Welcome to Highbury Cemetery's first Freebie Friday of 2013! No tricks, just treats every Friday in October. Be sure to stop by and receive a different goodie in your candy bag every week.
Today, we're starting off with a complete classic. I just scored a nice, clean vinyl copy of the out-of-print, original soundtrack to the film that started it all for the modern zombie revolution - from 1968, George A. Romero's Night Of The Living Dead.
Released in 1982 on Varese Sarabande Records, the score features a mix of "stock library" music (some originally written back in the 1950s) and soundbites from the film.
From the back of the record sleeve:
A Note From The Director
All of us who were involved in the production of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD thought of ourselves, then and now, as total filmmakers. We all took turns loading magazines, gaffing, gathering and making props, shooting, recording, editing. We were all involved in the total process. Frustrating for us all was that none among us could write or play music, not that our budget would have allowed for a recording session, but I'm sure we would have tried had any of us the talents to make the try worthwhile.
So, Karl Hardman and the Capitol Hi-Q Library to the rescue. Karl's production company had the library discs in house and he began to make preliminary picks. We listened and were delighted with the music. This was the real article. The scoring heard in nightmares conjured by yesterday's matinees. If the boogie man had a ghetto-blaster, this was the stuff he'd boogie to.
Karl gets the credit for picking the takes and I got the fun of gluing them onto the film. And for a non-musician, the closest thing to composing a score is working a good set of library tracks into your picture.
I have a real fondness for the music in NIGHT, and I'm flattered and grateful that the music has come to be so identified with the film. My thanks go out to the people at Varese Sarabande, and especially to Scot Holton, whose energy and endurance made the research and compilation of the tracks possible.
Look Ma, a sound-track album! And ain't none of us musicians!
Stay scared!
George A. Romero
Enjoy the soundtrack to Night Of The Living Dead!
1 comments:
"Look Ma, a sound-track album! And ain't none of us musicians!"
Ah you've got to love Romero, the guy just has a great heart, and love for the medium.
Luckily we aren't in the same boat with our film, as pretty much everyone involved in this picture has some musical talent. Our director composed the character themes and ending musical number himself even!
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