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Halloween/Best Horror Scores


futuremartymcfly
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So with it being October and all, what is your perfect playlist to have playing during October 31st? What songs do you use to make sure you don't have to worry about having any kids knocking on your door?

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I've been thinking. I really love watching Horror movies around this time of the year, leading up to Halloween. In fact, that's basically all I watch. So I got to thinking. Some of the movies have a great theme, but a forgettable score. Since I'm not very well versed in horror scores, can anyone recommend the best horror scores to listen to?

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Alien

Jaws

The Omen

Psycho

The Fly

The Final Conflict

The Fury

Dracula

The Mephisto Waltz

Poltergeist

Halloween - At least for the theme.

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Candyman (that piano-motif is a killer!), The Fly (1986), Dawn Of The Dead (1978), Hellraiser and Hellraiser II (tyical Christopher Young), Don't Look Now (a horror score with an Italian-flavor to it!), 28 Days Later (very effective use of non-horrorlike music).

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What about the old Hammer and Universal stuff? I don't know any of the scores off the top of my head, but some of those have some amazing brass and scary string work - scary as in scary, that is, not bad-scary. As for themes, they're probably pretty weak

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I love A Nightmare on Elm Street by Charles Bernstein. It's not advanced musically at all, but sometimes a score really shouldn't be. Carpenter's Halloween is also fantastic. More recently, David Julyan's The Descent is quite good, despite having similarities to Insomnia. I would also note that all the films I've mentioned are great as well.

Ted

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Actually, I find The Fall to be one of the most terrifying, and spine-tingling, tracks of the score. It gets so maniacal as Damien is riding in circles. Gets me every time. Ave Satani, while creepy, merely sets the mood for the score in my opinion. The Ambassador from The Final Conflict is excellent as well. Great build-up.

But I think everyone's mentioned everything I would have so I can't add anything. I just had to reply because I was mentioned!

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Do NOES or Halloween movies even have score releases?

I have the Omen and I can't really remember too much memorable from it. Maybe I should go listen to it again.

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An off-beat alternative to the superb scores mentioned above would be the frankly freaky score to Dario Argento's Suspiria, by Dawn Of The Dead composers Goblin

"Da da da da da da da, da da da da da da da.....WITCH!" 8O

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Do NOES or Halloween movies even have score releases?

Both opening title cues are on the Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary album. As for the rest of the scores, I'm not sure. My knowledge of them is based on the opening title cues from the Varese album and from watching the movies enough times.

Ted, who loves both scores and films

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An off-beat alternative to the superb scores mentioned above would be the frankly freaky score to Dario Argento's Suspiria, by Dawn Of The Dead composers Goblin

"Da da da da da da da, da da da da da da da.....WITCH!"  :(

Oooh yes! Great score. I bought an amazing CD called "Italian Horror Showcase" which is really a best-of-Goblin CD. It has about 15 minutes of music from Suspiria, plus all sorts of other cool themes they wrote. The CD is in Japanese so I can't read much about the band, but wow, great music.

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That music is very memorable, and an interesting example of how a score can play against expectations and really keep a viewer on her or his toes. It does not complement the action, but instead seems to cause some of the grisly things that happen in the movie. It's a strange feeling, but the score certainly plays a huge role in the scariness of that film.

Ted

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The Final Conflict has the greatest highlights but  Damien is overall a more enjoyable listen. (TFC has a few rather boring cues)

I had to move a little closer to the screen to read that last sentence. :(

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Here is my Halloween iPod Playlist

http://www.dillusions.net/erik/halloween.htm

I think Aliens is more of an action score than a horror score, really.

I basically agree with Mark's list.

True... but there are some incredibly creepy tracks in that score that would be perfect for a scary Halloween playlist. Just listen to "FaceHuggers"

-Erik-

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You can also throw in monster music and some of these other scores as well:

Gremlins

Godzilla - actually any Godzilla film would do, with the exception of some of the lighter non-Ifukube scored films.

Rodan

Frankenstein Conquers The World

War Of The Gargantuas

Varan

King Kong (1933 & 1976)

Jaws 2

Alien 3

Interview With The Vampire

Day The Earth Stood Still

Ghostbusters

The Good Son

The Fly II

Poltergeist II

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Here is my Halloween iPod Playlist

http://www.dillusions.net/erik/halloween.htm

-Erik-

I've been thinking of getting Saint Sinner - what's it like?

As a fan of Lennertz I think it's one of his finest works. It features a huge symphony orchestra with choir. It's a rich score with memorable themes and violent action music. It's quite a refreshing score from the up and coming composer. Actually, I recommend you find as much music with Lennertz name on it. His game scores are quite impressive with Gun being one of my favorites.

Check out some clips of the score at...

http://www.christopherlennertz.com/audioclips.html

-Erik-

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