Chuck Cirino - Munchie Strikes Back (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) '2023

Tracks list

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.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Chuck Cirino - Opening Logo / Munchie And The Tribunal / Returned To
Earth (3:37)
1.02 - Chuck Cirino - Main Titles (2:08)
1.03 - Chuck Cirino - Linda Rebuffs Shelby’s Advances / Linda Is Fired /
Chris Asks Linda To The Dance (3:12)
1.04 - Chuck Cirino - Meet Poindexter And Killer / Chris Sees Jennifer With
Brett / Munchie Lands / Chris Meets Munchie (2:30)
1.05 - Chuck Cirino - Munchie Cleans Chris’ Room / Ask For Anything You
Want (1:47)
1.06 - Chuck Cirino - The Death Race 2000 Video Game (3:25)
1.07 - Chuck Cirino - Time To Get Up / Everything Disappears / Saying "Hi" To
Jennifer / Berserk Lawnmower / The Baseball Game Begins (2:41)
1.08 - Chuck Cirino - 'Swing Batter' (Instrumental) (2:36)
1.09 - Chuck Cirino - Shelby Sees Munchie In Locker Room / Shelby Chews Out The
Team (3:23)
1.10 - Chuck Cirino - Brett Injured / Chris Magic Pitches / Chris Hits A Grand
Slam (4:50)
1.11 - Chuck Cirino - Jennifer Calls Chris / A Tux And A Limo / Into The Limo
(3:02)
1.12 - Chuck Cirino - Limo / Shelby Spies On Munchie And Chris (2:02)
1.13 - Chuck Cirino - Telling Chris The Truth (2:48)
1.14 - Chuck Cirino - Munchie Through History (3:40)
1.15 - Chuck Cirino - It’s Raining Money / I Must Have That Creature /
Poindexter Grabs Money / Taking Poindexter’s Money / Kitchen Fight /
Shelby Kidnaps Munchie (6:08)
1.16 - Chuck Cirino - The Big Car Chase (3:38)
1.17 - Chuck Cirino - The Explosion / Shelby Arrested / Goodbye To Chris / The
Munchie Show (3:49)
1.18 - Chuck Cirino - End Credits (3:06)
1.19 - Chuck Cirino - You Make Me Hungry (2:17)
1.20 - Chuck Cirino - Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (2:08)
1.21 - Chuck Cirino - Women Are Like That (1:41)
1.22 - Chuck Cirino - Room At The Bottom (2:09)
1.23 - Chuck Cirino - Swing Batter (2:37)

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