Sound design is integral to the horror movie experience, be it blood-curdling screams, atmospheric soundscapes, or a distinctive score. While we could talk about horror movie film composers all day, I’m much more interested in the use of everyday tunes in the score. Few things are as chilling as using something familiar or upbeat to project a false sense of security before things get grim. As I shared in my 2021 article about Tales From The Darkside, that show’s opening theme made a beautiful countryside give me nightmares! In this series, I want to share how my favorite scenes in horror movies have been elevated by the use of pop culture. This is…
Curated Terror: The Songs of Horror, Vol. 3.
Pseudo Echo “His Eyes” – Friday The 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
After surviving a night terrorized by and ultimately defeating Jason Voorhees, a now-teenage Tommy Jarvis tries to ease his way back into society. Part of that involves spending time at a halfway house for troubled youths. But when a string of murders happens at the Pinehurst Rehabilitation Center, Tommy must face his trauma head-on. Is Jason back or has Tommy himself become something worse?
As the midway point in the franchise, A New Beginning has earned its cult following over the years. On the one hand, it’s a mean-spirited sequel taking big swings and doubling down on gore and skin while being unintentionally hilarious. On the other hand, those same quirks make it one of the most memorable installments in the franchise. No matter where you stand, every fan loves Violet, the resident goth girl!
Late in the third act, the masked killer finishes off the rest of the cast in a bloody marathon. I’m not sure if it’s storytelling or the script was running out of pages. While fun, the relentless massacre eliminates any legitimate scares. When it gets to Violet (played by the wonderful Tiffany Brook Meyer), is she running out the front door? Hiding under the bed? No. She’s minding her own business while dancing to Pseudo Echo’s “His Eyes” in her room. The absolute best way to be slashed!
[For more Friday The 13th debauchery, check out the Crystal Lake Confessional series]
Sid Vicious “My Way” – Bad Dreams (1988)
The sole survivor of a 1960s suicide cult wakes from a 13-year coma in a psychiatric ward with no friends or family. As she tries to get her life back in order, patients from the hospital start dying under mysterious circumstances. They could be legitimate suicides, or it could very well be the cult leader seeking revenge from beyond the grave.
As a psychological thriller disguised as a slasher (discussed in Underrated & Uncanny Vol.1), Bad Dreams is an effective horror movie. There’s plenty of carnage to be had, too! One of the most unnerving scenes occurs when the masochistic Ralph (played by the criminally underrated Dean Cameron) purposely drives his hand down on a Bowie knife while listening to the Sid Vicious cover of “My Way.” I saw this movie when I was 6 years old. I turned out okay, but I think this could’ve been my introduction to punk.
The Carpenters “We’ve Only Just Begun” – 1408 (2007)
Mike Enslin (John Cusack) has made a name for himself by debunking supernatural phenomena. However, Enslin may have bitten off more than he can chew when he chooses to spend a single night in the infamous room 1408 at the reputably haunted Dolphin Hotel.
I can’t give too much away without spoiling the film, but 1408 utilizes The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” throughout its runtime. The song basically becomes a character itself! I’m a sucker for upbeat tunes used as a soundtrack to the dark and sinister, and this underrated Stephen King adaptation gives us possibly the definitive example! I also want to give a shout-out to Cusack and his acting skills. Despite not doing too many horror movies, he nails this role with his particular brand of quirkiness.
James Brown “My Thang” – Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
After returning home from the Vietnam War, Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) struggles to fit back into society. Along with his PSTD, he is plagued by horrific hallucinations and demonic flashbacks. Even with the help of friends and family, Singer’s life descends into a downward spiral of disorientation, paranoia, and indescribable terror.
From start to finish, Jacob’s Ladder is upsetting, unsettling, and heartbreaking. It’s a challenging movie that refuses to hold the viewer’s hand while taking the main character to hell and back. In one particular scene, James Brown’s “My Thang” (of all songs) plays as Singer and his girlfriend Jezzie hang out at a party. Despite being shy and reluctant to dance, Singer eventually eases into having some awkward fun. Unfortunately, his descent into madness kicks in, and the partygoers flash back and forth between being normal and literal spawns of hell. Not to mention, Jezzie seems to be horrifically enjoying herself a bit too much.
Roky Erickson “Burn The Flames” – Return of The Living Dead (1985)
When two bumbling warehouse workers accidentally open a drum of military gas, the fumes inadvertently animate the dead in a nearby cemetery. The chain reaction causes a zombie outbreak as the animated corpses crave the flesh of the living. Despite Return of The Living Dead being mostly played for laughs, writer/director Dan O’Bannon manages to inject a few scenes where the bleak hopelessness of the situation is legitimately chilling.
