Christopher Young

Last updated
Christopher Young
Young 3 (cropped).png
Young in 2022
Background information
Born (1958-04-28) April 28, 1958 (age 67)
Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres Film score
Occupations
Instrument Piano
Years active1982–present
Website officialchristopheryoung.com

Christopher Young (born April 28, 1958) is an American composer of film and television scores. [1]

Contents

Many of his compositions are for horror and thriller films, including Hellraiser , Species , Urban Legend , The Grudge , The Exorcism of Emily Rose , Drag Me to Hell , Sinister , Deliver Us from Evil and Pet Sematary . Other works include Rapid Fire , Copycat , Set It Off , Entrapment , The Hurricane , Swordfish , Ghost Rider , Spider-Man 3 , and The Shipping News, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.

Young was honored with the prestigious [Richard H. Kirk] award at the 2008 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music. [2]

Early life and education

Young was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. [3] He graduated from Hampshire College in Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts in music, and then completed his post-graduate work at the University of North Texas.

Career

In 1980, he moved to Los Angeles. Originally a jazz drummer, when he heard some of Bernard Herrmann's works he decided to become a film composer. He studied at the UCLA Film School under David Raksin. He teaches at the Thornton School of Music of the University of Southern California. [4]

Works as composer

Film

1980s

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1981The Minstrel’s SongChris HopkinsShort film
1982 The Dorm That Dripped Blood Stephen Carpenter
Jeffrey Obrow 		—
Highpoint Peter Carter Replacement score
1983 Robby Ralph C. BluemkeReplacement score – Music for the 1983 VHS release (original release: 1968)
1984 The Power Stephen Carpenter
Jeffrey Obrow		—
The OasisSparky Greene—
1985 Avenging Angel Robert Vincent O'Neil —
Def-Con 4 Paul Donovan Replacement score
Barbarian Queen Héctor Olivera Tracked music – Credit shared with James Horner
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom Héctor OliveraTracked music – Credit shared with James Horner
Godzilla 1985 R.J. Kizer
Koji Hashimoto 		Tracked music (US release); part of Young's score from Def-Con 4 appears in several scenes, including Godzilla's attack on the Soviet submarine, the scene where the SDF armored division arrives in Tokyo Bay, and Okumura's near-death experience during the helicopter extraction in Tokyo.[ citation needed ]
Wheels of Fire Cirio H. Santiago —
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge Jack Sholder —
1986 Getting Even Dwight H. Little —
TormentSamson Aslanian
John Hopkins		—
Invaders from Mars Tobe Hooper —
Trick or Treat Charles Martin Smith —
1987 Hellraiser Clive Barker —
Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans Jim Wynorski Additional music – Tracked music
Flowers in the Attic Jeffrey Bloom —
U-Boats: The WolfpackPatrick Griffin
Richard Jones		Short films – “Rommel” / “Secret Weapons of WW2” / “U Boats: The Wolf Pack” / “B17 The Flying Fortress” / “Luftwaffe – The Air Weapon” – Tracked music
1988 The Telephone Rip Torn —
Bat*21 Peter Markle —
Haunted Summer Ivan Passer —
Hellbound: Hellraiser II Tony Randel —
1989 The Fly II Chris Walas —
Hider in the House Matthew Patrick—

1990s

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1990Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes BackJoe FinleyTracked music – Direct-to-video
The Exorcist III William Peter Blatty Incomplete unused replacement score
Bright Angel Michael Fields —
1991 The Five Heartbeats Robert Townsend Additional music
1992 The Vagrant Chris Walas —
Jersey Girl David Burton MorrisUnused
Rapid Fire Dwight H. Little —
Jennifer 8 Bruce Robinson Replacement score
1993 The Dark Half George A. Romero —
Sliver Phillip Noyce Additional music
Dream Lover Nicholas Kazan —
1994 Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale Xavier Koller Incomplete unused score
1995 Murder in the First Marc Rocco —
Tales from the Hood Rusty Cundieff —
Species Roger Donaldson —
Virtuosity Brett Leonard —
Copycat Jon Amiel —
1996 Unforgettable John Dahl —
Set It Off F. Gary Gray —
Head Above Water Jim Wilson —
1997 Murder at 1600 Dwight H. Little—
The Man Who Knew Too Little Jon Amiel—
1998 Hard Rain Mikael Salomon —
Hush Jonathan Darby—
Rounders John Dahl—
Judas Kiss Sebastian Gutierrez —
Urban Legend Jamie Blanks —
Playing by Heart Willard Carroll Additional music
1999 Entrapment Jon Amiel—
In Too Deep Michael Rymer —
The Big Kahuna John Swanbeck—
The Hurricane Norman Jewison —

