John Carpenter - "Halloween: The Best of John Carpenter"

Director John Carpenter is one of the few filmmakers who score his own films. From Assault on Precinct 13 up through Ghosts of Mars, Carpenter has filled out his films with his signature lo-fi (but high-quality) theme music. This disc covers his early film career, with themes and cues from Halloween, Dark Star, Escape from New York, and Big Trouble in Little China, among others. "Escape from New York" sounds like an early-'80s Tangerine Dream with its keyboard arpeggios and ominous vibe. "Big Trouble in Little China" is more upbeat, with guitar synths playing an Eastern-tinged riff over a driving bassline. Of special note is "Halloween," the supreme horror movie theme, with the classic piano line that is just as scary without the film's visuals. The disc contains two completely unnecessary remixes of the Assault on Precinct 13 title theme, which sound only marginally different from the original. The full soundtracks for each of these films are far superior, but this is a decent collection for someone just looking for highlights.

2.5 stars