Wir führen unsere Reise mit zwei italienischen Polizeifilmen fort und es handelt sich um ausgesprochene Perlen des Genres. Zum einen haben wir da „Der unerbittliche Vollstrecker“ aka La Polizia sta a guadare aka Ransom! police is watching aka The great Kidnapping von Roberto Infascelli mit der Traumbesetzung Enrico María Salerno und Lee J Cobb! Weiters wirken Jean Sorel, Laura Belli und Luciana Paluzzi mit sowie viele bekannte Gesichter des Genres. Veredelt wird der Film mit einem Score von einem musikalischen Meister dieses Filmgenres, Stelvio Cipriani.
Zum anderen begeben wir uns nach Bari, Apulien - „Die Killer der Apocalypse“ aka La legge violenta della Squadra Anticrimine aka Cross Shot von Polizeifilm Spezialist Stelvio Massi. Auch hier eine imposante Besetzung mit John Saxon, Lee J Cobb, Renzo Palmer, Lino Cappolicchio, sowie Thomas Hunter.
Beide Filme wurden mit Bonusmaterial von Mike Malloy ausgestattet, dem Macher von Eurocrime! Bei „Der unerbittliche Vollstrecker“ gibt es ein Featurette über Lee J Cobb über seine Zeit speziell in Italien. Bei „Die Killer der Apocalypse“ gibt es ein informatives Interview mit John Saxon über seine Abenteuer in Italien.
Beide sind wie gewohnt mit dem Score ausgestattet.
Alle Details hier. Die Auflagen setzen sich wie folgt zusammen.
Der unerbittliche Vollstrecker (CP 12)
Cover A - Italienisches Plakat A - 250
Cover B - Italienisches Plakat B - 250
Cover C - deutsches VHS Cover - 250
Cover D - französisches Plakat (mit deutschem Titel) - 250
Cover E - finnisches VHS Cover (mit deutschem Titel) - 150
Die Killer der Apocalypse (CP 13)
Cover A - Italienisches Plakat A - 250
Cover B - Italienisches Plakat B - 250
Cover C - deutsches VHS Cover - 350
Cover D - italienisches Soggettone - 250
Veröffentlichungstermin ist der 4. Februar 2022.
We continue our journey with two Italian police films and they are downright gems of the genre. On the one hand we have Ransom! Police is watching aka The great Kidnapping aka La Polizia sta a guadare aka Der unerbittli he Vollstrecker by Roberto Infascelli with the dream cast Enrico María Salerno and Lee J Cobb! Jean Sorel, Laura Belli and Luciana Paluzzi are also in the cast, as well as many familiar faces of the genre. The film is enhanced with a score by a musical master of this film genre, Stelvio Cipriani.
Secondly, we go to Bari, Apulia - Cross Shot aka La legge violenta della Squadra Anticrimine aka Die Killer der Apocalypse by police film specialist Stelvio Massi. Again an impressive cast with John Saxon, Lee J Cobb, Renzo Palmer, Lino Cappolicchio as well as Thomas Hunter.
Both films are equipped with bonus material by Mike Malloy, the maker of Eurocrime! On Ransom! Police is watching there is a featurette on Lee J Cobb about his time specifically in Italy. On Cross Shot there is an informative interview with John Saxon about his adventures in Italy.
Both feature the score as usual.
All the details here. The editions are made up as follows.
Ransom! police is watching (CP 12)
Cover A - Italian Locandia A - 250
Cover B - Italian Manifesto B - 250
Cover C - German VHS sleeve - 250
Cover D - French Poster (with German Title) - 250
Cover E - Finnish VHS sleeve (with German Title) - 150
Running time: 1:34:53 Minuten
Format : 2.35:1, 1080p
Sound: DTS-HD 2.0
Audio: German, Italian, English
Subtitles: German, English
Cross Shot (CP 13)
Cover A - Italian Locandia A - 250
Cover B - Italian Locandia B - 250
Cover C - German VHS sleeve - 350
Cover D - Italian Soggettone - 250
Running time: 1:30:20 minutes
Format: 1:85:1, 1080p
Sound: DTS-HD 2.0
Audio: German, Italian, English
Subtitles: English, german
Releasedate is February 4th 2022.
PAN/SCAN
Kosmonauter
CINEPLOIT
9/10
REMIX AND REWIND: The term “pan and scan” means different things to different people. For some, it’s a somewhat nostalgic look back on the days of VHS, and how the widescreen images of our favorite films were chopped and cropped to fit a home video aspect ratio. For Pan/Scan, it’s more of a metaphor for the musical ideas of one Christian Rzechak, who’s other project, Sospetto, has released four albums on Cineploit Records dedicated to the diverse cinematic styling of 1970s and 80s Italy.
