1996 soundtrack album by Danny Elfman
The Frighteners is the soundtrack album to the 1996 film of the same name directed by Peter Jackson .[ 1] The film's original score composed by Danny Elfman , featured 14 tracks in the album with a cover of Blue Öyster Cult 's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper " performed by New Zealand alternative rock band The Mutton Birds , accompanied the soundtrack.[ 2] It was also played in the film's closing credits. The soundtrack was released by MCA Records and Universal Records on July 16, 1996.
Reception
Jason Ankeny, writing for AllMusic , complimented it as an "imaginative" score rating three stars of out five.[ 3] Filmtracks.com rated 1-star to the album, saying "With the composer's previous ideas for the genre thrust together as a horror score package, The Frighteners is correctly identified by many mainstream listeners as lacking much cohesion or singular creativity."[ 4]
Todd McCarthy of Variety commented that Elfman's score is "busily in your face and ears".[ 5] Kenneth Turan of Los Angeles Times called the score as "spooky".[ 6] Edward Guthmann of San Francisco Gate criticised Elfman's score as an "overmixed onslaught".[ 7] In retrospect, Cody Hamman of JoBlo.com felt that the score was "done to perfection",[ 8] while Alex Behan of Stuff called the score as "great".[ 9] Reviewing for the director's cut, Michael Drucker of IGN wrote "the great Danny Elfman music also comes through really well".[ 10]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Danny Elfman , except where noted
Title Writer(s) Artist(s) 1. "Intro / Titles" 5:43 2. "The "Lads"" 2:00 3. "Poltergeists" 2:05 4. "Victim #38" 1:52 5. "Who's Next?" 1:39 6. "The Garden" 3:08 7. "Chilly" 1:29 8. "Time" 4:41 9. "Patty's Place" 2:12 10. "Flashbacks" 1:07 11. "Patty Attack" 3:04 12. "Franks' Wife" 0:50 13. "Doom" 3:08 14. "Heaven" 1:46 15. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper " Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser The Mutton Birds 5:46 Total length: 40:30
Accolades
At the 23rd Saturn Awards , The Frighteners ' score was nominated for Best Music .[ 11] The score won Best Soundtrack at the 1997 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards
Credits
Credits adapted from CD liner notes.[ 1]
Music composer and producer – Danny Elfman
Conductor – Artie Kane
Contractor – Patti Zimmitti
Orchestrator – Steve Bartek
Additional orchestrations – Edgardo Simone, Mark McKenzie
Programming – Marc Mann
Recording and mixing – Shawn Murphy
Mastering – Patricia Sullivan
Editing – Ellen Segal
Musical assistance – Livia Corona
Copyist – Joel Franklin
Design – Wilson Design Group
Art direction – Vartan
Photography – Pierre Vinet
Executive in charge of music for Universal Pictures – Harry Garfield
References
^ a b "The Frighteners: Music From The Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK]". Amazon.com . ASIN B000002P1W .
^ "The Mutton Birds: overview" . AllMusic . Archived from the original on February 10, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2009 .
^ "The Frighteners overview" . AllMusic . Archived from the original on February 10, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2009 .
^ "Filmtracks: The Frighteners" . Filmtracks.com . Archived from the original on October 4, 2000. Retrieved February 20, 2009 .
^ McCarthy, Todd (July 15, 1996). "The Frighteners" . Variety . Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2023 .
^ Turan, Kenneth (July 19, 1996). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Frighteners' Jolts Both Nerves and Funny Bone" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on May 23, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2023 .
^ Guthmann, Edward (July 19, 1996). "FILM REVIEW – 'Frighteners' Busted by Special Effects" . SFGATE . Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2023 .
^ Hamman, Cody (April 5, 2023). "The Frighteners (1996) Revisited – Horror Movie Review" . JoBlo . Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023 .
^ Behan, Alex (July 8, 2021). "The Frighteners: The film that paved the way for Peter Jackson's Rings hits Neon" . Stuff . Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2023 .
^ Drucker, Michael (December 14, 2005). "The Frighteners (Unrated Director's Cut)" . IGN . Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2023 .
^ "Past Saturn Awards" . Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films . Archived from the original on May 12, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2008 .