SIMON BOSWELL Stage Fright LP

SIMON BOSWELL Stage Fright LP

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(Flick Records)
*** This is a new and unplayed item, direct from the CRUCIAL BLAST shop. ***

DESCRIPTION FROM CRUCIAL BLAST:
   There's probably a good chance you haven't seen Michele Soavi's phantasmal 1987 slasher Stage Fright, even if you're a fan of horror films from the era. Although it's been reissued several times in recent years and continues to build a cult following, this was generally overlooked by horror audiences, and was out of print here in the US for ages following the VHS release of the film (titled Deliria for that format). But it's a personal favorite of mine, ultra-violent and ultra-stylish, with one of the most unique-looking killers in the slasher canon. The ritualistic plotting of 80's slasher cinema is certainly present here, with Stage Fright following a troupe of theatre actors desperately trying to escape from an escaped madman who has locked them in their theatre, hunting them one by one. But Soavi (a protege of Dario Argento) escalates the weirdness, putting a giant owls head mask on his killer that give his scenes a bizarre, uncanny vibe, and the doomed actors are subjected to some truly brutal death sequences, part of a generally nihilistic mood that surrounds the film and ranks it as one of the more mean-spirited and vicious contributions to the slasher genre. Can't recommend it enough if you've got a taste for highly stylized Italian slasher films from the 80s, as you'll not see anything else quite like it. For the film's score, Soavi enlisted Simon Boswell to create the musical backdrop for this gore-splattered nightmare, and it's another one of my favorites from the period, though some contemporary listeners might see it as being a "cheesier" example of 80's horror film music.
    Sure, there's a distinctly 80's feel to Boswell's drum programming and synthetic choral sounds, but that's part of the appeal for me. It's actually a quite odd blend of modern electronic music and gothic atmosphere that he employs here, along with some of the industrial elements that often crept into his scores. His "Aquarius Theme" is a lush fusiony phantasia of over-the-top synth-bass and jazzy electric piano that reminds me of some of Keith Emerson's more decadent compositions for the Italians, and sets the stage for the delirious electronic-based sounds that follow. The score moves from dreamy elliptical arpeggios that have an almost Phillip Glass-esque vibe ("Hieronymus") and washes of jet-black electronic ambience that ripple with echoes of early Carpenter ("Bloody Bird"), to pounding electro-rock anthems like "Deliria" replete with staccato hard rock guitars and screaming solos, driven by blood-pumping tempos that give some of this an almost motorik momentum for some of the more action-heavy sequences. On the mournful "Requiem For An Owl", Boswell weaves lilting synth-flute melodies around ethereal pads and sustained strings to produce a darkly romantic atmosphere with a distinctly Italian feel, sorrowful and sweet electronic orchestrations that sort of feel as if Boswell is paying homage to the likes of Morricone and Ortolani. "Backstage" emits a nerve-shredding atmosphere of tension with its swells of deep brass and strange percussive noises overlaid with eerie music-box chimes, only to be followed by the experimental boom-bap of "Drama Queen" that sounds like some twisted Tackhead-style breakbeat attack, shuffling beneath random industrial clatter, high droning strings, weird tape noises and ominous minor-key orchestral creep. There's more of that rhythmic electro approach along with some additional industrial elements towards the end of the album, elements that fans of Boswell's other scores from the era (Demons, Hardware) will definitely recognize. It's great stuff, especially if you're a longtime fan of the film, and it's one of Boswell's most interesting scores from this time period.
    Flick has done a solid job with this reissue, apparently the first time this has appeared on vinyl since 1987; pressed on clear vinyl, the Lp comes in a jacket featuring eye-catching artwork from LG White, and includes a printed inner sleeve. A much-needed addition to my own collection, my only gripe is that they weren't able to somehow include Stefano Mainetti's awesome contributions to the score as well.   © CRUCIAL BLAST
THIS IS A NEW, UNPLAYED ITEM. Please note that for LP vinyl orders, we usually remove the vinyl from the jacket prior to shipment in order to avoid seam splits or any other kind sleeve/jacket damage that might occur during transit. This may require that we open the shrinkwrap on the record in order to carefully remove the vinyl from the inside of the jacket (if the record was originally shrinkwrapped). Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

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