horror soundtracks

Song from "War of the Gargantuas" covered by DEVO:

― Soukesian, Saturday, 12 May 2012 13:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

^^^Ha! I remember that scene and song. Pulled heavily for the green gargantua. Forget who ultimately won.

― henry s, Saturday, 12 May 2012 13:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

All the Argento ones mentioned upthread. I also have a lot of time for Keith Emerson's prog-jazz freakout score to Inferno.

It'd probably be easier to list the gialli whose soundtracks i don't love rather than the ones i do.

Cannibal Holocaust's theme is really quite beautiful - probably the best thing about the film. Fabio Frizzi's Zombi 2 is another classic.

Plus Vampyros Lesbos / She Killed In Ecstasy, of course.

― Just like you, except hot (ShariVari), Thursday, May 10, 2012 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Zombi 2 has just been reissued on http://www.deathwaltzrecordingcompany.com/

The label looks set to be great.

"Founded by Spencer Hickman manager of Rough Trade East in London Death Waltz Recording Company will concentrate on delivering high end collectors vinyl that will include extensive liner notes from composers and directors as well as brand new and exclusive artwork from a variety of fine artists all releases will be on ltd coloured vinyl and contain bonus screen prints and posters. Death Waltz Recording Company are set to become the premier vinyl soundtrack label for cult film enthusiasts!"

― Barnaby, Hardly, Saturday, 12 May 2012 17:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

I bought the reissue of Rosemary's Baby for myself as a lol mother's day present and
(1) I made the mistake of listening to it late at night when I was the only one awake. The dream sequence song with the chanting? I swear I haven't been that scared in a LONG TIME. I was paralyzed in the kitchen, heart racing. THAT is a horror soundtrack.

(2) This morning I looked up Komeda and found this rather interesting documentary about him -- seems pretty good if you are interested in composing, jazz, Polish people, and Hollywood.

I also bought Night of the Creeps (which is by the composer responsible for Xanadu and The Warriors, Barry DeVorzon) and it's pretty good, but I've only listened to it once.

― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 13:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

Being my own favourite movie soundtrack in general, I would like to add Pino Donaggios soundtrack for Don't look now to the list and strongly advocate for it. For reasons I don't really comprehend this one's relatively unknown in contrast to his other works and equally hard to get. Eventually got hold of a vinyl copy from Australia some years ago.

When I visited Venice in a very foggy February in 2007 with friends, the score was with us all the time. Tremendous experience.

― the europan nikon is here (grauschleier), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 14:45 (1 year ago) Permalink

man I should buy that Rosemary's CD. So hard to allocate funds for so many cool things.

Re: Don't Look Now, it is readily available as a download from eMusic. I've thought about getting it numerous times. I don't really know much Donaggio, and the last time I saw the film was well before I started paying attention to scores.

― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 17:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

I love Donaggio! Carrie is my favorite. In fact, that's what Night of the Creeps reminds me of now that I think about it.
I totally need to get Don't Look Now. Man, that movie is SO GOOD.

― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 17:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Oh man. I need to spend some time on this thread.

― Nate Carson, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

Cat People rules, good call.

― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

couldn't bring myself to vote for it in the horror movie poll, but it is such a fascinating train wreck

― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 19:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

Speaking of trainwrecks, I recently scored vinyl of Exorcist 2: Heretic. It does have its moments!

― Nate Carson, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 00:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

Exorcist 2 is one of my all time favorite horror scores and probably in my top 5 Morricones. That main title, ye gods!

Super excited because I found a bootleg on a msg board for Gil Melle's amazing score to The Sentinel (batshit 70s gates-of-hell movie)

― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Friday, 18 May 2012 16:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

Pretty boss:

― The Thnig, Friday, 25 May 2012 14:53 (11 months ago) Permalink

...This is one of my all time favorite film music pieces. I heard it in The Church, and I was pretty astonished but it is only played briefly and I couldnt find out who it was by. It is Martin Goldray performing Phillip Glass' "Floe". I like it far more than the original Glass version, but sadly it is only included on some versions of the soundtrack and unless it has been reissued recently, it is really hard to find the complete version. An Emerson track follows it on this video.

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 26 May 2012 10:25 (11 months ago) Permalink

...I'm cheating with videogame soundtracks because this is as good as any film score. The first two Yamaoka Silent Hill soundtracks and Yamane- Castlevania Symphony Of The Night are essential even if you dont care about games (I barely play games anymore but still love the soundtracks).

There is one problem with the first Silent Hill soundtrack cd, since there were so many long tracks, Yamaoka had to mix and edit them together to fit on one cd, so this track is not heard in its full glory. But dont let that put you off.
This track used to scare the living shite out of me.

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 26 May 2012 10:39 (11 months ago) Permalink

...This is a very menacing track from Berserk animated series by Susuma Hirasawa formerly of P-Model and several incredible soundtracks such as Paprika.

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 26 May 2012 10:42 (11 months ago) Permalink

Here is the trailer to Schock with music by Libra, a band which had some members from Goblin. I post the trailer because it has two of the best tracks and this is what I saw that made me get the soundtrack. I still havent seen the actual film. This is essential for Goblin fans and I was pleased that Stephen Thrower (Coil, Cyclobe, horror film scholar) even called it one of the best Goblin soundtracks.

