- by Will
- DorkShelf.com
I frequently get emails from burgeoning composers and new Los Angeles transplants either looking for a composer assistant position or just advice on breaking into the industry. I often agree to meet them (usually over lunch) and invariably get asked if it's beneficial to assist and/or ghostwrite for a bigger name composer. The advice I give them is almost always the same. It comes from my own years of experience working hard to establish myself in the composer world. A feat that I feel is not only difficult, but one most all of us are ever in the constant pursuit of doing.
I learn something new on every film and further hone my craft and skill with each project. There are some truly fundamental things I have learned in the last few years. Many years ago, fresh out of USC's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program, I was...
I learn something new on every film and further hone my craft and skill with each project. There are some truly fundamental things I have learned in the last few years. Many years ago, fresh out of USC's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program, I was...
- 4/19/2010
- by noreply@blogger.com (SCOREcast Admin)
- SCOREcastOnline.com
The MySpace Cafe stands at the top of The Lift, which is at the bottom of Main Street. And, to my enormous delight, it's about 100 yards from the back door of the condo where Team HitFix is camped out this year. That made for a very convenient afternoon when I had time for an hour-long nap I desperately needed, and then I got up, showered, and walked over, headphones on. There's something epic about playing Basil Poledouris and Ennio Morricone music while you're walking through a snowstorm. Up the stairs to the MySpace cafe, and then a quick check-in, and...
- 1/24/2010
- Hitfix
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