A fearsome and beautiful masterpiece: Themes from terrifying film scores
The role that music plays in horror films and suspense dramas is incredibly significant and important.
There are ways to evoke fear through silence, of course, but iconic theme songs often have the power to make you feel fear from the melody alone, or instantly conjure vivid scenes from the film.
Here, we’re introducing a collection of terrifying yet beautiful masterpieces, centered on classic horror movies.
Many of these tracks transcend the category of “film themes” and are used in all sorts of contexts—you’ve likely heard quite a few of them at least once.
You might even discover, “So this was from that movie?”
By all means, turn off the lights and enjoy with headphones!
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A Scary and Beautiful Masterpiece: Horror Movie Music and Theme Songs (1–10)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (Main Theme)Mark Ayres
It’s the first installment in the American horror film series A Nightmare on Elm Street from 1984, which features the killer Freddy.
As expected, the high notes in this piece are striking, but the continuous low drone is also frightening.
It’s a theme song that heightens the sense of fear by creating an atmosphere that something is about to happen.
Theme of The ExorcistMike Oldfield
Many people were probably quite shocked by that sensational footage at the time.
This is the theme song from a movie made around the theme of a spirit medium and exorcist.
It’s such a well-crafted piece that you almost feel as if you might get possessed while listening to it.
The endlessly looping high-pitched refrain stirs up a sense of fear.
Tuesday Suspense Theater – Opening Theme –KIMORI Toshiyuki
When it comes to Japanese horror-suspense, this song is the definitive pick! The theme from “Tuesday Suspense Theater”—I bet many of you used to look forward to the drama series that began with this track.
The music itself feels like it tells a story, and the vocals come in around the one-minute mark.
Give it another listen after all these years!
Terrifying and Beautiful Masterpieces: Horror Film Music and Theme Songs (11–20)
Profondo RossoGoblin
The tense, suspenseful intro, the melodious bass line, and that utterly iconic main melody phrase layering together and then suddenly shifting into a full band sound—no matter how many times I hear it, it’s breathtakingly cool, beautiful, and terrifying! It’s the super-famous theme from the 1975 Italian horror masterpiece Deep Red, whose soundtrack was created by Goblin, one of the most popular bands in Italian progressive rock.
When you think of Goblin, of course Dario Argento’s Suspiria is also famous, but it was Deep Red that truly put their name on the map.
Looking at the original title, those unfamiliar with the background might wonder why there’s no trace of the word “Suspiria” at all, but Deep Red’s original title is Profondo Rosso.
After Suspiria became a hit in Japan in 1977, the earlier Profondo Rosso was released under the title Suspiria Part 2—a very era-specific marketing move.
It’s kind of scary in its own way how the Japanese distributor of the time boldly sold it as a sequel despite the works having no connection whatsoever!
The ThingEnnio Morricone
In July 2020, the maestro of film music, Ennio Morricone, sadly departed for heaven.
His achievements—spanning works like the Grammy-winning The Untouchables and the globally acclaimed Cinema Paradiso—are far too vast to be summed up in a short passage, but even among horror aficionados, Morricone’s music holds a special significance.
In fact, Morricone scored many early Italian horror films as well.
The piece I’m introducing here is the main title from John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror masterpiece The Thing.
The way that heartbeat-like low tones reverberate within the snowbound, quasi-closed space of an Antarctic base is terrifying! Despite having almost no flashy elements, it perfectly captures the creeping dread of an unknown lifeform and the ominous foreboding of the carnage to come—truly remarkable.
Due to various circumstances, half of the music Morricone composed was not used in the film itself, but an album reconstructed by Morricone—including the unused tracks—has been released, so those who are interested should definitely check it out!
Carnival of Souls – Main TitleGene Moore
One of the fun aspects of getting into horror films is discovering that truly great music often lies not in world-famous, globally celebrated works, but rather in those with a cult following and passionate niche acclaim.
Made in 1962, Carnival of Souls is a quintessential classic of cult horror and is even said to have inspired The Sixth Sense.
Beyond the film itself, its soundtrack—composed entirely for pipe organ in light of the protagonist being an organist—has earned high praise.
Even if you don’t know the film, you can likely sense from the melodies the unsettling, ominous atmosphere, and yet a certain mystical aura, all expressed with exquisite balance.
It’s the kind of appeal you can savor precisely because it’s the music of a film so different from Hollywood blockbusters—lacking in lavishness or polish, steeped instead in that low-budget cult vibe.
If this has piqued your curiosity, by all means check out the feature itself!
Saw Theme Song- Hello ZeppCharlie Clouser
Now synonymous with the Saw series’ main theme, Hello Zepp.
You can tell the track itself is cleverly structured to further heighten the climactic finale of the film.
The soaring violin lines and the increasingly frenzied drums amplify the sense of urgency.