There are two Stephen Thrower links I'm not doing because my computer keeps crashing, but are very much worth a look. One is on his personal block where he gives a picture list of what he considers the essential horror soundtracks, mostly italian stuff.
The other is a article at The Guardian which he does an abbreviated version of his lecture on horror soundtracks. Complete with youtube links.

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 26 May 2012 11:02 (11 months ago) Permalink

This is the first and only soundtrack I've heard to the original Nosferatu by Art Zoyd. At first it sounded a bit too odd, but the more I watched it, the more sense the music made to the point that I didnt think any of the more traditional soundtracks could better it, even though I havent heard that, so my claim is boldly ignorant. James Bernard has done the most acclaimed version but I really doubt it is as good as this.

Art Zoyd also did Murnau's Faust and I'd love to hear it.

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 26 May 2012 11:08 (11 months ago) Permalink

Kritzerland is pleased to present a new world premiere limited edition soundtrack CD:

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
Music Composed and Conducted by Dana Kaproff

http://kritzerland.com/when_stranger.htm

― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Saturday, 26 May 2012 19:46 (11 months ago) Permalink

Saw that announcement yesterday. Tempted.

xpost I still don't have James Bernard's Nosferatu score though it's been on my list for awhile. I love his music for The Devil Rides Out and 7 Golden Vampires and of course DRAC-oola, DRAC-oola-DRAC-oola...

― but he go's to a resturang and then die in a toilet (Jon Lewis), Saturday, 26 May 2012 20:46 (11 months ago) Permalink

last house on dead end street

― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 31 May 2012 19:00 (11 months ago) Permalink

^ quality video accompaniment on that one btw

"terry is the answer" lol

― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 31 May 2012 19:06 (11 months ago) Permalink

--Christian Henson, Black Death, 2010. Period instruments, monastic vocalizing and dark-ambient techniques wickedly deployed to create thee doom score of the past decade. Henson seems really promising to me.
finally got this and it's great! Quietly menacing, perfect for the morning imo

― nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Thursday, 5 July 2012 21:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yay!

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 5 July 2012 21:31 (10 months ago) Permalink

Horror music I like that I didn't notice mentioned above:

PAPERHOUSE by Hans Zimmer
EYES WITHOUT A FACE by Maurice Jarre

And these movies aren't horror but their soundtracks scratch the same itch:

SUPER 8 by Michael Giaccino
BIRTH by Alexandre Desplat
LORD OF THE FLIES by Philippe Sarde
SUNSHINE by John Murphy

― The Thnig, Friday, 13 July 2012 20:29 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yeah Desplat has yet to do a true horror score. His most disturbing one is probably Hostage.

If you like Sarde LotF you HAVE to have his score for Ghost Story. It's the ultimate in sort of beautiful eery impressionist menace.

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Friday, 13 July 2012 21:34 (10 months ago) Permalink

^ "Ghost Story" soundtrack is amazing!!

Desplat's "Birth" soundtrack is used so often as temp music in un-scored movies I can't even deal with that stuff.

― Ówen P., Friday, 13 July 2012 21:55 (10 months ago) Permalink

It's interesting how things assume that status... Is it the bit with the posse of flutes that gets temp-tracked all the time?

I hope Ghost Story gets reissued sometime. I only have mp3s of it and it's been oop forever.

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Friday, 13 July 2012 23:43 (10 months ago) Permalink

I'm told by score geeks that the secret ingredient of Ghost Story's score, not to take anything away from Sarde, is the wizardly orchestration by Peter Knight. He also orchestrated Trevor Jones' first few scores (Dark Crystal, Savage Island et al).

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Friday, 13 July 2012 23:47 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yes, it's very busy and dated and I love it. ("Ghost Story"). Was recommended just yesterday to check out the Coil "Hellraiser" score, I guess it's a no-brainer but I'd never heard it 'til this morning.

I wish it was the flute cue from "Birth", I love that cue. It's one of the more bucolic ones with strings and a upward spiraling harp line. Desplat drives me nuts, his scores are great, sure, but so many non-music fans walk away thinking he's also responsible for Wagner, Smetena, Britten, etc.

― Ówen P., Saturday, 14 July 2012 18:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

What I mean is that it'll be "Music by Alexandre Desplat" when it's actually 90% Britten ("Moonrise Kingdom") or 0% Desplat ("The Tree of Life") and even though you and I know better you know that the executive branch does not

― Ówen P., Saturday, 14 July 2012 18:01 (10 months ago) Permalink

Listening to the Possession soundtrack RIGHT NOW. I AM VERY TENSE.

― emil.y, Saturday, 14 July 2012 18:42 (10 months ago) Permalink

At least they've moved on from using the REQUIEM FOR A DREAM soundtrack for every movie trailer ever.