Kosmonauter is something a bit different from Rzechak, but no less cinematic. Instead, the nostalgia here is for icy layers of synth that sound like glaciers forming out in space. It’s where artists like Tangerine Dream still rule the world with their grandiose and otherworldly symphonies. A place that’s plugged in and tethered to its instrument, yet also capable of floating off into the ether and letting the rhythmic, sequenced throb fill their brain with electronic, seratonic joy.
Fancy words aside, Kosmonauter is a must if you’re even remotely into the sounds of Steve Moore, Zombi, or Klaus Schulze. This six track effort isn’t exactly in the minimalist Krautrock vein of Tangerine Dream’s earliest work, but neither is it taking from that band’s latter period of shorter, more punctual songs. Instead, Rzechak seems to be taking that oft-imitated Tangerine Dream framework and trying to make it fit that “soundtrack for an imaginary film” template that’s also quite popular. The only thing is, Pan/Scan definitely does it better than most.
That’s because the songs on here, especially “Orientation” and “Levitation,” almost sound like excerpts from 2001 or Blade Runner. There’s an immediacy to the composition that’s both memorable and experimental, an approach that’s simple but effective. Kosmonauter starts slow and builds from the ground up with soft pulses and otherworldly melodies that are relaxing but also possess the potential for this somber feeling of dread.
Elsewhere, “Confrontation” ups the ante a bit, becoming more aggressive with its synthesized percussion, while “Acceleration” and “Finalisation” (sic) almost approach synthwave but stop short of stepping with both feet into that world. No, Kosmonauter isn’t so much an idealized version of the 1970s or 80s that didn’t exist, but rather something that potentially could’ve lived in that world. It’s also yet another outstanding release from the Cineploit label, where artists who are inspired by the past seem to be doing a great job at defining the future of electronic and cinematic music. ~ George Pacheco
https://outburn.com/music-reviews/pan-scan-kosmonauter/
LAWA
The Parallax View
CINEPLOIT
9/10
SOMETHING NEW WITH SYNTH: There is a ridiculous amount of retro inspired synth based and synthwave artists out there, perhaps too many to count, but the cream does rise to the top.
Case in point? LAWA, and their latest effort for the always reliable Cineploit Records, The Parallax View. The album takes its name from the classic paranoid political thriller from the 1970s and dives head first into some classic movie themes from the world of international genre cinema. LAWA itself is an acronym for its two members, Leonard Alain and Wank Alex, who have recorded musical tributes to specific composers in the past, such as Riz Ortolani, but this album stretches things a bit and runs the gamut with regards to style.
Sci-fi, giallo, horror, action, and good ol’ exploitation films all get the LAWA treatment here, which means that they get sliced, diced, and put into a pot of gooey synth excellence. They then emerge with fresh arrangements by Alain and Wank, giving them a taste that still evokes memories of their original cinematic flavor but with a bright spice that’s flavored by the duo’s seemingly boundless creativity.
The opening cut from Sergio Martino’s film 2019: After the Fall of New York retains that catchy, brassy refrain from composers Guido and Maurizio de Angelis, but LAWA makes it sound thicker and creepier. Yours truly actually wasn’t familiar with Jacques Revaux’s score to the 80s action flick Asphalt Warriors, but LAWA’s take on the hard driving theme makes me want to investigate further, while their chopping up of Ennio Morricone’s Revolver and Alessandro Alessandroni’s Killer Nun sound suitably twisted and unsettling.
Speaking of twisted, their post-punk PiL take on the 1976 giallo Plot of Fear is all fuzz, blown out speakers, and fucking glory, while their version of Nico Catanese’s Satan’s Baby Doll retains all of the original’s softcore Euro sleaze. There’s one original cut on here, the title track, and although the cover material is certainly appreciated, LAWA’s creative skill certainly demands a full-length of new material. “The Parallax View” is tense and anxiety inducing with driving percussion that one imagines is trying to replicate the film’s obscene paranoia. It kills.
Cineploit has made a its mark for a while now as a label with one of the most trustworthy roster of artists out there. You’re likely to strike gold even if you’ve never heard of the artist in question. That’s definitely the case here for anyone out there who hasn’t yet checked out anything from LAWA. Consider this one with a very high recommendation. ~ George Pacheco
Alain Leonard and Alex Wank aka LAWA are Viennas resident specialists in re-activating, recycling and reconstructing cult European Soundtrack Themes and this, their third album, follows Omaggio a Frizzi & Fulci (2012) and Omaggio a Riz Ortolani (2015) with an exploration of sounds from the outer limits of Italian and French Cinema of the 70´ s and 80 ´ s.
