When we think of horror film soundtracks from the 80s, there’s a fairly specific blueprint that comes to mind. It would be safe to blame John Carpenter’s seminal score for 1978’s Halloween for this. His synth-driven, undeniably creepy score provided aural inspiration for a decade’s worth of horror. This isn’t to say that Carpenter’s score was necessarily groundbreaking, but it did infiltrate the public conscious unlike lesser known scores that came before it. Kevin Tenney’s 1986 film, ‘Witchboard’ is a mildly successful, workmanlike 80s chiller that sports a very effective, completely derivative soundtrack. ‘Witchboard’ plays with the cultural fascination surrounding the ouija board. When a ouija board is whipped out at a party and a spirit is contacted, one woman becomes rather fascinated and uses the ouija board alone, only to discover that she is now the target of an evil spirit hellbent on possessing her. It’s pretty lightweight stuff, but works within its own considerable restraints.
‘Witchboard’s’ score was composed by the director, Kevin Tenney’s, brother, Dennis Michael Tenney. Dennis Michael Tinney has made his career by composing the score to a slew of (most b-grade) films. Among them, ‘Night of the Demons’ (1988), ‘Captured Alive’ (1995) and ‘Leprechaun 3’ and ‘4 ‘(1995/97). ‘Witchboard’ was his first foray into film composition, and it’s a good one. The theme I’m sharing with you today could accompany any one of 1000 horror films from the 80s – it’s that ubiquitous. But it’s a ubiquity that sends blissful chills of nostalgia through children of the 70s and 80s. It starts with a simple 3-note, Carpenter-esque progression. It’s a note progression that instantly tells us, HORROR IS COMING. This is augmented by creepy synthesised tinkle bells. This is followed my some tinny, wavering drones that segue into a crunchy bass line that descends down the octaves. Every second note is pitch bent and dirty, which adds a sense of disorientation as the opening 3-note progression becomes a rudimentary melody. By the midway point, the score possesses a somewhat epic quality and rapid appregiator notes dance atop the the whole deal.
We’re not talking a masterpiece here, but it is fun and encrusted with fond memory. Please enjoy the Dennis Michael Tenney’s theme to Kevin Tunney’s ‘Witchboard’.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx_YYnDA0dw&w=540]
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