― The Thnig, Saturday, 14 July 2012 19:10 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yeah the Tree Of Life thing took some explaining, especially since what Desplat actually wrote was a tie for my favorite score of last year (with Conrad Pope's amazing bassoon-and-ensemble score for the el cheapo horror The Presence). My friend was blown away by the Smetana used in the actual film so I made her a mix CDR of Czech orchestral faves.

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Saturday, 14 July 2012 20:47 (10 months ago) Permalink

Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson's soundtrack for The Legend of Hell House--all ten minutes of it--is a creepy delight.

― Torei, Sunday, 15 July 2012 00:54 (10 months ago) Permalink

texas chainsaw massacre

― diamanda ram dass (Edward III)

^^ one of my favourite albums ever. kinda like the template for my favourite wolf eyes related stuff - the more static stuff from dead machines, etc.

also, some of carl zittrer's slasher soundtracks - black christmas, prom night and this in particular :

― rusty_allen, Monday, 16 July 2012 13:30 (10 months ago) Permalink

also, that 'last house on dead end street' video linked above is A+. exactly the kind of i always look for in an horror soundtrack. has it been released officially?

― rusty_allen, Monday, 16 July 2012 13:57 (10 months ago) Permalink

Vinyl reissues of Prince Of Darkness and The Living Dead At Manchester Morgue now up for pre-order at Death Waltz...

http://www.deathwaltzrecordingcompany.com/

― Barnaby, Hardly, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:23 (10 months ago) Permalink

volcanic tongue seem to have these in stock already:

http://www.volcanictongue.com/labels/browse/Death%2BWaltz%2BRecording%2BCompany

― Ward Fowler, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:29 (10 months ago) Permalink

xxp : *the kind of mood / soundscapes

― rusty_allen, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:34 (10 months ago) Permalink

volcanic tongue seem to have these in stock already:

http://www.volcanictongue.com/labels/browse/Death%2BWaltz%2BRecording%2BCompany

― Ward Fowler, Monday, July 16, 2012

Ah yeah, those ones are the first two in the series - Zombi 2 and Escape From New York. They just announced these others last week.

― Barnaby, Hardly, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:43 (10 months ago) Permalink

oh duh i was mixing up my escape from ny w/ my prince of darkness, which will never do!

― Ward Fowler, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:48 (10 months ago) Permalink

also, that 'last house on dead end street' video linked above is A+. exactly the kind of i always look for in an horror soundtrack. has it been released officially?

― rusty_allen, Monday, July 16, 2012 9:57 AM (2 hours ago)

I doubt it? the film itself barely got released officially, let alone the soundtrack.

― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Monday, 16 July 2012 16:12 (10 months ago) Permalink

oh duh i was mixing up my escape from ny w/ my prince of darkness, which will never do!

― Ward Fowler, Monday, July 16, 2012

Ha, no worries.

― Barnaby, Hardly, Monday, 16 July 2012 16:37 (10 months ago) Permalink

Black Christmas has never been released on LP or CD, has it...?

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Monday, 16 July 2012 17:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

I'm a big fan of John Murphy's 28 Weeks Later soundtrack (not to be confused with 28 Days Later). It's unlike most of the other soundtracks mentioned in that it feels more like instrumental rock. But while it's not breaking new ground, I find the slowly building guitars, and the ultimate payoff, pretty pleasurable.

― The Thnig, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 14:12 (10 months ago) Permalink

Halloween II and III now on sale on Death Waltz... <3 alan howarth!!

Halloween II

John Carpenter and Alan Howarth managed to do something not many people have been able to do with their score to Halloween II. They managed to take the blueprint of the first films score and make it bigger, bolder, darker and nerve shreddingly intense. Synths wail and stutter as the score progresses to the point where you feel your head might implode from the oncoming onslaught. This score really should be played late at night with all of the lights out.
This edition comes with all new artwork by Brandon Schaefer and sleevenotes by Alan Howarth and Brandon Schaefer.The vinyl is orange and black colour in colour effect and it also comes with a variant colourway 12 x 12 lithograph print and a folded A2 poster

Halloween III : Season Of The Witch
You have to bow down before John Carpenter & Alan Howarth. Their score for Halloween III is so far ahead of it's time it's mind boggling. Halloween III is a tour de force of experimental synth tones, intense melodies and dark brooding mood pieces. This is one of my favourite scores of all time and I am honored to have the chance to release it.
This edition comes with all new cover art by Jay Shaw and features sleevenotes by Alan Howarth and Jay Shaw. The vinyl comes in an Orange & Black colour in colour effect with a 12 x 12 lithograph and a folded A2 poster of the cover art

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Tuesday, 28 August 2012 20:03 (8 months ago) Permalink

I have I and II and I never remember to listen to II. I should fix that.

Howarth recently produced new recordings, using vintage synths, of the Morricone/Carpenter The Thing score and Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 with Dark Star. I've been hearing good things about them.

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 16:33 (8 months ago) Permalink

This is pretty boss. I'd like to hear the rest. (Good flick, too.)

― The Thnig, Monday, 24 September 2012 19:54 (7 months ago) Permalink

^^^ this is super creepy

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Tuesday, 25 September 2012 22:11 (7 months ago) Permalink