CURRENT WORKING LIST

Any input would be very gratefully received.

Oh, & I'm only going to be doing them in chronological order.

NP the Ghost & the Darkness

Like I said I ain't no expert.

My own personal choices would have to be:

"Silence of the Lambs", by Shore. Not really a horror movie in the classical sense, but the score is certainly a creepy masterpiece.

"NightBreed", by Elfman. A fantastic score by Elfman with equal parts fantasy and horror. Also very heavy on ethnic percussion and woodwinds, which is somewhat unusual for the genre.

"Mary Reily", by Fenton. A bone-chilling (and quite sad) score with some great string-writing.

"Halloween", by Carpenter. Need I say anything about this one?

There's plenty of other great horror scores, but I cannot remember them all.

SFT

What should be there but isn't, & what shouldn't be there that is? (it made sense in my head)

And yes, I know that's more than 50.

And I'm really concerned that it's far too heavily weighed in favor of the last three decades.

And I'm going to be focusing on individual scores, both well-known & obscure titles in some depth. This list is totally a subjective thing, & is just for starters.

Oh, and please don't be ignorant. Herrmann's PSYCHO is #1! No contest.

SFT

PS: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre really shouldn't be on the list at all. It's not really a score.

And if TCM isn't a score, what is it? I'm not going to make any claims for it's musical stature, but in the film it's incredibly effective. Anyway, I need to rewatch the film, which I probably will do tonight, & pay attention as to whether it's worth mentioning. It is pretty unlike any other scores, & very effective, which is why I put it up as a possible.

Anchor Bay is doing a 2 DVD set of RE ANIMATOR, with new features, iso score in 5.1, and TWO interviews with Richard Band. Few scores have divided people over its worth so much over the years...I like it, am looking forward to this.

I would add the Changeling, a creepy score and film this is a recent Percepto release. Chillingly effective.

I would also add The Uninvited by Victor Young. This is simply one of the most effective ghost stories ever filmed. It is almost entirely free of special effects and that only makes it more eerie. It also includes the enchanting "Stella by Starlight".

Some others to consider are:

House of Frankenstein – There is excellent Marco Polo rerecording of this score.

Universal Classic Scores – This Marco Polo release includes several score choices from the classic period of Universal Monster films.

Themes From Classic Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films – Not as good a quality a recording as the Marco Polo albums but includes Tarantula and the Deadly Mantis.

Creature From the Black Lagoon – A release by Monstrous Music for this classic film with music by Hans J. Salter.

Haunted Palace/Premature Burial – Precepto released this recently

Scars of Dracula, The Devil Rides Out, Taste the Blood of Dracula all by James Barnard an overlooked composer who really put a stamp on horror music.

Dracula – New score recorded composed and conducted by Phillip Glass. Quite nice.

Hammer Film Collections, Volumes 1 & 2 – quite nice samplers for many different Hammer films. This includes some nice pieces available no place else.

Ghost Story – Phillip Sarde. A compelling score and tale.

The Fly, The Fly II and The Cell by Howard Shore. As long as you are including se7en you may as well consider The Cell. The Fly movies are an obvious choice.

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Originally posted by OHMSS76:
I know it's a little OT, but what better place to post this:

Anchor Bay is doing a 2 DVD set of RE ANIMATOR, with new features, iso score in 5.1, and TWO interviews with Richard Band. Few scores have divided people over its worth so much over the years...I like it, am looking forward to this.

Best,
Sean

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Where did you see that info? Man, that would be awesome if it's true! The previous DVD release was, in my opinion, a much worse transfer than the LaserDisc. And the discussion over the Herrmannesque feel of his score has been debated over and over again. Let's face it folks - he did it as an homage to Herrmann (see the Silva release liner notes) and I'm sure due to the fact that the filmmakers wanted it that way. The way I see it, if you CAN do it, DO IT!

