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 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 5:47 AM   
 By:   Music Box Records   (Member)

MONKEY SHINES: AN EXPERIMENT IN FEAR
Expanded Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Music Composed and Conducted by David Shire


Newly remastered and expanded edition.
65 minutes of music, including 25 minutes of music never released before.
12-page CD booklet with liner notes by Randall D. Larson.
Limited Edition of 1000 units.

Ref: MBR-135
Release Date: April 9, 2018

Music Box Records presents an extended soundtrack release of Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear, George A. Romero’s vivid 1988 psychological horror thriller about a young man paralyzed from the neck down after an accident; he is given a specially-trained capuchin monkey to help him with his day-to-day cares, unaware that the little monkey is actually the ongoing subject of a secret genetic experiment to increase animal intelligence. As a result, man and monkey develop a dangerous psychotic link that fuels homicidal rages that are shared and accentuated between them both.

The music was composed by David Shire, in one of only a few excursions into horror territory made by the composer. Best known for scoring edgy thrillers like The Conversation (1974), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Alan J. Pakula’s All the President's Men (1976), and Zodiac (2007), as well as science fiction/fantasy adventure dramas such as 2010 (1984), Return to Oz (1985), and Short Circuit (1986).

Based on the book of the same name by Michael Stewart, wherein the behaviorally advanced monkey becomes Mr. Hyde to the hero’s Dr. Jekyll; the story is an engrossing tale that ramps up to a horrific climax in which the hero, paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair in his home, must outsmart the capuchin’s boosted-intelligence to save his girlfriend and himself from the monkey’s savage and calculated attacks.

Shire’s skillful music is an engaging mix of sweeping lyrical melodies and jungle drum timbres and tempos that augment Romero’s visualized moments of fear and suspense. Shire delineates the thought-world of the capuchin with a growing interaction of sonic discord and shocking stingers that electrify Romero’s carefully choreographed scares. In following the contours of Romero’s scary storyline Shire also composes some tremendous action music which intensifies the film’s excitement, suspense, and roaring action, all of which makes for a tense and thrilling listening experience.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film in 2018, Music Box Records is very delighted to present this expanded soundtrack release album featuring 40 tracks and 65 minutes of music, an increase of 28 tracks and 25 minutes of music over the previous edition of this score, released by FSM label in 2002. The package features a 12-page illustrated booklet featuring exclusive liner notes by Randall D. Larson that includes a new interview with the composer about his score. The release is limited to 1000 units.




TRACK LISTING:

1. Prologue / Main Title (3:35)
2. Operating Room (1:10)
3. Homecoming (1:08)
4. Geoff's Lab (1:08)
5. Geoff & Allan / Geoff to Burbage (0:57)
6. Suicide Attempt (0:40)
7. Melanie (1:14)
8. Fetch Montage (1:59)
9. Shaving Scene (1:33)
10. Fishing (0:59)
11. Is That You, Burbage? / Ella Freaks (1:28)
12. Drowning Rat / Parakeet Attack (1:07)
13. Get Rid of That Bird (1:59)
14. Science Is Measurement (1:41)
15. He Deserved to Die / Monkey Vision I (1:37)
16. Geoff in Attic / That Son of a Bitch (2:42)
17. Blood Kiss (1:34)
18. There Was a Fire / Ella Dragged Away (0:53)
19. Campground / Bedtime (3:19)
20. You Want It / Let's Tune In (3:00)
21. Monkey Vision II (0:54)
22. She's Filling Me Up (1:02)
23. Mother, Mother (1:48)
24. Lab Attack (0:40)
25. Mother Snuffer (1:46)
26. Geoff Looks For Mom / I Killed Them (1:42)
27. Ella Attacks Geoff (1:41)
28. Answer the Telephone (1:59)
29. Geoff's Death (2:12)
30. Lights Out (1:08)
31. Let's Have Music (1:52)
32. Force Feeding (1:34)
33. Monkey Vision Ultimo (0:36)
34. Allan's Agony (3:56)
35. Liebestod (0:53)
36. Surgery (0:59)
37. Let's Go Fishing (0:59)
38. Shock Ending (Unused) (0:26)
39. End Credits (2:59)

BONUS TRACK:
40. Let's Go Fishing (Alternate Ending) (1:06)

Total Time • 65:35

For sound clips, please visit: https://www.musicbox-records.com/en/5991-monkey-shines-an-experiment-in-fear-expanded.html

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 8:36 AM   
 By:   MCurry29   (Member)

HOLY SCHNIKES! This is incredible news! Shire being one of my all-time favorites-this news brings me JOY!

