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[Editorial] 9 Great Horror Soundtracks

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It’s nearly Halloween. Outside, the wind is howling. The trees are bare, the branches looking like skeleton limbs crudely stuck together. Leaves cover the ground, causing each step to elicit a satisfying crunch. The sky is steel grey, threatening rain, thunder, and lightning. In a simpler way of putting it, it’s the best time of the year.

For me, one of the best ways to celebrate this time of year is by putting on some of the creepiest, eeriest, scariest music that I can get my hands on. There is something deliciously fun about scaring myself with shrieking violins, out-of-tune pianos, otherworldly choirs, and bizarre ambient tones.

And since this time of year is something special to a great many people, I wanted to share some of my favorite horror soundtracks, the ones that make me want to curl up under a blanket and play one horror movie after another, until the saving grace of the sunrise saves me. Join me below for 9 Great Horror Soundtracks!

Note: This list is in no particular order


The Fog
John Carpenter has created many classic scores throughout the years, with the theme to Halloween becoming quite possibly one of the most famous horror themes of all time. But it’s the score for The Fog that always unsettled me more. It’s one of Carpenter’s most atmospheric films and the score had to match that feeling. And it does, with more added on for good effect.
Note: You should definitely get the extended remastered edition here. Very much worth it!


The Shining
C’mon, did you really think this wasn’t going to make it on the list? I’d add this to any similar list simply for the works of Krzysztof Penderecki. But even without them, this soundtrack is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to scare the absolute crap out of me. Put it on and there’s a good chance that I’m going to start looking over my shoulder every few minutes. Scratch that, every few seconds.


Silent Hill 2
While the soundtrack to Silent Hill 1 is more evil, Akira Yamaoka’s score to Silent Hill 2 is far more phantasmagoric, mixing beauty with horror. The end result is one of the most famous and beloved horror video game soundtracks ever released.


Lord Of Illusions
I’m such a fan of this movie to the point that I think it might actually be my favorite Clive Barker film. I know that’s a bold statement but it’s so much fun and has such a unique feel about it. The score by Simon Boswell has this incredible mix of noir jazz and horror that is both erotic and eerie. Probably one of the most under appreciated horror soundtracks.


Suspiria
Another obvious choice, this soundtrack, composed by Goblin has been lauded ever since the film came out in 1977. The electronic score has some of the eeriest tones and patches used on a synthesizer and then laid down on celluloid.


American McGee’s Alice
The second video game to make this list, American McGee’s Alice came out to critical acclaim for its dark, inventive imagery and the twisted take on the Alice In Wonderland mythos. But what might be the most popular aspect of the game is the soundtrack, composed by ex-Nine Inch Nails member Chris Vrenna.


The Omen
“AVE SATANI! SANGUIS BIBIMUS!” The most demonic entry into this list, I can’t help but feel shivers run up and down my spine during this soundtrack. Truly one of Jerry Goldsmith’s crowning achievements, The Omen will always be one of the great classics.


Twin Peaks
Much like Lord Of Illusions, Twin Peaks had a mix of erotic jazz with this eerie atmosphere. The difference is that Twin Peaks had a far more lighthearted approach, making this the perfect entry for those you who can’t stand to be too scared.


The 7th Guest
The final entry into this list is yet another video game. Taking place in a haunted mansion where every horrifying puzzle could leave you stumped for days, the music took the stylings of the 1930’s and mixed it with horror to create a delightfully terrifying soundtrack that haunted me for years as a child.

Alright readers, now that I’ve shared mine, what are some of your favorite horror soundtracks? Let me know in the comments below!

Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

LEPRECHAUN

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

LEPRECHAUN RETURNS sequel

Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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