The Uninvited
Released in 2009 by Lakeshore Records
15 Tracks, with a total running time of 48:44 min.
Music Composed by Christopher Young
We’ve been a fan of Young’s music since our first viewing of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, which remains one of our favorites to this day. We had not seen this particular film before hearing this score, so we were very interested in seeing the musical journey Young was going to take us on and we were not disappointed.
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Who Could Kill a Child?
Released by Singular Soundtrack, 2010
54 tracks total, with a complete running time of 1:52:13.
Music composed, arranged, and conducted by Waldo de los Rios
While the film starts out with a child humming a little tune, followed by children’s laughter, it is only scary when you know what the rest of the film brings. That is exactly how the soundtrack plays out. There are a lot of tracks that start off like a child’s song, innocent sounding, only to start to be twisted into something with a strange or darker tone to it, such in tracks like The Desert Island, The Game, and Weird Games. There are a few tracks in the beginning that are in more of the romantic elements, like the tracks Night Talk (Love Theme) or To the Island.
Continue readingThe Wolfman
By Danny Elfman
19 Tracks, with a total running time of 66:06 mins.
The last soundtrack from Danny Elfman that we bought was his score from Sleepy Hollow, which I hate to say but we were never really impressed with. In fact, it has been a long time since Danny Elfman has blown me away with a score Shame really too since he did some amazing ones back in the ’80s and ’90s. Because of that, I really haven’t been keeping track of what films he’s been working on. But once The Wolfman came out, I knew I’d have to pick up the score no matter what and give it a chance. Boy, am I glad I did.
Taking cues from the music and feel from the old Hammer films, Elfman has given us an incredible gothic and moody score. Sure, there are a few cues that sound very similar to other scores, especially the main hook from John Williams’ score from Dracula (1979). But none the less, Elfman does a great job bringing the violins and other strings that really set the mood and tone for this movie. Being a huge sucker for violin themes, we were really happy with hearing them used over and over here. Throw in some cellos and other strings, and we’re good to go. From the action-based themes to the slower and atmospheric cues, it’s great to see Elfman come up with a score that shows that he still has that talent left in there. We had almost given up hope.
Warning Sign (1985)
Released by Invada
29 Tracks with a total running time of 54 min.
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Craig Safan
Right off the bat, within the first few seconds of listening to this score, hearing the electronic sounds, it feels incredibly dated. Now that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it shows you the time when it was made. Just look at what John Carpenter did in the ‘80s before you start criticizing. But that being said, this score is very subtle in its approach, almost like something you’d be listening to while in a deprivation tank. There are some tracks with a little more up-tempo music but for the most part it is slow and soothing.
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The Woman in Black (2012)
Released by Silva America
22 Tracks, with a total running time of 55:00 min.
Music by Marco Beltrami
With the return of Hammer Films, one of the things that made their films so noticeable and memorable was the music. When the music started, you knew in an instant that it was from Hammer. So, we were excited both for this movie, but also to see if the music would be as predominate as before. The answer is . . . sort of. First and foremost, you have to get the old Hammer out of your mind and just listen to this on its own merits, which I think there are plenty of.
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Don’t Go in the House
Released by Howlin’ Wolf Records
44 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 66:43 min.
Music Composed by Richard Einhorn
Richard Einhorn is on one those composers that has created some amazing scores with just the simple use of synthesizers and a keyboard. One of my all-time favorites is what he did on Shock Waves (1977), which happened to be his first film score. His haunting piano score for Dead of Winter (1987) is another favorite of mine, simple and quiet but highly effective. When one thinks of a musical score for a film about a guy who burns women to death in his house, you’d think that not a lot of time and money went into creating a score for this type of film. Well, you would be correct on the time and money part, but the dedication and hard work was there. Einhorn still wanted to create a score that would enhance what we’re seeing on screen, but also give it depth and feeling, which is exactly what he did.
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The Dead (2010)
Released by Howlin’ Wolf Records
31 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 64:44 min.
Music Composed by Imran Ahmad
We all know that within the zombie sub-genre, it’s hard to do something different. But in 2010, the Ford Brothers did just that with their tale of the undead, setting it in the desert lands of Africa. It was highly effective, and so well done. The same goes for the music, with composer Ahmad taking a different route, both in sound and design, but still delivering a powerful and emotional score.
Right from the first track, The Dead Theme, we hear this haunting vocals over a string instrument, some drums, and some kind of flute, all that work together to give us a start that makes quite the lasting impact, which continues through the rest of the score. The use of percussions throughout the score does a great job building the tension with the rapid beating, or even suspense when it slows down both in speed and volume, to almost like a heartbeat.
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The House that Screamed
Released by Singular Soundtrack
16 Tracks, with a total running time of 29:40 seconds.
Music Composed, Arranged, and Conducted by Waldo de los Rios
For this Spanish thriller that ventures into the realm of the Italian giallo, composer Waldo del los Rios sticks to more of a classical sounding theme, but does have it varying in range and tempo, following the action on screen. Because of the mystery aspect here, there are a lot of slower and quieter paced pieces, that really help set the mood. There are several tracks where we have a piece of music in the background and something different going on in the forefront at the same time.
We have a combination of pianos, harp, and a variety of wind instruments, all used to create this era of suspense and mystery, and does it so well. Starting with the haunting notes of the opening track on what sounds like a piano slightly out of tune, it gives a haunting feel to it, which then morphs into more of a bigger sounding opening, but still retaining that theme. But the time we get to track titled Madame Forneau, we include some vocals into this short but very memorable piece titled after the head mistress of the school.
But the real treat here is Murder at the Greenhouse, where the film shows it’s giallo influence with a quiet and eerie piano piece that is played over one of the murders, which slows down as the victim dies. Not getting slower but as if the playback is being slowed down. It works so well in the film and is one of the best elements of the score, which shows the talent of this composer. For fans of Spanish horror, this score, along with the film itself, is a must.
The Dark Half
Released by Varèse Sarabande, 1993
13 Tracks, with a Total Running Time of46 min.
Music Composed by Christopher Young
I’ve been a fan of Young’s work since those first notes from his Hellraiser score reached my ears. He never ceases to impress me with the sounds and feelings from his scores, and this is no different.
This one starts out with such a beautiful opening track, a pleasant piano tune that is quiet and somber, before some strings and other strange sounds start to come in. And then the angelic vocals! But even with all this striking sounds, there seems to be a darkness lurking under there, waiting to break free. Considering the story, it makes perfect sense. Continue reading
The Haunting of Hill House
Released by La-La Land Records, 2019
27 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 59:13 min.
Music by The Newton Brothers
The original novel by Shirley Jackson, and the film based on it by Robert Wise, remain my favorites in both literary form and in cinema, when it comes to haunted houses. I was overly cautious when I heard of this new series, especially when I realized it wasn’t a straight telling of the original story. I did enjoy it, but we’re not here to discuss the film itself, but it’s wonderful music. So let’s get at it.
Right from the opening couple of tracks, even the very first note you hear, the word “haunting” is defined by the music. At first with long notes from strings with an ominous but slow pounding on a piano, to a more quiet piano piece, slow and simple, giving the sense of lost and sorrow. Highly effective in setting the mood. The piano is a very strong element running throughout this entire score and I think it is one of the reasons it resonates with me so much. It gives off a multitude of feelings, from being graceful and beautiful, but at the same time can bring up those feeling of sadness. The track “Whatever Walked There, Walked Along” is a perfect example of this. Continue reading
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