A selection of cool soundtracks from the legendary horror

Music is inherent in the horror film much more than any other genre (well, except maybe musicals)! She plays an important role in the horror genre, because it is she who creates tension, a sense of the unknown and anxiety ... The composers who create such an insightful musical accompaniment deserve special attention. They masterfully evoke strong emotions in the viewer with the help of, for example, violins or pumping orchestral sound ... And as soon as you listen to the soundtrack separately from the film, it becomes clear: its blood-curdling power is felt by itself ...

So, to your attention - the best soundtracks for horror films of all time! Happy listening...

"Vertigo" (Bernard Herrmann, 1958)

The composer's job is to translate what he sees on the screen into a musical setting that enhances the audience's emotional response. Bernard Herrmann's dizzying score for Vertigo reflects both the psychological problems of the protagonist, John "Scotty" Ferguson, and the vicissitudes of the film's unfolding plot.

"The Thing" (Ennio Morricone / John Carpenter, 1982)

According to John Carpenter, Morricone recorded the entire orchestration for the film without watching a single episode! When the music was included in the tape, Carpenter realized that the tense moments could be heightened with a different approach. Therefore, the director himself recorded some electronic instruments to complement the atmosphere of the film.

"Land of the Dead" (Reinhold Heil / Johnny Klimek, 2005)

Sinister synths and electronics join a tornado of strings and formidable percussion for the soundtrack to the fourth of George A. Romero's six films... If you're going to listen to this, it's better to do it with the lights on...

Dracula (John Towner Williams, 1979)

John Williams is widely known for his iconic work on blockbusters such as Star Wars, ET and Superman. However… he also plunged his foot into the muddy waters of terror. So, in the film "Dracula" the composer masterfully portrayed the gloomy romanticism of the protagonist.

Blade (Mark Isham, 1998)

Live orchestration clashes with electronic elements to bring out the dark underworld of Blade as precisely as possible... A Marvel superhero goes on a mission to protect the world from vampires, and Mark Isham's soundtrack flawlessly embodies the extravagant bombast of the comic book and superhero genre...

"Almost Total Darkness" (Tangerine Dream, 1987)

German electronics pioneers Tangerine Dream composed the soundtrack for the vampire horror film Nearly Dark in 1987. Subsequently, the film's director, Katherine Bigelow, said:

“It was a provocative, haunting, mercurial quality that permeated everything they did… It really changed this film…”

A Clockwork Orange (Wendy Carlos / Rachel Elkind, 1971)

Stanley Kubrick's classic film was narrated with excerpts from Elgar's and Beethoven's symphonies intertwined with electronic transitions by composer Wendy (then Walter) Carlos. The music is designed to look into the mind of the protagonist, Alex, and immerse the audience in the disturbing psyche of the criminal...

Hellraiser (Christopher Young, 1987)

The soundtrack from Hellraiser is unusual in that it is based more on sad, haunting beauty than chaotic orchestration. The very theme of the film revolves around love and desire, as well as courage and blood. Composer Christopher Young created an atmospheric soundscape with a chilling effect…

"Dawn of the Dead" (Goblin, 1978)

The Dawn of the Dead soundtrack has a veritable smorgasbord of musical styles, some of which sound absolutely awful. However, Goblin's goblin electro-horror icons capture the chaos of the zombie apocalypse through a collection of nonchalantly eclectic and daringly experimental compositions.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Charles Bernstein, 1984)

Composer Charles Bernstein uses synthesized orchestration to an utterly chilling effect. With melodies that sound almost like lullabies, but with a terrifyingly piercing soundtrack, the A Nightmare on Elm Street soundtrack is sure to induce nightmares...

"It. Follows you" (Disasterpeace, 2015)

Composer Richard Vreeland, better known as Disasterpeace, chose retro electronic music for his debut soundtrack to the 2015 film It. Follows you." Rumbling, heavy bass synths intertwine with piercing orchestrations and calm electronics as the tension rises and falls...

The Omen (Jerry Goldsmith, 1976)

Jerry Goldsmith's score for The Omen earned the composer the only Oscar of his distinguished career... While most of the orchestral scores illustrate the unremarkable life of the Thorne family, the horrific pieces become more chaotic... The title track features an ominous chant: "Sanguis bibimus, corpus edimus, tolle corpus Satani" or "We drink blood, we eat flesh, we raise the body of Satan"...

"Rosemary's Baby" (Krzysztof Komeda, 1968)

There is a distinct jazz flavor here, courtesy of Polish composer and jazz pianist Krzysztof Komeda. Interesting fact: the composer wrote this soundtrack a year before his death…

"Psycho" (Bernard Herrmann, 1960)

Much of the Psycho soundtrack is calm and even soothing. However, as the story progresses, tension builds in composer Bernard Herrmann's music... This, of course, culminates with one of the most recognizable musical scores in film, where Janet Leigh meets her horrific end in the shower.

Cannibal Hell (Ritz Ortolani, 1979)

Horror film by Italian director Ruggiero Deodato, filmed in a pseudo-documentary manner based on a script by Gianfranco Clerici, tells about the fate of a small film crew that disappeared without a trace in the Amazon jungle. It is considered one of the first examples of found film films. The film was so convincing that the Italian authorities believed in its reality! However, in stark contrast to his relentless blood is Ritz Ortolani's score, which fits into jazz-funk, electro-lounge and folk ballads.

"Jaws" (John Towner Williams, 1975)

Although the key track from "Jaws" consists of only two notes, it remains one of the most recognizable pieces of music in the history of cinema: tense, ominous and evoking a sense of imminent horror ... Williams described the music as "grinding at you, like a shark would : instinctive, ruthless, unstoppable ... "

Alien (Jerry Goldsmith, 1979)

Alien is considered one of Jerry Goldsmith's best and most successful projects. The challenge was to create musical material that reflected the dark and hostile atmosphere of the film. However, only parts of the soundtrack were used in the tape. The full version became available only in 1999, 20 years after the release of the film…

Eraserhead (David Lynch, Alan Splet, 1977)

While some may consider Eraserhead far from being a strict horror film, it is in every sense a psychological masterpiece... The soundtrack is also not strictly a movie soundtrack: rather, it is more of a dark, ambient soundscape. However, its rather whimsical atmosphere reflects the surreal nature of the tape's storytelling...

"Halloween" (John Carpenter, 1979)

Halloween has become an independent work for John Carpenter: he not only wrote the script and directed the film, but also created the music for it! Applying all the techniques described in the horror movie soundtrack collection, adding suspense and sharp keyboard strikes for an element of surprise, Carpenter created a monster that will never die ...