Cory Strand — Halloween: A Reinterpretation
Halloween really needs little or no introduction, as it stands as horror classic that not only started the whole slasher craze, but also still remains an excellent example how to create a virtual blood-ness yet terrifying horror movie. The film was Carpenter’s third movie, and it was released in 1978. The film follows psychotic & emotionless murderer Michael Meyers, who has been institutionalized since childhood for the murder of his sister. He escapes and stalks a bookish teenage girl(Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends while his doctor( Donald Pleasance) chases him through the streets of American small town.
The four CDR’s come in the house style Altar of Waste colour sleeve DVD case. The double sided sleeve features on it’s outside cover a still from the movie of the back of Michael Meyers/ The Shape watching the Jamie Lee Curtis character walking away down a Suburban street. The reverse cover features another still of The Shape appearing from behind a Suburban hedge- both of these stills nicely enhance this reinterpretations focus on the fearful daytime dread of a large part of the movies runtime. Each of the four CDR discs feature a different image relating to the movie from the iconic knife-to-pumpkin image of the movies poster, to The Shape standing in falling autumn leafs, to The Shape dressed in a sheet with glasses on from one of the movies key chilling scenes.
Over the three discs Strand offers up eleven tracks which last between just under the eight & a half minute mark to spot on the forty five minute mark. With his reinterpretation/ deconstruction of John Carpenter’s & Alan Howarth’s iconic soundtrack Strand has pulled all the brooding tension to the fore to create a highly consistent three CDR set that really has no low or ineffective points.
The set opens with “Main Titles” and this sees strand flattening the iconic titles themes darting staccato rhythmic melody, and pulling out the deep ominous brooding synth darkness from with-in. Also on disc one we get the wonderful chilling & look-over-your-shoulder-dread of “Shape Escapes”, which mixers slurred almost industrial synth toll with locked breathing pluses, and sudden drifts of prime evil ambience.
On disc two we have the shimmering pitch black & dense gothic synth dread of “The Haunted House”, which mixers together churning horror organ like sustains with malevolent, slurred, & uneasy synth melody lines.
On disc three we have the black droning hopeless-ness of “Laurie Knows”, which focus in on deep ‘n’ bleak synth drone expanses. And truly epic forty five minute hovering yet deeply brooding & grim synth wash ‘n’ fade of the last track “The Shape Stalks”.
With “Halloween: A Reinterpretation” Mr Strand has once again created a highly satisfying & consistent retake one of John Carpenter’s classic films. It’s just a pity it was only ltd to five copies, as more people deserver to hear & appreciate this release.