Archives

The Death of a Bully: Blockbuster Canada

Review of Taylor Morden’s THE LAST BLOCKBUSTER (2020) from Passion River on Blu + seeing the behemoth wither, self-flagellate, and die from the Canadian side.

Rebel Without Much of a Plot: Laserblast (1978)

Review of LASERBLAST (1978), Charles Band’s eccentric sci-fi production, starring Kim Milford, Cheryl Smith, and a powerful alien pineapple!

Alain Jessua’s Shock Treatment (1973)

Review of Severin’s lovely Blu-ray of Alain Jessua’s SHOCK TREATMENT / TRAITEMENT DE CHOC (1973), starring Alain Delon and Annie Girardot.

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: Last Blockbuster, The (2020)

There’s a tall tale in how a video rental chain that peaked in 2004 with over 9,000 locations and 84,000 staffers globally now exists as one store in Bend, Oregon, run by a family and loyal staffers…

DVD: Laserblast (1978)

The production of Laserblast in 1978 seems to be the net result of good timing which enabled a slight idea to quickly blossom into a full-fledged movie, but with a tight budget and a semi-coherent script…

BR: Shock Treatment / Traitement de choc (1973)

It’s a little challenging to define Alain Jessua’s odd little thriller, which is neither a full horror film nor blatant satire of chi-chi health clinics…

DVD: Day Time Ended, The (1979)

Although a fair share of the images within the original movie poster do appear within The Day Time Ended, this clumsily designed sci-fi is…

BR: Death Laid an Egg / La morte ha fatto l’uovo / Plucked (1968)

Giulio Questi’s Death Laid an Egg will probably rank as the strangest giallo ever produced, if not a leading example of Cinema Bizarre…

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…