Halloween Kills (soundtrack)

Last updated

"We started on the Halloween movies with two things. One, we have the midi from the original score; by that I mean, we have the original score I did years ago – the various songs with that. Then we tend to update them, adapt them, and use parts of them there and there. Once we’re dealing with the movie and we’re watching it, then we can work with new material – that’s all improvised."

— John Carpenter, on scoring the new Halloween instalments. [3]

John who also scored for the 1978 film, had modernised the original theme from the film, with different sounds and approaches, as he did for the soundtrack of the 2018 reboot, [4] as he felt that "[There] are brand new sounds that are constantly being updated. That’s where the inspiration comes from", [3] appreciating the modern innovations applied in this generation. [3] He, along with Cody and Davies, had worked on the score before 2019, as the film was shot back-to-back with Halloween Ends (2022), and scoring was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic. [5]

As with all of his ventures, John had begun scoring the film, only after watching the final cut as "I generally know what I want to do in terms of atmosphere [coming into a film], but we score to the movie. It’s exact; I want the final cut in my computer and then we start scoring to it. I don’t think about [particular musical ideas] ahead of time." [3] Like the first film's soundtrack, the music of Kills rely on the sonic and electronic music, with gentle compositions turning into adrenaline rushes in the latter half. [3] [6] According to Green, "his [John] music does both of those things, too. You'll see sometimes it's very methodical and slow-paced and pulsating. Other times, it's just a frenzy of synthesizers." [7]

Release

Halloween Kills' soundtrack, containing the original score, is led by two singles. Coinciding the album's announcement, the first song "Unkillable" was released on August 19, 2021, [8] [9] which was followed by the second song "Rampage" was released on September 7, [10] [11] [12] and the third track "Michael's Legend" released on September 25. [13] A single titled "Hunter's Moon" performed by the Swedish rock band Ghost, was released on September 30; although the track was not featured in the soundtrack, it would play in the film's end credits. [14] [15]

Sacred Bones Records released the soundtrack exclusively through ITunes on October 14, 2021, [16] and expanded widely through digital media services, the following day. [16] [17] The album was later released in CD, LP and cassettes. [18] Sacred Bones and Waxwork Records collaborated for releasing the soundtrack in vinyl, under the catalog code SBR-263. The copies consisted on 13 editions, with multi-color variants, available in different stores, packaging and titles in several regions. These editions are priced from £ 150 ( US$ 205.48) to £ 2,000 ( US$ 2,739.73). [19] In conjunction with the album release, Sacred Bones marketed the album in a "Trick or Treat" tote bag, priced at £ 15 ( US$ 20.55), featuring an artwork of Michael Myers character. [20] The following are the vinyl variants released in multiple formats: [18]

  • Sacred Bones Record Society Flame Flicker
  • Sacred Bones Records Art Edition (Mail-order Exclusive)
  • Sacred Bones Records Molten Vinyl (Mail-order Exclusive)
  • Orange Vinyl
  • Black Vinyl (Charred Pumpkin)
  • Orange and black splatter (UK Exclusive)
  • Orange, black and white swirl (Waxworks exclusive)
  • Orange and white (Cargo Germany exclusive)
  • Swamp Green (Bull Moose Exclusive)
  • Orange/Red Split With Black Splatter (Newbury Comics Exclusive)
  • Orange and Black (BrooklynVegan Exclusive)
  • Clear With Black & Orange Splatter (Shout! Factory Exclusive)

Track listing

All music is composed by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies

Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).png
Film score by
John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies
ReleasedOctober 14, 2021 (2021-10-14)
Recorded2019–2021
Genre
Length43:51
Label Sacred Bones
Halloween soundtrack chronology
Halloween
(2018)		Halloween Kills
(2021)		 Halloween Ends
(2022)
Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
No.TitleLength
1."Logos Kill"1:21
2."Halloween Kills (Main Title)"1:46
3."The Myers'House"0:41
4."First Attack"0:57
5."Stand Off"1:41
6."Let It Burn"1:13
7."He Appears"0:59
8."From the Fire"1:18
9."Strodes at the Hospital"2:25
10."Cruel Intentions"2:37
11."Gather the Mob"1:11
12."Rampage"4:58
13."Frank and Laurie"1:49
14."Hallway Madness"1:37
15."It Needs to Die"6:52
16."Reflection"1:27
17."Unkillable"3:44
18."Payback"2:31
19."Michael's Legend"2:36
20."Halloween Kills (End Titles)"3:08
Total length:43:00