I saw this announced in this month's FANGORIA, the one with Blade II on the cover. It's a half page ad, the other half is the announcement of NOTLD MEdition. I'm shocked that no one else knows about this! Did I really scoop you all on this info! Hope that Fango wasn't pulling some April Fool's Joke, I'm sure not

I don't remember the street date, but it's not for a few months anyway.

I get scared sh*tless everytime I hear it.

Seriously, though - i want to echo my sentiments for THE CHANGELING and suggest that Kilar's score to BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA be considered as well.

Recently I've been listening to a lot of Hammer Horror music and I'm really getting into Harry Robinson's music for "Twins of Evil", "Lust for a Vampire" "The Vampire Lovers". Of course there's the great James Bernard who has written loads of great Hammer horror scores...Not mentioned above "Curse of frankenstein" "Kiss of the Vampire" "Plague of the Zombies" most of the Hammer Dracula films, "The Devil Rides out" etc etc. Some other films and composers for Hammer Horror were "The Curse of the Werewolf" (Benjamin Frankel) "The Mummy" (Franz Reisenstein) "Curse of the Mummy's tomb" (Carlo Martelli)
Dont forget also Pino Donnagio's music for "The Howling" and Elmer Bernstein's short but atmospheric score for "An American Werewolf in London"
Some lesser known Herrmann would be "Sisters" "Obsession" and "Endless Night"
What about Harry Manfredini's chilling music to the "Friday the 13th" movies and some of John carpenter's scores e.g. "Halloween" "Christine"
Ron Goodwin's atmospheric music to "The Day of the Triffids" and "Village of the Damned" "Children of the Damned" and "Frenzy"

Cant think of any more at the moment!
Gae

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Originally posted by Dylan:
From Beyond- Richard Band
The House on Sorority Row- Richard Band
Puppetmaster- Richard Band
The Alchemist- Richard Band

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What he said! (I haven't heard Magic).

From the Elite Entertainment website:

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Re-Animator: The Milleniun Edition

A Brand New 2 DVD Set Featuring New and Exciting Special Features.

Disc One
THX Approved
New Digital Master
16 x 9 Anamorphic WideScreen (Aspect Ratio 1.85:1)
Animated Motion Menus
24 Chapters with Motion Images
DTS 5.1 Digital Surround
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Isolated 5.1 Dolby Digital Music Score
Original 2.0 Mono mix
Commentary with Director Stuart Gordon
Commentary with Producer Brian Yuzna and Actors Jeffrey Combs, Robert Sampson, Barbara Crampton and Bruce Abbott
Lucasfilm THX Optimizer Audio-Video Test
Dual Layer Disc (SSDL) for High Quality Picture and Sound

Disc Two
Animated Motion Menus
New Video Interviews with Director Stuart Gordon and Producer Brian Yuzna
New Video Interview with Writer Dennis Paoli
New Video Interview with Composer Richard Band
New Video Interview with Fangoria Editor Tony Timpone
16 Extended Scenes (16 x 9 Anamorphic)
Deleted Scene (16 x 9 Anamorphic)
Theatrical Trailer (16 x 9 Anamorphic)
5 TV Spots
Music Discussion with Composer Richard Band (4 scenes)
Multi-Angle Story Boards (3 scenes)
Behind-The-Scenes Photo Gallery
Biographies and Filmographies of Cast and Filmmakers
Dual Layer Disc (SSDL) for high Quality Picture and Sound
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This certaintly is exciting news for the Richard Band fan. And the score will be isolated in 5.1 Dolby Digital, for superior sound. I am a huge fan of Band's Re-Animator score (and an even bigger fan of the compser himself), so this is indeed a wonderful thing.

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The greatest horror scores ever (input needed)

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Well I thought Event Horizon was really creepy within the context of the movie when I saw it in theater. It left me very disturbed during the show.

Howevener I was surprised at how listenable and enjoyable it is on CD.
What do you guys think?

