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Goblins wage war on bologna sandwiches in TROLL 2

By Bill Cooke • Mar 6th, 2008 • Category: Roundtable Reviews

This week at the House of Shame we watched TROLL 2 (1990), that legendary train wreck of a movie from Italian exploitation potentate Joe D’Amato. In true Italian spirit, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the original TROLL. But the defiance doesn’t end there …



Morricone Classic “Navajo Joe” is a Scream!

By Bill Cooke • Feb 8th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

Ennio Morricone’s audacious score to the Italian western NAVAJO JOE (1966) is one of the composer’s kitschiest, most inspired accomplishments, and it finally comes to CD from the prolific vintage soundtrack label, Film Score Monthly.



Brutal, uncompromising, “Chato’s Land” soundtrack is a winner!

By Bill Cooke • Jan 27th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

CHATO’S LAND (1972) marks the first time tough-guy Charles Bronson acted for British film director Michael Winner, an association that led to five additional features, including the hit-man classic THE MECHANIC and the controversial revenge drama DEATH WISH.



The Real Clash of the Titans

By Bill Cooke • Jan 13th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

Still capable of rousing moppets into a fist-clenched frenzy of cheers, Toho’s multi-cultural match of the titans, KING KONG VS. GODZILLA, is still—in this cynical age of computer-generated “perfection”—a funny and exciting epic adventure… at least the original Japanese version is.



Music to Slay Vampires By

By Bill Cooke • Jan 10th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

After disappearing from the scene for a few years, GDI Records is back, continuing their exploration of Hammer soundtracks with this nice album devoted to one of the British film company’s oddest creations.



WAIT until you hear this Mancini soundtrack

By Bill Cooke • Jan 7th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

Mostly known for his light, tuneful and pop-oriented music, Henry Mancini is not the first name one thinks of when it comes to horror and suspense. Nevertheless, the jazz-roots composer of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (1962) and THE PINK PANTHER series excelled at painting grimmer aural pictures whenever the opportunity arose.



ALIEN: The complete soundtrack is finally here!

By Bill Cooke • Jan 5th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

A Holy Grail to soundtrack collectors for the past 28 years, Jerry Goldsmith’s complete underscore to the classic ALIEN is finally here thanks to the ever diligent Intrada label.



Mad, Mod & Macabre: The Ronald Stein Collection

By Bill Cooke • Jan 4th, 2008 • Category: Soundtrack Reviews

If you’re a fan of Roger Corman films and the ‘B’ movie catalog of American International Pictures, you’ve most likely grooved, shivered and thrilled to the musical beats and strains of composer Ronald Stein, whether conscious of it or not.