Music in Horror Films

What makes a horror film scary?

Is it the monster or killer the actors are trying to escape from? Maybe the special/visual effects have you hiding your eyes. Perhaps it's the terrifying situation that you can't imagine surviving. All of those things are scary. However, they all must work together to create atmosphere, and no atmosphere is complete without music. Music is the lifeblood of the horror genre. All film genres rely on music, but perhaps in no other genre is music as critical as horror.

Filmmaker Jon Walker and Composer/Professor of Music Norman Wurgler will discuss the history of music in horror spanning nearly a century of classic films that will have you looking under the bed before you fall asleep. They'll break down the evolution of music in horror using film clips, open discussion, and Q&A to satisfy your cravings for madness and mayhem.