That’s right, folks. October may be over, but that just means that Turkey Day is approaching. And no, I don’t mean the Thursday that we sit around the table and stuff ourselves more than the Turkey you’re eating, but an even more important occasion…our Annual Turkey Day Marathon! And this year marks our 15th year of our little crazy tradition.
Firestarter
Released by Varèse Sarabande Records, 2017
11 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 42 min.
Music by Tangerine Dream
Not sure if my introduction to the work of Tangerine Dream was from Risky Business soundtrack. Later one, it was the score they did for Near Dark that really blew me away. But no matter which one you might have heard first, once you did, it was very easy to get hooked on their style and sound. And this score for Firestarter that they did back in 1984 is no different.
The music they came up with for this film is not a horror score at all, but one that is very…almost dreamy, if you will. Although track # 2, The Run, almost sounds like something an ’80s nightclub show, the main part of the score is slow and moody, working its way in the background, weaving its way into your brain.
While it is very recognizable that it is a Tangerine Dream score, I do have to say it’s not one of my favorites.
This was release as part of the Stephen King Collection from Varèse Sarabande Records.
For us horror fans, there is nothing like classic movies posters. Back when there was some amazing artwork, enticing audiences to come into the theater to see the latest picture. From the posters of the ’30s on up to the ’80s, there was some incredible artwork on those. But then something happened in the ’90s and it seems like the studios were going with basically photos of the stars in the movie. So much that many posters looked almost identical, like the Scream movies, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Halloween H2O, and so many more. So what happened?
Yesterday, I headed into the Chicago for the rescheduled Massacre, the 24-hour horror movie marathon at the Patio Theater. It was originally in October, but due to the rain coming into the theater, it was postponed until yesterday. As soon as I walked in the lobby, you could notice how cold it was in there. Apparently they turned on the hear around 10am but it took several hours for it to warm up a bit in the theater. I wish I would have brought my gloves! It really is a shame the issues this place has because the Patio is a beautiful theater.
Some of the unsung heroes of horror films and monster movies are the guys that are actually creating the creatures! Back in the ’80s, the special effects and makeup artists were just as famous as the actors and directors, but that seems to have faded away. Sure, there are still names like Savini and Baker, but there are still so many talented people, working long and hard hours, to help bring these cinematic terrors to life. Now thanks to Heather A. Wixson, we can hear from several of the guys & gals in the trenches.
If you’re a fan of Stephen King and love soundtracks, then you are probably going to love this bit of news. Varèse Sarabande Records has announced an 8-CD set that has the soundtracks for four of King’s films. They are:
Dreamcatcher (2003) – Composer James Newton Howard’s score on 2-CDs
Firestarter (1984) – Tangerine Dream
The Stand (1994) – Composer W.G. Snuffy Walden’s score on 2-CDs
The Shining (1997) – Composer Nicholas Pike’s score on 3-CDs
For most people, yesterday was an ordinary Monday, heading back to work after our short but sweet weekend. But for me, I had plans for that evening after work….heading into Chicago to the Music Box Theatre to catch three movies at their Cinepocalypse Film Festival. Granted, the idea of watching movies until close to 2am, after being up at 5am to go to work that morning, didn’t seem like the smartest thing to do. But when you have the chance to see an old classic, as well as two new films, all from different countries and from directors I like, it seemed like I had no other choice.
As if I didn’t love the Music Box Theatre enough already, they have made a deal with Scorpion Releasing to distribute a few of Scorpion’s titles on Blu-ray and DVD, through their Doppelgänger Releasing division. The first of these titles to be coming out is one of my personal favorites of Dario Argento, his 1987 film Opera, which should be out before the end of this year. With the release of Suspiria from Synapse Films, this is going to make a great way to end the year for Italian horror fans.
Now that the Halloween season is official over, though for most of us, it’s never is over, we will continue on with what we do every day….celebrating the horror genre! And what better what to do that then start off with a little pictorial puzzle, right? But before we get to this week’s, let us go over our last photo. It was from the 1964 film Castle of Blood, starring the alluring Barbara Steele. Unfortunately, we only got one person that recognized this shot and that was Hoby Abernathy. Well done, my friend!
So I can’t honestly say that this one is going to be much easier. Really could be a shot from a dozen or so movies. But let us see who might be able to pick out the right one. That is half the run, right? Making your brain do a little digging? Well take a look below and see what you can come up with.
As always, please do not post your answers here so others can have a go at it. Just send your guess to us in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
Horror Rises from the Tomb / The Killer is One of Thirteen
Released by Quartet Records
17 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 34.13
Music by Carmelo Bernaola & Alfonso Santisteban
Listen up folks, the fact that I even have this chance to review a soundtrack for not one, but TWO Paul Naschy movies is something that I never thought would be possible. Plus the fact that one of the films is the first Naschy flick I had ever seen, and still remains my favorite, Horror Rises from the Tomb. So I am more than a wee bit stoked when this came in the mail.
