Release Date:
Downloads include choice of MP3, WAV, or FLAC
DDRDG718
(Includes Digital booklet)
Click Here for CD Release
Dragon’s Domain Records presents the original motion picture soundtrack to MUNCHIE, featuring music composed by Chuck Cirino for the 1992 family comedy directed by Jim Wynorski, written by R.J. Robertson and Wynorski, starring Lonnie Anderson, Andrew Stevens, Jamie McEnnan, Monique Gabrielle, Ace Mask, Lenny Juliano, John Henry Richardson, Fred Olen Ray, Toni Naples, Mike Simmrin, Scott Ferguson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, George ‘Buck’ Flower, Arte Johnson as Professor Cruikshank and Dom DeLuise as the voice of Munchie. MUNCHIE continues the longtime collaboration between filmmaker Jim Wynorski and composer Chuck Cirino, which includes films such as CHOPPING MALL, DEATHSTALKER II, NOT OF THIS EARTH, TRANSYLVANIA TWIST, A DOGGONE CHRISTMAS, A DOGGONE HOLLYWOOD and, most recently, A DOGGONE ADVENTURE.
The popular success of Joe Dante’s GREMLINS in 1984 quickly spawned a torrent of contentious pint-size creatures from the minds of moviemakers hoping to feast on box office revenue as satisfying as that of the original GREMLINS. A sequel in name only to MUNCHIES, released earlier in 1987, MUNCHIE was inspired by a 1955 Warner Bros. cartoon short made by Chuck Jones called ONE FROGGY EVENING, about a guy who struggles to make his fortune with a frog that sings and dances, but only when it is alone with the owner. Wynorski and his co-writer of the time, the late R. J. Robertson, developed a script based on that premise, except instead of being a frog, Munchie was a friendly gremlin-like creature that dressed like a lounge singer, sounded like a stand-up comedian and had magic powers. Gabriel Bartalos, a veteran Jack-of-all-trades in the film business, designed and created Munchie’s creature costume, which was made out of foam rubber. It was based on an illustration by co-scripter R. J. Robertson.
To write the film’s score, Jim brought in his long-time friend and regular composer, Chuck Cirino. Inspired by a theme Chuck had briefly used in RETURN OF SWAMP THING, Jim asked Chuck to revisit the tune and make it the main thematic foundation of the film. Cirino reworked the piece, added some new elements, and boom—there was the catchy, centerpiece melody for MUNCHIE. Without any musical references with which to model this score after, Cirino essentially had to invent the musical style for the movie. At that time, Cirino’s musical toolbox was equipped with what was then state-of-the-art synthesizers and early musical samplers like the Proteus sampler, Prophet 2000, Roland D50. MUNCHIE possesses a carnivalesque type of score that is effervescent and tuneful, with a variety of colorful and catchy timbres that keep the music fun, with occasional forays into attitude for Munchie himself.
Dragon’s Domain Records is excited to bring MUNCHIE to digital for the first time, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland with exclusive liner notes by author Randall Larson, with the participation of the composer and the director.
Visit Chuck Cirino's Website Here:
https://www.chuckcirino.com
Review
Munchie (1992) *** 1/2 / Sorceress (1995) ***
CHUCK CIRINO
Dragon’s Domain DDR718
23 tracks - 53:25
BSX (download)
14 tracks - 43:37
As 2020 came to a close, two Chuck Cirino soundtracks were released by Dragon’s Domain and BSX, and may have flown under the radar. These genre works demonstrate the composer’s versatility and skills working on low-budget films and using the latest synthesizers of the day.
First up is the score for the 1992 comedy Munchie (a sequel to the earlier Munchies), directed by Jim Wynorski, one of Cirino’s most frequent collaborators. The film features Loni Anderson, Andrew Stevens, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dom DeLuise (providing the voice work for the title character). It’s something of a lighter take on Gremlins, as the lead monster is a sort of lounge lizard with magical powers who comes to the rescue of a bullied kid.
Cirino captures the film’s carnival-like atmosphere with tracks that cover a wide range of styles. A lyrical melody, often preceded by bell tones, runs throughout the score and often serves as a departure point for other hijinks. Highlights include the Morricone-esque “You Need a Friend—Western Fantasy”; action cues like the “Opening Chase” and “The Chase Is On”; lyrical passages in “Funeral Fantasy—Munchie Is Gone” and “Airport Goodbyes—Finale”; and quotations from the likes of “Funiculi, Funicula,” “O Sole Mio” and “Greensleeves.” There’s also an excellent end credits suite that sums things up nicely.
The album has a couple of bonus tracks that include stingers and outtakes. Despite its source inspiration, the main theme is quite beautiful, and Cirino’s various stylistic references make for humorous, engaging elements of the score.
Coming a couple of years later, Wynorski’s Sorceress (1995) stars Linda Blair in a fantasy/horror take about a witch (Julie Strain) who uses her skills to influence her husband and others at his law firm. For the score, Cirino dives into atmospheric horror with dark synth colors, but still offers lyrical writing, as evidenced right from the start in “Prologue & The Accident.”
Alexa Anastasia is a featured vocalist whose dark tone appears first in “Larry Finds Maria in Bed,” (a bonus track uses the same material, minus her contribution) and later in the haunting “Carol’s Erotic Dream.”
The score features appropriate menace throughout, often via amorphous clusters and blocks of sound anchored by a repeating chime motive. While some of the thematic material is interesting, the horror elements dominate here.
For additional samples of these two scores, each limited to 500 units, click here. —Steven A. Kennedy
Comments regarding this review can be sent to: stev4uth@hotmail.com.
