Halloween
John Carpenter
" Carpenter's tune will go down in history as the one all kids fear on Halloween night "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Has there been a more recognizable tune composed by John Carpenter since we all heard Halloween? Well no! Has this theme aged considering it is brought forward by synthesizers? Well no! Does it show what John Carpenter can produce as composer? Well yes! Does it make the Halloween score better? Well yes! Will this review continue to write such crap for the entire time? Well no!
I've said it, you've read it. Halloween is probably John Carpenter's most known film, most critically acclaimed film and even if the slow moving suspense of Michael Myers isn't what people today want to see, it works. It made Halloween a rightful strong classic amongst many slasher fans and it had several things up to par. Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance, a mask, a knife and a tune.
That tune is known all over the world. And once you'll hear it, it will never leave your mind again. The beauty of this theme is, it represents everything. A theme can sound happy or sad, heroic or light but this theme works around everything. Even if a mere kid almost runs on a man who's watching someone, this theme just represents fear, mystery and suspense. It is a theme that sums up John Carpenter has vision in both visual and audio.
Okay enough with the theme, on with the show. The theme is of course the centrepiece of the entire album, opening the album with "Halloween Theme", following the ride with "Shape Escapes" (with added SFX) and giving "Loomis and Shape's Car" a sound.
We also have Laurie's theme, much simpler with the piano and more dated synthesizer layered in the Halloween rhythm and tone. But it frightens you because it feels cold and unnerving. Or how you can make something so effective so that Jamie Lee Curtis simply needs to look to act convincingly. This also appears in "The Haunted House" and "Laurie Knows".
The long "Meyer's House" shows a combining sound, first with the cold eerie notes of Laurie's theme and then briefly letting the Halloween theme in to slash around.
And then there's also the question of the more dated string slash every time Myers suddenly appears or attacks. This opened the film and this opens "Michael Kills Judith". And surprise surprise there is a bit of difference with "The Shape Lurks" and "The Shape Stalks" when a rhythm and quite irritating (yet darn effective) high pitched tension sound follows Michael closing in.
Altogether John Carpenter albums are pretty much the same. They carry a tune that dominates the album, but they also carry a tune that makes the album. And Halloween definitely holds Carpenter's strongest tune yet. This theme sumps up what there is so great about a classic like Halloween. The opening scene alone will go down in history as one of movie magic's most wonderful unisons between visual and audio. And once that theme is starting its notes, then this album starts its listening experience with Carpenter's most recognizable tune yet. Why this album is better than the other Carpenters? Because this is the soundtrack that defines his brilliance. Simple but downright effective!
Tracklisting
1. Halloween Theme (2.55) Excellent track
2. Laurie's Theme (2.05)
3. Shape Escapes (1.42)
4. Meyer's House (5.35)
5. Michael Kills Judith (3.11)
6. Loomis and Shape's Car (3.31)
7. The Haunted House (3.33)
8. The Shape Lurks (1.35)
9. Laurie Knows (3.02)
10. Better Check the Kids (3.27)
11. The Shape Stalks (3.09) Excellent track
Total Length: 33.48
I've said it, you've read it. Halloween is probably John Carpenter's most known film, most critically acclaimed film and even if the slow moving suspense of Michael Myers isn't what people today want to see, it works. It made Halloween a rightful strong classic amongst many slasher fans and it had several things up to par. Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance, a mask, a knife and a tune.
That tune is known all over the world. And once you'll hear it, it will never leave your mind again. The beauty of this theme is, it represents everything. A theme can sound happy or sad, heroic or light but this theme works around everything. Even if a mere kid almost runs on a man who's watching someone, this theme just represents fear, mystery and suspense. It is a theme that sums up John Carpenter has vision in both visual and audio.
Okay enough with the theme, on with the show. The theme is of course the centrepiece of the entire album, opening the album with "Halloween Theme", following the ride with "Shape Escapes" (with added SFX) and giving "Loomis and Shape's Car" a sound.
We also have Laurie's theme, much simpler with the piano and more dated synthesizer layered in the Halloween rhythm and tone. But it frightens you because it feels cold and unnerving. Or how you can make something so effective so that Jamie Lee Curtis simply needs to look to act convincingly. This also appears in "The Haunted House" and "Laurie Knows".
The long "Meyer's House" shows a combining sound, first with the cold eerie notes of Laurie's theme and then briefly letting the Halloween theme in to slash around.
And then there's also the question of the more dated string slash every time Myers suddenly appears or attacks. This opened the film and this opens "Michael Kills Judith". And surprise surprise there is a bit of difference with "The Shape Lurks" and "The Shape Stalks" when a rhythm and quite irritating (yet darn effective) high pitched tension sound follows Michael closing in.
Altogether John Carpenter albums are pretty much the same. They carry a tune that dominates the album, but they also carry a tune that makes the album. And Halloween definitely holds Carpenter's strongest tune yet. This theme sumps up what there is so great about a classic like Halloween. The opening scene alone will go down in history as one of movie magic's most wonderful unisons between visual and audio. And once that theme is starting its notes, then this album starts its listening experience with Carpenter's most recognizable tune yet. Why this album is better than the other Carpenters? Because this is the soundtrack that defines his brilliance. Simple but downright effective!
Tracklisting
1. Halloween Theme (2.55) Excellent track
2. Laurie's Theme (2.05)
3. Shape Escapes (1.42)
4. Meyer's House (5.35)
5. Michael Kills Judith (3.11)
6. Loomis and Shape's Car (3.31)
7. The Haunted House (3.33)
8. The Shape Lurks (1.35)
9. Laurie Knows (3.02)
10. Better Check the Kids (3.27)
11. The Shape Stalks (3.09) Excellent track
Total Length: 33.48