The Sinister Soundscape: John Carpenter's Revolutionary Score in 'Halloween' (1978) - Paper Example

The film "Halloween" was produced by John Carpenter and released on date 25th of October 1978. The film begins with Michael Myers, who, after fifteen years, when he killed his sister, returns to his hometown in Haddonfield to start his killing spree. Though the film is terrifying and creepy, Halloween is revolutionary with the adventurous application of traditional synth pads and stabs. This has been used to model a powerful and creepiest soundtrack of all ages. Like the movies produced in the 1970s, the film Halloween uses electronic music in its soundtrack format, which was the dominant thing in the science fiction produced in this period. Being a horror movie, the producer, Carpenter, established that the electronic sounds would be significant when used in this genre. With a small budget of less than $300,000, little could be used to pay the movie's composer. Because Carpenter studied music and participated in playing bands, he collaborated with other people to achieve the soundtrack with synthesizers. Also, with poor technology in the production period, the music had to be recorded without synchronizing it to the picture, which was done through a click and a stopwatch. Through technical moody music and the courage to maintain a simple score, the film's horror is enhanced.

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The earliest soundtrack produced by Carpenter was in a rush hence Carpenter had little time to figure out if the necessary horror requirements were achieved. As he resented the movie to the studio executive, he was informed that the film was not scary in any way because of lacked horror soundtracks (Carpenter, Hill, et al., 2013). As a result, Carpenter decided to collaborate with others, including Dan Wyman, who was working at the University of Southern California. Together they managed to create a score in three days which was going to be used in the film. Most of the Halloween film musical score sounds come from synthesizers, emulating old-fashioned instruments, including piano sounds and bass beats. This is because there were few advancements and the film budget was restricted by going for expensive instruments. Without a symphonic soundtrack, Halloween's score entails a piano melody played in 5/4 (Carpenter, Hill, et al., 2013). The weak beat is built with tunes in categories of 3,3,2 and 2, which means that the groups' initial pace is created with three, which then changes into groups of two, thus making the flow feel like pushing forward and creating something unsteady (Carpenter, Hill, et al., 2013). The film had a small budget that necessitated the producer to write the entire movie's score by himself in three days. With the assistance of Wyman, they produced a minimalist force of nature that managed to make a successful impact in the film. This score was inspired by previous films, including "Psycho." The film's theme has a similar sound to "The Exorcist," and the continued piano notes are played in a consonant Aeolian mode (Darling 2019). Therefore, the film Halloween's music contains a simple score with a single piano and dissonant sounds, making it unsophisticated and a strong asset in the movie’s success. This proves that a movie does not have to contain a symphonic score to make it effective.

In the opening scenes, there is a 10-note melody from a piano playing in eight notes. The triton is repeated thrice with C# raising a minor second to D and then returning to F#, establishing a lower 6th (Darling 2019). This tune makes one-half step descending, C to F (TT), in an impression of falling plus abandoning the initial key. In these scenes, there are descending intervals of tritons and minor 6ths establish a discordant tension mostly by the intervals' ingrained behavior. Ten interval whole notes are playing in the reduced brass and playing tonic of structured electronic strings, creating an incoming danger and a low intensive feeling of ground. Accompanying the melody in the background is a continuous rhythmic percussive foot-like sound whose playing is kept in sixteenth notes. As a result, these parts in the opening scenes make viewers suspicious and dissonant therefore making the opening highly unsettling.

The theme of "speed kills," happens immediately as a car approaches driven at a strange speed toward the girls. As Laurie notices the vehicle approaching, her unaware friends are not bothered, and it turns out that it is the killer, Myers, approaching them. Therefore, as Laurie turns her head to watch the car passing slowly, the music pulse, in this case, matches the speed of Myers' driving. Immediately the car is stopped, one girl shouts at Myers, and here the music surges in volume. This changes as the music slowly fades as Myers' car drives away from the girls. In this case, this theme uses a recognizable, 5/4 time steady pulse hence making the simple theme highly effective (Darling 2019). This was used as a note indicating the dangerous driving of Myers, whose aim is to kill. Supported by the ticking clock playing of electronic percussive beats in continued 6th notes, it makes the scene to be so frightening. Although there is no violence, the viewers know that the threat is coming from an intruder. As the music continues playing in a steady and unresolving manner, viewers can anticipate and remain aware that the threat will continue. This is a successful part of the movie because of its success in keeping viewers aware of the strange scenes.

