My Favorite Horror Themes Part 2

1) Bram Stoker's Dracula by Wojciech Kilar



This horror theme is epic. The low strings sound powerful at the beginning with the hammering of the piano in the background. It builds drama quickly and works perfectly with the intro of the film, which introduces Dracula when he was alive and his story with Elizabeta. The male choir in the middle of the piece sounds sinister and creepy and then the high soprano comes in with the mournful love theme. Then, the music builds with repetitive rhythms and adding instruments and voices into a huge crescendo, ending with a quiet, but menacing bass ostinato (a phrase that repeats over and over in the same voice). Kilar wrote beautiful and deeply emotional music that reflects the film perfectly.

2) Jaws by John Williams



This theme is incredibly simple, but never fails to instill dread in the viewer. This theme makes the entire film and makes it one of the most suspenseful and scary films I've ever seen. I've seen it countless times and I still jump at parts of it.

3) Psycho by Bernard Hermann



This theme is iconic and quite simple. It's just screeching high violins, but illustrates the scene insanely well. Although this theme is the most famous of the film, the entire soundtrack is amazing and worth listening to. It helps create and maintain the ominous atmosphere at the Bates Motel.

4) The Village by James Newton Howard



I don't enjoy this film, mostly due the poor twist ending, but there's no denying that the score is fantastic. This is my favorite part of it called The Gravel Road. The sweeping violin lines, the sparse arrangement, and the constant movement of the background instruments make for a beautiful atmosphere. The soundtrack definitely outshines the film.

5) Lady Vengeance by Choi Seung-Hyun



This whole soundtrack is simply gorgeous. It features newly composed music in a baroque style that goes well with the elegance and beauty of the film's cinematography. Harpsichord isn't a typical instrument and it adds something special to music.

What are your favorite film themes?