Horror Soundtracks

Just picked up Roque Banos' excellent soundtrack to the Evil Dead remake, and I'm knocked out by it...I have a few other Horror soundtracks, The Fog Blake's Gold version on Death Waltz and the wonderful Disco-Psycho sounds of Re-Animator recently reissued on Waxwork...any recommendations for good soundtracks as inventive musically as those above?

 

Profundo Rosso & Suspiria by Goblin!

 

I have nothing by Goblin...but I remember Suspiria. Yeah, I will pick that up, many thanks, humanbeing!

 

based on what I've gleaned of your taste, you probably already know of John Carpenter, but if someone else reading this hasn't--his creeping, minimal piano and synth work that accompanies his films is kind of amazing. halloween is the classic, and it comes in a recently expanded edition that sounds pretty good.

also, his first non-score record (lost themes) came out this february. it's excellent.

 

so important to establishing the mood, so rarely appreciated

 

Yeah, I have a lot of time for his style, and am particularly after his collaboration with Morricone on The Thing....I go for that synths-in-a-minor-key style, there must be lots of stuff from the Eighties like the soundtrack to Chopping Mall, which is also really good...but yes, Lost Themes, just looked this up, I think that's another purchase! Thanks...

 

There's nothing like a choir whispering in Latin over strings....

 

& Zombi/Dawn of the Dead !

 

I know THE THING by Morricone is a good one.

 

I want a mint copy of this...which is harder to get than you might think....

 

I have a cd

 

Coil - Unreleased Hellraiser Themes

 

Halloween and Assault on Precinct 13 by JC

 

Ironically, a really well-integrated effective score is so easily overlooked for its power and contribution

 

May have to go that way!

 

I really love the Rosemary's baby soundtrack (it's on iTunes). The variations of the lullaby are both creepy and very European sounding, the coven stuff is interesting too....worth checking out.

 

One soundtrack I found a bit problematical was for The Exorcist....I love Mike Oldfield, but that bit of Tubular Bells sticks out like a demon in a nunnery, and actually takes me out of the mood they create so well in the rest of the movie...

 

Coils interpretations, or are these actual soundtrack recordings?

 

I USED to have a copy of this

 

Gee - there are so many.

Check out the soundtracks to several other Argento movies. Sleepless offers a wonderful set of synth/rock, modern with strong melodies. Even more modern, but none-the- less interesting, is the soundtrack to The Card Player (sadly the movie itself is very average). Both are performed by Simonetti, a member of Goblin. My favorite of the Argento soundtracks is probably Tenebrae from the 80's. It's a "not quite" Goblin release of simply superb music. More on Argento in a moment.

Ennio Morricone is known for his lush soundtracks, and especially The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I stand in the minority when I say they are the least interesting works he ever did. Instead look to earlier recordings. Back in the 70's Morricone worked more in the (slightly) free-jazz and vocal world. I say vocal, but it's not singing, it's more hummed melodies and haunting echoes. Check out his soundtracks to Argento's Bird with the Crystal Plumage, and Cat O'Nine Tails. If those are favorable to you then the world is your oyster - there are many stunning soundtracks from a genre of films known as "Giallo", you can buy them based on movie titles alone - they all shared the jazzy vibe, with great use of vocals to enhance the mood. For example, Bruno Nicolai made several great ones. Don't miss out on the likes of Woman in a Lizards Skin.

Then there's my favorite Tangerine Dream recording - Firestarter. Again the movie is only so-so, but the melodies on Firestarter are simply gorgeous. I love my Tangerine Dream, but if I could only have one, that would be it.

How about a Goirgio Moroder? If you don't mind some David Bowie mixed in (with a superior version of Cat People, which he later honed down to deadness on Let's Dance) then the soundtrack to Cat People is awesome.

Also check out the soundtrack to 2001 Space Odyssey. The use of Ligeti's music is a masterstroke, and it works great as an album.

I second the praise for the soundtrack to The Exorcist.

 

Thank you Vaughan, for a very informative post.

 

....and now I have to pick up Firestarter...I too love the Tangs, but avoided their soundtracks, dunno why. No longer!

 

I just picked up the soundtrack to Beyond the Black Rainbow, which has a very retro synth score. Other great ones are the Goblin OSTs and Mica Levi's creepy music for Under the Skin. Tangerine Dream's Sorcerer score is fab too.

 

Surely you have the Sountrack to Sorcerer? If not - get it!! Also - as a TD fan, you simply must have Soundtracks to Wavelength, Thief, Miracle Mile, and Near Dark. Flashpoint is also good, but it has a really average rock track tacked on the end that jars a bit. They have others too. The thing about TD was - they never compromised on the Soundtrack work. Director's hired TD because they were TD, they wanted the sound of TD. This enhanced both the movie itself, and the TD discography, because the music serves as both. Just keep in mind that the soundtracks sound like the relevant period in which they were made. So, Sorcerer is, if anything, more like Rubycon (albeit with shorter tracks). Miracle Mile came much later, and has a more driving soundtrack, aiming less for the dark mood....

 

The soundtrack from The Exorcist, in addition to including the edit of "Tubular Bells" is a good anthology of the music of several electronic and avant-garde composers.