# What's The Scariest Movie Music Ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824 "2001-09-11T04:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chocobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Chocobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chocobo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/21 "2001-09-12T23:55:03Z")
Jaws is psychologically scary music. And I don’t think there’s much scarier than psychologically scary stuff, so Jaws has my vote. ---
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/22 "2001-09-13T00:18:24Z")
Yeah, I used to find Tubular Bells kinda scary, until I heard the whole composition…it actually has some funny parts. And I certainly like Hermann’s Psycho, but what I find even more disturbing is his music for Taxi Driver. Somehow, the beautiful, almost romantic sax melody juxtaposed with the movie’s theme is just unnerving…I especially like the final scene, where the beauty gives way to a huge dissonance. ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/23 "2001-09-13T02:04:27Z")
How about music that was made for a movie, but never used? **Coil** made a score for the 1st Hellraisre, but Clive Barker opted to not use it, for he feared it was too creepy and might distract the audince from the actual content of the film. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/24 "2001-09-13T21:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BingoBurringo \* > \*\*Lalo Schifrin’s music to THE AMITYVILLE HORROR with that ghostly child choir singing LA LA LA LA LA is pretty creepy. I believe this score was originally going to be used for THE EXORCIST, but was turned down. \*\* I think you’re thinking of the theme to _Poltergeist_, dude. I’m listening to it right now. “LA LA LA LA LA LA…” and then that shivering laughter at the end. :eek: ::shudder:: ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/25 "2001-09-13T21:35:25Z")
I’ve not done any research on this, so I’m kind of talking through my hat here. But one of the reasons why I chose the “Psycho” score is because I feel, just as the film was a landmark film in this genre, so was the score a landmark score. Many of the subsequent soundtracks which really raise the gooseflesh might not have been written had Hermann not blazed the trail. ---
**Author:** ![Jen\_Jen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@Jen\_Jen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jen_Jen)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/26 "2001-09-13T21:36:06Z")
“Eyes Wide Shut” for sure. I’ve been told that the main theme (the piano) is an ancient piece of music dating back centuries. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/27 "2001-09-13T21:41:01Z")
I have a distinct memory of walking very late at night, the streets were practically deserted, with headphones on and _Tubular Bells_ was playing…it just was freaky. ---
**Author:** ![Ludo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ludo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/28 "2001-09-14T02:00:44Z")
> [@](#): > > “Singing In The Rain” from A Clockwork Orange > Since they had that in the methodical murder scene, I haven’t been able to hear it and not shiver. And it’s been how many years? I agree wholeheartedly on this one. However, the **Friday The 13th** theme song makes me wet myself. I remember playing the Friday the 13th Nintendo game when I was 7 or 8 and freaking myself out so hard. This isn’t movie music, but the **Unsolved Mysteries** theme song destroys anything. If I’m sitting on a couch when that godforsaken song comes on, I can’t leave my feet on the ground. I remember watching as a kid and imagining that the mystery culprit was hiding underneath the couch at that instant and he/she would grab my legs and pull me under…scary stuff when you’re seven. ---
**Author:** ![BingoBurringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@BingoBurringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BingoBurringo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/29 "2001-09-14T03:45:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by BingoBurringo \* > > \*\*Lalo Schifrin’s music to THE AMITYVILLE HORROR with that ghostly child choir singing LA LA LA LA LA is pretty creepy. I believe this score was originally going to be used for THE EXORCIST, but was turned down. \*\* > > I think you’re thinking of the theme to _Poltergeist_, dude. I’m listening to it right now. “LA LA LA LA LA LA…” and then that shivering laughter at the end. :eek: > > ::shudder:: \*\* Dude, I’m watching it now. YOU’RE mistaken. And I believe Jerry Goldsmith did the music for POLTERGEIST. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/30 "2001-09-14T04:40:40Z")
I am a bonafide Goldsmith afficianado. He did the score to Poltergiest, and Poltergiest II. (Great scores, both.) I’d also put a vote in for “The Omen” (which won Goldsmith his only Oscar to date) and the “Omen II” and “Omen III”. (Also by Goldsmith. III is a damned good score, actually. Crappy movie, though.) I second Bernard Herrmann’s “Psycho”. That man was a genius. Some tense, scary and creepy music is “Alien” (by - of course, Jerry Goldsmith!) I also want to ask the OP: Which score to “Planet of the Apes” are you talking about? The current Elfman score (which I thought was pretty good, I need to get the CD) or the 1968 Jerry Goldsmith score? The Goldsmith score wasn’t really “scary”, but damn. It was good. Got nominated for an Oscar. ---
**Author:** ![LabRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@LabRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LabRat)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/31 "2001-09-14T12:25:57Z")
I’m voting with Rickjay. The score for The Killing Fields was disturbing as hell. The music used for the fall of Saigon will probably never leave my head. There’s a track called “Requiem for a City” that very good (although not creepy) as well. Didn’t Oldfield score that one too? ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/32 "2001-09-14T13:49:31Z")
When I was a kid I loved listening to SF movie soundtracks, but Close Encounters of the Third Kind had the track where Barry is kidnapped by aliens and it scared me a lot. Also, not a movie, but the London Cast Recording of Jesus Christ Superstar, which I loved, ended just before the crucifixion, ans far as I was concerned. If I went further I was guaranteed nightmares. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/33 "2001-09-14T14:43:01Z")
In addition to several of the above: Marilyn Mansons version of Sweet dreams are made of this, used in The house on haunted hill. Talk about creepy. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/34 "2001-09-14T19:14:19Z")
Oops. I see the OP did specify the _original_ Planet of the Apes. It’s a great score. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/35 "2001-09-14T22:10:10Z")
Speaking of the score from Omen, were those lyrics in Latin? If so what is the translation. I must say if there ever was the music of the devil that spooky omen theme is it. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/36 "2001-10-03T00:46:55Z")
Philip Glass’ soundtrack for Thin Blue Line. I swear it has harmonics in it that induce fear!! ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/37 "2001-10-03T13:15:53Z")
> [@](#): > > _Icerigger says:_ Speaking of the score from Omen, were those lyrics in Latin? If so what is the translation. Ave Satani Sanguis bibimus corpus edimus tolle corpus satani ave versus cristus ave satani **Translation** Blood we drink Flesh we eat Raise the body of Satan Hail the antichrist Hail Satan This was actually nominated for Best Song–the only nominee ever whose lyrics were in Latin. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/38 "2001-10-05T05:33:31Z")
Archive Guy - I remember the Academy Awards’ performance of “Ave Satani”. Very weird. If I recall correctly (I was a kid, but already a Goldsmith fan) it had weird dancers wearing body leotards, and writhing around the stage? Not your typical Academy Award song performance! I wonder what the audience thought, sitting through that! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/39 "2001-10-05T06:30:13Z")
Anybody besides me get the freakout heebies from the music in 2001: A Space Odyssey during the scene when the apes first find the monolith? All those voices going “Ee-ee-ee-eee-eeeee”…_shiver_ ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824/40 "2001-10-09T11:57:59Z")
_Basic Instinct_ with that weird music playing while the couple in the beginning are screwing…and you just KNOW that someone’s going to get knifed with all that bare, white skin displayed. ::shiver:: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-music-ever/80824.md?page=3)