Best Halloween Score Composer [Archive] - The Official Halloween Message Board

Mark Warner

03-12-2005, 06:36 AM

Who was your favorite composer for the Halloween films? Obviously a lot are going to say John Carpenter, but there are others who enjoy the John Carpenter/Alan Howarth pairing or just Alan Howarth solo. Some also enjoy the score provided by John Ottman (although it didn't make it into H20, except the main theme). Still some enjoy Danny Lux's score for Halloween: Ressurrection.

Me personally, I enjoy the John Carpenter/Alan Howarth stuff. It's got something about it that just makes it addictive. The original score from Halloween is great, but it gets old after a while. I enjoyed the music with just Alan Howarth from H4, H5, and H6, but I thought the music with JC was better. The score with John Ottman for H20 was great (if you're lucky enough to find a DVD with the original score, I'm sure you would agree that it's better than the Scream music used), but I felt it was a bit too over the top at points. Still loved it. The score for H:R was okay, not the best though. The opening theme was good, but the rest of the movie just sounded like a generic horror movie score.

Jackolantern99

03-12-2005, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by Mark Warner
Who was your favorite composer for the Halloween films? Obviously a lot are going to say John Carpenter, but there are others who enjoy the John Carpenter/Alan Howarth pairing or just Alan Howarth solo. Some also enjoy the score provided by John Ottman (although it didn't make it into H20, except the main theme). Still some enjoy Danny Lux's score for Halloween: Ressurrection.

Me personally, I enjoy the John Carpenter/Alan Howarth stuff. It's got something about it that just makes it addictive. The original score from Halloween is great, but it gets old after a while. I enjoyed the music with just Alan Howarth from H4, H5, and H6, but I thought the music with JC was better. The score with John Ottman for H20 was great (if you're lucky enough to find a DVD with the original score, I'm sure you would agree that it's better than the Scream music used), but I felt it was a bit too over the top at points. Still loved it. The score for H:R was okay, not the best though. The opening theme was good, but the rest of the movie just sounded like a generic horror movie score.

Honestly, I like them all. No one can beat the classic score from the original from John Carpenter. The blend of John and Alan, however, I can't say I like. I hated the "techno" sound of H2 and 3's scores, maybe it was just the 80s, I don't know.

However, Alan did damn well with 4 and 5, and I have to admit I liked the rock-style of 6's soundtrack.

Of course I'm gotta tell you that I adore H20's soundtrack (not what made it into the theatrical release, but the original score), specifically the main theme being this booming orchestrated number.

And of course, I did like Danny Lux's H:R score, one of the only things I enjoyed about the movie. However, I didn't enjoy the fact that he used the Halloween theme 39582 times throughout the soundtrack...

MMyers89

03-12-2005, 10:42 AM

4, 5, and 6 were along with H1 were my favorie scores. H1 is the original and the best, but for me H2's was cool, but didn't push my buttons. H4, H5, and H6 had their own scores that fit the movies perfectly. H4 had the H1 themes bumped up a notch. H5 was way more dark in its themes, ane H6's rock style themes really fit the movie. So Alan Howarth would be my favorite.

MyersFan927

03-12-2005, 11:00 AM

I personally enjoy the work of all the composers, save for Danny Lux, who just didn't "wow" me on the Resurrection soundtrack, but I voted for the John Carpenter/Alan Howarth duo. Both of their soundtracks are basically dead even, and they're the ones I listen to the most.

scarymoviechap

03-12-2005, 11:06 AM

I voted for 1 because the original score is one of a kind.

LoomisFan4Life

03-12-2005, 12:06 PM

I love the original but my favorite would have to be the Carpenter/Howarth in H2. There was just something about it that was great to me.

urg

03-12-2005, 02:07 PM

I liked the h4 rendition the best. the long slow intro that leads up to the main theme is just plain creepy. i love it.

MichaelMyers

03-13-2005, 07:04 PM

John Carpenter's original score for H1 was the best.

King Sly Joker

03-14-2005, 04:39 PM

I love the original score .But after the H2 score which really spiced it up.Which many hated ,has been my favorite.And cant be matched...

Mark Warner

03-14-2005, 04:59 PM

I don't see why people hate the H2 score. I think it's the best next to the H3 soundtrack. I heard some people say it was too "techno" or something. I personally enjoy synth scores (I'm going to be using one for my film I am doing) because they're different than what we usually get in soundtracks. I also love them because they were very popular in the 80's, and I'm in love with the 80's.

I wish I had grown up in the 80's. I was so close!

