Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Mystery Photo 12-23

by in Mystery Photo and tagged | Leave a comment

While there weren’t a ton of correct answers sent in for our last photo, we did get a few, which thrills me to no end! This is definitely a Turkey Day film and is a lot of fun as well. The film was re-titled a couple of times as Blood Waters of Dr. Z and Attack of the Swamp Creatures, but the original title was simply Z.A.A.T. (1971). Produced on a very low budget in Florida, this little monster movie never made it big, but is still fondly remembered by a some. I mean, how could you forget a movie about a half man/half catfish? Congrats to the following that sent in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron Christensen, John-Paul Checkett, Bob Hartman, and William Wilson. Well done!

Now on to this week’s photo. The title of this movie is something that many of you have probably experienced the last week or so doing your holiday shopping. As always, please remember not to post your answers here so that others can have a guess at them. Just send your guess to us in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

mp122319

Dial M for Murder Soundtrack!

by in Reviews: Soundtrack and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dial M for MurderFans of classic Hitchcock and soundtracks will be thrilled to hear that the score for his 1954 thriller, that has been painstakingly re-recorded under the direction of William Stromberg, recorded in Glasgow’s new state-of-the-art recording venue. They wanted to make sure that with this new recording, they were able to make it feel like Dimitri Tiomkin’s original.

This release also includes both used and unused “intermission cards” for the 3-D presentations, an alternate main title, as well as unused arrangements. With 15 tracks and a total running time of 65 minutes, I think this a must for any Hitchcock fans, as well as composer Tiomkin. You can get it directly from Intrada (click HERE) or from Screen Archives Entertainment (click HERE). 

Soundtrack Review: The Lighthouse

by in Reviews: Soundtrack and tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Lighthouse CDThe Lighthouse
Released by Milan Records
13 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 36 min.
Music by Mark Korven

This film is the tale of two lighthouse keepers trying to retain their sanity while isolated on an island off the coast. I have not seen this film as of this writing, so I’m reviewing this soundtrack strictly on the score alone. Since I do know the premise of the movie, it does give me some pre-conceived notions about the score. Right from the opening note, we have a loud reverberating sound, then coupled with another one, and then another, but it immediately creates a strange sense of danger. Other tracks, like 3 & 4 that sound like they could have been created by an accordion that has been slowed down, distorted, or altered in some sort of way, giving it a feel of some kind of sound from a sailor out on the sea. I could be wrong, but that is the feeling I got.

This is another score that is mainly ambient sounds rather than an actual musical score. But like The Void, this one feels the listener’s ears with atmosphere. With slow moving sounds, low and vibrating, sometimes picking up the pace that builds the tension, it really creates different moods while listening to it. There are some tracks that sound like there are muffled voices or moans coming out of the speaker, that again, just adds nicely to the mood it sets, almost like something you’d hear coming out of a dream.

Mark Korven scored Eggers first film, The Witch (2015), and is back again for another round. Korven also did the score for Vincenzo Natali’s Cube (1997) and the more recent In the Tall Grass (2019).

Soundtrack Review: The Wind

by in Reviews: Soundtrack and tagged , , | Leave a comment

The WindThe Wind (2018)
Released by Lakeshore Records
32 Tracks with a Total Running time of 64 min.
Music by Ben Lovett

Within the first note, it feels like composer Lovett went old school for this score. Since the film takes place in the old west, the first sound we hear is strings, from a violin or cello (I’m a music fan, but not an expert!), that sets the mood. In the film, we get a sense of wide open plains with nothing out there for as long as you can see, and Lovett brings that feeling through with this music.

I was surprised at some of the more faster tempos on some of the tracks, like #2 Demons of the Prairie, but he still using the strings, along with some percussions to keep that tension raised. Then when you get to tracks like # 6, We Shall Be Monsters, we get more of a quiet sound, with some wind instruments in there, as well as strings, creating a creepy mood, as if something is out there in the dark.

We first came across Lovett’s work in the 2007 low budget film The Signal and then more recently with The Ritual (2017). This score isn’t going to win you over by melodies or themes, but for an atmospheric piece that usually stays on the somber side, pounding up the tempo occasionally, it works well on its own. And even more so in the film itself, which I had seen before reviewing this score.

