they’re the songs that bring you back to
that moment of pure terror in the cinema
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
horror movie musical themes
for this list we’re looking at the
musical accompaniment of horror films
that are either used as a theme song or
to set the tone in one of the film
scenes we’re choosing our entries based
on a mix of their memorability and
iconic status they’re majestic fantastic
and the perfect accompaniment to the
most blood-curdling scream you can
muster number 10 the ring
written by legendary movie scorer Hans
Zimmer the theme song to this 2002
American remake of the Japanese classic
achieves its status for sounding as if
it was directed by a masterful horror
auteur
it begins with subtle piano notes that
give but a faint hint of the horror to
come a slow build follows and as the
excitement mounts audiences know they
are in for delightfully petrifying treat
number nine Rosemary’s Baby
though many horror themes play off the
melodic qualities of a lullaby the theme
to this 1968 Roman Polanski film takes
our number 9 spot based on creep factor
alone
Kristof cometa known for writing several
Polanski film scores is the mastermind
behind this hair-raising trap
the soft motherly voice is betrayed by
the shrill instruments and listeners are
greeted to a key theme of the story of
Rosemary’s Baby a mother’s love that’s
hiding something truly evil
longer
number eight 28 days later
anyone who has seen the film
accompaniment to our eighth pick will
agree that the ravaging hyper-violent
zombies are only half of what makes the
film so scary
second half is the mounting feeling of
desolation and hopelessness this song
written by John Murphy delivers that
feeling in audio form for the audience
as its booming crescendo delivers a vast
sense of isolation
the final soft notes leave us with a
thought we had from the very beginning
we are not safe
I was longer than a heartbeat number
seven a Nightmare on Elm Street
beginning with an oddly soothing tone
any ideas that the movie it accompanies
is going to be a happy one are quickly
shattered by composer Charles Bernstein
after about a minute in
as the movie follows a group of teens
that are killed in their dreams this
theme is all too fitting as it pretends
to soothe us and then acts as a vicious
reminder that something wicked lurks in
the shadows
listen to this a few times and you can
forget about sleeping number six saw
hello miss handle or if they called you
around the hospital so how many songs do
you know that make you feel stressed
that you’re running out of time and that
your life is in grave danger
will you murder a mother and her child
to save yourself well there’s at least
this one thanks to Charlie clauser the
man behind the Saw theme and a former
Nine Inch Nails member
the perfect accompaniment to the film it
represents this track really works to
showcase the psychological thriller and
its sequels gruesome traps high tension
situations and twist endings number five
psycho coming in at the midpoint on our
list is a tune that isn’t technically
psychos theme song but is so iconic and
inextricable from the horror thriller
that it’s got to be here at the time of
release the movie’s infamous shower
scene achieved notoriety for being one
of the most graphically violent
sequences ever put to the big-screen
Bernard Herrmann’s soundtrack is
expertly laid over the film’s
lightning-fast cuts and the screeching
violins have come to represent not only
the genius that is Alfred Hitchcock’s
Psycho but also horror films in general
it’s enough to give us mommy issues
number four Friday the 13th part three
our film franchises are known for their
reboots and sequels and few characters
have had as many different incarnations
as this hockey mask wearing serial
killer another staple of the Friday the
13th series though is its catchy and
creepy theme song written by Harry
Manfredini and our favorite version is
the 1982 disco inspired track from part
three
if at some point while listening you are
tempted to get up and dance don’t worry
that’s normal on the other hand if you
begin to feel a bit violent then you may
want to call a doctor or the cops
number three Jaws well done movie music
is like another character in the scene
you’re watching and one of our favorite
characters from Steven Spielberg’s jaws
is the theme written by another
composing legend John Williams
the score gives its listeners a front
row seat to the mayhem that’s about to
ensue a deadly game of predator and prey
whether it was at the movie theater in
the 70s or at summer camp where a friend
teased you while swimming in the lake
everyone has heard this iconic track and
everyone knows exactly what it means
dinner is served we go home now
number two The Exorcist not only a
phenomenon in the horror genre The
Exorcist is one of the most iconic films
of all time
director William Friedkin originally
rejected the score written for him and
instead used the song tubular bells by
Mike Oldfield to be canonized as the
theme
the song while only featured briefly is
a perfect reflection of the film it’s
mysterious
determined and spine rattling ly creepy
in short it’s the ideal accompaniment to
a story of two priests willing to give
anything to save an innocent young girl
from the devil himself as you before we
slash our way to our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
Oh
number one Halloween Halloween director
John Carpenter also wrote the film score
which is beautiful in its simplicity
and effectiveness a notion mirrored in
the mask worn by the slasher flicks
killer Michael Myers although similar in
melody and tone to another contender for
our list the fog
the quick tempo and dramatic violins
give halloween-themed the sharper edge
this terrifying number will have you
checking over your shoulder long after
you’re done trick-or-treating
do you agree with our list I think that
I am familiar with the fact that you are
going to ignore this particular problem
until it swims up and bites you on the
ass
what iconic horror movie themes did we
miss
for more terrifying top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com now do you understand me
go do as I say