MyersFan927

03-14-2005, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by Mark Warner
I don't see why people hate the H2 score. I think it's the best next to the H3 soundtrack. I heard some people say it was too "techno" or something. I personally enjoy synth scores (I'm going to be using one for my film I am doing) because they're different than what we usually get in soundtracks. I also love them because they were very popular in the 80's, and I'm in love with the 80's.

I wish I had grown up in the 80's. I was so close!

I too enjoy synth scores. Usually when I compose themes on my keyboard to come up with pretend soundtracks just for fun, they're synth scores with dark and gloomy tones. Sometimes I try to incorporate Halloween themes into them. Synth has really gone out of style; it should make a comeback, although it won't.

King Sly Joker

03-14-2005, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by Mark Warner
I don't see why people hate the H2 score. I think it's the best next to the H3 soundtrack. I heard some people say it was too "techno" or something. I personally enjoy synth scores (I'm going to be using one for my film I am doing) because they're different than what we usually get in soundtracks. I also love them because they were very popular in the 80's, and I'm in love with the 80's.

I wish I had grown up in the 80's. I was so close!

You have to think alot didnt like the synth sound.It made the score to techno.I remember debating this on the old board.I think it gave life to the song.I think if the same score, had been used for all the films.It would have grown rather boring.All of them really sound and have a different feel..

Demonswrath

03-15-2005, 07:04 AM

I think John did a great job in laying out a great theme for Halloween. But I think Alan Howarth did a much better job when he did H4-6. Those were the best in the series.

MichaelFan_Nr1

03-15-2005, 12:53 PM

Howarth's score for 'Halloween 5' is simply beautiful. Just listen to the soundtrack! He got my vote because if 'Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers' and his experimential tunes in 'Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'. Those were probably the strongest scores for the series, excluding the original (wich is on it's own level of "superiorness".)

I really don't like the score for 'Halloween 4'. It's too ... calm to fit in a movie like that. However, I must say I don't like 'Halloween 4' at all.

Howarth will always get my vote because if 'Halloween 5', that's for sure.

MyersFan927

03-15-2005, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by MichaelFan_Nr1
and his experimential tunes in 'Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'.

Interesting, that's how I would describe the tunes in Halloween 6's soundtrack also. Experimental. They're unusual for Halloween songs because of the wailing guitars and other synth sounds so alienated compared to the others. None have an edge like H6, which may or may not be a good thing considering what your tastes are.

Originally posted by MichaelFan_Nr1
I really don't like the score for 'Halloween 4'. It's too ... calm to fit in a movie like that. However, I must say I don't like 'Halloween 4' at all.

I disagree. Halloween 4's tracks are anything BUT calm. Listen to it on your headphones in the dark with your eyes closed, and see how calm it is. It's the only one that can make me jump out of my skin. The other day I was listening to Jamie's Nightmare, actually knowing and expecting the loud jumpy part to come up, but still was unprepared for the bold jump from quiet and steady.

MichaelMyers04

03-16-2005, 04:30 PM

I really liked JC's score, but I had to go with Alan Howarth's H4-6. I NEVER get bored of hearing those ones. John Carpenter's was the original, one that can't be beat, but I like the styles of H4 and H5 better.

Icebreaker_8605

03-16-2005, 08:02 PM

John Carpenter will always be our faves for creating the Halloween theme in the first place. After all, the original score gives one that creepy feel in whole. My vote will go to the Carpenter/Howarth duo. Both composers are just excellent together. The H2 and H3 themes were just great with those synths going about. I like both composers work, as a team and solo.

MyersFan75

03-16-2005, 09:29 PM

I have to say Ottman's version in H20.
I love the orchestral music and thought he had a great score made up - too bad most was replaced in the film w/ generic slasher music.
John Carpenter's music set the standard, and since he can't really build on the original, its hard to be the best. The other films took his original and built on it to make it better - of course, sometimes, the original is the best and I still love how popular his simple theme has become.
Thinking about this just brought something to my mind - it's a lil' off topic but this past Halloween a couple of friends and myself drove around and one was wearing my MM mask. He was driving and it was night out.
Outside on the sidewalk we saw two skating punks probably around 14 or 15 and my friend turned his head ever-so-slowly and peeked out the window.
One of the kids simply stopped in his tracks and his jaw just dropped to the floor. His head followed our car all the way down to the next stoplight - apparently, the kid had never thought that something existed that was scarier than what? Scream? :rolleyes:

Anyway, thought I'd share.

