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Leading Chinese film studio, Alibaba Pictures has announced a slate of seven tentpole movies that it hopes will reinvigorate the mainland China box office.

The titles straddle martial arts, drama, history, sci-fi and comedy and are presented as the first elements of the company’s second five year plan.

They were revealed on Monday at a major event within the ongoing Shanghai International Film Festival and with large numbers of relevant producers, directors and stars in attendance.

“At a time when the film market needs vigor, we need more tentpole productions to keep it working,” said Li Jie, Alibaba Pictures president. In notes provided, the company pointed out that the mainland China box office last year recovered to 85% of its pre-pandemic level and that, so far in 2024, the Chinese box office is the world’s largest.

However, there are worries that recent film industry prosperity may falter. Indeed, 2024 box office...

Sound Shock looks at Carlo Rustichelli’s score for Umberto Lenzi’s Milano Rovente. As every student of cult film history knows, no matter what genre the Italians dabbled in during the fertile golden period spanning from about 1962 to 1985, music was always a central force in creating an almost subconscious, physical connection to image. Whether…

The post Sound Shock: Carlo Rustichelli’s Music for Umberto Lenzi’s Milano Rovente appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

I'm an film soundtrack junkie, an unapologetic, card carrying, raving and drooling addict. And seeing as my cinematic fixations lean toward vintage European genre films – horror, crime, western – it's an easy guess that the bulk of my rather substantial CD and vinyl film score collection tilts toward this passion too.

Which is why I'm so mad for Beat records, that Rome based label that specializes in gorgeous re-releases of obscure and celebrated Italo-exploitation soundtrack classics. And as every student of Eurotrash knows, no matter what genre the Italians dabbled in during that heady golden age, they seemed to belong to a genre unto themselves. Whether it be the Goblin driven black glove choking shockers of Dario Argento, the Morricone fuelled nihilistic twang of a Sergio Corbucci or Sergio Leone western, or the Fabio Frizzi steered psyche rock that bleeds over the films of Lucio Fulci , 70's Italian exploitation was universally strong,...