Employing a dark, brooding and deeply atmospheric electronic palette with occasional detectable echoes of Goblin and John Carpenter. LAWA bring their chosen Themes to life in a new and challenging way while remaining true to the spirit to the originals, wether they be the work of G & M de Angelis (After the Fall of New York), Alessandro Alessandroni (Killer Nun), Michel Legrand (The Outside Man) or Ennio Morricone (Revolver). Challenging and endlessly inventive, this is as rewarding a Programme of futuristic re-visitations, re-inventions an re-imaginings of a select Playlist of cult Euro soundtracks as you could hope to encounter.
Grahame Bent for SHINDIG! Magazin Februar 2021 * 4 Stars of 4
PAN/SCAN - KOSMONAUTER (Cine24)
Four years on from the debut album “Cinematic Lies”, the second release from SOSPETTO founder Christian Rzechak under the PAN/SCAN alias is heading your way. Inspired by old-school synthesizer soundscapes of the Berlin or Düsseldorf school, but with an atmospheric modern feel added, KOSMONAUTER is a pure electronic science fiction soundtrack to guide your dreams. Reminders of composers such as Jóhann Jóhannsson, Cliff Martinez or Steve Moore are quite intentional. The fusion of retro-futurism and contemporary electro-ambient innovations takes you on an exhilarating aural trip into the darkest, furthest reaches of infinite space!
Coming this December as coloured or black Vinyl LP/CD Set or as CD Edition.
LAWA is taking a Ride through the 70´ s and 80´ s of French and Italian cinema. From Michel Colombier, Michel Legrand and Jacques Revaux to Alessandro Alessandroni, Daniele Patucchi, Nico Catanese and G & M de Angelis. Not to forget the Master of them all, Morricone.
In their dark electronic Style these tracks appear in a new brilliance and proof the excellent handcraft these songs were done - and they were created by extraordinaire Composers. In some cases the versions of LAWA are close to the original others were idea giver for their own creation.
„THE PARALLAX VIEW“ (Cine 23) is coming as black or coloured Vinyl/CD Set or as CD Edition.
Both Titles out now and shipping!
SQUADRA ANTISCIPPO (CP 07) Blu-ray Mediabook available in 5 different sleeves, C-D still available, A+E sold out.
TECNICA DI UN OMICIDIO (CP 08) Blu-ray Mediabook available in 4 different sleeves. A sold out!
The next films will be
SQUADRA ANTISCIPPO aka DIE BULLEN AUF DEN HEIßEN FEUERSTÜHLEN aka THE COP IN BLUE JEANS (CP 07)
TECNICA DI UN OMICIDIO aka ICH HEIßE JOHN HARRIS aka HIRED KILLER (CP 08)
Both releases are coming as Mediabook Bluray, 28 pages booklet + double sided Poster.
Release Date following soon!
RASHOMON are back with a wonderful release worth your cinematic ears! This fine album will be out on 180g Vinyl (300 copies on bone/orange mixed colour and 200 on solid black Vinyl) and as a CD edition in Gatefold Cardboard sleeve.
Out in October, exact release date tba.
Originally issued in 2011, Ashcan Copy is the third instalment in Rashomon’s Film Music series of LPs. Cineploit Records is proud to present this re-release, and to introduce the
record to a wider audience than the 150 lucky souls who snagged a copy of the ultra-limited initial release on Hlava Records.
Active since 2009, Rashomon is the solo project of Matt Thompson, also of Cineploit mainstays ZOLTAN. This is his second release on the label under the Rashomon name,
following 2014’s LP/DVD extravaganza The Cameraman’s Revenge: Film Music Vol. 4 (Cine 09) – the final release in the Film Music series to date.
The previous edition to this, 2009’s The Finishing Line: Film Music Vol. 2, had focused on re-creating the psychological mind-state of the wilder end of 1970s British public information films. By way of change Ashcan Copy is presented as an album of soundtrack cues fromfilms that were, for one reason or another, never released. The films, hailing from Italy, Japan and the USA (among others) supposedly date from the 1950s to the 1970s, and were (according to the extensive sleeve notes) exactingly sourced from film archives across Europe. In reality, all the music is self-composed. The eight tracks include elements of noise, folk, psychedelia, prog and noir-jazz within their elaborate constructions, created with a panoply of instrumentation including Mellotron, zither, home-made percussion, Fender Rhodes, harmonium, MiniMoog and more. Delicate and sensuous, heavy and oppressive – the record negotiates these musical contradictions while retaining a single-minded pursuit of strangeness and surprise.
Having finally found its spiritual home on cinematic specialist label Cineploit, Ashcan Copy can at last be heard by all.