Reception

The review aggregator Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned Halloween (Original 2018 Motion Picture Soundtrack) a score of 72 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [21] Spectrum Culture's Will Pinfold gave 77/100 to the score and wrote "John Carpenter’s soundtrack to the latest Halloween movie is all that one would expect – entirely predictable, but it nevertheless effortlessly rises above mere pastiche." [22] David Weaver of Clash wrote "While casual listeners might find the overall listen a bit sparse, there’s no doubt it’s the perfect soundtrack to a Halloween party, or indeed a Halloween Movie. It might not be re-writing the rulebook, but when the rulebook you wrote is so simply effective in the first place, why change it?" [23] Heather Phares of Allmusic wrote "It all goes to show that Carpenter's knack for composing scores that are entertaining in their own right is alive and well, and just as engrossing nearly half a century after the first Halloween slashed its way onto the silver screen." [24]

Hanna Collins of Buzz Magazine , gave 3/5 to the album and wrote "Part of the umpteenth attempt to reboot the slow-walking series, Kills’ music keeps it in the family: Carpenter is joined by son Cody and godson Daniel Davies. The result is a nostalgic blend of twinkling synth, brooding soundscapes and punchy drumbeats that’ll sneak up on you between tracks. Not something to kick back and relax with – unless you’re Michael Myers – but full of the thrills and chills you’d want to wile away a cold, dark night from an artist who remains at the peak of his craft, 40 years on." [25] Filmtracks.com wrote "Overall, the score hits all the right basic notes but sounds incredibly cheap given the filmmakers' intent to instill a greater sense of gravity in this score. The impact simply isn't there, most cues neglecting to generate even moderate doses of dread, and only the most avid franchise enthusiasts will appreciate the continued variations on the main theme and its rhythm [...] None of these modes of presentation will convince you that anything's new or scary in this sequel, however, the music and its creator potentially running out of inspiration even if the body count mercilessly continues to climb." [26]

Chart performance

Chart (2021)Peak

position

UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC) [27] 33
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [2] 9
US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) [28] 15

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Carpenter</span> American director, screenwriter, producer, and composer

John Howard Carpenter is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he has worked in many film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He is generally recognized as one of the greatest masters of the horror genre. At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the French Directors' Guild gave him the Golden Coach Award, lauding him as "a creative genius of raw, fantastic, and spectacular emotions".

Halloween is an American slasher media franchise that consists of thirteen films, as well as novels, comic books, a video game and other merchandise. The films primarily focus on Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his sister, Judith Myers. Fifteen years later, he escapes to stalk and kill the people of the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois. Michael's killings occur on the holiday of Halloween, on which all of the films primarily take place. Throughout the series various protagonists try to stop Myers including, most notably, babysitter Laurie Strode and psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis. The original Halloween, released in 1978, was written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill—the film's director and producer respectively. The film, itself inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Bob Clark's Black Christmas, is known to have inspired a long line of slasher films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blanck Mass</span> British electronic solo project

Blanck Mass is a British electronic solo project by Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Benjamin John Power. He is a founding member of Fuck Buttons.

<i>Lost Themes</i> 2015 studio album by John Carpenter

Lost Themes is the debut studio album by American film director and composer John Carpenter. It was released on February 3, 2015, through Sacred Bones Records. Carpenter created Lost Themes in collaboration with his son Cody Carpenter and his godson Daniel Davies. While Lost Themes is his first stand-alone album, Carpenter has composed numerous critically acclaimed soundtracks for films since the 1970s, including for the films Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, and Escape from New York.

<i>Lost Themes II</i> 2016 studio album by John Carpenter

Lost Themes II is the second studio album by American film director and composer John Carpenter. It was released on April 15, 2016, through Sacred Bones Records. The album was created in collaboration with Carpenter's son Cody Carpenter and his godson Daniel Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Davies (musician)</span> British-American musician and composer

Daniel Davies is a British-American composer, musician and songwriter. He is best known for his contributions to horror director John Carpenter's Lost Themes and Lost Themes II albums, and for his work with rock bands Year Long Disaster, Karma to Burn, and CKY. Davies is the son of guitarist Dave Davies of The Kinks, and the godson of John Carpenter.

<i>Classic Themes Redux EP</i> 2016 EP by John Carpenter

Classic Themes Redux EP is the first extended play by American film director and composer John Carpenter. It was released on June 17, 2016, through Sacred Bones Records. The extended play was created in collaboration with Carpenter's son Cody Carpenter and his godson Daniel Davies.

