Quartet Records once again just amazes me at the titles that they are releasing these days! Now only are they releasing Riz Ortolani’s score for Antonio Margheriti’s 1963 film La Vergine Di Norimberga (Virgin of Nuremberg), but released over here in the states as simply Horror Castle. But no matter what its called, its a title well worth checking out.
The fine folks over at La-La Land Records, who have putting out some amazing soundtracks for over 10 years, now have another title that really has ‘nards! That’s right, they have released the score to Fred Dekker’s Monster Squad on CD. This release not only has been remastered from a recently discovered 1/4″ master tape, which not only has the film version of the score, but a ton of extras. Such as additional tracks, alternate cues, source music, as well as the two songs from the film, “Rock Until You Drop” and “Monster Squad Rap”, being released on this edition for the first time.
This also comes with liner notes written by Daniel Schweiger and art designed by Dan Goldwasswer. There is only 3000 units of this release that has a total running time of 78 minutes, for only $19.98.
Head on over to La-La Land Records by clicking HERE to order your copy now.
Fans of the Nightmare on Elm Street series are probably going to want to pay attention to this. Varèse Sarabande will be releasing an incredible 8-CD box set next month that will feature not only the original scores for the first 8 films in the series, but there will be close to 3 hours of bonus tracks, which puts this release at over 8 hours of nightmarish music! Yes, the price is a bit steep at $99.98, but if you really consider what you’re getting, that isn’t a bad deal at all, considering some scores run you $15 to $20 each. Here you’re getting 8 scores with tons of bonus tracks. So well worth the investment.
The composers represented here in the box set are Charles Bernstein (Wes Craven’s A Nightmare On Elm Street), Christopher Young (A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge), Angelo Badalamenti (A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors), Craig Safan (A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master), Jay Ferguson (A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child), Brian May (Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare), J. Peter Robinson (Wes Craven’s New Nightmare), and Graeme Revell (Freddy Vs. Jason)
Extinction
Released by Varèse Sarabande, 2015
25 Tracks, with a total running time 67 min.
Music Composed by Sergio Moure
This film is another zombie film, one that takes place in a snowbound town. But just from listening to the score, I would suspect there is much more suspense here than over the top terror. The score starts off with hauntingly slow burn of a track, with the sounds of a strings, seemingly straining to make some music. It is slow paced, with a very somber but eerie quality to it, one that can easily put images into your mind’s eye. It picks up a bit, but then slowly descends back down. This continues with the second track, Night Journey, with faint notes from the piano combined with some gentle strings, all that create a quite but unnerving feeling. But then halfway through this track, it explodes with some quick rhythm from possibly cellos, which picks up the pace for a short time, before going back down to the original mood. This fast paced music appears again, such as in the track Defending My Baby or near the end, with the track The Siege.
Overall the score is a somber and quite one, one that is almost peaceful, but there always seems to be that feeling of uneasiness that it creates. Like it is trying to be relaxing, but there is just something there that won’t let you.
One of the scariest movies to come out in the ’50s wasn’t about some giant monster that was stomping its way through the city, but was from a silent invader that took over our bodies when we were sleeping. It was, of course, Don Siegel’s 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Now for the first time, composer Carmen Dragon’s score for this amazing film is getting a release on CD!
Thanks to the fine folks at La-La Land Records, this rare score is being produced by Dragon’s son-in-law Richard Henn and Neil S. Bulk, and restored and mastered by Stephen March and Fernando Lee. This release will feature 17 tracks of Dragon’s score, plus 3 tracks of Source Music), which is just under an hour’s worth of music. This release will also feature in-depth liner notes by Jeff Bond. The disc is only $19.98, but don’t wait too long to place your order since it is a limited edition of only 2000 units. So order your copy now.
Just click HERE for all the details!
Burying the Ex
Released by Lakeshore Records
25 Tracks with a total running time of 45 min.
Music by Joseph LoDuca
This score caught me totally off guard. It seems to borrow several different genres out there, but makes them blend together to where they work. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this score, since I was pretty familiar with LoDuca’s work from the Evil Dead films but was very impressed.
Hearing this score without seeing the movie really has me curious since the music does seem to jump around into different styles. Right away with the first track, we get a gothic feel, almost like a Tim Burton film or something like that. But then later on, like on track #5 The Bitch is Back, we get a bit of music that could almost be in a Pink Panther movie, or maybe even a detective picture. Very unique but highly entertaining. Then later on, we get tracks that have a bluesy sound to them, adding even more layers to this score. Track # 11 Breakfast Sex almost makes feel like it something from Joe Satriani! That’s how diverse this score is! The last track, a musical number called Poison Love, seems to be a slight parody of Soft Cell’s Tainted Love, but still is a fun track.
I think this shows the wide range and talent that LoDuca has, by being able to go from what style to another, but still nail it each and every time. Very impressive. This is going to make me want to check out more of his work.
Blackwood
Released by Lakeshore Records
15 Tracks with a total running time of 57 min.
Music Composed by Lorne Balfe
It doesn’t happen often, but it does every now and then. There are those soundtracks that hook me after the first listen, but then there are those rare ones that get me within seconds of hitting the play button. Lorne Balfe’s score for Blackwood is one of those. Okay, so I am a sucker for ghost stories, which is what this movie is about. Never seeing it, or even hearing about it before this score arrived, I was immediately curious. But once the music started, with a beautifully haunting organ, then with a slow and eerie sound of some strings, it set the mood right away. Balfe has created one of those scores that is beautiful, sad, haunting, and creepy, all at the same time. That is talent.
Most of the score seems to be just piano or organ, along with a variety of string instruments, and for the most part are slow and moody. There are a few that have a little faster pace, such as #9 Paying a Visit, but for the most part, it is a nice relaxing score, one that is perfect for a nice quiet evening at home, working on the computer or reading your favorite book. It just breathes atmosphere.
Composer Balfe is a new name for me, but who’s work I will be looking more into. Highly recommend this one.
The Car
Released by Intrada
26 Tracks, with a total running time of 40:50 min.
Composed and Conducted by Leonard Rosenman
The Car was a film that stuck in my head as a kid, even though it took years for me to finally get to see it, Just seeing the trailer on TV had etched it in my brain, especially the part with the car coming at the window. Such a great scene.
After an 80 hour work week, this is what I’m feeling like. Plus, why the hell isn’t someone putting out the soundtrack for this movie?!?!?!
Duel
Released by Intrada
19 Tracks with a total running time of 47:39 min.
Composed and Conducted by Billy Goldenberg
A few years before he made Jaws, Steven Spielberg gave us another beastly predator, one that is much more common than the Great White shark….a semi-truck. In his tele-film Duel, Spielberg created a work of suspense and terror that everyone has felt for a moment every now and then while driving on the highway, thinking that one of these mechanical beast just might be out to destroy you. One of the reasons this film works as well is it does it due to the incredibly tension-building score from Billy Goldenberg.
