Just in time for spooky season, John Carpenter's Anthology II (Movie Themes 1976-1988)

John Carpenter is a horror master, well known for the original Halloween movie and many more, of which he composed or co-composed the music. Bloody Disgusting reports that this October, Carpenter will release John Carpenter: Anthology II (Movie Themes 1976-1988).

With his collaborators Cody Carpenter, his son, and Daniel Davies, John Carpenter announced
the release of Anthology II, a sequel to the previous Anthology released in 2017. Carpenter, a celebrated filmmaker, is also a music maestro with well-known soundtracks for horror, suspense, and science fiction films.

The album will be released on October 6, 2023, via Sacred Bones and can be pre-ordered or pre-saved now. Below is a sampling of what's to come on the new album with the opening single, "Chariots Of Pumpkins," which was featured in Halloween III. The song effectively conveys the sense of anxiety and apprehension that one experiences when watching the movie.

"“This piece was made for someone else’s movie, the Tommy Lee Wallace directed Halloween III. I don’t remember what his specific direction for me was for the main titles, but I wanted to reflect a kind of science fiction feel. The sound has been updated and it was fun to redo this song. The three of us using modern and updated sounds and production has influenced the overall feel of the song.”"

- John Carpenter on "Chariots Of Pumpkins"

Anthology II features a collection of songs from Carpenter's most famous works, including Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China, They Live, Assault on Precinct 13, Prince of Darkness, The Fog, and movies from the Halloween franchise. One of the album's highlights comes in the form of three previously unreleased cues from The Thing that have now been rerecorded. The Thing was one movie in which Carpenter allowed another composer, Ennio Morricone, to create the score. He would later add synth-driven cues, believing the movie would benefit from these additions.

John Carpenter's Anthology II: Movie Themes 1976-1988 highlights his ability to utilize music to enhance movie viewers' experiences. "With each haunting note and pulsating beat, his soundtracks continue to resonate with audiences, forever etching his name in the annals of film music history."

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