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Monday 25 May 2015

4 Soundtrack Favourites


So I haven't posted in a loooooong time, and I have a zillion posts on here that are, as yet, unfinished and unpublished.

But that's okay, because you're totally getting one now.

This post is dedicated to my favourite soundtracks from some less obvious films. We all know Jurassic Park (1993) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) have great theme tunes but here are some of my person favourites. That's about the long and short of it. Without further adododo, on to the first one. 


The Woman (2011)

The Woman was an absolute gem of a horror film that I found on Netflix. Upon realising it was made by Lucky McKee, the writer and director of a horror film that I was already fond of (May, 2002), I thought I'd give it a bash. It follows a deranged family as they attend to 'domesticate' a feral woman that they found in the woods. I absolutely loved it. It manages to be emotive as well as unabashedly gory, and there's some excellent performances, particularly from the two leads; Pollyanna McIntosh as the 'Woman' and Chris Cleek as the twisted father. The soundtrack struck me immediately. It's effective in a way that not a lot of horror manages, using songs that are contextually opposing what's happening on screen, but that blend seamlessly with the action. With many songs written specifically for the film by Sean Spillane, it's almost always used in a juxtaposing manner and it so much fun to listen to. Lucky himself has even stated that it's not a horror soundtrack, it's 'just songs'.

Personal Favourite: Patient Satellite
Context?: During one of very few, well constructed on screen rape scenes that actually facilitates the storyline and character development, rather than being off putting and offensive. 





It Follows (2015) 

It Follows was a film that I had been desperate to watch for some time. Hailed as one of the best horror films in years, matched only by The Babadook (2014), I just knew I was going to like it. The 80s feel of soundtrack was compared online to that of The Guest (2014), also starring Maika Monroe, (which we'll hear about later). The story follows (larf) Jay, a young woman who has only gone and picked herself up an STI demon that follows her where'er she goes. The soundtrack evokes John Carpenter movies, such as Halloween (1978) and The Thing (1982). Probably the first soundtrack since the latter movie to actually put the fear in me. You get two songs for this one. 

Personal Favourites: Title
Context?: Title theme, and whenever shit goes down




Personal Favourites: Old Maid
Context?: A creepy as shit old lady walks down a corridor. You heard me.







The Wicker Man (1973)

The Wicker Man (ORIGINAL) has always been one of my favourite horror films, but it was only in my very early 20s that I realised how fantastic the soundtrack is. The Wicker Man is a film that follows Sergeant Howie on his trip to a remote town in Scotland to find Rowan, a missing young girl. The film is very odd in that it's almost a musical... an uneasy, a horrifying musical. There's no other film quite like it. The soundtrack is salacious and heady, and performed by actors who are clearly not singers; which gives it it's charm.

Personal Favourite: Gently Johnny
Context?: Britt Ekland sexing, whilst a pub busker sings this song downstairs





The Guest (2014)

The Guest is a relatively new addition to my favourite soundtrack family. I fell in love with it, and the film, immediately. Another 80s tribute, The Guest is one of the weirder films that I've watched. Without giving too much away, the film surround a 'guest' called David, at the house of a family who's son, 'his friend', has died. Sounds pretty run of the mill, but it's an odd one and very original. Spanning all genres (and creating a whole new one), it evokes 80s horror/action/psychological-thriller, strung along by extremely subtle, tongue-in-cheek black comedy, and an easy on the eyes lead, with whom we're always in a state of uncertainty. Terminator meets The Stepfather meets Halloween. The soundtrack need not even be discussed. Just listen to the whole. damn. thing.

Personal Favourite: Anthonio - Annie (Berlin Breakdown)
Context?: The film's wonderfully constructed climax. "You did the right thing. I don't blame you"








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