Ennio Morricone’s My Dear Killer OST

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 21, 2009

Categories | News, Soundtracks, Composers, Giallo, Ennio Morricone, George Hilton

George Hilton in My Dear Killer aka Mio Caro Assassino (1972)

This month Digitmovies is scheduled to release Ennio Morricone’s incredible score for the excellent giallo thriller My Dear Killer aka Mio Caro Assassino (1972). This will be the 9th volume from Italy’s Digitmovies devoted to the original soundtrack recordings of Ennio Morricone and if it’s as good as their previous releases Morricone fans are in for a real treat!

My Dear Killer happens to be one of my favorite giallo films and it was directed by Tonino Valerii who made some great Italian westerns such as My Name is Nobody (1973), but he is probably best known for his work as an assistant director to Sergio Leone during the making of A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965). My Dear Killer was Tonino Valerii’s only giallo film but it’s a smart, creative and surprising thriller that offered its talented star (George Hilton) one of his best roles. In the film Hilton plays a police inspector trying to solve a gruesome series of crimes that may or may not be connected to the kidnapping and murder of a young girl that took place years earlier. Besides George Hilton’s standout performance as Inspector Luca Peretti, My Dear Killer also features one of Ennio Morricone’s most creepy and effective scores.

A few of the tracks from Morricone’s soundtrack for My Dear Killer have been released before on compilation CDs, but the upcoming Digitmovies CD will mark the first time that Morricone’s complete score for My Dear Killer has been made available in any form.

This impressive soundtrack includes haunting vocals provided by the brilliant Edda Dell’Orso who worked closely with the composer on many of his best film scores. All together the CD contains a total of 17 remastered tracks and it’s available just in time for Halloween. If you’re a Morricone fan or just enjoy genuinely eerie film soundtracks you’re definitely going to want to pick up a copy of the My Dear Killer OST.

You can currently purchase new and used copies of the soundtrack for My Dear Killer aka Mio Caro Assassino at Amazon. At the moment these CDs are a little hard to come by since they’re imported from Italy but Digitmovies is still in the process of shipping out orders so check back at Amazon often.

The film is also available on DVD from Amazon and you should be able to rent it at Netflix.com or Greencine.com

I’ve posted the trailer for My Dear Killer aka Mio Caro Assassino below since it also features samples of Ennio Morricone’s score, but if you’ve never seen the movie before you might want to avoid watching it. It’s a great clip (not exactly work safe) but it also happens to be one of the most spoiler filled trailers I’ve ever seen.

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On DVD This Week: Left Bank!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 16, 2009

Categories | News, Horror, Modern Mondays

Left Bank (aka Linkeroever) has been released on DVD from IFC Films/MPI Home Video just in time for Halloween! I was thrilled to find a quote by yours truly gracing the DVD cover that lets potential viewers know that I thought Left Bank was “Just as important as LET THE RIGHT ONE” and “One of the Best Horror Films of the Past 10 Years.”

These quotes all come from my earlier review of Left Bank and I proudly stand behind both of my statements. It’s unfortunate that Left Bank didn’t get the same kind of critical attention that Let the Right One got when it was initially released in 2008, but not too surprising. Left Bank is an unusual and atypical horror movie that borrows ideas from some of horror cinema’s most esoteric films. I suspect that it will never appeal to the same wide reaching audience that appreciated Let the Right One In, but I think horror film enthusiasts with eclectic tastes will find Left Bank to be an exciting and worthwhile viewing experience. Hopefully this new DVD release will introduce the film to a much wider and more appreciative audience.

From the Left Bank DVD Description:
“In this graphically shocking and internationally acclaimed debut feature by Belgian writer/director Peter Van Hees, Eline Kuppens stars as a dedicated professional runner sidelined by an infection. But when she impulsively decides to move into her new boyfriend s high-rise apartment on the outskirts of Antwerp, she will discover that his perfect home may hold strange powers and even darker secrets: Their sexual passion becomes extreme. Her body undergoes bizarre changes. The previous tenant disappeared under mysterious circumstances. And deep within the building s dark basement lurks an ancient evil that waits to be reborn. Welcome to a neighborhood where obsession meets madness, history is written in blood, and modern horror is alive and well in a place called LEFT BANK.”

This new NTSC DVD release features a widescreen print of the film as well as English and Spanish subtitles. You can currently purchase the DVD from Amazon and it should be available for rent from Netflix as well as other DVD rental outlets.

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Lee Marvin Goes Retro

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 25, 2009

Categories | News, Actors, Cinema Retro, Lee Marvin

The latest issue of Cinema Retro arrived in my mailbox yesterday and it boasts a colorful picture of Lee Marvin during the making of Prime Cut (1972) that literally jumps right off the cover. As a long time Lee Marvin devotee I was thrilled to discover that the magazine had unearthed a lengthy interview with Marvin that had never been published before. The interview was conducted by writer Steve Mori during the making of The Klansman in 1974. Marvin offers up lots of insightful antidotes about his film career and it’s a pleasure to read. He was an incredibly smart man who lived a fascinating life and he obviously loved his job. Acting came naturally to Lee Marvin and he brought an honesty and edginess to his roles that is also on display during the interviews he did.

In Steve Mori ’s interview with Marvin the actor shares some great stories about working with other actors such as Toshiro Mifune on the set of the excellent WW2 drama Hell in the Pacific (1968). He also doesn’t shy away from discussing the disagreements he had with studios or other actors such as Paul Newman during the making of Pocket Money (1972). If you’re even the slightest bit interested in Lee Marvin the new issue of Cinema Retro is a must read!

