Best use of a song in a horror movie?

[piggsy]

Not the soundtrack, but a song, mind you.

I loved Rob Zombie's use of "Free Bird" in The Devil's Rejects, making the ending very memorable. That's the one that really comes to mind, but if I think of another, I'll post.

[vincentprice]

Another of Rob Zombie's good use of music is "I Will Remember You" from House Of 1000 Corpses.

[piggsy]

That too. Rob Zombie is a master of using music to good effect.

[lazario]

piggsy said:

Not the soundtrack, but a song, mind you.

I loved Rob Zombie's use of "Free Bird" in The Devil's Rejects, making the ending very memorable. That's the one that really comes to mind, but if I think of another, I'll post.

Decent example. But I still think that song was used much better in Forrest Gump. Plus, these characters were completely dispicable trash. I didn't feel sorry for them getting killed. Not even a little. I felt the ending celebrated their deaths, though. That made it more enjoyable.

vincentprice said:

Another of Rob Zombie's good use of music is "I Will Remember You" from House Of 1000 Corpses.

Actually that song was called, "I Remember You." It's a famous old song. I think Dean Martin (or Frank Sinatra) sang and recorded a version of it. Bjork recorded a version. And then, they even did a country version. It's a big deal obviously in the music world. At no point in the song (I firmly believe) did they say "will" before "remember you."

Sorry, but I had to correct you. I have to be Me. ;D




So... this is a great topic. I am sure I could come up with a zillion examples. But I couldn't explain them all. Because some are done for a traditional "Horror Effect." Which would be to scare or creep people out. Or just be fun. Like something like "Monster Mash" would be- though songs like those are usually played in sitcoms.

My examples of Best Use of (other peoples') songs in movies:

unknown band - unknown song = End Credits (Masters of Horror: Homecoming)
Beethoven - "Fur Elise" (Rosemary's Baby, 1968)
Mike Oldfield - "Tubular Bells" (The Exorcist, 1973)
Laura Evan - "Ruby Rain" (Trauma, 1992)
Vixtrola - "Gunboat" (Darkness Falls, 2003)


But I think for overall effect, the most Scene Enhancing songs I've ever seen / heard in a horror movie are:

1. Evelyn 'Champagne' King - "Give it Up" (Fright Night, 1985) : A song itself has many meanings, highlights the eroticism in the dance between the vampire and his victim (which effectively merges the 1980's with the classic theme of the vampire film), is in tone a good dance song but also has the chilling undercurrent of 80's pop music which goes well with the score of the movie (in short: it doesn't upstage the Kind of music they used for the score, which was progressively filled with electronic beats at times - like other films of the decade, most notably Nightmare on Elm Street), and gives the scene something of great substance to match the camera tricks that are going on during the scene (the mirrors showing her dancing without him holding her).

2. Frank Vinci - "You're Just What I've Been Looking For (Angela)" (Sleepaway Camp, 1983) : This song clearly needs no explanation for anyone who's seen the movie. It's an almost Carrie-like attempt to sweeten the image of the movie's crazy, freakish killer. And that's only on a psychological level. The actual image of Felissa Rose's green-frozen, silently screeching, "Psycho Face" is one of the most frighteningly glorious images in low-budget horror history. Talk about a "Revenge movie!" This is one of the freakiest, and ultimately coolest, revenge endings I've ever seen. Because she even gets revenge on much of the audience for watching her inner torment. A torment so inner...they couldn't show us any other way than this.



And with that, I am tapped out. For now. If I think of more...I'll be back.

[piggsy]

I love what you said about Sleepaway Camp's ending, Lazario. I never realized it before, but it was a film about revenge. Interesting...

[malbowski13]

Laz, what was so awe-inspiring about Jenny? A shitty childhood can not be used as a crutch for everything. I also like to believe that the Devil's Rejects ending is rather open(maybe a dream or they crash through)!

[lazario]

piggsy said:

I love what you said about Sleepaway Camp's ending, Lazario. I never realized it before, but it was a film about revenge. Interesting...

And if you ask me, it's a lot more empowering than Carrie.

malbowski13 said:

Laz, what was so awe-inspiring about Jenny? A shitty childhood can not be used as a crutch for everything. I also like to believe that the Devil's Rejects ending is rather open (maybe a dream or they crash through)!

The scene in Forrest Gump where we see Jenny climb over the balcony is simply better than the shootout in The Devil's Rejects. That's all.

[malbowski13]

point taken.

"He was trying to grab you."

[lazario]

I explained it in another post here. For whatever reason, it slips my mind which topic it was in- since it was probably about 3 or 4 months ago...