2000s

Young in 2007 Christopher Young by David Shankbone (cropped).jpg
Young in 2007
YearTitleDirectorNotes
2000 Wonder Boys Curtis Hanson —
Bless the Child Chuck Russell —
The Gift Sam Raimi —
2001 Madison William BindleyThemes only – Score by Kevin Kiner
Sweet November Pat O'Connor Replacement score
Swordfish Dominic Sena —
Scenes of the Crime Dominique Forma—
The Glass House Daniel Sackheim —
Bandits Barry Levinson —
The Shipping News Lasse Hallström —
2002 Dragonfly Tom Shadyac Incomplete unused score
The Country Bears Peter Hastings—
The TowerE. Gedney Webb
Jim Elliott		Short film
2003 The Core Jon Amiel —
Shade Damian NiemanEuropean release only
Runaway Jury Gary Fleder —
Something’s Gotta Give Nancy Meyers Additional music
2004 Spider-Man 2 Sam RaimiAdditional music
The Grudge Takashi Shimizu —
2005 Hide and Seek John Polson Incomplete unused score
Beauty Shop Bille Woodruff —
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous John Pasquin Additional music – Tracked music
The Exorcism of Emily Rose Scott Derrickson —
An Unfinished Life Lasse HallströmUnused
2006 Ask the Dust Robert Towne Incomplete unused score
The Grudge 2 Takashi Shimizu—
Dark Ride Craig SingerThemes only – Score by Kostas Christides
2007 Ghost Rider Mark Steven Johnson —
Spider-Man 3 Sam RaimiAlso appears in a cameo role (“Music director”); Themes by Danny Elfman
Lucky You Curtis Hanson—
Shortcut to Happiness Alec Baldwin (credited as "Harry Kirkpatrick")Co-composed with Ramin Djawadi
2008 Untraceable Gregory Hoblit —
Sleepwalking William MaherReplacement score
The Informers Gregor Jordan Replacement score
2009 The Uninvited The Guard Brothers—
Drag Me to Hell Sam RaimiAlso appears in a cameo role (“Pedestrian with cupcake”)
Creation Jon Amiel—
Love Happens Brandon Camp—

2010s

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2010 When in Rome Mark Steven Johnson —
Gone with the Pope Duke Mitchell Additional music
The Black Tulip Sonia Nassery Cole —
2011 Priest Scott Stewart —
The Rum Diary Bruce Robinson —
Faces in the Crowd Julien Magnat Themes only – Score by John McCarthy
2012 Sinister Scott Derrickson —
The Tall Man Pascal Laugier Themes only – Score by Todd Bryanton
Box of Shadows Mauro BorrelliThemes only – Score by José J. Herring
The Baytown Outlaws Barry Battles—
Scary or Die Bob BadwaySegment "Re-Membered"
2013Saving NormanHanneke SchutteShort film produced by Kevin Spacey
The Smile ManAnton LanshakovShort film produced by Kevin Spacey
Love’s RoutineShirlyn WongShort film produced by Kevin Spacey
Killing Season Mark Steven Johnson—
Gods Behaving Badly Marc Turtletaub Unreleased film
A Madea Christmas Tyler Perry —
2014 The Monkey King Cheang Pou-soi —
The Single Moms Club Tyler Perry—
Deliver Us from Evil Scott Derrickson—
2016 The Monkey King 2 Cheang Pou-soi—
2018One by One Jeffrey Obrow —
Tales from the Hood 2 Rusty Cundieff
Darin Scott 		Themes only – Score by Frederik Wiedmann
2019 Pet Sematary Kevin Kölsch
Dennis Widmyer 		—
FanboyGillian GreeneShort film

2020s

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2020 The Empty Man David Prior—
2022 The Offering Oliver Park —
2023 Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau New score (original release: 1922)
The Piper Erlingur Thoroddsen —
PursuedJeffrey ObrowThemes only – Score by Max Blomgren and Jung J Lee
BentoboxOlivia OwyeungShort film – Themes only – Score by Matthew Rosales

Television

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1986 The Twilight Zone Sheldon Larry
Claudia Weill 		S1 E15 (“A Small Talent for War” / “A Matter of Minutes”)
1987American Harvest Dick Lowry TV film
Vietnam War StoryGeorg Stanford Brown
David Burton Morris		TV series – Unknown episodes; probably S1 E1 (“The Mine”) and S1 E5 (“R & R”)
1989Vietnam War Story: The Last DaysLuis Soto
David Burton Morris		TV film – Segments: “The Last Outpost” / “Dirty Work”
1990 Max and Helen Philip SavilleTV film
Last Flight OutLarry ElikannTV film
1994 Judicial Consent William BindleyTV film
1996 Norma Jean & Marilyn Tim Fywell TV film
2001The Warden Stephen Gyllenhaal TV film
2004 Something the Lord Made Joseph Sargent TV film
2014 Dominion Scott Stewart TV series – S1 E0 (“Pilot”)
2020 50 States of Fright Sam RaimiTV series – S1 E1-2-3 (“The Golden Arm: Michigan”) + Series theme
2022 Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities David PriorTV series – S1 E3 (“The Autopsy”)
Echo 3 Mark Boal
Pablo Trapero
Claudia Llosa
Jeffrey Nachmanoff 		TV series – 10 episodes – Replacement score

Video games

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2009 The Saboteur Trey WatkinsThemes only – Score by Gabriel Mann and Rebecca Kneubuhl
2017 Wilson's Heart Josh Bear—
2025 Deadpool VR Daniel Bullock—

Other work

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1984 The Philadelphia Experiment Stewart Raffill Trailer music
2011A Symphony of Hope: The Haiti ProjectBrian WeidlingCollaborative composition in aid of the charity “Hands Together” after the Haiti earthquake in 2010. A documentary directed by Brian Weidling, which captured the recording session, was released in 2017.
Susan Graham: A Documentary—Music for a documentary commemorating the retirement of Susan Graham, president of the Connecticut prep school “The Gunnery”
2016 Chevrolet TV-SpotSam RaimiCommercial
2018The Lost Children of Planet X—Concept album developed from unused cues originally composed for the film Lucky You
Three Bernard Herrmann “Melodramas”—Narration of three poems – “Cynara” by Ernest Dowson, “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe, and “The City of Brass” – scored by Bernard Herrmann and performed by the Hollywood Studio Orchestra, conducted by Michael McGehee
2022Scream Warriors—Interludes and arrangements for the Halloween rock record by LVCRFT

References

  1. ↑ "Christopher Young : The New York Times review". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  2. ↑ "BMI Film & Television Awards Tout Composers of Year's Top Film and Television Music". Bmi.com. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  3. ↑ "Bio". OfficialChristopherYoung.com. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Christopher Young". Music.usc.edu. March 20, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
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