But the score is very minimal indeed; it is largely scored with folk tunes. I might include, as a replacement, any of the following:

THE FOG (Carpenter's best, and chilling)
CAT PEOPLE (from Schrader's 1982 remake; Moroder's score is certainly not to everyone's taste, but is compelling and creepy)
THE KEEP (best thing Tangerine Dream ever did, and stirring)
CREEPSHOW (John Harrison's best work, and terrific both within its movie and as a listen-only experience)
HORROR EXPRESS (John Cacavas' score is very, very, very damned creepy)

Those are just the ones that I know can be readily obtained one way or another on CD. In the Classics area, it would be a shame not to mention the score for THE WOLF MAN for its remarkable and emblematic theme. When you heard that music (and it got used in many later & lesser films), you knew that Wolf Dude was a-prowlin'.

Honorable mention:

PRINCE OF DARKNESS
CHRISTINE
ARMY OF DARKNESS
EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC
DAY OF THE DEAD
THE DUNWICH HORROR
QUATERMASS AND THE PIT

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Originally posted by MARK HATFIELD:
(...)

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So, more or less in chronological order -

KING KONG: or maybe not, because if you open the list up to that kind of fantasy movie, things could get unweildy. But great Steiner score, and a movie score landmark.

HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME: Again, hardly horror, but it has horrific elements and a superb Newman score.

Apart from the very fine and historically important BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, you could make room for a few other old Universals by Salter, Skinner etc. Lovely CDs from John Morgan.

Apart from CAT PEOPLE, at least one more from the Lewton stable, music by Roy Webb.

DEAD OF NIGHT: superb film, and a highly regarded Georges Auric score, though I can't remember it.

BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS: borderline horror, with chilling Steiner use of Bach's Chaconne.

NIGHT OF THE DEMON (CURSE OF THE DEMON): Clifton Parker did great film music.

Apart from (HORROR) OF DRACULA, which is a must on your list, a couple more Hammer movies at least. I could add about 20, but I'll just say that THE MUMMY, by Franz Reizenstein, may well be my all-time fave Hammer score.

THE THING (FROM ANOTHER WORLD): Maybe too SF-ish. If you put this in, you'd have to open the floodgates to THEM too. But great Tiomkin and Kaper scores anyway.

(THE FALL OF THE) HOUSE OF USHER and PIT AND THE PENDULUM: both by Les Baxter, and both pinnacles of horrific achievement. Experimental, beautiful, haunting. Could maybe stick on other Corman things, like Ronald Stein's THE HAUNTED PALACE, or David Lee's very underrated MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.

THE SKULL: Amicus gave Hammer a run for their money in the 60s. Superb, hair-raising avant garde score by classical composer Elisabeth Lutyens.

ROSEMARY'S BABY: is this on your list, Pete? If not, it should be.

Now I'm forgetting what's on your list! Later Herrmann? (BLOOD) SISTERS, IT'S ALIVE, THE NIGHT DIGGER?

A respected one from a Spanish movie, WHO CAN KILL A CHILD, by Waldo De Los Rios. He's an Argentinian James Last. People have mentioned that it's an effective, chilling score, using lullabies.

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN: or too funny?

Tyburn appeared in the 70s, doing low budget Hammer-ish films. Two good scores by Harry Robinson: LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF and THE GHOUL.

Two more I must add. Gil Melle's absolutely thrilling score for THE SENTINEL. Huge, powerful, and quite unlike any other score I've ever heard. If you admit TV onto the list, Melle's FRANKENSTEIN THE TRUE STORY is equally amazing.

No Lalo? What about THE AMITYVILLE HORROR?

No Leonard? What about THE CAR?

No Fried? Going back in time a bit, what about THE RETURN OF DRACULA? That may not be brilliant actually, but it's a lot of fun.

I could go on, but I'm too tired. Just a few questions - Is this list supposed to be "best" scores or "most emblematic"?

Re. BLACK SABBATH: is that the Nicolosi score or the Baxter one for the American release?

Re. THEATRE OF BLOOD: great choice, but is THE MEDUSA TOUCH that good (both Michael J. Lewis)?

Re. THE WICKER MAN: not really a score, but the songs and folk melodies are a vital part of a brilliant film. Keep it on the list.