In another theme, “The Chase,” the film uses the music cue “Michael Kills Judith,” in the situation where Laurie witnesses her killed friend lying in bed in the position that Jesus was lying while crucified on the cross. In this scenario, Judith is Myers’ sister whom he murdered earlier in the movie and it is her gravestone appearing in the bed. Alongside the “Michael Kills Judith,” cue, is a strange 3-note synth melody, made of a triangle wave that has dissonant second layers. This can be identified by the audience thus creating awareness that Myers has made his move to kill Laurie’s friend. Interestingly, when this sound is held, one can be able to identify a pulsing which is related to vibrato which is at the same pace as Myers’ relentless mission, making a terrifying impact on the viewers. As the stinger, which is intended to surprise viewers, comes to an end, the piano plays in descending minor 2nds in fixed 8th notes (Darling 2019). The piano is accompanied by the synth pad descending in scale with the piano and making deeper drama. This becomes the most terrifying part of the film. The music builds into a terrifying ride of Myers hunting Laurie around the house to the moment when she is safe in the building and going across the streets with children. At the mark of 1:22 of the chase scene, the film reminds the viewers of the killing of Judith through a 3-note synth motif. This is an important scene because the composer’s music prepares the audience for the impending danger. With a similar musical motif, there is more fear that the fate of Laurie is ending because of encountering the killer. As Myers attempts to stab Laurie, the music in this scene comes to an end, making the silence to be the scariest part of the movie. This leaves the audience unsettled and wondering if Laurie will be alright after an encounter with the killer. When the audience realizes that Laurie is still alive, the music resumes, and Myers continues making his steps toward him, while accompanied by a simple single-note rhythm from the piano.

The lower budget influenced the composer to go with a simple and repetitive score to ensure that it meets the standards required. The score is extremely minimal with almost no sounds and beats, and this was inspired by the film “Psycho,” which Carpenter believed was produced with simplistic means and had the maximum effect (Long 2020). With the simple effects, the composer aimed to bring horror in the Halloween movie, which he achieved with constant alerts to the viewers of the imminent danger in the whole film. This makes the score effective because it creates tension with the insistent rhythm, which is as simple and repetitive as the film itself. Although Western music tends to value the 4/4 time signature, Carpenter favored the 5/4 time signature, which is unusual and unsettling. This is used to create anxiety, which is also heightened with the continued ostinato sequence in several minor chords, tending to destabilize any instance of tonal certainty (Long 2020). This is similar to the film “Psycho,” whose background music is simple, with recognizable melodic phrases and ostinato patterns together with quaver notes moving the music forward. Through this music, the film manages to preempt or announce the killer’s presence on the screen. It also signifies his presence when he is not physically seen in the frame, hence creating his omnipresence.

As Carpenter managed to create a slasher that invented the genre, his music in this film is a significant aspect that would define terror in the many decades after it was produced. Most horror movies have copied this style, and this indicates Carpenter's successful creativity. This shrill synth has a tonal piercing hence helping to alter the course of today's synthesizer music used in films. Largely inspired by a low budget, the Halloween score also drew its origins from Bongo lessons. Additionally, with limited technology, the Halloween film score's composer had no choice but to work without synchronization of the real picture. Therefore, this created a less desirable setup in the building of a movie. However, the score managed to rouse a success and thus became instrumental in its commercial performance. As the 1981 Halloween II was composed, the composers, Carpenter and Howarth, established a partnership which was based on trust in their experiences (Carpenter, Hill et al., 2013). However, Carpenter was focusing on another production, thus creating divided attention to the highly anticipated sequel. Therefore he had to hand over the scoring roles to Howarth, who managed to achieve sampling and synthesizing technology.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the film Halloween was produced by John Carpenter who was involved in both the general production and creating the movie’s score. It entails Michael Myers, who runs away after killing his sister and returns after fifteen years to continue with his killing spree. The film's music has been produced with a moody technical score, making the film horror. The first soundtrack Carpenter produced was made in a hurry, and as he presented it to the studio, he was advised to change it because it lacked scariness. This necessitated Carpenter to collaborate with Wyman to create its score in three days. The opening scenes introduce viewers to piano playing in a 10-note melody. The descending tritons create tension mostly through their changing intervals. In the theme of speed kills, Laurie, with other girls, notices the coming car with Myers inside. This happens with changing music, which goes with Myers' approaching and going as a warning to the dangerous driving of Myers, whose intention is to kill someone. As the theme of "The Chase," begins, Laurie witnesses her murdered friend, an incident accompanied by the cue "Michael Kills Judith," with the piano playing, thus making a deeper drama. One of the influencers of Carpenter's score in the film Halloween is its lower budget. Therefore, Carpenter had to make it simple and repetitive with minimal sound which is largely inspired by the film "Psycho." Also, with limited technology, Carpenter had to make a desirable setup, which managed to make success and become instrumental in the movie's commercial performance.