Danny LUX
Halloween Resurrection
OST
Quite some time ago now, way back in 1978, John Carpenter did something remarkable. He wrote a toe-tapping, darkly melodic electronic score for a fairly low-budget horror movie that pretty much changed the way I viewed film music. Up until then it had been all strings and brass and maybe, if I was lucky, some choir thrown in for good measure! But there was Mr. Carpenter saying wait a second, synthesizers can sound good too, yes they're different, but with imagination and skill they can produce music of real style and quality. That was in 1978. Now, many Halloween sequels later, we have Danny Lux's new score for yet another instalment in the murderous adventures of Michael Myers.
Sadly, innovation is not to be expected when dealing with a franchise like this. The one time a composer attempted something a little different (John Ottman on Halloween H20) his work was for the most part discarded. And yet Carpenter's original music was all about innovation. The score breathed glorious life into a potentially generic story. But not here, not now. What we have is the expected, predictable synth atmosphere and sound effects, interspersed with brief reminders of that great Carpenter theme. The most accurate way to describe this score is 'by the numbers'. It offers nothing of interest. It offers very little in musical terms to recommend it. In truth I find it hard to imagine anyone wanting to own it.
One last thought, why is John Carpenter's name not even acknowledged on the sleeve notes of this score?. All I can find is 'music composed by Danny Lux'. Where is 'original Halloween theme by John Carpenter'. Okay, I realise that most of us know the truth, but for the uninitiated they could quite easily believe that Mr. Lux wrote everything on this CD. To call this an oversight would be kind. Sacrilegious is more what comes to mind.
Mark Hockley
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