Re. ZOMBI, TENEBRAE, INFERNO: are they all that different? Certainly SUSPIRIA should stay there.

Thumbs up for unanimously approved PSYCHO, THE OMEN, THE MEPHISTO WALTZ, POLTERGEIST...and were THE FURY and HELLRAISER approved unanimously? If so, good!

- "PETER BENCHLEY'S THE BEAST" by Don Davis !!!

Thumbs up also for Philippe Sarde's GHOST STORY. Thumbs loooooow down to Kilar's BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA - that score is only embarrassing with its "too-serious-and-still-filled-with-clicheés" sound.

Wonderful to see John Williams' DRACULA on the list !!! Some other titles I'd like to mention:

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1989, Misha Segal)
JAWS 3-D (Alan Parker) Simply marvelous chase music !!!
JAWS: THE REVENGE (Michael Small) Stupid movie, but great score !!
THE ELEPHANT MAN (John Morris) Not a horror movie, but the score ranks among the true horror "classics".
WHAT LIES BENEATH (Alan Silvestri)
FEAR (1990, Henry Mancini)
CAPE FEAR (Both Bernard Herrmann original and Elmer Bernstein adaptation)
LEVIATHAN (Jerry Goldsmith)
SPHERE (Elliot Goldenthal)
PAPER HOUSE (Hans Zimmer)
BAXTER (Marc Hillman & Patrick Roffé) Great theme !!
NOSFERATU: EINE SYMPHONIE DES GRAUENS (Hans Erdmann original 1922 score)
NOSFERATU: EINE SYMPHONIE DES GRAUENS (James Bernard score for Channel 4)
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925; Carl Davis score for Channel 4)
...and
DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT (Hummie Mann) This is serious stuff, man Really !!!

The Changeling--really good!!
The Night Walker is a Vic Mizzy score that is supposed to be pretty awesome, but I have not heard it, or seen the film.

Can't believe no one has mentioned "The Sixth Sense" though.

Not sure if Corigliano's "Altered States" counts since it is more sci-fi.

What about "Poltergeist"?

Gerald Fried has some great horror scores...pick one of the many.

Beltrami's "Mimic" is pretty good.

Music from Searle's "The Haunting"--not the remake.

Maybe North's "The Bad Seed" might sneak by in the qualifying arena.

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Originally posted by Graham Watt:

KING KONG: or maybe not, because if you open the list up to that kind of fantasy movie, things could get unweildy. But great Steiner score, and a movie score landmark.

HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME: Again, hardly horror, but it has horrific elements and a superb Newman score.

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Apart from the very fine and historically important BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, you could make room for a few other old Universals by Salter, Skinner etc. Lovely CDs from John Morgan.

Apart from CAT PEOPLE, at least one more from the Lewton stable, music by Roy Webb.

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DEAD OF NIGHT: superb film, and a highly regarded Georges Auric score, though I can't remember it.

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BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS: borderline horror, with chilling Steiner use of Bach's Chaconne.

NIGHT OF THE DEMON (CURSE OF THE DEMON): Clifton Parker did great film music.

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The Night of the... title, though, reminded me of the British Night of the Eagle. A pretty good score by William Alwyn, with inventive use of Dies Irae at one point. A contender.

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Apart from (HORROR) OF DRACULA, which is a must on your list, a couple more Hammer movies at least. I could add about 20, but I'll just say that THE MUMMY, by Franz Reizenstein, may well be my all-time fave Hammer score.

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THE THING (FROM ANOTHER WORLD): Maybe too SF-ish. If you put this in, you'd have to open the floodgates to THEM too. But great Tiomkin and Kaper scores anyway.

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(THE FALL OF THE) HOUSE OF USHER and PIT AND THE PENDULUM: both by Les Baxter, and both pinnacles of horrific achievement. Experimental, beautiful, haunting. Could maybe stick on other Corman things, like Ronald Stein's THE HAUNTED PALACE, or David Lee's very underrated MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.
Re. BLACK SABBATH: is that the Nicolosi score or the Baxter one for the American release?

