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Vinyl Review: Martin OST

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70s_Fisher_Price_toy_record_player_playing_Stairway_to_Heaven

 

In 1977, George A. Romero released Martin, a modern vampire story. The film follows a young man, who is believed to be an 84 year old vampire, as he goes to live with his cousin in a small town in Pennsylvania. The film plays with the idea and mythology of vampirism wonderfully, portraying Martin as both evil and innocent throughout the film. We see him kill, we see he recount his evil doings, and yet the audience is always left questioning whether or not he is truly evil. What drives this point across in the most spectacular way is Donald Rubinstein’s score. A beautiful mix of classical inspired pieces mixed with jazz and haunting vocals, the soundtrack for Martin is a gorgeous example of film scoring. Now, thanks to the fine folks over at Ship to Shore PhonoCo, A Light In the Attic, and One Way Static we can experience the score in one of the best ways possible.

Martin Artwork

Official artwork for the Ship to Shore PhonoCo. Martin vinyl.

 

Right off the bat, the artwork captures the look and feel of the film. Gothic, modern, and very playful with the theme of Martin being a fake vampire. The contrast between the cheap fake vampire teeth and the bloody razor are a simple and elegant way of portraying the film, and its score, playful nature with its very serious content. The soundtrack is printed on a thick 180 gram vinyl and is taken from the original negative print of the score, ensuring great sound. The sleeve includes liner notes from both Donald Rubinstein and actor John Amplas. Rubinstein’s notes paint a picture of what he went through composing the score. He talks about writing the score, basing it mostly of the script alone, his influences, meeting George, where he was at at that point in his life and career, as well as talking about the stark contrasts in the score. It is always great getting more perspective from the composer years after the score has been made, and Rubinstein is a great storyteller and very insightful. Now its time to run some wax.

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The opening theme “The Calling”, sets the tone using a slow beat with gothic tones. This, with the operatic singing, help establishes the film with one foot in the past as a reminder of early vampire films like Nosferatu and Dracula. At the same time the piece is very hypnotic, like the voice is calling out to someone. I love this because it reminds me of Dracula quite a bit, how through out the novel his calls out to Jonathan and his fiance. It is a very hauntingly beautiful piece and the score does a great job of reprising this piece at key moments. But the soundtrack doesn’t just play haunting music, alot of the soundtrack is jazz.

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There are pieces from this soundtrack that make me forget I am listening to a soundtrack, “Back To Me” is one of them. The jazz pieces are a large reason why the film is considered hip and modern. It helps establish Martin and the viewers in the now and at times helps to add fuel to the chaos happening on the screen. When the jazz is mixed with the gothic pieces it helps to create an environment of chaos, innocence, but also of a man of two times. As John Amplas said in the liner notes: “It moves from gothic romance to operatic heights swirling into chaotic jazz filled with tension and soul. Its original and it motivates the story.”

One way to judge a soundtrack is if the piece works on its own, and Donald Rubinstein’s score for Martin not only drive the films major themes, but its stand on its own two feet. This is a beautiful soundtrack that has been given a fantastic and worthy release. I would highly recommend this not only for fans of horror soundtracks, but fans of music in general. MOJO Magazine named it as one of the “Top 100 Coolest Soundtracks Of All Time” and it is very true. There are multiple variants of this record being sold in addition to regular 180 gram black being sold by different companies and they are:

Ship To Shore PhonoCo is selling a black & white swirl called Transylvanian Flashback. Limited to 500

Light in the Attic (US) and One Way Static (UK) are selling a Marble “Blood” Red. Limited to 500.

All three are selling 180 gram black was well and those are limited to 1000.

TRACK LISTING

A1. The Calling / Main Title
A2. Train Attack
A3. Phased
A4. Tat Cuda’s House
A5. Martin At The Butcher Shop
A6. Antique Chase With Villagers
A7. Garlic Chase #6
A8. Martin Goes To The City
A9. Christina Leaves
A10. Halloween
A11. Modern Vamp

B1. Chant
B2. The Calling (Reprise)
B3. Braddock / Chase
B4. Back To Me
B5. Crawling Sequence
B6. Martin Martin Martin
B7. Marie – Interlude
B8. Evocation
B9. Fly By Night
B10. Exorcism / Classical Funk
B11. Stake, Well Done!

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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