Score Sample: The Grudge and The Grudge 2

This time of year I listen to a lot of horror film soundtracks. Horror film scores run a full range of styles from atonal sound design to full blown orchestral beauty and bombast. Of course the overriding feeling of these scores is to create some kind of darkness. One of the best film composers for darkness is Christopher Young. In fact, I featured his wonderful work on Drag Me to Hell back in October of 2013. That score is all about the big horror sound. One of my favorite scores that goes smaller and creepier is his work on the American remake of the Japanese film The Grudge. This score features a wonderful snakelike main theme, simple sounding but it works its way under your skin as the album progresses. The majority of the score stays quiet, disturbing, with a few moments of calm beauty and several moments of atonal horror. He also scored the sequel, with a larger ensemble and some Japanese musical instruments to add color. The result is a one two punch of wonderful and disturbing horror music. So enjoy the End Titles to The Grudge and Seme from The Grudge 2. Hopefully they won't give you nightmares.

End Titles from The Grudge

Seme from The Grudge 2