Customer Reviews

Amityville Horror (Score) - O.S.T.

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The above description for this new release as being the 'original recording remastered' is incorrect. This recording was in fact 're-recorded' earlier this year in Prague, (capital and largest city of the Czech Republic) by the original composer and conductor, Mr. Lalo Schifrin. For whatever reasons, the original recording of this academy award nominated score (owned by Universal) from the 1979 blockbuster film could not be licensed. Therefore, Mr. Schifrin (who still owns the rights to his original composition) gathered together his league of orchestra musicians, and re-recorded it for it's debut commercial release on CD.

This re-creation of the score is (in several significant passages) almost indistinguishable from the original, which in itself is a pretty remarkable accomplishment. One noticeable difference right from the first track on, is the slower tempo in which the music is played. (although the pitch is right on key) I must say that this slower tempo gives the overall composition a much more 'creepier' feel to it than the original. All of the elements that made it so brilliant to begin with, (i.e. child's vocal, crystal glasses, powerful orchestra hits) can be found in this effort as well. In fact, this release of the score is much more complete than the 1979 issued soundtrack, which offered a 'Disco' version of the title theme, along with another unfamiliar track, in place of several portions that appeared in the actual film. So, while this may not be the original recording, it is however, the complete original score from the film.

For those of you who are fans of this score, horror film scores, or just of Mr. Schifrin's amazing repertoire in general, then this is definitely one for your collection.

As reviewers pointed out, this is not the original. I didn't know that when buying it, but upon hearing the first track, I knew I'd been duped. It is glaringly obvious that it was rerecorded, particularly on the opening theme---the creepiest melody in the entire score---that haunting little girl voice is completely mixed down and doesn't have the same quality as the original. And the entire sound quality of this CD is poor---VERY muffled. I'm so glad I still have my original crisp, clear vinyl copy of this soundtrack---which sounds better recorded onto CD than this miserable re-recorded reissue.

Ok many people complain about this recording not being the original soundtrack. Granted it is not, having said that there are many times that if one did not have the original playing during the contemporary recording, one could not tell the difference.


Being an artist, and into new forms of stimulation, I found Lalo Schifrin's score to be quite amazing from a assortment of different sounds, point of view. Even in daylight the music has quite affect over the senses. This score is quite a treat, but be warned there are times when it is extremely loud and difficult to follow the basic melody structure. With that said, I was reluctant to get into this recording but as time went on it became a cd that I play quite often. This recording captures the feel of the movie and in my estimation the feeling inside the book. If you seek music that gives the world a certain glow, mystery and etheral quality this I suggest you buy this cd.

In the late 1970s, horror films were in the middle of a comeback. 1968's Rosemary's Baby helped start it; 1973's The Exorcist confirmed it. 1976 saw The Omen, and then in 1979, we got a film version of the bestselling novel, The Amityville Horror. Scoring the film was Lalo Schifrin, who had previously been hired to work on The Exorcist before his score was rejected. (Rumor has it that he worked elements of his rejected score into The Amityville Horror, although they sound nothing alike.) Previously released on 8-track and LP, Schifrin's score never got a full CD release until now, on his own Aleph Records.

Running a solid 60-minutes, this creepy score will pull you into a dark and disturbing world, where a children's choir masks the horror lurking in the possessed house. Based around a two-note theme, the score is pretty much non-stop suspense. Sure there are a few moments of calm introspection, but they merely lull you into lowering your defenses for the ensuing musical onslaught. Heavy on the strings and piano, Schifrin makes good use of the orchestra's ability to keep us on the edge. Tracks like "The Window" are a prime example of the complex yet accessible score that resulted in an Oscar nomination for Schifrin. Jon Burlingame's brief but informative liner notes provide a nice bit of background on the production and the score. Pick this one up if you're a horror fan - you can't go wrong!

If you're a fan of Lalo Schifrin's score to 'The Amityville Horror,' you may be wary because this isn't the original recording--don't be. This is no tinny imitation; it's very well performed, recorded and mixed, with a full orchestra conducted by Schifrin. The result has all of the oomph you'd expect from an original soundtrack album; in fact, I think it comes off better than the 1979 LP, which didn't have as complete a tracklist (or, in my totally unprofessional opinion, as rich a sound).

The theme does, as some other reviewers said, play at a noticeably slower tempo than in the film, with the vocals lower in the mix, and yeah, at first the difference is distracting. Once you get used to it, though, it's just as effectively creepy. As for the rest, there are changes here and there, but not many, and not big ones; a lot of the album is an eerily accurate recreation. If you're thinking of buying this on the strength of how the score sounds in the movie itself, you won't find an exact copy, but you won't be disappointed either.

Of course, this *is* missing the unintentionally hilarious disco version of the theme song that Casablanca Records whipped up for the first album, but you be the judge as to how much of a loss that is, heh.

I got the cd soundtrack of "The Amityville Horror," for Christmas, and I do realize that this is not the original original composed version like Lalo Schifrin did in 1979, but his remake of his 1979 album soundtrack is excellent. I have the original soundtrack on original record as well.

This cd is not the original score that was recorded back in the late 70's, since idiot's wouldn't let Lalo have the rights to his own material that he had to go back into the studio to rescore his own music just like Buckner and Garcia had to do for their 80's album Pac-Man Fever. It's a shame for what these idiots do and for being retarded has caused these artists some grief.

The cd's quality is not muffled or sounds poor. It has a clear sound, the choir vocals sound weak and downmixed. Besides the poor vocals, the only other thing wrong with this cd is that when they performed the music for the second time the pase of the score is slower than originally recorded from the first time.

I don't know why Lalo hasn't redone the other three tracks that he recorded, you know the ones on the original album like the Amityville Frenzy disco song, Jukebox and the Bach track? I didn't hear Jukebox in the movie, but their was a known song that Lalo did in a jukebox way featured in the wedding scene but I forget it's name?

I'm not disapointed in getting this cd. It is good, not great but still is effective and enjoyable to listen too besides the 2 flaus.

...not even "remastered" as Amazon states- it's RERECORDED and differs from the ORIGINAL soundtrack. Where the music is played well, it certainly isn't close to the original.

I found the remake album of "The Amityville Horror," to be excellent.

I keep on saying the best Lalo Schifrin is on his Jazz and soundtrack albums. He is specially a master in scenes of action on which he lays music with fresh movement, full of rhythm and harmonic insight, generally with the best orchestras and musicians in the place. 'Bullitt', 'Mannix', and 'Mission Impossible' are perfect examples of this.

Now that Mr. Schifrin created his own label Aleph Records, these important soundtracks have seen the light of day in CD format. Very good!

Unfortunately, 'The Amityville Horror' is a Schifrin's experiment in a series of terror ensembles with the same old clichés of this category. Sleepy!