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Terry's
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Music Reviews: | ||
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BUYSOUNDTRAX Records -
2011 | |
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"Main Theme - Desolation" is the most recognizable track from the movie. The heartbeat-like bass that beats is incredibly effective at putting you in Antarctica facing an alien organism that is almost incomprehensible. I think the heartbeat quality also works so well because the alien wants to imitate your body. There's nothing that represents the body better than the heart. The third cue "Humanity 2" sounds like a continuation of the end of the prior track, with the main notes climbing the ladder to the climatic end. The composition in "Despair" with the strings quietly buzzing about, getting louder and louder seems like an audio representation of the alien spreading over the world body by body. Could be the creepiest cue from THE THING. It also brings the powerful scene from the movie back into my mind with stunning clarity. I love the way the notes probe into "Humanity." This is the music used during the autopsy scene. You can literally feel the layers of skin and muscle removed to unmask the organism that's copying animals and human beings. This composition is done with a tremendous amount of respect and control and is quite beautiful. It's a totally unique approach scoring a horror scene and shows why Ennio Morricone is one of the masters of the art. The way "Shape" is scored is psychological yet resounds with quiet force. Brilliantly conceived. I'd be surprised if "Burn It" came from Morricone. The moody sustaining synthesizers sound a lot more like John Carpenter. "Solitude" is composed in a way almost opposite of what you'd expect in a film like this. Heavily based around melody, it slinks along like a tentacle searching for prey. But done with up most elegance. The higher sound register parts are unforgettable and invaluable in the movie. One of my favorite tracks of this score for sure. The ninth track "Fuchs" sure the heck sounds like John Carpenter and by the way this is not a problem. But rather totally cool because his contributions musically were not included in the previous soundtrack release that is out of print. The gliding high-pitched synthesizer in "To Mac's Shack" really sets a tense mood and gives you that distinctly John Carpenter feel. The way Morricone uses the high and low parts of the sound spectrum in "Wait" will induce Goosebumps of terror. He most certainly knows how to get to the core of the scene and emotional impact for us (listener/the audience). Stunning and timeless. "Sterilization" is done with an interesting approach. A stately organ plays while other notes dance around it. The other notes are done in layers and the build up of everything altogether could almost be used as a metaphor for THE THING. Super high piano keys are hit in "Eternity" to create tension. Then a heartbeat and dueling instrumentation comes in to take over the track. The result is fascinating and it does evoke a sense of dread. The plucking of the strings in "Contamination" are eerie. The classical compositional movement in "Bestiality" seems out of place within a John Carpenter horror film, but actually works to create a payoff. Layers of different instruments cascade up a glacier of terror until it all collapses into destruction. "Main Theme - End Credit" reprises the main heart beat theme with a wrap up that is emotionally moving. Alan Howarth and Larry Hopkins have done a tremendous job of recreating what Ennio Morricone and John Carpenter created back in 1982. THE THING is a must have soundtrack for one of the best films ever made.
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