11 Horror Film Soundtracks That Will Chill Your Spine - Page 2

5"The Exorcist " Mike Oldfield

Before Mike Oldfield got to work on the score for The Excorsist, the soundtrack was going to be developed by Lalo Schifrin. What happened? Well apparently Schifrin's score was way too scary for audiences and was rejected. So Oldfield stepped in and utilized a variety of orchestral pieces, along with his own "Tubular Bells" to instill fear in viewers. Recently Schifrin's original score has been released, so you can compare the two and see which one is truly more scary.

4"The Omen" Jerry Goldsmith

When a horror film gets an Oscar for its score, you can't help but recognize the soundtrack as quality. Such is the case with Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack for The Omen, which is a perfect blend of sounds of suburban bliss and dark tones of sheer horror. Plenty of choral segments can be heard throughout the score, which plays perfectly into the cult-themes of the film. For some film trivia, the Latin chant oft heard in The Omen is translated as "We drink the blood, we eat the flesh, raise the body of Satan," with a few interspersed cries of "Hail Satan/Antichrist" for good measure.

3"Carrie" Pino Donaggio

When watching Carrie, you can't help but feel conflicted. One the one hand you feel bad for poor downtrodden Carrie, then you really have to question if your sympathy is justified once she begins slaughtering prom-goers by the scores. Pino Donaggio's soundtrack perfectly reflects the viewer's inner conflict with Carrie. For the most part of the film, the music is quite light, with two original pop songs created just for the film. All that 70s serenity comes to a halt once the mayhem begins, and so does the music. An auditory embodiment of your own emotions is the result, one that's hard not to appreciate.

2"Suspiria," Goblin

An entire band took the musical reins on Dario Argento's iconic horror film "Suspiria," with the score composed by Italian rock band Goblin. Collaborating with Argento, Goblin formed a unique and high-energy soundscape that is still heard today. "Suspiria," the main title theme of the film and released single can be heard on Raekwon and Ghostface Killah's "Legal Coke" and in the trailer for 2011's Jane Eyre, which are only a few examples of the many times the track has been used in a variety of shows and movies.

1"The Silence of the Lambs", Howard Shore

Howard Shore may be best known for creating the grand and mystical score to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings & Hobbit trilogies, but in 1990, Shore was all about the dark tones of Silence of the Lambs. Wanting to create a soundtrack that perfectly reflected the movie's plot, Shore didn't want to make music the focus; Shore aimed for his score to be a thread in the tapestry of the entire film. Shore's efforts paid off, as the sounds of Silence Of The Lamb are subtly creepy and always add to the scene.