Later,
MyersFan75

King Sly Joker

03-17-2005, 05:12 PM

Originally posted by MichaelMyers04
I really liked JC's score, but I had to go with Alan Howarth's H4-6. I NEVER get bored of hearing those ones. John Carpenter's was the original, one that can't be beat, but I like the styles of H4 and H5 better.

I can live with the H4 score.Much than 5's and 6's.Just something about it,I can never get tired of..

MyersFan75

03-17-2005, 11:27 PM

Originally posted by King Sly Joker
I can live with the H4 score.Much than 5's and 6's.Just something about it,I can never get tired of..

I love H6's score.
I mean P-Cut.
I don't really like the T-Cut rock mix...but the P-Cut version is great.
I mean, really, really good.
It has a "pre-H20" sound...and sadly, doesn't gain much recognition since the film was never released...
:(

MyersFan75

03-17-2005, 11:30 PM

Sly,
Where do you get all your joker avatars?
You are always sporting some kick-ass joker avatar.

I love them.

HEcamehome

03-19-2005, 06:40 PM

John Carpenter's original version.

Silverpsycho

03-21-2005, 03:15 AM

It was a tough choice between John Carpenter solo and John Carpenter and Alan Howarth but I went with the latter since H2 and H3 are so memorable to me...not that H1 isn't. I just love the H3 soundtrack so that is what won me over. The Halloween theme only got better in H2 also...so that is why I voted the second option...even though I probably tie with the first choice as well. It's just too hard to choose! :confused:

Hallowicked

03-21-2005, 03:45 AM

My favorite would have to be Carpenter's H1 score. I like the rest as well, especially H2-H6 but the original gets my vote.

TheShape2005

04-06-2005, 07:25 PM

mr32

06-02-2007, 09:29 PM

The original score is a classic we all know that, but i also like the theme's that were presented in H4 and H5 by Alan.

Fruity

09-25-2007, 05:02 PM

I gotta give it to John's H1 score

Darth Tyranus

09-25-2007, 05:09 PM

Carpenter's original music.

WhiteZombie

09-25-2007, 05:56 PM

Really, all of them have awesome scores. The original is and always will be the best. Its classic. Although Ottmans score in H20 was great.

mmyers78

09-27-2007, 12:43 PM

I voted for Carpenter/Howarth (H2,H3), but the original is very good also

MyersFan927

09-27-2007, 06:09 PM

I think that while the score for H1 is amazing and classic, simple and chilling, it does not quite match the immediate three sequels. Of course, though, the H1 score exceeds in many areas. Don't forget that Alan Howarth composes for a living, whereas John Carpenter did it as a sidejob due to the budget constraints: Howarth is more masterful in his themes and tracks, creating a very diverse ground of music that captures different moods. Carpenter's themes are haunting and to quote Dennis Etchison, "appropriately nervewracking" - however, I think H2-4 exceed it in some ways. The main problem with the H1 score - and perhaps the only problem - is that there are too many repeats. The basic piano sounds can get a little boring at times. The score worked and the score is classic; without it, Alan Howarth wouldn't have been able to expound on the major themes. I just feel that he brought more to the table.

slasher2040

09-27-2007, 06:28 PM

I like JC, but H6 was my favorite so I voted for Alan Howarth.

Reborn Angel

09-28-2007, 06:20 AM

The Originale is simple, classic, chilling and scary, its a one off a kind...
however Alan Howard did an amazing job on the soundtrack from 2-6, i fell in love with the scary Halloween 4 soundtrack its so close to the original, halloween 5 i dont know after listening to it once i keep listen it, halloween 6 with the rock music in the movie SUCKED, however whenever i listen to the songs normally i love it its so close to the original and still something completly different...
I want Alan back for the soundtrack:bouncewall:

Hwever John Ottman as well as Danny Lux did some outstanding music for H20 and Resurrection

AJ*

09-28-2007, 06:49 AM

I went with Alan Howarth for his H4 score alone...my favorite of the series.

MyersFan927

09-28-2007, 03:12 PM

H4 really is an exceptionally well-made soundtrack.

Reaper43

09-28-2007, 03:52 PM

Alan Howarth and John Carpenter. No doubt about it.

Halloween III and II are my favorite scores, shortly followed by the original, 4 and the remake.

Hawkwind

09-28-2007, 03:57 PM

I like John Carpenter and Alan Howarth the best because of Halloween 3

RatBoy

09-28-2007, 04:10 PM

John Carpenter and Alan Howarth all the way.

Halloween III was by far my favorite score.