MUNCHIE - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Chuck Cirino
Chuck Cirino
$8.95
Downloads include choice of MP3, WAV, or FLAC
DDRDG718
(Includes Digital booklet)
Click Here for CD Release
Dragon’s Domain Records presents the original motion picture soundtrack to MUNCHIE, featuring music composed by Chuck Cirino for the 1992 family comedy directed by Jim Wynorski, written by R.J. Robertson and Wynorski, starring Lonnie Anderson, Andrew Stevens, Jamie McEnnan, Monique Gabrielle, Ace Mask, Lenny Juliano, John Henry Richardson, Fred Olen Ray, Toni Naples, Mike Simmrin, Scott Ferguson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, George ‘Buck’ Flower, Arte Johnson as Professor Cruikshank and Dom DeLuise as the voice of Munchie. MUNCHIE continues the longtime collaboration between filmmaker Jim Wynorski and composer Chuck Cirino, which includes films such as CHOPPING MALL, DEATHSTALKER II, NOT OF THIS EARTH, TRANSYLVANIA TWIST, A DOGGONE CHRISTMAS, A DOGGONE HOLLYWOOD and, most recently, A DOGGONE ADVENTURE.
The popular success of Joe Dante’s GREMLINS in 1984 quickly spawned a torrent of contentious pint-size creatures from the minds of moviemakers hoping to feast on box office revenue as satisfying as that of the original GREMLINS. A sequel in name only to MUNCHIES, released earlier in 1987, MUNCHIE was inspired by a 1955 Warner Bros. cartoon short made by Chuck Jones called ONE FROGGY EVENING, about a guy who struggles to make his fortune with a frog that sings and dances, but only when it is alone with the owner. Wynorski and his co-writer of the time, the late R. J. Robertson, developed a script based on that premise, except instead of being a frog, Munchie was a friendly gremlin-like creature that dressed like a lounge singer, sounded like a stand-up comedian and had magic powers. Gabriel Bartalos, a veteran Jack-of-all-trades in the film business, designed and created Munchie’s creature costume, which was made out of foam rubber. It was based on an illustration by co-scripter R. J. Robertson.
To write the film’s score, Jim brought in his long-time friend and regular composer, Chuck Cirino. Inspired by a theme Chuck had briefly used in RETURN OF SWAMP THING, Jim asked Chuck to revisit the tune and make it the main thematic foundation of the film. Cirino reworked the piece, added some new elements, and boom—there was the catchy, centerpiece melody for MUNCHIE. Without any musical references with which to model this score after, Cirino essentially had to invent the musical style for the movie. At that time, Cirino’s musical toolbox was equipped with what was then state-of-the-art synthesizers and early musical samplers like the Proteus sampler, Prophet 2000, Roland D50. MUNCHIE possesses a carnivalesque type of score that is effervescent and tuneful, with a variety of colorful and catchy timbres that keep the music fun, with occasional forays into attitude for Munchie himself.
Dragon’s Domain Records is excited to bring MUNCHIE to digital for the first time, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland with exclusive liner notes by author Randall Larson, with the participation of the composer and the director.
Visit Chuck Cirino's Website Here:
https://www.chuckcirino.com
Review
Munchie (1992) *** 1/2 / Sorceress (1995) ***
CHUCK CIRINO
Dragon’s Domain DDR718
23 tracks - 53:25
BSX (download)
14 tracks - 43:37
As 2020 came to a close, two Chuck Cirino soundtracks were released by Dragon’s Domain and BSX, and may have flown under the radar. These genre works demonstrate the composer’s versatility and skills working on low-budget films and using the latest synthesizers of the day.
First up is the score for the 1992 comedy Munchie (a sequel to the earlier Munchies), directed by Jim Wynorski, one of Cirino’s most frequent collaborators. The film features Loni Anderson, Andrew Stevens, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dom DeLuise (providing the voice work for the title character). It’s something of a lighter take on Gremlins, as the lead monster is a sort of lounge lizard with magical powers who comes to the rescue of a bullied kid.
Cirino captures the film’s carnival-like atmosphere with tracks that cover a wide range of styles. A lyrical melody, often preceded by bell tones, runs throughout the score and often serves as a departure point for other hijinks. Highlights include the Morricone-esque “You Need a Friend—Western Fantasy”; action cues like the “Opening Chase” and “The Chase Is On”; lyrical passages in “Funeral Fantasy—Munchie Is Gone” and “Airport Goodbyes—Finale”; and quotations from the likes of “Funiculi, Funicula,” “O Sole Mio” and “Greensleeves.” There’s also an excellent end credits suite that sums things up nicely.
The album has a couple of bonus tracks that include stingers and outtakes. Despite its source inspiration, the main theme is quite beautiful, and Cirino’s various stylistic references make for humorous, engaging elements of the score.
Coming a couple of years later, Wynorski’s Sorceress (1995) stars Linda Blair in a fantasy/horror take about a witch (Julie Strain) who uses her skills to influence her husband and others at his law firm. For the score, Cirino dives into atmospheric horror with dark synth colors, but still offers lyrical writing, as evidenced right from the start in “Prologue & The Accident.”
Alexa Anastasia is a featured vocalist whose dark tone appears first in “Larry Finds Maria in Bed,” (a bonus track uses the same material, minus her contribution) and later in the haunting “Carol’s Erotic Dream.”
The score features appropriate menace throughout, often via amorphous clusters and blocks of sound anchored by a repeating chime motive. While some of the thematic material is interesting, the horror elements dominate here.
For additional samples of these two scores, each limited to 500 units, click here. —Steven A. Kennedy
Comments regarding this review can be sent to: stev4uth@hotmail.com.