Besides the interview with Lee Marvin, other highlights from the new issue of Cinema Retro include Steve Saragossi’s detailed look at the terrific Lee Marvin film Prime Cut, a nice overview of the Christopher Lee’s Fu Manchu films, an interview with British actress Shirley Anne Field, an interesting take on John Schlesinger’s Billy Liar (1962). It also features lots of film news, DVD and soundtrack reviews as well as many follow-up articles to pieces from previous issues such as the second part of Steve Saragossi’s interview with American actor James Caan and an ongoing look at The Man from U.N.C.L.E. films.

You can purchase the latest issue of Cinema Retro at their official website: cinemaretro.com

Lee Marvin fans might also enjoy checking out a new interview with director Jim Jarmusch that was recently posted at the Criterion Collection film site. In one of the clips Jarmusch humorously discusses his association with The Sons of Lee Marvin.

Recommended Read:
- Previous Lee Marvin coverage here at Cinebeats

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New Blog: Mid-Century Living

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 22, 2009

Categories | News

Yes, you read that right. I’ve created a another blog. Since I can’t seem to focus on anything but my up coming move and the prospect of finally owning my own home, I’ve decided to share my experiences and various other stuff at a new blog I’m calling Mid-Century Living. This does not mean I’m going to stop updating Cinebeats. It simply means that my true love is writing and I really enjoy blogging so if you’re utterly bored or happen to enjoy mid-century design and want some house hunting tips, decor ideas, etc. please feel free to stop by my latest blog project and say hello!

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Jim Carroll 1949-2009

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 14, 2009

Categories | News

“I’m lost again as I am waking
as a wave would wake had it reached the shore:
It’s like movement, something which bores us terribly,
but remains for a time to be never forgotten. ”
- Jim Carroll (from Living At the Movies)

Recommended Links:
- Jim reading “Just Visiting” from The Book of Nods
- His obituary in the NY Times
- Catholic Boy

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Congratulations Mr. Corman!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 11, 2009

Categories | News, Directors, American Cinema, Oscars, Roger Corman

One of my favorite filmmakers will be getting an Honorary Oscar this year! Surprising news came out of Hollywood this morning when the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Roger Corman, along with actress Lauren Bacall and cinematographer Gordon Willis will all be recipients of a much deserved Lifetime Achievement Award.

Disappointingly, the Academy has decided not to televise the event and viewers will no longer be able to see these people receive their Lifetime Achievement Awards. Since my main motivation to watch the Oscars every year is to see the Lifetime Achievement Awards handed out to previously neglected artists I find this turn of events extremely disappointing. I guess the Academy plans to fill airtime with more terrible musical numbers? Who knows. But I suspect that they’ll be loosing lots of viewers like myself who get the most enjoyment from the montage sequences and hope for an opportunity to see old Hollywood mix with new Hollywood. Sadly it seems that old Hollywood isn’t worthy of television time anymore.

Corman is no stranger to getting Awards. He has his own star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and in 1996 he was honored by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association with a Career Achievement Award just to name a few of his career accomplishments, but this will be Roger Corman’s first Oscar.

Congratulations Mr. Corman!

News Links:
- Offical Press Release from the Academy
- The Los Angeles Times Story
- The New York Times Story

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New John Dankworth Compilation

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 12, 2009

Categories | News, Soundtracks, Composers, British Cinema, Dirk Bogarde, Joseph Losey

Laurence Harvey, Julie Christie & Dirk Bogarde in Darling (1965)

During the recent Dirk Bogarde movie marathon on TCM I ended up watching John Schlesinger’s Darling (1965) again which stars Dirk Bogarde along with the wonderful Julie Christie and jaw-droppingly gorgeous Laurence Harvey. I’ve seen the film many times before but I love all three of the film’s stars so I never get tired of watching it. Besides the actors and Schlesinger’s impressive direction, another reason that I find Darling incredibly watchable is the film’s great score by British composer John (aka Johnny) Dankworth. Dankworth was an amazing talent and he’s responsible for composing the soundtracks for some of my favorite British films of the ’60s. He also created music for terrific television shows like the original Avengers.

After watching Darling again I decided to try and hunt down a copy of the film’s soundtrack online. Unfortunately I had no luck, but I did discover that a new John Dankworth compliation CD has just been released called Let’s Slip Away - Film and TV 1960-1973.

Let’s Slip Away is the first CD compilation of John Danworth’s scores so if you’re a fan of his music you’ll definitely want to get yourself a copy. This impressive 2 CD set from Eclipse in the UK features over 40 music tracks and includes theme music from Darling as well as Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Karel Reisz; 1960), The Servant (Joseph Losey; 1963), Morgan: A Suitable Case For Treatment (Karel Reisz; 1966), Modesty Blaise (Joseph Losey; 1966) and Accident (Jospeh Losey; 1967). The collection also includes extensive notes by Workers Playtime DJ Martin Green.

The official Eclipse site calls Let’s Slip Away “Beautifully cool jazz-pop from the days before Johnny started calling himself John and getting all serious on your ass.”

Sounds good to me!

The CD collection was released earlier this month and you can currently find new copies at Amazon selling for about $18.75, but there seems to be a glaring error on the website that also lists the CD for $170. Ignore that ridiculous price! If you can’t get new copies of the CD at Amazon I highly recommend picking up a copy at my favorite online soundtrack shop Movie Grooves.

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