HannibalBEATNGU

09-28-2007, 04:27 PM

Probably Carpenter for the original, I love the H2 score and Howarth's work though, Lux did a good rendition of the main theme but I wasn't overly impressed with his original themes, and Ottman is very talented and his H20 stuff was great, unfortunately he was never given a fair shot since most of his great Halloween music was switched for the precise same cues from Scream which felt out of place but were thrown in because Scream was the in thing at the time.

I didn't care for Bates score for the remake, the classic themes were fine, but all of the new music sounded too much like The Devil's Rejects.

WhiteZombie

09-28-2007, 07:33 PM

The original score is just so incredibly chilling. Every one of them too, especially when Michael kills Judith. Its just so gritty and basic, but so scary.

DarknessBDJM

10-04-2007, 06:53 PM

The original is and probably always will be the best. H2 is next up, H5 was excellent (The Attic contains two score parts that should be used as much as the main themes from H1) as was H4 (both minus using the technoish theme that was actually dropped later on in H5 for a much better theme; H4's ambient opening and closing themes (again minus the technioish main theme) are amazing as well). H6 had some great moments, but the guitar use hurt it (Empty Stomach's use of the Laurie Theme is amazing though so it elevates H6 in my mind). H3 had a very underrated score (The Drive to Santa Mira is fantastic and I'd love to hear it in a Myers sequel). No Halloween sequel should be without Howarth and Carpenter's original work.

H:20 had a very theatrical score that had some nice parts, but the orchestra is the exact opposite of what the Halloween series music should be about, but Ottman did as best a job as he could using very un-Halloween elements. Ressurection had even more in the way of good parts, but fell into the same big score approach, though Lux did use ambient themes in parts.

metallicabowler

10-07-2007, 12:55 PM

I'm sorry guys, but John Carpenter wrote all of the music Howarth ever used! Simple is best and John Carpenter's score is the original and the best. Halloween 2's opening theme kind of drove me nuts at first but there are a lot of subtle off-notes in it I liked, and Howarth's version of "Shape Stalks" is way cool, but I prefer the original. H3 I hated, way too techno-sounding. H4's music was a little boring, same w/ H5. H6 had a lot of interesting things in it and was I think the first one to deviate from the main themes a lot, which I liked.

I have not heard Ottman's original H20 score so I can't judge it, but the opening titles to that movie gave me goosebumps, I love that music. Resurrection's score is, like the whole movie, very boring.

MyersFan927

10-07-2007, 07:57 PM

I'm sorry guys, but John Carpenter wrote all of the music Howarth ever used!

I'm sorry, but he didn't. Howarth was very original in secondary tracks in H4-6 and had a lot of imput into H2-3. A lot of what you're listening to in H2-3 is Howarth.

myerscult

10-07-2007, 08:06 PM

John Carpenter is the best! Really simple and scary music. Alan Howarth's stuff is good too and I like how plays with the Halloween theme. I love that bit of music Alan does when Tina is in Jamie's room. It's like a slow lonely Halloween theme. As for John Ottman and Danny Lux, we don't need orchestras in Halloween movies.

Harold Elrod

10-07-2007, 08:21 PM

I went with Carpenter and Howarth because of Halloween III. Incredible soundtrack.

Masked Murderer

10-08-2007, 10:42 AM

I love John Ottman's score for H20 out of the simple fact that being an anniversary film he imagined taking Carpenter's themes and giving them the big orchestral treatment they deserved.

But I also love Tyler Bates' score for RZH

M M

fenderbender

10-14-2007, 04:45 PM

JC and AW were great together. Loved H2's score. That's the one that scares me when I try and sleep with it playing in my CD player at night.

MyersFan927

10-14-2007, 07:14 PM

H4's soundtrack is capable of thrusting you with its sudden jolting pitches and unpredictibility. I can never prepare for that special moment in Jamie's Nightmare :D

duhderrick

10-25-2008, 09:50 AM

John Carpenter in H1 for sure. But the score in H5 is also really pleasing.

ScareGasm

10-25-2008, 10:09 AM

I voted for Alan Howarth, however it is really a tie for me between Alan Howarth and John Carpenter. Put your headphones on at night and lay in bed just listening to the soundtracks...the music is so alive that it makes you feel like you're not alone in the house and that's what I love about it. I have the H4 soundtrack on vinyl and I think it's anything but calm as well. If the score can vividly make you remember the movie in your mind and still scare the shit out of you, then it was a well done job. I can't wait to blare the H4 and H5 soundtracks Tuesday night for when the trick or treaters come ringing my doorbell. Haha. :D