So? What is you favorite horror score?

I think the two obvious ones here are Bernard Herrmannīs PSYCHO and Jerry Goldsmithīs THE OMEN. Those two scores are simply brilliant and probably the most influencial of all time.

Other favorites of mine include NIGHT DIGGER, also by Herrmann, and NIGHTBREED by Danny Elfman.

SFT

On the subject,
I agree with everyone.

Scott

BTW racula and The Fury by Williams are masterpieces as well.

"Bride of Frankenstein," with the muted coronets providing the "Monsters Fanfare," and the throbbing tympani accompanied by the swelling violins during "The Creation." Oooo, what a score.

And, thanks to Sebulba, I rediscovered "Prince of Darkness" earlier this week -- particularly the "Assembly of the Team" track as the heroes prepare all their hi-tech gear for a face-off with Satan. Cool.

Halloween 2 when Carpenter added the tympani to the already chilling theme for Michael Myers (You think Carpenter knew about Austin Powers when he invented this character?).

Was "Jaws" a horror movie? If so, add that one in, and make it number one.

Marc

Scott

The Omen
Bram Stoker's Dracula (if that is horror)
House on Haunted Hill
The Haunting

No worries, mate

be warned!!!!
by the almost friendly spango

As for Psycho: SUCKS!! God, Hitchcock was a hack...never did a good movie in his life. I mean...North By Northwest?? terrible terrible film. And the score for Psycho-just not memorable.

"Leviathan" from Christopher Young's HELLBOUND is astonishing.

The hideous gnarled brass from Ifukube's WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS knocks me out to this day.

Ah yes, the main title as heard in the final version of ALIEN. As badly treated as Goldsmith's score was on that movie, I think the producers were right in that case -- the creepy opening was better than the melodic one. And on the same movie, the use of the cue from FREUD (for Tom Skerritt hunting the alien in the tunnels) really does hit the mark.

I am not usually into Horror films, hey ever since I saw Nightmare on Elm Street, If I even just thought about it, it'd give me some strange out dreams. Enough so, were I'd only be able to get to sleep, if I hum the opening bars from The Transformers cartoon.

Any ways, I never really like those types of films, not to mention their particular
scores. However I have lightened up a bit in the last couple of years, especially when
it comes to the scores. My top list of favorite Horror scores would be.

The Omen
Alien - I guess this is more sci-fi, but it sure scared the hell out of me when I first saw
it.
House on Haunted Hill
The Haunting
Leviathan
Needful Things
Portrait of Terror (Halloween: H20)
Psycho
The Relic
Scream / Scream 2
Poltergeist

I am sure there are others, but those are the main ones I can think of at this moment. And some of those are less (Horror) than others, but to me they are.

Sean Robert Abbey

[This message has been edited by sabbey (edited 18 January 2000).]

I think Bram Stoker's Dracula is maybe not the scariest score, but definitely the most haunting. What I mean by that is, Kilar writes entire themes that have such a wonderfully haunting sound, instead of just dropping in blaring trumpets here and there to try to scare the audience.

Audacity

"Bride of Frankenstein" for me, too. As I noted earlier, the throbbing beat of the tympani, the swelling crescendoes of the strings . . .

And while I am here let me add the following to my list,

Jaws
The Sixth Sense
Mimic

Sean Robert Abbey

THE ALCHEMIST
CASTLE FREAK
FROM BEYOND
THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW
MUTANT
THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
THE RESURRECTED

Richard Band is the master of the horror score.

Personally I think the score to The Relic is great, than again I think the movie is great as well.

Do you like John Debney's other scores? if you do, than I suggest getting an copy of The Relic. Either that or watch the movie again, that is if you can bear it.

Anyone else like this score?

Sean Robert Abbey

Personally I know the movie is not all that great, though I liked it. Have you ever seen Deep Rising? another of those, it's good, because it is so bad films.

And yes, I did see the FSM board. sheesh, You leave for an day and all hell breaks loose.

Sean Robert Abbey

I'm with you on the novel RELIC -- WAAAY better than the movie. It's probably just as well I saw the movie first -- I was able to appreciate what was entertaining about it without being offended at how much of the novel got thrown away.

The irony is, the book is ALREADY highly cinematic, obviously designed for a big-budget movie sale. It's a better movie than the final movie is!

Sure I remember the DEVIL DOG thread -- was it you I managed to crack up by observing that it was so obviously a pilot for a TV series -- Richard Crenna hunting down a different Devil's Puppy week after week ... Like THE FUGITIVE in reverse, with fur ...

I'd be curious to see a film version of King's INSOMNIA. Not least because that's one of his most intransigent, overwritten novels -- but once the story kicks in, it suddenly becomes fascinating. I'm sure there's the germ of a nice little hundred-minute picture in there. (In fact, I'd like to make it, though it's not #1 on my present Stuff To Do list.) I'd like to hear a cross between Christopher Young at his most bludgeoning, and Jerry Goldsmith at his most melodic (for the final sequence on the roadway -- something like "Everywhere" from POWDER).

I've read tons of Graham Masterton's stuff. He's a bit of a guilty pleasure, because so much of his work feels like it was hacked out over a weekend, but when he's ON, he's REALLY ON. I'd like to see a DECENT version of his first horror novel THE MANITOU, and the two sequels have things to recommend them to the big screen, as well (though with the market the way it is today, one would count oneself lucky with a well-advertised direct-to-video release).

William Peter Blatty has given interviews to the effect that Morgan Creek (which produced EXORCIST III) is variously considering a TV miniseries remake of THE EXORCIST (for the Fox network), and a big-screen prequel to the same property (Max Von Sydow has already expressed interest in reprising his old Father Merrin role). I adore William Peter Blatty's work (he is a VASTLY underrated director as well as a great writer), and would be happy to see either project, or both, as long as he was involved. I couldn't tell you who should score such projects, though.

I understand Mick Garris is making a miniseries of DESPERATION, and that Spielberg is finally seeing to a miniseries of THE TALISMAN. Who should score these, I honest-to-God haven't a clue. W.G. Snuffy Walden is practically the LAST person I'd have chosen for THE STAND, but it turned out very well, I thought.