Horror movie Music, and the Loss of one of
the Horror Music Greats Herman Stein.
Herman
Stein
created the music behind Creature from the Black
Lagoon
and hundreds of other films. Stein’s passing in 2007 reminds
all horror freaks of the power of music in our horror favorites.
Written
by BHM Editor Don
Sumner March 28, 2007 Herman
Stein passed away on March 15, 2007. To many his passing went
unnoticed, and even if you were randomly perusing the NY Times
obituaries and saw his name the impact he had on horror of this century
may have been largely missed. To me, however, the loss of Herman Stein
started thought about music in horror movies and what a crucial role it
plays.
After starting his music career as a jazz composer in the 1940s Herman
Stein went on to create the atmospheric melodies that defined the
creature-feature era of modern horror. Although Stein composed the
score for many movies prior, creating the melodic environment for Creature
from the Black Lagoon, 1954,
brought him to the consciousness
of many horror aficionados. Following Creature was Revenge
of the Creature, 1955,
Sci-Fi classic This
Island Earth, 1955,
Tarantula
, 1955,
The
Creature Walks Among Us, 1956,
Francis
in the Haunted House, 1956
and The Thing that
Couldn’t Die, 1958 Along with television episodes
of Lost
in Space and
dozens of other scores running
the gamut from Abbot and Costello to spaghetti
westerns.
In every case Herbert Stein succeeded in creating music that draws an
audience into the story and action on the screen.
Where would horror be without those that create the auditory atmosphere
that pulls us all in? Who can forget the orchestral build-up as that
fin breaks the ocean surface and progresses toward an unsuspecting
swimmer in Jaws?
How about the Sh-Sh-Sh-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha
that precedes the appearance and murderous activities of Jason
Voorhees
(or, as appropriate, his mother) in Friday
the 13th?
When we horror fans describe the horror movies that really
“get” us we usually discuss the story, the setting,
the surprise-factors, the gore…but what about the music?
Would Michael
Myers leaping from behind a couch toward poor Laurie
Strode have nearly the impact without the shrill high-volume
music
invading our ears as he strikes with a knife?
In the early days of cinema music was no more than a piano playing in
the background as the action takes place on the screen. In fact, our
forefather’s movie theaters actually had
a live pianist playing
while the silent movie flickered above in glorious black and white.
Even then the film-makers recognized the importance of music and sound
as an element capable of drawing in even the most resistant of
movie-goers. Scores were written with dramatic peaks during
particularly dramatic moments. I believe that even a modern horror
movie as tense and dramatic as The
Descent would
have trouble holding a horror freak’s attention in dead
silence.
The passing of Herman Stein is a loss to those of us who enjoy the
creature-feature era of horror and watching that fish-lipped dinosaur
stealing away the lovely fiancé of our esteemed hero. It is
also an opportunity for horror fans to notice the impact that music and
score have on our horror movie experience.
Maybe, in the future while I am describing setting, gore, acting and
believability of the horror movies I watch, I will also be sure and
notice the profound impact the music has on the entire experience. Of
course, maybe I won’t mention it…but we all know
it is there. Questions
or comments about Herman Stein? Contact us!
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, 1954,
brought him to the consciousness
of many horror aficionados. Following Creature was 
, 1955,
, 1955,
, 1956
and The Thing that
Couldn’t Die, 1958 Along with television episodes
of 
and
dozens of other scores running
the gamut from Abbot and Costello to spaghetti
westerns.
In every case Herbert Stein succeeded in creating music that draws an
audience into the story and action on the screen.
had
a live pianist playing
while the silent movie flickered above in glorious black and white.
Even then the film-makers recognized the importance of music and sound
as an element capable of drawing in even the most resistant of
movie-goers. Scores were written with dramatic peaks during
particularly dramatic moments. I believe that even a modern horror
movie as tense and dramatic as 
