With Robin Hardy's 1973 film "The Wicker Man" a different method was employed for the score. Instead of the typical startling and abrasive strings striking fear into the hearts of watchers, Hardy chose Paul Giovanni to write pastoral Celtic-style folk songs conducive to the setting of the film, Summerisle. These songs are probably more effective at making the watcher feel uncomfortable as they don't initially seem creepy, however, the deeper one gets into the plot of the film, the more disconcerting these ancient pagan sounding odes become.I'm imagining Pentangle and Sandy Denny as psychotic pagans bent on bloodletting of innocents. 
This film is all shock and schlock. Often banned and berated internationally, Deodato's film is a disturbing gutmunching extravaganza. 
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage was the great Dario Argento's directorial debut as well as one of his best plotted films. This was the first of his "Animal Trilogy" along with Cat o' Nine Tails and Four Flies on Grey Velvet shortly thereafter. All of these films were score by the man himself, Ennio Morricone. To put soundtrack in perspective I feel its important to point out the impact he made on the whole of film. When horror was bogged down with cliche, Morricone broke the mold, much the same as he did with the western genre on his DOLLAR scores.
Florian Fricke was the mastermind behind Popol Vuh, one of the earliest ambient music projects and one of the lesser known "krautrock" acts. 
1970 saw the release of a Roger Corman produced B movie adaptation of this H.P Lovecraft story starring Dean Stockwell, Sandra Dee (naked Gidget) and Ed Begley in his last film role. 
We probably all agree this wasn't the best outing Polanski ever had but maybe its one of the best for composer Wojceich Kilar. 
Le Frisson des Vampires (The Shiver of the Vampire) was a completely over the top hippy vampire film by director Jean Rollin. The film is dadaist-feeling exploitation which came about due to his experience in the May '68 revolution as well as his dealings with the surrealists and the Fantastique movement.
Are you a young rich orphan who lost your girlfriend to voodoo performed by your jealous housekeeper? Just dig that grave up, clean her out, stuff her, and make her look pretty, ya know, just for old time's sake. Just make sure to wear your headphones so you can rock the original companion soundtrack to a film where this actually happens. Necrophilia Prog? Gross, yes...awesome tunes, yes.
What can I say? I love the motherfucker. I love anything that was influenced by him. All things John Carpenter... Is there a cult yet?
Matt Hill's clan of Goblin worshippers and John Carpenter / Dario Argento film junkies are back with a new score for the euro-horror film that never was. This time they've changed the formula. Now, we're hearing a soundtrack as played by an 80's New Wave band with an expensive Giorgio Moroder habit. Incorporating Krautrock, Komische and minimal synth-driven fear and suspense, this outing is deployed predominantly by authentically produced keyboards and keytars. Its retro-innovative and very convincing but just as you get lost in the intensity, the campy elements leap out at you, once again bringing a smile to your face. If you enjoy the sounds of 70's horror and suspense (particularly low budget outings), I'm sure you'll dig this.
