Spent my October perfecting what I believe to be a three-hour injection of anathema to all those lackluster, soul extinguishing "Halloween" playlists that the media and streaming services put out. Goal was to create a deep mix between usual and unusual suspects with a lucid flow between mood pieces and orchestral shrieky stabby-stabs, while besting the everlasting horror show that is film music on Spotify.
Curious on general thoughts and what's missing, but also understand one person's prize pumpkin is another's festering pile of orange gelatinous ooze at the end of the porch. 'Tis the season!
I. Kill Your Darlings Main Theme – AMITYVILLE HORROR, Lalo Schifrin Prelude – PSYCHO, Bernard Herrmann Overlay of Evil/Main Titles – FRIDAY THE 13TH, Harry Manfredini Now It's Mark's Turn – SALEM'S LOT, Harry Sukman Urban Legend – URBAN LEGEND, Christopher Young Main Titles – BEETLEJUICE, Danny Elfman Dies Irae – THE SHINING, Orchestral Version† Tubular Bells – THE EXORCIST, Mike Oldfield Bucket of Blood – CARRIE, Pino Donaggio The Library – MEPHISTO WALTZ, Jerry Goldsmith Reborn – HEREDITARY, Colin Stetson Betrayal – SORCERER, Tangerine Dream Laurie's Theme – HALLOWEEN, John Carpenter Theme – HALLOWEEN (2018), John Carpenter Main Title – NIGHTMARE ON ELMSTREET, Charles Bernstein It Was Always You, Helen – CANDYMAN, Philip Glass Hellhound/Second Sight Seance – HELLHOUND: HELLRAISER II, Christopher Young Trouble in Woodsboro – SCREAM, Marco Beltrami Ghost Attack – SCREAM 2, Marco Beltrami Title – IT FOLLOWS, Disasterpeace Witch – SUSPIRA, Goblin Main Theme – ROSEMARY'S BABY, Krzysztof Komeda Theme – X-FILES, Mark Snow Last I Heard – SAW, Charlie Clouser Theme – TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME, Angelo Badalamenti The Goat & The Mayhem – THE WITCH, Mark Korven
II. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark The Beginning – DRACULA, Wojciech Kilar The End – CAPE FEAR, Bernard Herrmann/Elmer Bernstein Lost Children – THE FINAL CONTACT, Jerry Goldsmith Going In – PROMETHEUS, Marc Streitenfeld Something's Not Right – THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, Danny Elfman Main Title – SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Howard Shore Twisted Abduction – POLTERGEIST, Jerry Goldsmith The Intersection Scene – WAR OF THE WORLDS, John Williams Theme – THE WALKING DEAD, Bear McCreary March of the Dead – ARMY OF DARKNESS, Danny Elfman Theme – THE FOG, John Carpenter Theme – STRANGER THINGS, Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein Chariots of Pumpkins – HALLOWEEN III: THE SEASON OF THE WITCH, John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
III. Gag Reel Prologue & Main Title – REANIMATOR, Richard Band Main Titles – SIGNS, James Newton Howard End Titles – DEATH BECOMES HER, Alan Silvestri The Dance of the Witches – WITCHES OF EASTWICK, John Williams End Title/The Gremlin Rag – GREMLINS, Jerry Goldsmith More The End? – DARK SHADOWS, Danny Elfman
†Apologies in advance for this wholly unholy feeble approximation of what Carlos and Ekland composed, but it's a quaint, somewhat endearing try and the best I could find on Spotify. In the words of the Joker's plastic surgeon, "You see what I had to work with..."
For 2019, my CD of Halloween Choice is the terribly-titled but really superbly performed and recorded album "Satan Superstar" (Decca Phase 4, re-released by Dutton Vocalion). Stanley Black conducted the National Philharmonic with a Gerhardt-worthy level of quality for this one. Includes Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Waxman), The Seventh Victim (Webb), The Omen (Goldsmith), Rosemary's Baby (Komeda), the Devil Scene from King of Kings (Rozsa) and Exorcist II (Morricone).
The Omen Damien Omen II The Final Conflict Poltergeist Poltergeist II Psycho II Something Wicked This Way Comes Aliens Mama Hellraiser Casper Sleepy Hollow Alien
But I have also played what I consider an October score The Perfect Storm (The Grand Banks in October)
Great wee walk in to work this morning listening to the new expanded Halloween (2018) release. It'll be Douglas Pipes's Trick 'r Treat for the way home. Happy Halloween everyone! If you see 'Sam' tonight remember to give him a wave!
I’ve been listening to the expanded Ghost Story (1981), had the previous release but the expansion is great.
Listened also the expanded Halloween (2018) and House I & II (II has the best Main Title music from Manfredini IMO).
