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Dragon's Domain Records presents the original motion picture soundtrack to MUNCHIE STRIKES BACK, featuring music composed by Chuck Cirino for the 1994 family comedy directed by Jim Wynorski, written by R.J. Robertson and Wynorski, starring Lesley-Anne Down, Andrew Stevens, Trenton Knight, Angus Scrimm, John Byner, Steve Franken, Ace Mask, Jay Richardson, Peter Spellos, Toni Naples, Lenny Juliano and Howard Hesseman as the voice of Munchie. MUNCHIE STRIKES BACK 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, A DOGGONE ADVENTURE and ,most recently, ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT CAMGIRL, BIGFOOT OR BUST and MURDERBOT.
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.
Released in 1994, MUNCHIE STRIKES BACK finds Munchie up to his old tricks as he ringmasters a riotous rave at Ronald W. Reagan High School. He does such a good job that the school literally erupts in an epic explosion. Munchie finds himself before a celestial court, presided over by the austere authoritarian Kronas (Scrimm), who proceeds to indict Munchie with a host of great calamaties, including the destruction of Atlantis, the fiery crash of the Hindenburg, the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and the apocalyptic meltdown of a nuclear reactor at Chernobyl! A dearly departed committee comprised of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Colonel Sanders, Cleopatra, and Abraham Lincoln defends the hapless imp and convinces Kronas not to banish Munchie to the dullest place in the galaxy, Aeros Minor and instead Munchie is sentenced to Earth, to provide assistance to single mother Linda (Down) and her wayward son Chris (Knight) whose father passed away the previous year. Chris and Munchie become bosom buddies as Munchie saves the McClelland family from financial ruin while granting Chris a few self-indulgent wishes along the way. Meanwhile, local suburban baddie Shelby Carlisle (Stevens) secretly witnesses Munchie's powers and schemes to hoard the magical munchkin for himself.
To write the film's score, Jim brought in his long-time friend and regular composer, Chuck Cirino. Cirino builds his material for MUNCHIE STRIKES BACK off familiar themes introduced in the previous MUNCHIE. The album also includes a quartet of subversive songs performed by early 80s new wave punk outfit Mister Moderation and the Moderettes.
Chuck Cirino did not start his career as a composer, but rather as a programmer in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania for a Public Access cable TV station, where he learned how to create TV shows by himself, without a crew. In his spare time, he experimented with the station's video equipment and created a series of genre productions that allowed him the opportunity to learn how to incorporate special effects into his work. After relocating to California, Cirino transitioned into directing high-end special effects television commercials. His first work as composer was for the 1980 cult film GYPSY ANGELS, which starred Vanna White and Richard Roundtree. Since then he has scored films for Roger Corman, directed music videos for bands like Earth, Wind & Fire and The Dickies' KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE, and has recorded over 40 music soundtracks for feature films including SORCERESS, HARD TO DIE, TRANSYLVANIA TWIST, and many others. Most recently, he has scored A DOGGONE CHRISTMAS, A DOGGONE HOLLYWOOD, A DOGGONE ADVENTURE, NO NAME AND DYNAMITE, ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT CAMGIRL, BIGFOOT OR BUST and MURDERBOT.
Chuck has worked as a producer, director, filmmaker, videographer, animator, special effects technician, editor, and composer. He executive produces and directs WEIRD TV, a television series featuring weird Americans, bizarre news, unbelievable events and outlandish skits. Chuck's credits also include executive producer and director of the Sci Fi Channel projects, WORLDWIDE WEIRD and WARPED IN SPACE, and BABERELLAS, an independent Sci Fi feature distributed by Xenon Pictures.
Dragon's Domain Records is excited to bring MUNCHIE STRIKES BACK to compact disc for the first time, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland with exclusive liner notes by author and composer Brian Satterwhite, with the participation of the composer.
- BSX
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