Mystery Photo 12-16

by in Mystery Photo and tagged | Leave a comment

Happy Monday! Sorry for the lack of updates this month, but with the holidays coming up, plus working on a lot of stuff for my Year End Reviews, it is taking more time than I planned! But hopefully it will be worth it. Okay…enough of that, lets get to the Mystery Photo! Our last photo was from the film Terror is a Man (1959). Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Michael Shields, and Vincent Simonelli. Well done!

So this week’s photo is a fun one, so hopefully a few of you out there recognize it. As always, please remember not to post your answers here so others can have a chance at it. Just send us your guess in an email (jon@kitleyskrypt.com). Good Luck!

mp121619

Soundtrack Review: The Void

by in Reviews: Soundtrack and tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Void soundtrackThe Void (2016)
Released by Lakeshore Records
32 Tracks with a Total Running time of 64 min.
Music by Blitz//Berlin, Joseph Murray, Menalon Music, & Lodewijk Vos

If you’re looking for a score that is more ambient sounds than an actual musical score, one that just might bring the Old Ones, or any forgotten deity back from the netherworld, this just might be the one. You’ll get no melodies, no quiet and soft piano keys here, but instead a vibration of sound coming through your speakers. In fact, there are times it almost seems like something is trying to escape from your speakers! It does an excellent job creating this mood with its buzzing, pounding, and other strange noises. A stellar job.

For example, track # 21 Sacrifices has a humming in the foreground while we hear some sort of distant chanting going on that creates an incredible amount atmosphere. I think this is where the beauty of this score lies, in its otherworldliness, with strange sounds and noises. When played loud enough… who knows what might happen!

I’m sorry it took me this long to track down this score. It was one of my favorite moves a couple of years ago and this score is one of the reasons why.

Best of the Decade?

by in Misc. Ramblings | 2 Comments

As 2019 comes to a close, it marks the start of a new decade, which also means the end of one. When I was going through my list of films that I’ve watched in 2019, to look for my Best Viewing pics, I realized that since this is the end of a decade, I should really go through and pick out my personal favorites that came out from 2010 to 2019. I’m still working on them and will (hopefully) have them done for my Year In Review postings in a few weeks.

So I’m throwing that idea out to everyone out there to do the same. If you keep a record of what you watch each year (which I strongly suggest you do), why not go through and jot down the titles that really impressed you over the last 10 years. You can always post them on Facebook, your own blog if you have one, or just wait until I post mine and you can reply in the comments. I’d love to read them!

Okay… back to work everyone!

Mystery Photo

by in Mystery Photo and tagged | Leave a comment

It seems the photo from last week was a bit too tough. Fair enough. The pic is from the movie Frostbiten (2006) and is a fun little vampire flick that takes place in the snow covered Sweden. Didn’t get any answers on this one so hopefully with this week’s photo, it will be a little easier. So let’s get at it!

As always, please don’t post your answers here so that others can have a chance at it. Just send us an email (jon@kitleyskrypt.com) with your guess. Good Luck!

mp120919

A Call to Arms: The Return of the Kryptic Army!

by in Kryptic Army | 2 Comments

Army Facebook Page

In 2010, the Kryptic Army was formed, where brave soldiers fought monthly battles, some much tougher than the last. But they stood tall and face those horrors with honor and pride. But once 2014 came to an end, when all the dust had settled, the wounded were cared for and mended, the war was over, and the soldiers were released from duty.

But now the call to arms has returned. To all the Veterans that served in the last 5-year battle, there are still more challenges ahead, if you wish to return to active duty. If you missed out on the Kryptic Army during those first 5 years, then now is your chance to stand up and show your merit. Continue reading →

Javier Aguirre – Rest in Peace

by in Rest in Peace and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Javier Aguirre - RIPJavier Aguirre is not a familiar names with most fans here in the US, mainly because he worked in Spain. But there are a couple of films that he directed that star Paul Naschy that you might be familiar with, Count Dracula’s Great Love and Hunchback of the Morgue, both in 1973. Aguirre has passed away at the age of 84 after a long illness. He was married to actress Esperanza Roy, who Spanish horror fans will remember from the second entry in the Blind Dead films, El ataque de los muertos sin ojos aka Return of the Evil Dead and Una vela para el diablo aka It Happened at Nightmare Inn, also both from 1973.

Being not only a director, but screenwriter, producer and even cinematographer, Aguirre was a true filmmaker. But we still have his work to remember him by, which is the best way to pay tribute to him, as well as the other people that worked on these films, by watching them and still enjoying them today. Gone, but not forgotten. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.