One such scene is where warehouse employee Frank (James Karen) succumbs to the pain of slowly dying and sneaks away from the group holed up in a funeral home so he can commit suicide. Backed by Roky Erickson’s “Burn The Flames,” Frank prays for forgiveness, places his wedding ring on the lever of the incinerator, and wheels himself in the fire. Played completely straight and somewhat heartbreaking, it’s an oddly depressing scene in an otherwise cartoonish film.
Creed “What If?” – Scream 3 (2000)
Welcome to the third installment of the Sidney Prescott saga as she again faces off against a masked slasher known as Ghostface. However, this time, it’s on the set of a film adapting her life story. In a tragic scenario of art imitating life imitating art, Sidney must confront not only a merciless killer but her own personal demons to survive the onslaught of meta-horror and mystery.
Early in the film, a character is stalked by the infamous Ghostface as she cluelessly completes her nightly routine. Playing his stereotypical game of cat and mouse, our killer startles her with the sudden blast from a stereo in another room. The song in question is the chunky guitar solo of “What If?” by Creed. On paper, this combination of stale meta-horror and post-grudge butt-rock is hilariously cringe. However, leave it to horror mastermind Wes Craven to make it one of the few scenes in the entire film that features any tension.
As a side note, remember when soundtrack albums were not only part of a film’s marketing push but also legitimate compilation albums that people willingly purchased? The guys in Creed were executive producers for the Scream 3 soundtrack album. Of course, they would include a single from their own extremely popular album at the time. The songs featured in the movie always come at the most awkward moments (like the aforementioned “What If”) and feel like contractual obligations. That in itself has a certain charm about it. On those grounds, just about any song from Scream 3 would work in this article, but I thought it made the most sense to point out Creed’s own shameless plug.
The Cramps “Fever” – Near Dark (1987)
Small-town cowboy Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) meets a beautiful lady at a bar and sparks an instantaneous relationship. But when she turns out to be a vampire and bites Caleb, things get a little complicated. Craving human blood, Caleb is forced to leave his family and ride along with a group of vampire vagabonds.
Showing Caleb the ropes of vampire life, the gang walks into a dive bar late at night and begins antagonizing its patrons, prepping them for the gang’s next meal. Set to The Cramps’ cover of “Fever”, the devilishly charismatic Severen (played by the late, great Bill Paxton) single-handedly steals the entire movie in this one hilarious, yet intense scene of violence and terror.
Utah Saints “What Can You Do For Me?” – Warlock: The Armageddon (1993)
Determined to bring upon the end times, a reborn Warlock races across America to collect a series of ancient stones to resurrect Satan himself. To retrieve each stone, the Warlock must swindle its respective owner out of it by way of ghoulish consequences. During a scene featuring a posh fashion show, “What Can You Do For Me” plays as the Warlock seduces a high-profile designer.
Warlock: The Armageddon is louder, meaner, and more colorful than its predecessor (essentially a sequel in name and lead actor only). But as a product of early ’90s direct-to-video shlock, it’s a masterclass of blending horror, fantasy, and adventure. The song doesn’t really elevate the scene in question, but it reminds me of the first I saw this movie at 10 years old. I was convinced it was “Ice Cap” from Sonic The Hedgehog 3. Yes, I was wrong, but it was close enough to get me interested in house music. The early ’90s were such a weird time for music and pop culture as a whole, much less the horror genre. This particular film is the epitome of the era’s best and worst.
Accept “Fast As A Shark” – Demons (1985)
A group of people invited to a screening of a mysterious horror movie, find themselves trapped in a movie theater with a horde of ravenous zombie demons. That’s it. That’s the synopsis! Directed by Lamberto Bava, son of legendary horror director Mario Bava, Demons is a mindless garbage fest of bad acting, gratuitous gore, and shrill, ear-bleeding thrash metal. In other words, one of the greatest zombie movies in film history!
My favorite scene features a young lady cornered in a theater by a gang of zombies. Right before she meets her grisly fate, her friend bursts through the door on a dirty bike while brandishing a katana. She hops on the back, and the duo speeds through the aisles slicing and dicing while Accept’s “Fast As A Shark” plays. Ladies and gentlemen, this is cinema!
If you need even more rock n’ roll horror, check out previous installments of Curated Terror!