Danny Elfman - "Sleepy Hollow" Soundtrack

So now that Halloween is over and everything has been put away for another year, I can finally get to a list of things I wasn't able to during the hectic haunt season.

First up is finally getting a chance to spin this absolutely gorgeous double-record soundtrack from Waxwork Records. Released 23 years ago this week, Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow is his wonderfully dark and gothic, yet witty retelling of the Washington Irving classic, The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow.

And as with any Burton/Depp collaboration, you simply MUST have Danny Elfman creating an iconic, grand soundtrack to help complete the story. And what a soundtrack THIS one is...

What really sold me on this one was the stunning cover art, and the way it matches perfectly to the colors chosen for the vinyl. "Headless Horseman" black, blood red, and skull white swirled vinyl to be exact. The entire package ties into the film so well. Waxwork did an exceptional job on this whole piece.

And once you eventually get past the beauty of the package, you still get to drop the needle on the vinyl...

Another Elfman classic to be sure, and definitely a release to add to your vinyl collection. Keep an eye on the Waxwork site as even though it is currently sold out, this should probably reappear at some point in the near future. Enjoy!

  

Halloween Kills

I'm pretty excited for tomorrow's release of Halloween Kills, the second second part of, err, the ninth part of, uh, the second Halloween II but on a new timeline of, or...

Regardless of where it falls within the Halloween franchise timeline, it's supposed to be pretty dark and brutal (like any good second act of a trilogy should be). And anything starring Michael Myers will instantly put me into Halloween mode (holiday OR movie, I guess?). So I'm pretty amped to see it.

Outside of being a huge horror film fan, I'm also a HUGE horror film soundtrack fan. I'm always adding to my vinyl record soundtrack collection, and there is something absolutely iconic about John Carpenter's amazing, and instantly recognizable, score to this franchise.

I just got my first copy of the Halloween Kills soundtrack and I am pleasantly surprised. A darker twist to the original that hopefully sets the tone to the new film. I'm not going to reveal any spoilers to it, but be sure to tune in tonight at 7 pm EST on John Carpenter's YouTube channel for a live Listening Party and Q+A with soundtrack composers John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies. This should be pretty cool!

 

John Carpenter - "Halloween Triumphant"

Only three more days until the new Halloween film hits theaters! In the meantime, enjoy another new track composed by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies for the film...

Thom Yorke - "Has Ended"

The second track from Radiohead front man Thom Yorke's Suspiria film soundtrack was released today. Another track that still sounds a lot like Radiohead, but I'm really interested in seeing how it sets the tone for the upcoming film. I like this one a lot and I'm getting more excited for the film's October release.

Steve Moore - "Cub" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

I have yet to actually see the 2014 Belgian horror film Cub (although it is now on Amazon Prime, so I think I know what I'll be watching tonight!), but I had heard Steve Moore's (from Zombi fame) incredible soundtrack shortly after the film's initial release. And since that time, it has been patiently sitting on my wantlist.

I was finally able to add it to my vinyl collection and it has been on a constant rotation here at the Cemetery ever since.

Lush, ominous synth-driven ambient soundscapes that go much darker than any of his work in Zombi, this release is right in my wheelhouse and has already become a favorite. (Especially the tracks The Hunt and Sam vs. Kai. Wow.) I just can't believe I've waited this long to grab the soundtrack and see the film itself!

From Steve Moore's Bandcamp page:

Original soundtrack to the major motion picture Cub scored by STEVE MOORE (Zombi). Cub is a brutal horror film from Belgium that tells the tale of a young cub-scout bullied by his troop-mates. When the kids take a scout camping trip to the woods, things get bloody quickly when a deranged poacher sets his sites on the young kids. STEVE MOORE's haunting synth based score is the perfect soundscape for this acclaimed horror film. Whether you're familiar with the movie Cub or not, STEVE MOORE's score sits perfectly with your Zombi discography.

"Krampus" Soundtrack by Douglas Pipes

Okay, just one more Krampus-themed post for 2017. But first, a little story...

Back in the winter of 2015, I quickly decided that I wanted to see Michael Dougherty's new holiday horror film, Krampus. After his now cult classic, Trick 'r Treat, became a mainstay in my Halloween traditions, I figured I'd give this one a shot to see if it would be added to my Christmas traditions as well.

The day before Christmas Eve, I had a late afternoon physical therapy session. I was rehabbing from surgery on a badly broken finger, thanks to an awesome mountain bike crash earlier in the summer. The therapy session was an hour long and I was completely against heading back to work at 4:00 on the day before Christmas break, so I decided that I was going to the movie theater to see Krampus instead. Alone.

Truth be told, I had never gone to a theater to see a movie on my own (which is kind of weird, because I have done just about everything else on my own!). I walked up to the ticket  counter and waited in line to get my ticket. I got to the counter and said, "One ticket for Krampus, please." The young girl working the counter looked up at me with a startled look on her face. Smiling, she said, "Wow! Someone NOT here to see Star Wars!"

D'oh! As I looked over to the entrance into the theater, I could see the line. EVERYONE was in line, waiting to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. My palms got sweaty...

I grabbed my ticket, quickly walked past the line and found the theater number that was playing MY film. I walked in and looked around.

Not a single person in the theater. "Cool, I'm early so I get first pick at a seat." I of course picked a seat right in the middle of the theater for maximum sight and sound.

The previews started playing and I kicked back and relaxed a bit. Still nobody else in the theater.

After the endless parade of previews to films that I had absolutely no interest in seeing, the movie started. I could still hear the line of people outside the door, waiting for Star Wars. But still nobody else came into my theater.

Ten minutes into the movie, I made the joyous realization that nobody else WAS coming in. I had the whole damn theater to myself!! I kicked my feet up onto the seat in front of me, and with a relaxed grin, I sat back and enjoyed the hell out of Krampus. Alone in a theater, the night before Christmas Eve.

It was probably one of the best theater experiences I will ever have.

And because of that, Krampus will always hold a special place in my heart. But also because I really enjoyed the film, too.


One year later, Waxwork Records put out an incredible double-vinyl version of the film's amazing soundtrack, composed by Douglas Pipes (who also composed the soundtrack to Trick 'r Treat, another favorite of mine!).

I was able to score the limited double-picture disc version, featuring the amazing "evil elves" from the film. Pipes has done an amazing job of merging cheery holiday melodies and menacing, tense, dark rhythms to create a new Christmastime classic.

I absolutely love everything about this soundtrack and it has become a staple in my post-Halloween playlist...