Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Soundtrack Review: The Thing (1982)

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

The Thing (Re-Release)
Released in 2011 by BuySoundtrax Records
16 Tracks with a total running time of 61 min.
Music by Ennio Morricone & John Carpenter

I can’t believe I had never reviewed this score here! Next to Carpenter’s score for The Fog, this has been my favorite of his work. Yes, this is a collaboration between him and Ennio Morricone, but since I’m not sure either of them came out and said specifically who did each of the bits of music, I’m going to concentrate this review on the score as a whole. Though, I will say that when I first bought the LB soundtrack to this, listening to it over and over again, I do remember thinking “damn . . . there are some parts in here that sound a LOT like something Carpenter would have done!”

Continue reading →

Soundtrack Review: The Uninvited

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

The Uninvited
Released in 2009 by Lakeshore Records
15 Tracks, with a total running time of 48:44 min.
Music Composed by Christopher Young

We’ve been a fan of Young’s music since our first viewing of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, which remains one of our favorites to this day. We had not seen this particular film before hearing this score, so we were very interested in seeing the musical journey Young was going to take us on and we were not disappointed.

Continue reading →

Movie Review: It!

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

(1967)
Directed by Herbert J. Leder
Starring Roddy McDowall, Jill Haworth, Paul Maxwell, Aubrey Richards, Ernest Clark, Oliver Johnston, Noel Trevarthen, Ian McCulloch.

Another title from my childhood that I first saw on TV one afternoon. I already knew who Roddy McDowall was because of The Planet of the Apes movies and TV series, as well as a few other films and TV shows he was known for. This was a viewing that came early in my years of a horror film fan, but way before I was remembering titles and such. But when I started getting some film books and saw the title creature, I knew I had seen that before, and then set out finding a copy. Funny thing was that this one seemed to take forever before it came out on DVD! I don’t believe it ever got a VHS release, or if it did, I could never find a copy. Instead, I had to do with a TV print that someone had recorded from late night TV. But at that point, I was just thrilled to be able to revisit it. Of course, now it had been put out on DVD, on a double feature disc with The Shuttered Room (1967), another title that took forever to get a release.

Continue reading →

Soundtrack Review: Who Can Kill a Child?

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

Who Could Kill a Child?
Released by Singular Soundtrack, 2010
54 tracks total, with a complete running time of 1:52:13.
Music composed, arranged, and conducted by Waldo de los Rios

While the film starts out with a child humming a little tune, followed by children’s laughter, it is only scary when you know what the rest of the film brings. That is exactly how the soundtrack plays out. There are a lot of tracks that start off like a child’s song, innocent sounding, only to start to be twisted into something with a strange or darker tone to it, such in tracks like The Desert Island, The Game, and Weird Games. There are a few tracks in the beginning that are in more of the romantic elements, like the tracks Night Talk (Love Theme) or To the Island.

Continue reading →

April Ghouls Drive-In Monster Rama

by in Movie Events and tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The lineup for this year’s April Ghouls Drive-in Monster Rama has been announced! And if you’re a fan of the ’80s, then you’re going to be in for a real treat. Such a great mixture of titles, from renowned classics to some great titles that you’ll have the chance to see on the big screen.

Tickets are only $10 per person each night, plus there is camping available on both Friday and Saturday. For more information, head over to either www.riversidedrivein.com or dvddrive-in.com.

Movie Review: I Spit on Your Grave

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

Directed by Meir Zarchi
Starring Camille Keaton, Eron Tabor, Richard Pace, Anthony Nichols, Gunter Kleemann

This is one that the title alone is remembered sometimes more than the movie. It is one that activists and critics love to point out as cruel exploitations and the way women are treated in horror films. But obviously, they have never seen the film before they lay down their criticism. Because if they have, they would have realized that this is not shown from the point of view of the rapists, but of the victim and of the heinous crime that rape is. That didn’t stop both Siskel and Ebert from trashing it, not only hated the film but Ebert called it “sick, reprehensible and contemptible.” No kidding, Roger. When you have rape as the subject matter, what do you expect? All fun and games? One would have to do is listen to the audio commentary from Joe Bob Briggs and to hear some of the silly stuff that has been said about this title, as well as making you really see the film for what it is.

Continue reading →

Mystery Photo 2-7

by in Mystery Photo and tagged

Welcome to another Monday. I was so excited about the day starting that I forgot to post today’s new photo. Or something like that. Hope everyone is doing well out there and doing their best to hold it together. Just try to stay positive. Our photo from last week was from the man from Gleason, Wisconsin, Mr. Bill Rebane, and the film was his possessed piano movie, The Demons of Ludlow (1983). Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Kevin Hart, Bob Hartman, Gary McGuire, and Mark Turner. Anytime you can recognize a film from Mr. Rebane is a time to rejoice! Or maybe more of a badge of courage!

Today’s photo did not come from Wisconsin, and that is the only clue you’re getting! So, take a peek and see what you think! Just remember to email me your guess, at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

Mom n Pop Documentary

by in Movie Events | 6 Comments

My favorite job of all time was when I worked in a movie theater. My second one though was at a video store in the mid ’80s. It was great getting first dibs on any new releases that came out, as well as going through their catalog of titles that I hadn’t seen yet. Of course, there is all the promo items we’d get that I would snag any and all that I could get my hands on.

Continue reading →

Paul Kelman – Rest in Peace

by in Rest in Peace and tagged , , | 2 Comments

With all the slasher films that came out in the late ’70s and early ’80s, one of my favorites has always been My Bloody Valentine (1981). Not sure if it was because the location where the killer was stalking was different than all the summer camp ones, or that the killer looked so damn scary in all that miner getup, but either way, I think the film worked, and still works, even today. But we recently lost a cast member from that memorable film, Paul Kelman, who played T.J., one of the minors stuck down deep in the earth with a killer with a pitchfork!

While he only played in one other horror title, Black Roses (1988), he will still be remembered from fans, not only because of that role, but also his relationship with his fans. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Movie Review: Deadgirl (2008)

by in Reviews: Movies and tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Directed by Marcel Sarmiento & Gadi Harel
Starring Shiloh Fernandez, Noah Segan, Michael Bowen, Candice Accola, Andrew DiPalma, Eric Podnar, Nolan Gerard Funk, Jenny Spain

Ricky and JT, two high school friends and delinquents, decide to skip school one day and head to a local asylum that has been closed for years. During their wanderings, destruction of property, and being chased by a wild dog, they come across something that changes their life and their friendship forever: a naked woman tied to a medical gurney. At first, they think she’s dead, but then she moves. While they try to decide just what to do with her, things get even stranger.

Continue reading →