Favorite Musical Scores from Classic Monster Movies (i.e., pre-1950) in Golden Age Horror Forum

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Favorite Musical Scores from Classic Monster Movies (i.e., pre-1950)

Author	Comment
FrozenGhost		#21	[-]
Oct 28 10 6:34 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Most people regard THE RETURN OF DR. X as a minor movie but I always thought it had a solid score.
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dcwillis9		#22	[-]
Oct 29 10 2:07 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	FrozenGhost wrote: Most people regard THE RETURN OF DR. X as a minor movie but I always thought it had a solid score. I second on both counts. I think it was Steiner and Kaun (sp?)--and pretty rousing, yes....
Helrunar		#23	[-]
Nov 2 10 11:06 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I love the scoring of the 1932 The Mummy. I'm not sure that we know who was responsible for that very artistically arranged material. I think that for a couple of years in there, the Mummy boasted the most extensive use of music found in any horror film. The scoring of the 1934 Black Cat gives the movie the sweep and majestic irony of grand opera. It's not a horror film, but mention of B. Herrmann reminds me of his incredible score for the 1940s Anna and the King of Siam (with Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison). The Herrmann score for this film is more or less a pastiche of work done by a now forgotten American composer, Henry Eichheim, who traveled around the world collecting exotic percussion instruments, especially from Indonesia and the Pacific Islands; Stokowski befriended him, and borrowed his collection so that he could perform some of Eichheim's works in concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. One of these works, simply entitled Bali if I'm remembering correctly, was recorded and has been released on CD. You can hear the resemblance to Herrmann's score for the movie with the Thai theme. H.
Jonatwork		#24	[-]
Nov 4 10 11:59 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Roy Webb's theme for THE SEVENTH VICTIM is one of those pieces of music that's part of my musical DNA. It's so simple and sadly precise--that's music that's telling you there's no escape for this victim, and it doesn't make a fuss about it, it's just the way it is. BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is one of my favorite scores. It has had a couple of re-recordings, with the full score one being quite good but a little less fiery in the Creation cue than I'd like. The Gerhardt re-recording of "The Creation" is simply stunning. The build-up to that declaration of the Monster theme is masterful, building and reaching higher, higher... The timpani/heartbeat rhythm has been getting louder and stronger during the creation, and when it cuts off briefly before the re-entry of the Monster's theme, and the string playing that follows the barking brass, it is just thrilling. One of those pieces you have to sit down and listen to, you can't just have it on in the background.
ryanbrennan		#25	[-]
Nov 5 10 3:03 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I love the scoring of the 1932 The Mummy. I'm not sure that we know who was responsible for that very artistically arranged material. I think that for a couple of years in there, the Mummy boasted the most extensive use of music found in any horror film. Helrunar, check out clayking's post, #13. It's a cue list for THE MUMMY: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/reply/584204#reply-584204
Helrunar		#26	[-]
Nov 5 10 9:22 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks, Ryan, for that link; fascinating!
dcwillis9		#27	[-]
Nov 10 10 1:58 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	FrozenGhost wrote: Most people regard THE RETURN OF DR. X as a minor movie but I always thought it had a solid score. Just a personal note re your moniker. "The Frozen Ghost" was very instrumental in my becoming an aficionado of old b&w horror movies. Not actually seeing it, that is, at first, but hearing about it from other, more privileged kids at school. Yes, as late as 6th grade, I was not allowed to stay up late enough (12:30 start time, as I recall) to see "Ghost" et al (in the Universal-Columbia packages, whose titles elude me at the moment), even on Friday. But titles like that intrigued me, & the rest is misery.... PS This was before Tivo, DVR, DVD, etc.
Ray Faiola		#28	[-]
Nov 10 10 7:44 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	dcwillis9 wrote: I second on both counts. I think it was Steiner and Kaun (sp?)--and pretty rousing, yes.... Kaun wrote the cues in RETURN OF DR. X. The only Steiner piece is the Warner fanfare (hence his ASCAP credit). Classic Film Scores Restored on CD http://www.chelsearialtostudios.com
dcwillis9		#29	[-]
Dec 22 10 2:43 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Belated addition: the title music or whatever those sounds are for "Supernatural"....
