Discography of

Themes From The Secret Cinema - 2000

19 Tracks: Running Time 58:15

1. Night Train To Danger (3:26)

2. Zombies Of Harlem (3:46)

3. Beatrix Potter & The Tea That Nearly Wasn’t (3:19)

4. The Chaos Squad (1:47)

5. Slave Girls Of Atlantis (2:33)

6. The Doom That Came To Sarnath (4:05)

7. Lobotomy (1:00)

8. One Final Step Beyond (4:43)

9. Legend Of The Loch (5:00)

10. The Trembling (3:54)

11. The Trembling Pt. II (3:33)

12. Two Minute Mile (2:04)

13. Faeries Of The Emerald Garden (2:27)

14. Soldier Of Misfortune (3:14)

15. Tales From A Magic Carpet (1:47)

16. Bloodlust And Bedlam (3:35)

17. Maestro Of Madness (1:05)

18. Girl In The Streetlight (3:46)

19. The Secret Cinema (3:11)

   Throughout America small independent movie houses are disappearing, replaced by conglomerate multi-plex theater chains. These soulless cookie cutter structures boast state of the art projectors and thundering Dolby Digital surround sound, but lack the charm and personality of the old neighborhood movie house.

This once bustling weekend gathering place for young and old alike is now reduced to a nostalgic monument of neglect. The theater marquee that sparkled with dancing lights is nothing more than a vandalized bundle of dangling wires and broken glass. Amidst the shattered glass, a testament of the times, are block letters reading – TEMPORARILY CLOSED.

With this disheartening reality in mind Themes From The Secret Cinema was conceived as an urban variation on The Legend Of The Flying Dutchman fable.

Substituting a ghost ship with a phantom theater. Imagine this decrepit movie house transformed overnight to its original splendor. And as the townspeople sleep they share a collective dream and a subliminal suggestion. The following morning the suggestion takes hold and the residents accept the overnight restoration without reservation. But as you can imagine – this is no usual cinema.

The Secret Cinema is a unique experience. For a period of one year, a film debuts for a single 8:00 P.M. screening – never to be repeated.

Each evening friends and neighbors congregate beneath the brilliant glow of the theater marquee in anticipation of tonight's Gala Premiere. Unfortunately, 365 days later the process is reversed, and the building degenerates to an abandoned hollowed-out structure. Home to vermin and vagrants.

The patrons are left with vague recollections of pleasant memories and flickering images in the dark. Meanwhile under the cloak of darkness in an inner city ghetto, marred by the scars of urban decay, a burned-out movie house is undergoing an amazing transformation.

And the phenomenon continues.

The music on this CD is a collection of title themes and incidental music from the lost films of The Secret Cinema. The music, which ranges from gothic orchestral overtures, contemporary jazz, ambient electronics, Celtic melodies, aggressive Industrial mayhem, to keyboard driven prog-rock, is as diverse as the films themselves.

"The Trembling – Parts I & II" is a grand scale space opera. "Night Train To Danger" harkens back to the classic black and white film noir thrillers of the 40s'. "Slave Girls Of Atlantis" is a badly dubbed 60s' sword and sandal adventure. "Tales From The Magic Carpet" is an Arabian Nights fantasy complete with genie and magic lamp. "Bloodlust And Bedlam" is a sexy ultra-violent vampire flick. And "The Girl In The Streetlight" is a steamy erotic romance.

These are a sampling of the 19 themes contained on the CD.

So turn out the lights. Sit back. And allow the films to unreel in your mind.

Welcome to The Secret Cinema.

A personal note from Joseph:
Knowing this background story makes the CD a little more interesting when listening to it. Unfortunately I didn't have the capital to have a nice CD insert with the legend printed. Maybe if I'm lucky some label will discover Ghosts Of Pompeii and release the CDs properly with all the gloss and glitter afforded a bona fide band.