Category: ArtScopeTO

In Memoriam: Ennio Morricone

Tribute to one of the greatest film composers, Italy’s Ennio Morricone, who passed away at 91.

Jess Franco’s Polar Erotica: CRIES OF PLEASURE (1983) + NIGHT OF OPEN SEX (1983)

Severin’s mining of the Jess Franco-Golden Films Internacional S.A. Productions catalogue continues with two polar gems from 1983, CRIES OF PLEASURE + NIGHT OF OPEN SEX, both on beautiful bodacious Blu.

Making a Toothy Debut with Death Machine (1994)

Before BLADE (1998) came DEATH MACHINE (1994), Stephen Norrington’s directorial debut…

Podcast: Jason Pichonsky on Restoring Julian Roffman’s THE BLOODY BROOD (1959) + PHOBIA (1980)

Alongside a podcast with CanCon film historian Jason Pichonsky are revised reviews of Julian Roffman’s THE BLOODY BROOD (1959) + John Huston’s PHOBIA (1980), both from KINO Lorber / Unobstructed View.

Podcast: ANNE WITH AN E composers Amin Bhatia & Ari Posner

Podcast interview with ANNE WITH AN E’s composing team Amin Bhatia and Ari Posner.

Podcast: Austin Wintory’s REMNANTS + ERICA (2019)

In a new podcast, composer Austin Wintory discusses scoring the interactive PS4 video game ERICA + the eclectic music on the compilation album REMNANTS.

BR: Cries of Pleasure / Gemidos de placer (1983)

Cries of Pleasure / Gemidos de placer (1983) focuses on a Libertine’s new girlfriend who soon meets his wife, newly released from – where else – an asylum, but Cries is credited as…

BR: Night of Open Sex / La noche de los sexos abiertos (1983)

That interplay between calm and vulgar could be the film’s most consistent element: for some easy cash, Moira (Lina Romay) is asked by a client to help him extract truth from Tina Klaus…

BR: Death Machine (1994)

Film: Very Good Transfer:  Excellent Extras: n/a Label:  Turbine Medien Region: Region B Released:  2015 Genre:  Science-Fiction / Horror Synopsis: After being promoted as CEO of a highly profitable arms corporation, Hayden Cale finds her rejection of a resident development whiz lethal when he unleashes his personal death machine – all teeth, no love. Special Features:  Director’s Cut […]

Bandolero! (1968) + 100 Rifles (1969) and au revoir to Twilight Time

Reviews of two Raquel Welch westerns – BANDOLERO! (1968) + 100 RIFLES (1969), and Twilight Time bids farewell!

BR: Bandolero! (1968)

Twilight Time’s stellar Blu-ray features one of the heaviest fact-filled commentary tracks by Cinema Retro’s Lee Pfeiffer, historian Paul Scrabo, and Dean Martin biographer Tony Latino…

LP: John and Mary (1969)

Written during his busiest period (1968-1970), Quincy Jones’ score for John and Mary was quite sparse, leaving obligatory space for the film’s myriad dialogue exchanges and source music, but the score is memorable for being atypical of the material Jones was writing at the time: action comedies (The Italian Job, The Hell with Heroes), comedies (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,Cactus Flower), and the funky style of They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!

CD: Runaway Train (1985)

For some soundtrack fans, it was a bit of surprise to learn the composer of pioneering synth scores had begun his career with large orchestral scores for John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal (1982)…

LP: Bourne Identity, The (2002)

The first film in the enduring franchise gave John Powell the perfect opportunity to write what remains both his definitive action sound, and the definitive action score of that decade, blending large orchestral sounds with layers upon layers of electronics…