Customer Reviews

Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Working solo this time, Alan Howarth, long time composing partner with John Carpenter, creates a refreshingly creepy sound for his 'score' for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

With the exception of the Halloween Theme and the staccato chase theme there is no real music to be found on the album, just a chilling sonic impression of evil and menace. Recommended to fans of the off beat, where 'music' is more an audible sensation than a coherent theme.

When John Carpenter departed the Halloween film franchise after making Halloween 3, Alan Howarth ably stepped into the role of composer. The now-legendary 'Michael Myers Theme' - the 3 piano chords - is featured here, along with dark, sinister tones that lend well to the atmosphere of the movie. From the ominous low synethesizer tones as an ambulance makes its away through a thunderstorm to the Ridgemont Federal Sanitarium - Myers' home for 10 years - to the low piano chords as Myers walks up the stairs slowly & menacingly, coming after Jamie & Rachel, this soundtrack has put together a chilling collection of Carpenter's classic work for the first two as well as Howarth's own original work. A must have for any collector of horror soundtracks or soundtracks in general.

This soundtrack was amazing. It was scarier than the movie! Halloween 4 is underated by many, but it is actually a very good movie. It was number 1 at the box office for three weeks in October '88. This CD brings out the best part of the movie(besides Ellie Cornells awsome acting job), the phenominal music. The Halloween theme appeared in many different ways on this CD.

I am the president of the New England Halloween Fan Club and I fully reccomend that you buy this sountrack. It's a great CD to play for the trick or treaters on Halloween!

Alan Howarth, long-time musical collaborator with John Carpernter, acted as the sole composer for this score. While retaining much of the thematic continuity intrinsic to the Halloween scores of the past, Howarth presents new and interesting elements to these compositions.

For instance, the first track begins with a soft variation on Carpenter's traditional melody. However, he submerges this classic theme within a dense amalgam of ghostly sounds. Already, a mysterious ambiance is established, leaving listeners uncertain of where this score will take them. Given the fact that ten years have elapsed since the original Halloween, this uncertainty is a very appropriate way to begin. The first track acts as a segue for the re-introduction of Carpenter's famous theme, which Howarth executes with renewed vitality. Once the den of haunting sounds abates and the familiar pulsing melody of Halloween commences, listeners will feel their hearts racing.

Howarth successfully re-invents the music of Halloween. No doubt, this score represents a milestone in the Halloween franchise and deserves a place on every fan's CD rack.

With the Halloween 4 score, Alan Howarth was somewhat freed from the contraints of the John Carpenter compositions. The result is that there are less elements of the original themes and scores. Beyond that the soundtrack plays to Howarth's strengths more than weaknesses. The score is very full in it's synthetic symphonic nature. While it doesn't have the themes and motifs found in the compositions of Carpenter, Howarth kept the tension up in this score and used his skills as a studio master, coupled with his experience with the genre to complete a fine effort in the series.

This CD is very erie and gives you a great sense of feeling in danger while listening to it. This is probably the 2nd best Halloween film besides of course the original. Try listening to it at night while driving or while you're all alone in the house with the lights off. CREEEPY!!!

This is a great CD, with the creepiest scores out of most of the Halloween soundtracks. No one song is better than another. They are all unique in their own way. This music is great to have a Halloween parties or scaring someone when they are alone. The music to this CD has a more complexety level then the previous albums, even though those are the main basis and will always be able to scare. I would urge anyone to buy this CD!

When John Carpenter & Alan Howarth said good-bye for HalloweeN III. Alan took it all on his own and started on HalloweeN 4. and Man did it hit. the music still gives me chills when I first hear it when the movie starts. I have been a fan of the Halloween films For 15 years and it don't really scare me anymore but it still gives you that o god it's time again for Michael to kill and where is He? kinda feeling. I would say buy this product now because last year it just went out of Print and this could be you last chance for a long time!!!!

I love this cd! The sounds are creepy and fun. I especially liked Return of the Shape, and Myers Finale. This is the first Halloween soundtrack that doesn't repeat it self with the same tune throughout the track number. So you won't get bored with the songs. Alan Howarth did a great job on this soundtrack.

This soundtrack is really good. All the songs are great.

Halloween 4 - The Return - Good
Jamies Nightmare - Really Good
Garage - Good
Be Back by 9:30 - Good
Return of the shape - EXELLENT!
Schoolhouse - EXELLENT
Power Company - Good
Police Station - Good
Downstairs alone - Really Good
Myers Finale - EXELLENT
Halloween 4 Reprise - Good

Overall a must buy for everybody.