Intrada Soundtrack Forum

INTRADA Announces:



THE FUNHOUSE
Composed and Conducted by JOHN BEAL
INTRADA ISC 484


Intrada announces the premiere release of John Beal's impressive score for the 1981 Universal horror film The Funhouse. Although the film capitalizes on the horror craze started by Halloween several years earlier, it did not follow suit in its approach to scoring. Whereas the earlier film featured a legendary electronic score, The Funhouse's executive producer Mace Neufeld insisted that a largely orchestral approach was warranted. The orchestra mixed with some electronics brings a sophisticated depth to this early entry in the slasher film genre. While the score starts unassumingly with a simple piccolo solo representing the kernel of Beal's main theme, the mood is quickly shattered by an orchestral slashing gesture before transitioning to the other major theme – the carousel waltz. The score culminates in a full-blown passacaglia of sorts as the action in the funhouse comes to a head.

Fans responded enthusiastically to the score, with the composer receiving letters from around the world for decades. For this release, Intrada obtained the original 24-track session elements stored at Universal, allowing the composer to oversee a new mix, highlighting details and a stereo image never before heard. Watch the soundtrack trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2PHGD4VXzQ

In the film, teen Amy (Elizabeth Berridge) sneaks out to a traveling carnival with her date, Buzz (Cooper Huckabee), her best friend, Liz (Largo Woodruff), and Liz’s boyfriend, Richie (Miles Chapin). Reluctantly she goes along with their plan to hide overnight in the carnival funhouse. When the four teens witness a murder while locked inside, they become the targets of a shady barker (Kevin Conway) and his monstrous son (Wayne Doba). The film was directed by Tobe Hooper, best known for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist.

Intrada ISC 484
Retail Price: $21.99
Barcode: 7 20258 54840 5
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For track listing and sound samples, please visit https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12769/.f

For anyone who hasn't yet picked this up, I'd highly recommend it. The stereo sound is outstanding, and it's one of John Beal's best scores (along with Terror in the Aisles).

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Most Wanted: Moonraker - complete; Inside Moves (John Barry), Volunteers; The Hand; Brainstorm - complete (James Horner); MacArthur; Supergirl -expanded (Jerry Goldsmith).