Would the shark's-eye-view beneath potential human prey in Jaws be as menacing without John Williams' primal two-note motif? How much visceral impact would Psycho's shower scene have without Hermann's stabbing strings? Would the dark corners of the dance academy in Suspiria feel as supernaturally hostile without Goblin's witch-insinuating ethno-infused brand of prog rock?
The birth of the horror genre in the early 1930s and the birth of sound in movies went hand in hand. And since the first Universal Studios monster movies, sounds and music have been integral in giving willing audiences a scare - a loud crash or piano hit out of silence, an unexplained noise off-screen, the whir of a chainsaw being wielded by a masked maniac.
As Poltergeist and Jaws composer John Williams said, "it’s a successful blending of sound and image that forms memorable film moments."
Ryan Smith explores the music, atmospheres and sounds that inhabit the shadowy world of horror films. And internationally recognised New Zealand film expert Harriet Margolis chimes in to discuss what she calls "the sounds of terror" in homegrown horror cinema.
Still from Nosteratu (1922) Photo: Creative Commons
Music Details
|
Composer |
Music title |
Performers |
Label / Network |
|
JOHN WILLIAMS |
Jaws Theme |
(Not supplied) |
SONY 451333 |
|
JOHN CARPENTER/ALAN HOWARTH |
Halloween theme |
John Carpenter, Alan Howarth |
SILVASCREEN 721288 |
|
JERRY GOLDSMITH |
The Omen/Ave Satani |
(Not supplied) |
SILVASCREEN 721288 |
|
ERDMANN |
Nosferatu |
Brandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra/ Gillian B. Anderson |
RCA Victor Red Seal |
|
MARSCHNER |
Der Vampyr |
Grosses Wiener Rundfunkorchester & Tonkünstler Chor |
Cantus-Line (Da Music) |
|
ERDMANN |
Nosferatu |
Brandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra/ Gillian B. Anderson |
RCA Victor Red Seal |
|
WAXMAN |
Creation of the Female Monster, from The Bride of Frankenstein |
Westminster Phil/Kennyth Alwyn |
SILVASCREEN 721288 |
|
IFUKUBE |
Symphonic Fantasia No. 1 |
Russian Phil/ Dmitry Yablonsky |
Naxos 8.557587 |
|
DIMITRI TIOMKIN |
Main Theme, from The Thing From Another World |
(Not supplied) |
SILVASCREEN 721288 |
|
HERMANN |
Prelude, from Psycho: A Suite for Strings |
Los Angeles Phil/Esa-Pekka Salonen |
SONY SK 62700 |
|
HERMANN |
The Knife, from Psycho: A Suite for Strings |
Los Angeles Phil/Esa-Pekka Salonen |
SONY SK 62700 |
|
MIKE OLDFIELD |
Tubular Bells |
Mike Oldfield and various musicians |
VIRGIN 786007 |
|
PENDERECKI |
Polymorphia |
National Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin |
Warner Records 1974 (The Exorcist Soundtrack) |
|
MORRICONE |
Regan’s Theme, from Exorcist II |
Charlotte Kinder (sop), City of Prague Philharmonic Orch/Nic Raine |
SILVASCREEN 721288 Published by Warner Chappell |
|
MORRICONE |
Bird With The Crystal Plumage |
(not supplied) |
Album: ‘The Ennio Morricone Anthology’ BMG/Rhino R2 71858 DRC2-1237 |
|
SIMONETTI/PIGNATELLI/MARANGOLO/MORANE |
Suspiria |
Goblin |
‘The Fantastic Voyage of Goblin: The sweet sound of hell’ Bellacasa |
|
WENDY CARLOS |
The Shining Opening (Based on the Ancient Dies Irae) |
Wendy Carlos (synths) |
TELARC 480580 |
|
BARTOK |
Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta |
City of Prague Phil/James Fitzpatrick |
SILVASCREEN 721288 |
|
BADALAMENTI |
Falling, from Twin Peaks |
Julee Cruise (voice), Angelo Badalamenti (keyboards), various musicans |
WARNER 926316 |
|
CHARLES BERNSTEIN |
A Nightmare on Elm Street, Main Theme |
Mark Ayres |
Published by New Line Tunes - Album: ‘The Definitive Horror Music Collection’ SILVASCREEN 721288 |
