Horror films, we all love them or else you wouldn’t be here, right. Nothing compliments a good horror film better than a great theme song. In fact, some theme songs are better than the actual films are, and that makes the film worth remembering. I’m a big believer and fan of musical scores, because without a great score the film is nothing. The score that accompanies a horror film is one of the most integral parts of that film. Without a good score, a horror film is dull and lifeless. I guess you could say a musical score is akin to being the film’s heart and soul.
Not only is a great score an essential part of a great horror film, but the ones which are remarkable are the ones with a great theme incorporated into that score. These films are the ones that truly stand the test of time. A musical cue or theme that will forever be associated with the film they are from are the ones that become classics…most of the time. As I said, not all the films are destined to become legend, sometimes they suck, but their music is what sets them apart from the pack. There are so many films with great themes songs to choose from it was very hard to pare them down into a list.
I have compiled a list of the Top Horror Movie Themes of all-time, some everyone will be familiar with, some you might have forgotten about. I’ve picked scores where the main theme is an important and integral part to the film and have forever become associated with that film. These themes are cues that when heard anywhere you immediately know what film it is from – or at least you should. I’ve decided to cut my list down to 20 theme songs and due to length reasons, I will split that list into two parts. Read on and enjoy the themes, I hope they take you back to a point in time when you first saw the film with fond memories. Please, let me know if there was a theme I forgot or that you love that isn’t on this list.
20. John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) – Theme by Ennio Morricone
John Carpenter was given a bigger budget for his 1982 remake of The Thing. One of the things he did with this was to hire his musical idol, famed Italian composer Ennio Morricone. Morricone was responsible for composing the scores to many of the spaghetti westerns including The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars, and For a Few Dollars More. Other classic scores include The Untouchables, Wolf, and many more. He has composed over 500 film scores.
19. Hammer Film’s Dracula (1958) – Theme by James Bernard
British composer James Bernard was primarily known by his scores for many of Hammer’s horror films such as The Curse of Frankenstein, The Devil Rides Out, and Kiss of the Vampire, but it was his scores for the Dracula film series starring Christopher Lee that really made him a legendary composer. Bernard will forever be known for his eerie cue that perfectly synced with Lee’s iconic Dracula that will live on forever, just like the Count.
18. Beetlejuice (1988) – Theme by Danny Elfman
What would a top horror theme song list be without the addition of Danny Elfman? Elfman is an acclaimed musician and composer of such film scores as Scrooged, Midnight Run, Batman, Nightbreed, Darkman, The Nightmare Before Christmas and so many more. Elfman is one of the top composers these days and has so many wonderful themes to choose from, but the one I feel is his best horror movie theme belongs to the 1988 comedy Beetlejuice. His cue is whimsical, yet dark at the same time. Everyone immediately recognizes this theme and knows which film it comes from.
17. Creepshow (1982) – Prologue/Welcome To Creepshow Main Title by John Harrison
Composer John Harrison was primarily a writer and director was also an accomplished musician. He only created scores for a handful of films. His main title Welcome To Creepshow is a wonderful theme using piano primarily as the main source. The cues are simple but creepy.
16. Poltergeist (1982) – Carol Ann’s Theme by Jerry Goldsmith
Veteran film composer Jerry Goldsmith wrote several themes for the score including the lullaby “Carol Anne’s Theme” to represent blissful suburban life and the young female protagonist. – Wikipedia “Carol Ann’s Theme” came to become the main theme for the film. It’s soft, soothing lullaby directly tied in with young Carol Ann who would soon be taken into the realm between life and death by vengeful spirits.
15. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – Dracula: The Beginning Theme by Wojciech Kilar
Polish film composer Wojciech Kilar had great success with his score for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In 1993, he won the ASCAP Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Producers. His score for the film was also nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Music in a science fiction, fantasy, or horror film. The main theme for the film features haunting melodies and intense cues that work extremely well for the film.
14. Puppet Master (1989) – Theme by Richard Band
Richard Band has been composing scores for films since the late 1970’s and has scored over 70 films. He is the son of cult film director Albert Band and brother of Full Moon Pictures founder and director Charles Band. He has scored such notable films as “From Beyond” and “Re-Animator.” His score for the original Puppet Master film features one of his most recognizable cues. The theme for Puppet Master is whimsical, yet dark at times, fitting the motif for the film to a T.
13. Saw (2004) – Main Theme Hello Zepp by Charlie Clouser
The original Saw theme entitled Hello Zepp by composer Charlie Clouser has really grown in popularity since its initial release 10 years ago. The theme compliments the film and really helps to push the suspense to fever pitch levels.
12. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) – Main title: The Trioxin Theme by Francis Haines
The Trioxin Theme by British composer Francis Haines is instantly recognizable as the main theme for the classic zombie romp The Return of the Living Dead. It is such a catchy theme but also will haunt your nightmares and is not soon forgotten.
11. Phantasm (1979) – Main theme by Fred Myrow And Malcolm Seagrave
The intro and main title theme for the 1979 legendary horror film Phantasm is one of those that you simply never forget! Composers Fred Myrow & Malcolm Seagrave not only created music that enhances the film and adds to the suspense immensely, but have managed to create a theme that stands the test of time.
Well kiddies, that’s the first part of the Top 20 Horror Themes. Be sure to check out the second part containing the Top 10 Horror Movie Themes of all-time coming soon! Be sure to sound off in the comments section as to what you thought of the list. Was there something you though should be on the list but wasn’t? Let me know.
Awesome Michael! My hubby and I got a good kick out of guessing the movies. He couldn’t quite get 4 of them (he said it was because the song was too obscure, the movie was boring/unmemorable to him, lol). The ones he did guess are real classics that have stood the test of time, and are very distinct. He correctly named these movies in under 1 minute – The Thing, Hammer’s Dracula, Beatlejuice, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Return of The Living Dead, and Phantasm. He knew Poltergeist but couldn’t quite remember the name of the movie in under 1 minute, so half a point for that one. We look forward to part 2 Michael!