that moment of pure terror in the cinema
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
horror movie musical themes
for this list we’re looking at the
musical accompaniment of horror films
that are either used as a theme song or
to set the tone in one of the film
scenes we’re choosing our entries based
on a mix of their memorability and
iconic status they’re majestic fantastic
and the perfect accompaniment to the
most blood-curdling scream you can
muster number 10 the ring
written by legendary movie scorer Hans
Zimmer the theme song to this 2002
American remake of the Japanese classic
achieves its status for sounding as if
it was directed by a masterful horror
auteur
it begins with subtle piano notes that
give but a faint hint of the horror to
come a slow build follows and as the
excitement mounts audiences know they
are in for delightfully petrifying treat
number nine Rosemary’s Baby
though many horror themes play off the
melodic qualities of a lullaby the theme
to this 1968 Roman Polanski film takes
our number 9 spot based on creep factor
alone
Kristof cometa known for writing several
Polanski film scores is the mastermind
behind this hair-raising trap
the soft motherly voice is betrayed by
the shrill instruments and listeners are
greeted to a key theme of the story of
Rosemary’s Baby a mother’s love that’s
hiding something truly evil
longer
number eight 28 days later
anyone who has seen the film
accompaniment to our eighth pick will
agree that the ravaging hyper-violent
zombies are only half of what makes the
film so scary
second half is the mounting feeling of
desolation and hopelessness this song
written by John Murphy delivers that
feeling in audio form for the audience
as its booming crescendo delivers a vast
sense of isolation
the final soft notes leave us with a
thought we had from the very beginning
we are not safe
I was longer than a heartbeat number
seven a Nightmare on Elm Street
beginning with an oddly soothing tone
any ideas that the movie it accompanies
is going to be a happy one are quickly
shattered by composer Charles Bernstein
after about a minute in
as the movie follows a group of teens
that are killed in their dreams this
theme is all too fitting as it pretends
to soothe us and then acts as a vicious
reminder that something wicked lurks in
the shadows
listen to this a few times and you can
forget about sleeping number six saw
hello miss handle or if they called you
around the hospital so how many songs do
you know that make you feel stressed
that you’re running out of time and that
your life is in grave danger
will you murder a mother and her child
to save yourself well there’s at least
this one thanks to Charlie clauser the
man behind the Saw theme and a former
Nine Inch Nails member
the perfect accompaniment to the film it
represents this track really works to
showcase the psychological thriller and
its sequels gruesome traps high tension
situations and twist endings number five
psycho coming in at the midpoint on our
list is a tune that isn’t technically
psychos theme song but is so iconic and
inextricable from the horror thriller
that it’s got to be here at the time of
release the movie’s infamous shower
scene achieved notoriety for being one
of the most graphically violent
sequences ever put to the big-screen
Bernard Herrmann’s soundtrack is
expertly laid over the film’s
lightning-fast cuts and the screeching
violins have come to represent not only
the genius that is Alfred Hitchcock’s
Psycho but also horror films in general
it’s enough to give us mommy issues
number four Friday the 13th part three
our film franchises are known for their
reboots and sequels and few characters
have had as many different incarnations
as this hockey mask wearing serial
killer another staple of the Friday the
13th series though is its catchy and
creepy theme song written by Harry
Manfredini and our favorite version is
the 1982 disco inspired track from part
three
if at some point while listening you are
tempted to get up and dance don’t worry
that’s normal on the other hand if you
begin to feel a bit violent then you may
want to call a doctor or the cops
number three Jaws well done movie music
is like another character in the scene
you’re watching and one of our favorite
characters from Steven Spielberg’s jaws
is the theme written by another
composing legend John Williams
the score gives its listeners a front
row seat to the mayhem that’s about to
ensue a deadly game of predator and prey
whether it was at the movie theater in
the 70s or at summer camp where a friend
teased you while swimming in the lake
everyone has heard this iconic track and
everyone knows exactly what it means
dinner is served we go home now
number two The Exorcist not only a
phenomenon in the horror genre The
Exorcist is one of the most iconic films
of all time
director William Friedkin originally
rejected the score written for him and
instead used the song tubular bells by
Mike Oldfield to be canonized as the
theme
the song while only featured briefly is
a perfect reflection of the film it’s
mysterious
determined and spine rattling ly creepy
in short it’s the ideal accompaniment to
a story of two priests willing to give
anything to save an innocent young girl
from the devil himself as you before we
slash our way to our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
Oh
number one Halloween Halloween director
John Carpenter also wrote the film score
which is beautiful in its simplicity
and effectiveness a notion mirrored in
the mask worn by the slasher flicks
killer Michael Myers although similar in
melody and tone to another contender for
our list the fog
the quick tempo and dramatic violins
give halloween-themed the sharper edge
this terrifying number will have you
checking over your shoulder long after
you’re done trick-or-treating
do you agree with our list I think that
I am familiar with the fact that you are
going to ignore this particular problem
until it swims up and bites you on the
ass
what iconic horror movie themes did we
miss
for more terrifying top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com now do you understand me
go do as I say
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