In the history of cinema, is there a piece of opening music more effectively chilling than the original synth theme composed by director John Carpenter in 1978’s Halloween? It’s such a minimalist sequence of notes, but from that simplicity, Carpenter drew pure, primordial terror. It doesn’t even matter if you’ve never seen Halloween—play that music for someone who has never watched a horror movie, and they’ll still be creeped out.
Now, the master is back in action with the just-revealed first track from the OST of the upcoming Halloween sequel by director David Gordon Green, which he composed alongside collaborators Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. “The Shape Returns” feels like a central, “main theme” for the film, incorporating some of the familiar sounds you would expect with some elements of new composition as well.
“It was great,” said Carpenter of the experience of composing to Green’s images. “It was transforming. It was not a movie I directed, so I had a lot of freedom in creating the score and getting into the director’s head. I was proud to serve David Gordon Green’s vision.”