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THE SKULL: Amicus gave Hammer a run for their money in the 60s. Superb, hair-raising avant garde score by classical composer Elisabeth Lutyens.

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ROSEMARY'S BABY: is this on your list, Pete? If not, it should be.

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Now I'm forgetting what's on your list! Later Herrmann? (BLOOD) SISTERS, IT'S ALIVE, THE NIGHT DIGGER?

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A respected one from a Spanish movie, WHO CAN KILL A CHILD, by Waldo De Los Rios. He's an Argentinian James Last. People have mentioned that it's an effective, chilling score, using lullabies.

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Tyburn appeared in the 70s, doing low budget Hammer-ish films. Two good scores by Harry Robinson: LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF and THE GHOUL.

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Two more I must add. Gil Melle's absolutely thrilling score for THE SENTINEL. Huge, powerful, and quite unlike any other score I've ever heard. If you admit TV onto the list, Melle's FRANKENSTEIN THE TRUE STORY is equally amazing.

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No Lalo? What about THE AMITYVILLE HORROR?

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Re. THEATRE OF BLOOD: great choice, but is THE MEDUSA TOUCH that good (both Michael J. Lewis)?

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Re. ZOMBI, TENEBRAE, INFERNO: are they all that different? Certainly SUSPIRIA should stay there.

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The list is not really supposed to be necessarily ABSOLUTE "best" or "most emblematic" exactly, but my personal choice of what I think are great scores. But when I got my wee list going, I realised that pretty much everything was from the last three decades, which I figured couldn't be right. Hence my asking for other opinions if there's anything particularly amazing that I'd missed, forgotten about, or just damn plain should get out & see.

As for The Cell - maybe. Haven't seen the film yet, though. Anyway, am already thinking that maybe there's too much Shore on the list (if such a thing is possible).

Need to see The Keep, though. Another I've not seen but would really like to. I do quite like Tangerine Dream, so...

Anyway, am off now to watch Wolf Man again, & listen to the Quartermass CD.

Thank you very much everyone who has given me their thoughts. You've been really helpful.

Pete

Does Jaws count as a horror score, or is it more action-adventurey? If I include it, then I think I'm going to have to at least consider including The Ghost & the Darkness too. But then I wouldn't really call that a horror score...

I've always had a very hard time considering JAWS horror....it's more of an adventure film, and sorry gang, but I've never found that much SCARY about it....SUSPENSE yes, scares no

Re. specific Universal horrors other than BRIDE OF FRANK. It's difficult for me to pick one that stands out, they're all good. MWRuger made some good suggestions above, mentioning what Marco Polo has released in the past. Have you heard those CDs?

Same goes for the Lewton films scored by Roy Webb. I think that's another one that John Morgan did. I haven't heard it, but if you can get hold of it, it'll help you pick a favourite.

How does ROSEMARY'S BABY compare to THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS? I'm not sure, I can't remeber FEARLESS very well. ROSEMARY is quite a startling work, using the now semi-famous lullaby as its base. Creepy moments abound, with throbbing double basses and distorted sound, wailing spookiness etc, and one truly mad track where the sax goes completely mental. Not a "textbook" score by any means, but a very original one from the late jazz composer. I think you'd like it!

Is Harry Robinson's work on THE GHOUL and LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF similar to his scores for Hammer? Very much in the same jugular vein, Pete. The main theme from WEREWOLF is heard with very little variation as a secondary theme in TWINS OF EVIL. Maybe these sores would be a bit "bitty" in their entirety, but the themes are memorable.

About THE AMITYVILLE HORROR - that's a good one, very dissonant Schifrin, again using an unsettling child-like lilting melody as its main theme ("adapted" by Goldenthal for PETS SEMETARY). I read that Lalo is re-recording this on his Aleph label.

That's all for now. Best of luck with your latest headache (getting that list down to 50)!

Jz

WP: Sea Quest (John Debney)