The fine and highly skilled art of scoring movie jumps

[Quintus 5,399]

The popcorn goes everywhere and the females in the audience scream, the sudden, sharp music isn't even noticed, but it is there. Jerry Goldsmith scared the bejesus out of me during Poltergeist's clown scene - the long pulsing bass setup suddenly interrupted by that shrieking brass and snake like rattle worked a treat and the scare wouldn't be half as effective without it.

But my personal favourite would have to be the comedy two-note brass stab when Indy thrusts his fist through the hole in Temple Of Doom as the spikes get closer. A guaranteed jump followed by a giggle every time

[Eric_JWFAN 11]

Silvestri did a good job with those on What Lies Beneath. Also James Newton Howard's Sixth Sense comes to mind.

[Maglorfin 196]

Some great stings can certainly be heard in Horner's Aliens and Maestro's Jaws.

[ASW 0]

Indeed, especially when Ben Gardner's head pops out. There's also one in "T-Rex Rescue and Finale" at the quiet bit starting from 4:00ish ("the phones are working") to about 4:08. Highly effective with the volume turned up.

The opening to "Asthma Attack" in Howard's Signs also comes to mind.

[ChuckM 1]

Psycho. You know the cue I'm talking about.

[Quintus 5,399]

Indeed, especially when Ben Gardner's head pops out.

Isn't that a sound effect? The music comes in immediately after the jump.

[Henry B 50]

Psycho. You know the cue I'm talking about.

Yep.

[indy4 155]

"Roof Intruder" from Signs.

[Maglorfin 196]

Also Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone has one, in The Library Scene, if I remember correctly.

[Ollie 1,059]

Indeed, especially when Ben Gardner's head pops out.

Isn't that a sound effect? The music comes in immediately after the jump.

No it's done by Williams although it's a little more in your face on the original album than the film version.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

The opening to "Asthma Attack" in Howard's Signs also comes to mind.

That is the most damned annoyingly creepy opening to an awesome track ever.

I'd listen to that track more often if it weren't for that thing that sends chills down me spine.

But no...not only is it at the beginning of the track, it has no silence leading up to it, so it's impossible to skip it without hearing it.

Never got around to cutting it out.

[Melange 446]

I think the beginning of the "The Demise of Mrs Baylock" from the first Omen score, is a major one.

That woman just jumps out of nowhere (and so does Jerry with his orchestra)

[Koray Savas 2,251]

At the end of Vide Cor Meum from Hannibal. Can't remember it's context in the film, but that's the most scared I've ever been from just listening to music.

Main Titles from Man On Fire is another one. Though it's not a scary moment in the film, rather than just opening credits, but it'll sure as hell scare you if you've never heard it before. I sent it to my friend to listen and he fell out of his chair when it hit. He said he'll never listen to it again.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

That woman just jumps out of nowhere (and so does Jerry with his orchestra)

That is one hilarious mental image.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

At the end of Vide Cor Meum from Hannibal. Can't remember it's context in the film, but that's the most scared I've ever been from just listening to music.

Main Titles from Man On Fire is another one. Though it's not a scary moment in the film, rather than just opening credits, but it'll sure as hell scare you if you've never heard it before. I sent it to my friend to listen and he fell out of his chair when it hit. He said he'll never listen to it again.

there was a scary moment in hannibal, I mean other than the amount of talent absolutely stinking it up what was there to be scared of.

there were so many little moments in Jaws why name just one

[ASW 0]

there were so many little moments in Jaws why name just one

Indeed. Roughly 1:05 in Barrel off Starboard in the Anniversary Edition has quite a good one that follows over a minute of relative calm. Don't remember if it's actually in the film though...I think it was...

Also, the action that follows the suspense music in Ludlow's Demise is also quite sudde, but if I recall that's an edit of two separate cues so it only applies on album. O well

ASW

[AI 0]

Silvestri did a good job with those on What Lies Beneath.

That's what I was going to mention, What Lies Beneath has a ton of awesome scares.

Aliens too, to a lesser extent.

[Maglorfin 196]

I think the beginning of the "The Demise of Mrs Baylock" from the first Omen score, is a major one.

At the end of Vide Cor Meum from Hannibal. Can't remember it's context in the film, but that's the most scared I've ever been from just listening to music.

How could I forget these two?! Though, if I remember correctly, the one from Hannibal wasn't used it the movie itself, but merely at the end of the end titles, kinda like on the CD.

Aliens too, to a lesser extent.

The greatest ones are in "Sub-Level 3" at 5:55 and in "FaceHuggers" at 0:35, scared the sh*t out of me when I listened to the CD for the first time back in 2001.

[MSM 126]

Of course a whole bunch of classic scenes some of which have been mentioned above. I don't like horror movies so I can't tell about those. Some scenes that come to mind:

Jerry Goldsmith - Close up on the mummy's skeletal face after being unearthed (The Mummy)

John Williams - Can You See? (Minority Report)

James Horner - Murietta's head (Mask of Zorro)

[AI 0]

Aliens too, to a lesser extent.

The greatest ones are in "Sub-Level 3" at 5:55 and in "FaceHuggers" at 0:35, scared the sh*t out of me when I listened to the CD for the first time back in 2001.

Yes I know exactly where you mean . It scared the beejeezus out of me and everyone watching it the first time. It's that shreiking Bartok like woodwind sound that does it, not the heavy crash itself.

