What is The Best Suspense Film Score in Your Point of View?

1. 80

   John Sarkisposted 12 years ago

   What is The Best Suspense Film Score in Your Point of View?
   
   Just thought I'd ask you, since you've written so much about films...  I'll tell you my "personal favorite" and why after you tell me yours.

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2. 68

   CarltheCritic1291posted 12 years ago

   Oh boy this is a hard one because there are so many good ones. If I had to choose a favorite it would probably be Bernard Herrmann's score for "Psycho". It was just the perfect score for that film, it was very empathetic, it influenced so many scores to other suspense/horror movies (like "Friday the 13").
   But there are so many others that I enjoyed for different reasons like Anton Karas's score for "The Third Man", because even though it was apathetic to most of the scenes it was very simple, and I liked John William's score to "Jaws" because that was very influential (and from it we get the half-step ostinato that is in the majority of horror and suspense films). There are so many others but if I had to only pick one it would be Bernard Herrmann's "Psycho".
   What about you, what is yours?

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3. 59

   MickSposted 12 years ago

   Tangerine Dream's music for, The Keep, it was perfect for the film and helped to build tension in the abscence of dialogue.

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4. 80

   John Sarkisposted 12 years ago

   "Psycho" and "Friday The 13th" are two of the best film scores in my opinion as well....
   
   I think Silvestri is one of the most underated film composers around.  I think the original "Predator" is one of the best film scores ever.  I love good size orchestras, like the ones Tiomkin used back in the 50's before "unions" got involved and musicians had to be paid fair wages --- this was a good thing by the way, but I love Mahler and Shostakovich size orchestras....  Oh well, getting back to Silvestri, the score to "Predator" is one of my all time personal favorites.  And yes, he does use techniques passed down by Herrmann, like little use of melodies with mostly short motifs, which is typical of modern composers per se....
   
   Thank you CarltheCritic1291 and MickS for answering my question and take good care
   
   John

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5. 75

   Brain Baldwinposted 12 years ago

   This may not be exactly what you're looking for, but the score for this film made a huge impact.  The 1973 Shocking classic The Exorcist has almost no musical score at all.  The only real music in the film is an almost eerie selection from Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells as Chris strolls down the old haunted streets of Georgetown.  No music let the images tell the story.
   
   However, like others, I would have to pick Tangerine Dream as having the most impact in a film.  I can't imagine Thief without the score for any part of the film.
   
   BPB

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6. 84

   Marcy Goodfleischposted 12 years ago

   As hokey as it is, the Jaws shark beat thing is just plain iconic for suspense. It generates almost a Pavlovian response. I agree Psycho is classic, too.  I need to watch few few of the others mentioned here - they sound intriguing.

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7. 73

   JoshuaThePostposted 12 years ago

   Halloween has always done it for me.   
   
   Many of the suspenseful scores are written in the 5th interval .. creepy and considered "evil" in the middle ages ... I believe it was actually outlawed until the Baroque period ... You got me thinking ... I think I may just have to write a hub on it to explain.

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8. 57

   efroideposted 12 years ago

   No Country for Old Men!
   I love this film, very suspense, good actor!

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9. 66

   innersmiffposted 12 years ago

   Basically anything by Bernard Hermann. If pushed, I would say 'Vertigo'.

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10. 59

    giblespaul89posted 12 years ago

    Anything on the 28 days later soundtrack, primarily done by John Murphy. An incredible and varied piece of work.

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