Score Sample: The Monkey King (2014)

Time for another score sample from Christopher Young. I know this wasn't posted in October, when I usually post Mr. Young's excellent horror scores. But I wanted to demonstrate just how versatile Christopher Young is when it comes to film music.

For a long time film score fans have lamented that Young has never really had a chance to score a big budget science fiction or fantasy epic. The guy has all the skills required, but lately he's been sticking to horror, dramas and thrillers. His music remains excellent, but those of us who love colorful bombast just wanted a bit more.

In 2014 Young got the chance when he was approached by Chinese studios to score their three part epic mythic films around The Monkey King. Young jumped at the chance and crafted what may be his best film score yet. When the album was release Young personally crafted suites for all the main characters in the film, creating an excellent listening experience. It is really hard to just pick one, but here is the suite for the main character Sun Wukong also known as The Monkey King.

Score Sample: Hellraiser

October is here and it is time to share some of my favorite horror themed scores. That also means it is time for me to praise Christopher Young again. This talented composer has crafted amazing music for just about every genre of film and in an amazing array of styles. But for most film score fans he is the master of horror music. He does a great job of combining lyrical beauty with darkness. He can create music that can be etherial in its uncanny nature. He can craft horrible bombast that shatters your mind (and eardrums). I love his stuff.

One of the first scores that brought him to everyone's attention was his work for Hellraiser. It is a wonderfully gothic score with some great moments of beauty and horror. The end title track Another Puzzle offers a wonderful example of both sides of Young's music for this film.

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

Score Sample - Drag Me To Hell - Christopher Young

These days, when you talk about scores to horror films, you have to talk about Christopher Young. The man is a master of this genre of music. He's great at all the aspects of excellent horror music, knowing when to go huge and scary and when to go quiet and creepy. Best of all his work is always interesting to listen to, even during quiet scenes his work never turns into minimalistic sound design, but retains a musical quality. But heck, the guy can do wonderful sound design scores too. He's unstoppable when it comes to horror.

One of my favorite horror scores in the last few years has to be his work on Drag Me to Hell for Sam Raimi. It is a rollercoaster of a score and the main theme is delightfully evil. It promise and delivers on a good time. Here are the end credits, Concerto to Hell. The violin solo is diabolical.

Just to give Mr. Young further credit, the guy is very versatile. He can score heart wrenching dramatic moments, tremendous action cues and his jazzy work is a blast to listen to. He's quickly rising in the ranks as one of my favorite film composers.