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Friend of Daniel		#30	[-]
Dec 22 10 5:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've always liked Tiomkin's piano piece for Orlac in MAD LOVE. Very modern music! I also like that snazzy ragtime main title music for THE CORPSE VANISHES.
professor liebstrum		#31	[-]
Dec 24 10 3:07 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	We just watched DEAD OF NIGHT. Excellent music. Is it available? Russ
FrozenGhost		#32	[-]
Dec 24 10 5:54 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	A tantalizing but obviously short 5 minute "suite" appeared on a Chandos compilation disc titled The Film Music of Georges Auric which was released about a decade ago. Better than nothing but it includes the rip-roaring main title. Nice recording, it also includes an equally brief but rather haunting cue from THE INNOCENTS. It's still in print, available from Amazon USA and elsewhere.
professor liebstrum		#33	[-]
Dec 26 10 10:09 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks, FG. It's certainly a rousing theme. Russ
Abin Surly		#34	[-]
May 4 11 11:41 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	As much as I like Max Steiner's Kong score and love Bernard Herrmann's score (and the concerto for piano and quickly fleeing orchestra) from Hangover Square, my heart truly belongs to The Bride of Frankenstein and Franz Waxman's fantastic leit-motif laden score. I've always been upset about the fact that they 'recycled' this wonderful artwork for the Flash Gordan and Buck Rodgers serials. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... Last Edited By: Abin Surly May 4 11 11:43 PM. Edited 1 times.
sdtom.miklosrozsa	house of frankenstein	#35	[-]
May 6 11 11:05 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/house-of-frankensteinsalter-and-dessau/ One of the very best and available as a low cost Naxos CD. Includes all of the great Salter/Universal cues.
dcwillis9		#36	[-]
Mar 11 12 12:55 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Got to add to Steiner's "Beast with Five Fingers" (and, oh yeah, Kong): "The Woman in White". Borderline horror, but yow those zithers or pianofortes or harpsichores or whatever! Will not add Steiner's score for "Arsenic & Old Lace". Too jokey.... Last Edited By: dcwillis9 Mar 11 12 1:08 PM. Edited 1 times.
Ray Faiola		#37	[-]
Mar 13 12 11:35 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Well, you may want to give Morgan & Stromberg's recording of ARSENIC a try before you pass irrevocable judgment. It fills out their 2-CD album of ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN and should be released in the near future. Here's the ARSENIC main title: http://www.screenarchives.com/media/17143-13071.mp3 Classic Film Scores Restored on CD http://www.chelsearialtostudios.com
Doctor X 1955	The Bride of Frankenstein Waxman's triumph!	#38	[-]
Mar 26 12 10:45 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Jonatwork wrote: BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is one of my favorite scores. It has had a couple of re-recordings, with the full score one being quite good but a little less fiery in the Creation cue than I'd like. The Gerhardt re-recording of "The Creation" is simply stunning. The build-up to that declaration of the Monster theme is masterful, building and reaching higher, higher... The timpani/heartbeat rhythm has been getting louder and stronger during the creation, and when it cuts off briefly before the re-entry of the Monster's theme, and the string playing that follows the barking brass, it is just thrilling. One of those pieces you have to sit down and listen to, you can't just have it on in the background. Yes I heartily endorse your paen of praise for this absolutely beautiful score for this genre transcending classic which is one of my very favourite movies! I wish that Charles Gerhardt had done a recording of the whole work , it's a magnificent score and like the movie itself is held in very high esteem by many musical aficionados! I love the Creation of the Bride sequence it adds immeasurably to a filmic masterpiece of a singular haunting quality that is The Bride of Frankenstein! I know you should never begin a sentence with And but : and to think somebody on this board said the music for the Bride of Frankenstein didn't work in the movie! What total nonsense!
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Favorite Musical Scores from Classic Monster Movies (i.e., pre-1950)