<i>Halloween</i> (2018 film) 2018 American slasher film

Halloween is a 2018 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and co-written by Green, Jeff Fradley and Danny McBride. It is the eleventh installment in the Halloween film series and a direct sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while disregarding all previous sequels. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis who reprises her role as Laurie Strode. James Jude Courtney portrays Michael Myers, with Nick Castle returning to the role for a cameo. Halloween also stars Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Haluk Bilginer, and Virginia Gardner. Its plot follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode who prepares to face Michael Myers in a final showdown on Halloween night, forty years after she survived his killing spree.

<i>Anthology: Movie Themes 1974–1998</i> 2017 compilation album by John Carpenter

Anthology: Movie Themes 1974–1998 is the first compilation album by American film director and composer John Carpenter, released on October 20, 2017, through Sacred Bones Records. The album features re-recordings of Carpenter's best known film score themes, and was created in collaboration with Carpenter's son Cody Carpenter and his godson Daniel Davies. To coincide with the album's release, a remix of "Halloween" by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross was also released.

<i>Stranger Things: Halloween Sounds from the Upside Down</i> 2018 soundtrack album by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein

Stranger Things: Halloween Sounds from the Upside Down is a supplemental compilation soundtrack album with unreleased cues used in the second season of the Netflix series Stranger Things that had a digital release on October 5, 2018, via Lakeshore and Invada Records. The music on the album was produced by the series' longtime composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of the electronic band Survive, and was previously available only as bonus tracks for the iTunes edition of the soundtrack album for Stranger Things 2. The album was also released physically as an orange-colored vinyl record and a picture disc for an exclusive limited run on Record Store Day's annual Black Friday event.

<i>Halloween Kills</i> 2021 American slasher film

Halloween Kills is a 2021 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and co-written by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems. It is the sequel to 2018's Halloween and the twelfth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis and James Jude Courtney, who reprise their roles as Laurie Strode and Michael Myers respectively. Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, and Will Patton also reprise their roles from the previous film, with Anthony Michael Hall and Thomas Mann joining the cast. The film, which begins where the previous film ended, sees Strode and her family continuing to fend off Myers, this time with the help of the Haddonfield community.

<i>Halloween Ends</i> 2022 American slasher film

Halloween Ends is a 2022 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and co-written by Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier. It is the sequel to Halloween Kills (2021), the thirteenth installment in the Halloween franchise, and the final film in the trilogy of sequels that started with the 2018 film, which directly follows the 1978 film. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, and James Jude Courtney. The plot follows Corey Cunningham, a young man who falls in love with Laurie Strode's granddaughter while a series of events, including crossing paths with Michael Myers, render him a murderous outcast.

<i>Firestarter</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Keith Thomas

Firestarter is a 2022 American science fiction horror film directed by Keith Thomas, from a screenplay by Scott Teems, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, and a remake of the 1984 film of the same name. The film stars Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Kurtwood Smith, John Beasley, Michael Greyeyes, and Gloria Reuben. It is produced by Jason Blum and Akiva Goldsman under their Blumhouse Productions and Weed Road Pictures banners, respectively, alongside BoulderLight Pictures and Night Platform.

John Cody Carpenter is an American musician and composer. He is the son of film director John Carpenter and actress Adrienne Barbeau. Carpenter is mostly known for his work with his father and musician Daniel Davies, as well as his various solo projects.

<i>Lost Themes III: Alive After Death</i> 2021 studio album by John Carpenter

Lost Themes III: Alive After Death is the third studio album by American film director and composer John Carpenter. It was released on February 5, 2021, through Sacred Bones Records. The album was created in collaboration with Carpenter's son Cody Carpenter and his godson Daniel Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunter's Moon (song)</span> 2021 single by Ghost

"Hunter's Moon" is a song by Swedish rock band Ghost. It was released on 30 September 2021 in support of the 2021 slasher film Halloween Kills; although it does not feature on the film's soundtrack, it plays over the end credits. A music video for the song was released the same day. On 20 January 2022, the band announced that the song was confirmed to be featured on their fifth studio album, Impera, which was released on 11 March 2022.

<i>Scary Muzak</i> 2021 studio album by Ulver

Scary Muzak is the thirteenth studio album by the Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver, released in 2021 on October 31 (Halloween). The album is heavily inspired by soundtracks from 1970s and 1980s horror movies, with five out of the twelve songs on the album incorporating music from the soundtrack to John Carpenter's 1978 film Halloween.

