Slasher Soundtrack: Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978)
As Halloween opens there is a high pitched faint piano keys being played as well as a pattering on a drum or symbol to provide an nervous feel for the audience. then at 17 seconds when the pumpkin is shown with the opening titles, much deeper notes are introduced layered on top to create a deeper sound and to create tension. At this point, these deep piano notes turn to longer drawn out notes. At 49 seconds into the opening synths are then added which are much higher notes but are also long notes as well to go with the other instruments and to not sound out of sync. Then at 1.05 the deep piano notes and the high pitched synths are taken out and what was originally there in the beginning is only two instrumental sounds - the piano and the tapping. At 1.14 the long drawn out piano notes return to create tension - this gets gradually louder untill 2.00 when the first two instruments are back again as the dennotation (Haddonfield, Illinois) and (Halloween Night, 1963) is shown. The volume of the piano is lowered and the digetic sound of children's voices are introduced.
At 2.20 the iconic house POV shot is shown and all instruments draw to silence. The only sound is the digetic sound of nature and the sound of the couples voices inside. Inside the house the digetic sound continues until 3.14 when a high pitched long drawn out keyboard note is added to build suspense as the POV stalks the two in the house.
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