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 8:43 AM   
 By:   SBD   (Member)

Two things:

a) Wasn't this recorded in Toronto?

b) That first cover is super-schlocky, but that's just me.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 9:05 AM   
 By:   Yavar Moradi   (Member)

Wow this looks great! Didn't realize there was so much unreleased music.

Yavar

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 9:11 AM   
 By:   WagnerAlmighty   (Member)

I always liked that creepy, sad movie. Curious now about the music. It appears Shire has scored at least a couple of films I really like.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 9:12 AM   
 By:   Yavar Moradi   (Member)

He's a superb and extremely versatile composer.

Yavar

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 9:43 AM   
 By:   .   (Member)

I have (and like) the FSM release. The notes say "For this premiere release, the composer has assembled a presentation of the Monkey Shines score for an optimal listening experience encompassing the multiple themes for the characters and their suspenseful developments".

Does anyone know the film and score well enough to have an opinion about the additional music we'll find on the new CD?

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 10:01 AM   
 By:   JB Fan   (Member)


Two things:

a) Wasn't this recorded in Toronto?

From FSM description:


The Monkey Shines score—never before released—was recorded by a non-union orchestra in Toronto and has been assembled into this premiere album presentation by the composer.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 10:05 AM   
 By:   Timothy J. Phlaps   (Member)

SWEET MERICIFUL CRAP

This is one of my all-time favourite scores and a SORELY underrated Romero film. ORDERED!

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 10:12 AM   
 By:   Justin Boggan   (Member)

"was recorded by a non-union orchestra in Toronto"


There's a phrase I'd like to hear more of!

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 11:21 AM   
 By:   Jim Cleveland   (Member)

I just listened to some of his score for MS on youtube... has anyone ever noticed a similarity with Satie's Gymnopedies???

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 11:33 AM   
 By:   bobbengan   (Member)

Nice surprise! A very lovely and varied score. The romantic/melodic aspects are better-handled than the suspense material in my opinion, where the scope of the recording and playing lets Shire's written score down a bit (that "non-union Canadian orchestra" is no LSO) but with so much thematic content, that's a somewhat minor quibble. I'll be picking this up for sure!

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 11:34 AM   
 By:   MCurry29   (Member)

I always liked that creepy, sad movie. Curious now about the music. It appears Shire has scored at least a couple of films I really like.

IMO, everything he has done is very much worth owning.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 12:17 PM   
 By:   Yavar Moradi   (Member)

I hope Music Box will also consider tackling a complete version of Farewell, My Lovely -- also an MGM owned title, paired with Monkey Shines by FSM on their album (and they only expanded by a single cue over the LP program).

I know, I know -- be grateful for what we're getting before asking for more! But Farewell, My Lovely is a favorite Shire score of mine, and as it was the discmate for Monkey Shines I really couldn't help myself...

Yavar

 
 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 12:31 PM   
 By:   Bob DiMucci   (Member)

That first cover is super-schlocky, but that's just me.


From the UK poster.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 12:58 PM   
 By:   Grecchus   (Member)

I bought the FSM initially for Farewell My Lovely, so it was a nice surprise to hear Monkey Shines and finding out about the flute solos requiring slight 'edge of the envelope' playing as well as the tempos for the 'double vision' sequences. It gets a regular airing by me - I really do like that flute solo that rounds out the movie, which incidentally, I've not yet seen.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 1:11 PM   
 By:   Timothy J. Phlaps   (Member)

I really do like that flute solo that rounds out the movie, which incidentally, I've not yet seen.

Scream Factory put out a really nice special edition blu-ray a couple of years ago.

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 1:27 PM   
 By:   Yavar Moradi   (Member)

I bought the FSM initially for Farewell My Lovely, so it was a nice surprise to hear Monkey Shines and finding out about the flute solos requiring slight 'edge of the envelope' playing as well as the tempos for the 'double vision' sequences. It gets a regular airing by me - I really do like that flute solo that rounds out the movie, which incidentally, I've not yet seen.

Right there with ya!

Yavar

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 1:29 PM   
 By:   WagnerAlmighty   (Member)

I bought the FSM initially for Farewell My Lovely, so it was a nice surprise to hear Monkey Shines and finding out about the flute solos requiring slight 'edge of the envelope' playing as well as the tempos for the 'double vision' sequences. It gets a regular airing by me - I really do like that flute solo that rounds out the movie, which incidentally, I've not yet seen.

Definitely a movie worth watching. It's kind of depressing in the beginning (you'll see what I mean), but later turns very exciting and creepy. 8/10

 
 Posted:   Apr 4, 2018 - 9:37 PM   
 By:   Mr. Jack   (Member)

Great score for an underrated horror movie. Hope I can get a copy.

 
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