Cool News
ScoreKeeper Wants To Tell You About The New 2 Disc BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Soundtrack!!
Greetings! ScoreKeeper here on the Pork Chop Express and I’m talking to who whoever’s listening out there. I’m in big trouble with the Wing Kong for swiping their only copy of La-La Land Records’ latest soundtrack release which just hit the streets of Chinatown last week.
A couple weeks ago I penned an article [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39746] praising 2008 as the greatest year ever for new releases of older scores. We’re just a few Chinese hells into 2009 and already the race is on to make this year even better!
I love the 80’s! I say that at least once a day. The decade of my youth is riddled with an abundance of decadence displayed across a variety of creative fields. One such field is film music featuring, among its many characteristics, a cavalcade of epic vintage synthesizer scores the likes of which we may never experience in cinema again.
A hallmark amongst these legendary synthesizer scores, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) [http://www.lalalandrecords.com/BTLC.html] is a cult classic featuring bad-ass music composed by its director, John Carpenter, in association with long-time collaborator Alan Howarth. Released in its entirety for the first time, this two-disc limited edition (3000 units) soundtrack remains a gold standard for 1980’s synth scores.

La-La Land Records continues its tradition of an across-the-board commitment to excellence evident by the immaculate digital re-mastering by Mike Matessino, a mini-novel worth of detailed liner notes written by Daniel Schweiger, and the iconic portrait of Jack Burton by movie poster maven, Drew Struzan, which graces its cover. Under the supervision of producers Nick Redman, MV Gerhard, Mike Matessino, and Alan Howarth, this amazing soundtrack is undoubtedly one of the first must-grabs of 2009.
Would Jack Burton’s red-blooded cockiness be emblazoned on screen without the ripping synth guitars of the “Main Title”? Would the rain be as transparently exotic when Jack and Gracie approach The White Tiger without the pitter-patter of a rhythmically complex pairing of synthesized kalimbas and bassoon? Would the madmen of the Wing Kong Exchange be as comically truculent minus it’s festering synth bass ostinato?
Hmmm. Well, just remember what ol’ Jack Burton says…
ScoreKeeper!!!

ScoreKeeper!!!
Readers Talkback
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The Check is in the Mail.
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Jan. 28, 2009, 4:40 p.m. CST
Excellent indeed. Now when's it coming out on Blu Ray?!!
by Mr Nicholas
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synth scores.
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Yes, sir, the cheque is in the mail.
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Thanks for the heads up, ScoreKeeper! It's hard to keep track of all these limited releases like this and *this* is cool.
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I bow to you
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I love this movie, and the "music video" on the DVD is fucking amazing!!! If you have not seen it yet, do it, do it now!
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I'm willing to write an essay on why this is the greatest movie ever to win this soundtrack. I will not engage in any monkey sacrifices, however, if those are required.<br><br> <br>Wang Chi: A brave man likes the feel of nature on his face, Jack. <br><br>Egg Shen: Yeah, and a wise man has enough sense to get in out of the rain!
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I hope Harry is reading this TB and sees your idea. I love, love, love this movie. Everything from the fighting tong, the girl with green eyes, and a pre-cougar Kim Katral. . .glorious, to say nothing of Jack Burton and the Porkchop Express
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Spoiler alert if you follow that link.
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And my reflexes are telling me to buy this score.
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and you know John Carpener gotta eat. . . imagine, a mid-life crisis Jack boozing i up in the Shanghai docks, and Wang Chi needs his help for another adventure. . . with special guest appearance from the guy that starred in "They Call Me Bruce"
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In little CHIIIINA!!! That's right, biiig trouble -- IN LITTLE CHIIIIINA!!! I will run into the mystic night to buy this.
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Jan. 28, 2009, 5:29 p.m. CST
Running to the burning flame, run until they take us away
by krullboyisback
take us away, take us awaaaayyyyy!!
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movies used to be good? Where is today's John Carpenter or Joe Dante?
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...have you paid your dues Jack? Yessir, cheque is in the mail."
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The only Carpenter whose music one can actually listen to.
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Synthahol - tasty!
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Best news all month
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May the wings of liberty never lose a feather...
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...we can do things no one else can do, see things no else can see!
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Take us away... Take us AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! Good times!
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Curses!!!
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When the hell is Fox bringing out this remastered on Blu-ray? I love my 2-disc DVD edition but I want to upgrade to Blu. Oh Fox, why won't you let me pay you money for this? Same goes for *Fight Club*. Make it so, Fox Home Video!
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The opening of the film makes it a great view when it's cold and raining outside. Yep, we need a blu ray release already. And yet we all keep trying like fools hehe..... NOW THIS REALLY PISSES ME OFF TO NO END!!
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One CD only, but it's cool!
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Brilliant movie!
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How many times did Wang begin and end a sentence with "Jack"?
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I'm gonna go beat my kids, regardless of what Johnny Rico says
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So I can't really remember any specific selection of it, just a few moments when that guy gets huge and explodes. Love this movie, I'd love to have this soundtrack. No contests this time, ScoreKeeper? Huh? ;-)
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J Carpenter hasn't made a good film since THEY LIVE, Kurt hasn't made a good cheesy film since TANGO+CASH (besides Death Proof), James Hong actually looks the way he does in CHINA, Egg is dead I think and there is no way in hell Gracie Law is coming back. Let it go and watch this one endlessly, it won't fail to disappoint. Remember Indy 4 and Escape from LA!!!!
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that look he gives and his hand shaking still makes me giggle!!
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Jan. 29, 2009, 5:25 a.m. CST
REMEMBER ESCAPE FROM L.A.?? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN???
by caruso_stalker217
I actually like L.A. more than NEW YORK.
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He is multi-talented. "*hooonk hooooonk* What the hell!"
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accept it. you know it to be true
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A week or so ago the Batmas: TAS soundtrack was recommended here. I snapped one up and it is indeed awesome. I then went one more and plunked down $20 to get some dude in the Netherlands to come off his Batman: Mask of the Phantasm CD. The liner notes for the package are amazing and the glimpse offered into the much-too-brief life of Shirley Walker was very interesting. The last cut on the 2 cd set is her at a piano, explaining how the Batman theme was basically four notes followed by either a melencoly or action-oriented "callback", which could then be blended seamlessly into Danny Elfman's theme, etc. etc. and she plays her piano to give example. If there are any left, and I doubt there are as it was limited to 3000 pressings, GRAB IT! <p> Now next years Xmas disc compliation that I make each year will have music from "Christmas With The Joker" on it. Zing! <p> Plus, in the liner notes I believe it was Paul Dini was preferred the title "Batman Animated: The Series" so it's acronym would have been BATS. <p> Kurt Douglas kicks ass...from Lost in Space to Disney to Snake Plisskin.
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for like $150? Fuck that
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in that poster?? LMAO ROLFFFCOPTER
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the jokes just weren't funny and it kinda dragged on a bit too long
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I accept it, but I can't help liking L.A. more. I think it's because I saw it when I was a kid and didn't get around to NEW YORK until a couple years ago.
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Man, I wish they'd revisit these characters. I mean, I'm not sayin' I've been everywhere and I've done everything...
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This movie was really ahead of its time.
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i know the feeling in that sense
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