[Maglorfin 196]

It's that shreiking Bartok like woodwind sound that does it, not the heavy crash itself.

Yeah, the thing that e. g. piccolo does in "Sub-Level 3" (the whole woodwind section does it of course, but piccolo is really piercing in that particular moment) and the tam-tam crashes (with a great damping job, I might add) in "FaceHuggers".

[Quintus 5,399]

Hey whilst on the subject of Aliens, does anyone know how the actual alien shriek was achieved? Every time I hear the screech of one of those horrible bastards I hear a trumpet somewhere in there!

[Maglorfin 196]

I found this on the IMDb, but it's from Alien trivia: The screech of the alien as it bursts from the stomach of John Hurt was actually voiced by animal impersonator Percy Edwards. He was personally requested by director Ridley Scott to do the sound effect and it was recorded in one take.

[ASW 0]

I mentioned this in an earlier thread but thought it might fit here. The end of the end credits cue in Goldsmith's Poltergeist doesn't quite make you jump but it's really unsettling if you're not expecting it.

There's also this really weird sound in I think it's "Roy's First Encounter" or "Chasing UFOs" in CE3K that's really creepy. I'll post up tracktimes when I get the chance but does anyone know what's making that sound?

and ditto on "Facehuggers"

[Maglorfin 196]

I mentioned this in an earlier thread but thought it might fit here. The end of the end credits cue in Goldsmith's Poltergeist doesn't quite make you jump but it's really unsettling if you're not expecting it.

I'll check this out when I come home for the weekend, I've forgotten what happens at the end of that cue. Something similar to the end of Hannibal, I suppose?

[MSM 126]

I mentioned this in an earlier thread but thought it might fit here. The end of the end credits cue in Goldsmith's Poltergeist doesn't quite make you jump but it's really unsettling if you're not expecting it.

There's also this really weird sound in I think it's "Roy's First Encounter" or "Chasing UFOs" in CE3K that's really creepy. I'll post up tracktimes when I get the chance but does anyone know what's making that sound?

and ditto on "Facehuggers"

I think those are orchestrational effects. It's mainly woodwinds,strings and percussion, possibly with a wordless effect choir.

[ASW 0]

I mentioned this in an earlier thread but thought it might fit here. The end of the end credits cue in Goldsmith's Poltergeist doesn't quite make you jump but it's really unsettling if you're not expecting it.

I'll check this out when I come home for the weekend, I've forgotten what happens at the end of that cue. Something similar to the end of Hannibal, I suppose?

I'm actually not familiar with Hannibal...but it seems even some non-Zimmer fans like it so it sounds like I should check it out. Btw, did you get a chance to listen to that Poltergeist cue? What did you think?

I think those are orchestrational effects. It's mainly woodwinds,strings and percussion, possibly with a wordless effect choir.

ah yes, that sounds about right. There's a somewhat similar effect in "The Intersection Scene" from WOTW....same orchestration, perhaps?

[Delorean90 42]

I just recently checked out the end of the Poltergeist end credits cue, and yeah, it's kind of unsettling. I don't think it was as startling as it might have been because I knew what it was going to be, but I still don't want to listen to it alone at night, or maybe even with someone at night. And I think part of what's so freaky is not just that it happens, but how long they take to fade out. It's not just a quick moment and it's over, it's several seconds. If I were to get the CD, I'd probably edit that off for listening pleasure. It's interesting as an effect, but for pure listening? Nah, let "Carol Anne's Theme" stand on its own sweetness and leave a happy ending for me.

[Jim Ware 526]

There's also this really weird sound in I think it's "Roy's First Encounter" or "Chasing UFOs" in CE3K that's really creepy. I'll post up tracktimes when I get the chance but does anyone know what's making that sound?

This is a choral effect. The directions for the female chorus on the conductor's score are “closed mouth, nasal sound thru teeth, with

menace, tone waver”.

See Bill Wrobel's score rundown here

[Maglorfin 196]

Btw, did you get a chance to listen to that Poltergeist cue? What did you think?

Ah, yes. Definitely unnerving to some point, though I must admit that I find some other moments already mentioned in this thread quite a lot creepier. But it's a good idea as it is, I wonder if Goldsmith himself thought of that or was it somebody else's idea.

[Trent B 337]

Surprised these weren't mentioned....

Independence Day when they're opening up the biomechanical suit from the Alien and then suddenly it bursts open and the swelling of the orchestra the same time. I saw the movie a lot of times in theaters and every time that scene happened made everyone jump it was hilarious.

Also too from Independence Day when Dr. Okan was thrown against the glass by the Alien. Made people in the theater jump again. The only time those two scenes made me jump is when I saw it the very first time...after that I was expecting them and just wanted to see how others reacted.

[Maglorfin 196]

Yeah, it's always great fun when you are expecting the jump, but several hundred people around you aren't.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Like when I watched The Departed in a full theater, having already seen Infernal Affairs several times.

[ASW 0]

There's also this really weird sound in I think it's "Roy's First Encounter" or "Chasing UFOs" in CE3K that's really creepy. I'll post up tracktimes when I get the chance but does anyone know what's making that sound?

This is a choral effect. The directions for the female chorus on the conductor's score are “closed mouth, nasal sound thru teeth, with

menace, tone waver”.

See Bill Wrobel's score rundown here

Cooool