The Haunting Score Getting Vinyl Release

Following his major successes with Speed and Twister, director Jan de Bont turned to the world of terror with his 1999 movie The Haunting, which starred Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Lili Taylor. Based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, de Bont cranked up the terror levels by incorporating the latest in CG effects to make a number of nightmarish sequences. Amplifying the freaky imagery was the score from Jerry Goldsmith, which is coming to vinyl courtesy of Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings. You can pre-order the 2-LP for The Haunting now before it hits shelves on October 4th.

Per press release, “Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings are thrilled to announce Jerry Goldsmith’s goosebump-inducing score for the supernatural thriller The Haunting is set to receive a Deluxe 2-LP vinyl release. Scheduled for release October 4th, and available for pre-order today, The Haunting (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is pressed on a Black/Gold/Grey Marble vinyl in North America, while the International pressing will be offered on Translucent Green vinyl. Both editions come packaged in a gatefold jacket, featuring brand-new cover illustrations from artist Sina Grace, liner notes, and stills from the film.”

“The Haunting stars Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, and Lili Taylor. The film follows a group of people who gather at a sprawling estate in an apparent volunteer study on insomnia, only to find themselves plagued by paranormal events connected to the home’s grim history. Jerry Goldsmith’s spine-tingling score is the sort of soundtrack that elevates the film’s atmosphere to the next level, while simultaneously shining brightly as its own unique piece of art.

“The Haunting began as a collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Stephen King, though the renowned author departed the project over creative differences. Spielberg stayed on, however, and pegged the legendary Jerry Goldsmith to handle the film’s sonic elements. Goldsmith was the perfect man for the job, with an endless filmography and a bevy of awards nominations to help prove his bona fides.

“He composed scores for five films in the Star Trek franchise and three in the Rambo franchise, as well as for Logan’s Run, Planet of the Apes, Tora! Tora! Tora!, Patton, Chinatown, Alien, Poltergeist, Medicine Man, Gremlins, Hoosiers, Total Recall, Air Force One, L.A. Confidential, Mulan, and The Mummy. Goldsmith was nominated for six GRAMMY Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, nine Golden Globe Awards, four British Academy Film Awards, and eighteen ACADEMY AWARDS (winning in 1976 for The Omen).

“In an interview that Goldsmith conducted with CJRT-FM’s radio show On the Arts in 1982, Goldsmith spoke about his approach to film scoring, a philosophy he would use to create the themes and motifs for The Haunting. Almost two decades later, his approach remained the same. He knew what made a good score, and he opted for servicing the film as opposed to showcasing his skills, a choice that only highlighted his brilliance.

“He said: ‘Before I begin to write, I try and view the picture the very first time as if I were one of the audience. What am I feeling from this movie as part of an audience? Then, as I ruminate over my responses, I try to think about whether I’d feel those situations even deeper if I added music to it. That’s how I try to approach any film.’

“Critics agreed with this approach, especially with regard to The Haunting. Writer Ian Lace wrote in his review of the soundtrack, ‘Goldsmith as usual impresses with much more than the tired ghost-film-music clichés. There are sour, echoing, remote off-key figures, slitherings, sudden thumpings and shudderings, and bird-like chirpings from a huge array of acoustical instruments suggesting a plethora of hidden menaces about to pounce.’

“Jeff Bond, who wrote the liner notes for the release, summed it up well when he wrote: ‘Its evocative, restrained style showed Goldsmith’s evolution as he adapted to the exigencies of sound design and the needs of movie music through the 1990s and into the beginning of the 21st century.’ He noted that the album is a perfect illustration of Goldsmith’s versatility and ability to work across a number of forms. Bond concluded: ‘Goldsmith’s career arc showed him moving from hardcore experimentation to romanticism by the early 1980s, and The Haunting‘s mystery and lyricism was a milestone in that evolution.’”

You can pre-order the 2-LP for The Haunting now before it hits shelves on October 4th.

Will you be adding the album to your collection? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!