Watched in theaters the excellent The Lighthouse (2019) and have been listening to the soundtrack, atonal/sound design music (that usually I’m not much a fan of) but somehow the 36 min. album is a very good listen. It reminds me a bit of Penderecki’s music.
It may be witchful thinking on my part, but I suspect more than a few of us have already bought our personal-use-only hundred-piece mixed candy supply, tapped into the seasonal boos, and fired up our favorite Halloween playlists.
Here's what I'm spinning:
Alien: Resurrection Carrie (1976) Crimson Peak Daughters of Darkness Dawn of the Dead (1978) Firestarter The Fog (1980) Friday the 13th (1980) The Fury Ghost Story Halloween (2018) Halloween III: Season of the Witch The Haunting (1999) Lifeforce Mimic Mysterious Island Near Dark Night of the Living Dead (1968) Passion Planet Terror Pumpkinhead Q: The Winged Serpent Salem's Lot (1979) Scream 2 The Thing (1982) The Wolfman (2010)
These are some of the scores I plan to play during October (my horror score collection is admittedly limited and some are probably not remotely considered Halloweenie):
King Kong (Steiner) Bride of Frankenstein (LLL) The Devil-Doll and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from the Waxman collection The Stromberg-Morgan Monster Music CD with Son of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man Returns, and The Wolf Man Jane Eyre (Herrmann) Hangover Square/Five Fingers (Kritzerland) The Day The Earth Stood Still (Kritzerland) Cape Fear (Bernstein version) The Power Jaws Prophecy Dracula (Williams) The Black Cauldron
I’ve been alternating between the following film/TV scores for the past couple of weeks:
Bride of Frankenstein Casper Child’s Play The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Pet Sematary Two The Haunted Mansion The Haunting The Haunting of Hill House Hocus Pocus Something Wicked This Way Comes (Delerue) The Stepford Wives The Thing
Been spinning a lot of horror scores as of late. One thing I've focused on a bit is the Little Box of Horrors set:
Mimic Scream Maniac (1980) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Pumpkinhead
I've also listened to:
Cujo Christine Scanners Cat People (1982) Anaconda The Lodge The Fog (1980) Salem's Lot (1979) Firestarter Anthology (Movie Themes 1974-1998) The Mummy (1999) Ghosts of Mars The Shining (TV Miniseries) Wolfen
On my list for this week:
Pet Sematary (1989) Psycho (McNeely recording) The Nun Alien Aliens Silver Bullet
Looking back on this list it's remarkable how eclectic it is. So many great horror scores out there.
The Omen Trilogy - Goldsmith The Changeling - Blake Dracula - Williams Bram Strokers Dracula - Kilar Poltergeist - Goldsmith Poltergeist 2 - Goldsmith The Fury - Williams Wolfen - Horner Something Wicked This Way Comes - Horner Salem's Lot - Sukman The Wolfman - Elfman Prophecy - Rosenman Drag Me To Hell - Young Species - Young Saturn 3 - Bernstein Se7en - Shore The Dead Zone - Shore
At first I thought I didn't have that many scores and realized I was wrong, LOL
October is upon us, which means it's time to continue spinning the horror scores we've all been playing year-round. And thanks to dragon53, we now know that horror is actually good for our health! So which nutritious horror scores will you be spinning in the lead-up to Halloween?
Feel free to frame your response in the form of a "Top 10" if you want to make your post extra scary! Or...
For me, it will be the tried and true chestnuts "The Exorcist" and "Alien" scores.
Sometimes I throw "The Wicker Man" in there, but that film might not necessarily qualify as a horror movie to some. I find the music eerie and unsettling (though beautiful, in a way) and that's good enough for me.
I kind of cheated and started listening to my horror/scary scores in early September but I've been bored lately and it helps me to stay occupied at night to actually pick complete scores to listen to instead of just jumping around from track to track.
I was trying to pair scores together that I thought would create a special listening experience. Some of them are obvious like:
Alien and Aliens Jaws 1 and Jaws 2 Dracula (Williams) and Dracula (Kilar)
Some are less obvious like:
The Omen and Signs Something Wicked This Way Comes (Horner) and Ghost Story The Haunting and Psycho Poltergeist and Interview With The Vampire Silence of the Lambs and Lifeforce Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Elfman) and The Fury
I realized that I probably have more horror/scary scores than any other genre which is weird because when I was a kid I was terrified of a lot of scary movies. I guess I've become desensitized!
I always find myself playing Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Williams’ 1979 Dracula, and Interview with the Vampire around this time of year. Add the one track of Searle’s The Haunting from a compilation disc as well as Poltergeist and it’s a very creepy October. Oh and Morricone’s Thing.
I also love playing Mahler’s Autumn Loneliness from Das Lied around this time of year too…
Not a horror score, but I always play To Kill a Mockingbird in the fall--the closing scene taking place on Halloween and the scary walk in the woods is far more horrifying than Jason, Freddie, and their lot.