<i>Halloween</i> (2018 soundtrack) 2018 film score by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies

Halloween is the soundtrack album to the 2018 film Halloween, which is the eleventh installment in the Halloween franchise and a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name. The film was directed by David Gordon Green and written by Green, Jeff Fradley, and Danny McBride. It stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle who reprise their roles as Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, with stuntman James Jude Courtney, who also portrays Myers.

<i>Halloween Ends</i> (soundtrack) 2022 film score by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies

Halloween Ends (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2022 film Halloween Ends, directed by David Gordon Green; a sequel to Halloween Kills (2021), the thirteenth instalment in the Halloween franchise and the final film in the trilogy of sequels that started with the 2018 film, which directly follows the 1978 film. John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies, returned for Ends after previously scored for the first two entries in the franchise.

The music to the 1996 slasher film Scream directed by Wes Craven featured two albums released in order to promote the film. An original soundtrack to the film featuring several songs as heard in the film, released on December 17, 1996 by TVT Records. Marco Beltrami's score for the film was released along with Scream 2, in a double-disc album on July 1998. The soundtrack and score received acclaim from critics.

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Paul 'Browny' (October 7, 2021). "John Carpenter's Halloween Kills Soundtrack Will Have Horror Fans Screaming For More". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Caulfield, Keith (October 26, 2021). "'Halloween Kills' Soundtrack Scares Up Top 10 Debut on This Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Pementel, Michael (October 14, 2021). "Behind the Music That Kills: An Interview With the Master of Horror, John Carpenter". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  4. ↑ Barna, Ben (October 12, 2021). "John Carpenter and David Gordon Green Discuss Making Murder Music". Interview Magazine. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  5. ↑ Collis, Clark. "John Carpenter talks new album, 'Halloween Kills,' and why he loves pretending he's a Viking". EW.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Talking To John Carpenter About 'Halloween Kills' Is An Experience". UPROXX. October 12, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  7. ↑ Edwards, Molly (October 12, 2021). "Halloween Kills director reveals how John Carpenter shaped the movie and teases the threequel". Gamesradar. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  8. ↑ "John Carpenter Announces Halloween Kills Soundtrack, Shares New Song "Unkillable"". Pitchfork. August 19, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  9. ↑ Blistein, Jon (August 19, 2021). "John Carpenter Previews New 'Halloween Kills' Soundtrack With Sinister 'Unkillable'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  10. ↑ Legaspi, Althea (September 7, 2021). "John Carpenter Drops Menacing 'Rampage' From 'Halloween Kills'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  11. ↑ Graves, Wren (September 7, 2021). "John Carpenter goes on a "Rampage" in new song from Halloween Kills: Stream". Consequence. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  12. ↑ Squires, John (September 7, 2021). "Killer New Track from John Carpenter's 'Halloween Kills' Soundtrack Previews Michael's Brutal "Rampage"". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  13. ↑ Blistein, Jon (September 25, 2021). "John Carpenter Crafts an Unsettling Requiem for Michael Myers on New 'Halloween Kills' Song". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Listen to 'Hunter's Moon', the first new Ghost song in two years". NME. October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  15. ↑ Titus, Christa (October 28, 2021). "Behind The Hit: How Ghost's 'Hunter's Moon' Became a Killer End-Credits Soundtrack for 'Halloween Kills'". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  16. 1 2 Squires, John (August 19, 2021). "John Carpenter's 'Halloween Kills' Soundtrack Releasing in October; Listen to the Track "Unkillable" Now!". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  17. ↑ Pearis, Bill (September 13, 2022). "John Carpenter composed the 'Halloween Ends' soundtrack (exclusive Blood Splatter vinyl)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  18. 1 2 "Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Sacred Bones Records. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  19. ↑ John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter And Daniel Davies - Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) , retrieved November 5, 2022
  20. ↑ "Halloween Kills OST Trick or Treat tote bag". Sacred Bones Records. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Reviews for Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by John Carpenter". Metacritic . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  22. ↑ "John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies: Halloween Kills OST". Spectrum Culture. October 15, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  23. ↑ "John Carpenter - Halloween Kills OST". Clash Magazine. October 18, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  24. ↑ Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, Daniel Davies - Halloween Kills Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic , retrieved November 5, 2022
  25. ↑ Gardner, Noel (October 15, 2021). "THIS WEEK'S NEW ALBUMS REVIEWED | FEATURE". Buzz Magazine. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Filmtracks: Halloween Kills (John Carpenter/Various)". www.filmtracks.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Soundtrack Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved July 23, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.