If you were around in the ’80s, few things defined “cool” like music did. And, film fan or not, the top of that list is most likely going to be Tangerine Dream: the German electronic music outfit who dominated airwaves and theaters with their cutting edge electric sound. One key member of that ensemble pushing the electronic side of the band was young Paul Haslinger who joined up with them after their big hits like Sorcerer and Risky Business. Bringing a younger video game sensibility, he helped change the course of their sound for the better and contributed plenty including scores to Near Dark, Miracle Mile and Three O’Clock High.…
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Interview…Composer Alex Heffes on the Fun, Feverish and Flavorful Score to ‘Mafia Mamma’
Alex Heffes is a Golden Globe, BAFTA and 3 x Ivor Novello nominated composer who has scored over 70 feature films and TV projects. He has worked with many of cinema’s top filmmakers including Kevin Macdonald, Steven Frears, Catherine Hardwicke, Mira Nair, Tim Burton & J J Abrams. His unique ability to collaborate with artists from different cultures has been been a trademark of his style. He collaborated closely with Burton on his screen adaptation of Sweeney Todd and Heffes’ solo album, FACE TO FACE, features collaborations with artists such as the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, Regina Spektor and Yasmin Levy. Notable TV projects include the 2016 award-winning reboot of TV…
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Interview…Jessica St. Clair, David Gborie and Maile Flannagan Chat About ‘Royal Crackers’ on Adult Swim
Adult Swim has really jumped to the forefront of animation in the last twenty years. What was once the kind of thing that people would talk about in hushed tones – friends swapping grainy VHS copies of lewd shows in schools – is now in the mainstream and getting the attention these remarkable shows deserve. Sure, some of the output is an acquired taste with stories/characters/jokes as wild as they come. But the team here at GST are fans, and we recently talked to Casper Kelly (Too Many Cooks) as well as the team behind Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro) who help lead the zany charge…
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Interview…Composer Randy Edelman on Songs, Scores and Career Retrospective
Most of the time, a film would be nothing without the musical score. We hold the music in higher regard than the narrative itself, and our heroes have always been film composers. Getting to run this site for almost fifteen years, I can admit to just plain geeking out when speaking to people in the film music community. Case in point. Randy Edelman is a legendary singer, songwriter, orchestrator, conductor, and a seasoned music man who has quite literally scored our childhood. Just looking at the impressive list of titles to his credit (Dragonheart, Beethoven, Troop Beverly Hills, The Mask, My Cousin Vinny, Angels in the Outfield, Shanghai Noon, Daylight)…
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Interview…Quentin Dupieux on Absurd Characters and Non-Linear Storytelling in ‘Smoking Causes Coughing’
When people talk about oeuvres in film, they usually celebrate the rogue visionaries who change the landscape of cinema with each new feature. These are the kinds of filmmakers who are festival darlings and have some of the most unique tastes in the industry. One such creative is Quentin Dupieux and once you see his work, you’ll never be the same. I was a big fan of Wrong when it played at Fantastic Fest years ago. Well, like a fine wine he’s matured and in that time he’s taken his trademark style to the next level of absurdity. His latest is a farce about superheroes and there’s an inherent charm…
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Interview…Director Kurt Wimmer on Remakes, Reverence and the Writing Process
Once in a while, we get the joy of speaking to the people whose works have brought us joy. Equilibrium is one of our favorite films. Today, we get to share with you the brief slice of cinematic glee we had chatting with Kurt Wimmer. He directed the above-mentioned Christian Bale-led actioner, and written a slew of stellar and substantive stories like Law Abiding Citizen, and remakes to Total Recall and Point Break. His latest is Childern of the Corn which is is based upon the short story “Children of the Corn” by Stephen King that gives the King short some poignancy amid tangible real-life character motivations. We had an…
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Interview…Composer James Allen Roberson on Horses, Hoedowns and ‘Heart of a Champion’
James Allen Roberson is a composer and multi-instrumentalist working in film and television. With a diverse background in pop, rock, contemporary, and orchestral music he has carved out a unique niche in the current media landscape. James grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee playing classical violin and electric guitar from an early age. He studied film scoring and composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston where he received a bachelors of music degree. And from there he moved to Los Angeles and began working at Remote Control Productions with renowned composer Rupert Gregson-Williams as well as helping out on projects for Heitor Pereira, Guillaume Roussel, Deborah Lurie, and Hans Zimmer.…
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Interview…Director Brett Simmons on Music, Muses and Meeting Your Heroes
It should be news to no one that Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Edgar Wright and Brett Simmons are big names in film. Granted you might not know the latter (yet!) but these filmmakers all share the same level of encyclopedic knowledge about the industry and important films which they use to take viewers on rides they’ve never had before. They make films the way they want and, more importantly, the way we fans want to see them. A sometimes hodgepodge of ideas and inspiration from what spoke to them through the years can be an instant hit and keep us talking long after the credits have rolled. Anyway, Simmons belongs…
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Interview…Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro on Meatwad, Mooninites and New Jersey in ‘Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm’
One of the funniest and long-standing creations in the Adult Swim line up is the trio of distasteful fast food roommates otherwise know as the Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Frylock, Meatwad and Master Shake have made it through all sorts of hijinx and calamity over the years, even the recent pandemic. And while the world was facing the end of days, Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro were cooking up a brand new story for our heroes to star in: Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm. In the hilarious 75-minute adventure, the combo meal trio attempt to save the world from a plant-based extinction level event all the while taking potshots at Elon Musk,…
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Interview…Anthony Molinari Talks Stunts, Blunts and Good Vibes in ‘The Last Deal’
Black market marijuana dealer Vince is living the high life in Los Angeles, but everything changes when new laws pass making cannabis legal. With limited dispensary licenses available, Vince may be squeezed out of the business. He’s desperate to make one final score, but borrows money from the wrong people. The pic, a captivating profusion of HEAT and SAVAGES, nabbed Best Director at the Boston Film Festival, and later, the Jury Prize for Best Performance at the San Antonio Film Festival. The film stars versatile and seasoned stuntman-turned-leading man Anthony Molinari, and he squares off against Sala Baker (known to Lord of the Rings fans as Sauron) in the non-stop…
