It's music again but TV horror music. I like this type of theme that Wandering Through The Shelves chose. Let's get spooky...
1. TWILIGHT ZONE BUT THE FIRST SEASON-1959
We all know the iconic theme from this TV Show but did you know it was not the original? The first year had the moody, unsettling feel that you were in a nightmare. This was composed by the great Bernard Herrmann whom I talked about in an earlier post. I like this theme quite a bit.
2. ONE STEP BEYOND-1959-1961
This came on at the same time as The Twilight Zone but it was supposed to be based on true events which some episodes made me feel quite creeped out. The music was created by Harry Lubin and one could actually buy this soundtrack. I'd love to have it.
DARK SHADOWS-1966-1971
I have only seen an episode here and there but never the whole series. It was actually a soap opera but with ghouls. Jonathan Frid played the vampire and gained quite the cult following plus this show had the legendary film actress Joan Bennett. The music is effectively eerie which was created by Robert Cobert and performed with his orchestra.
OK...one more...
THE MUNSTERS-1964-1966
I will always go with this song and this show over The Adam's Family because I like the characters better, the house, the goofy Fred Gwynne as Herman, the music and that car! I want to drive in it one day...that would be so cool.
Which music from TV do you think is spooky?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteHow are you today, dear friend? I never get tired of discussing horror, and I enjoyed today's theme in which we talk about theme music used in scary TV series.
The original Twilight Zone is known to millions, as is its theme, but I suspect few remember that the theme music used in season 1 was the moody, unsettling dreamlike piece you posted along with Rod Serling's spoken intro to the series. Thanks for letting me know that Bernard Herrmann was responsible for composing it.
As you might expect, I was a also regular viewer of One Step Beyond. I find the otherworldly theme music produced by Harry Lubin to be equally effective at setting the mood for eerie tales. That music really grabs me and takes me back to that exciting period of the late 50s and early 60s when science-fiction, horror, the supernatural, mystery and suspense were in abundance on the big screen and the small screen.
I agree that the Dark Shadows theme is effective, but I found the soapy series boring and bailed out after a few episodes. In addition, I will always hold a grudge against ABC for canceling a series I liked, Never Too Young, a soap opera for teenagers that starred the late Tony Dow from Leave It To Beaver, and plugging Dark Shadows into its time slot on the schedule:
http://www.collinsporthistoricalsociety.com/2014/06/never-too-young-to-get-cancelled.html
The theme of The Munsters is the kind of catchy earworm that most boomers can identify within two seconds. It's a groovy surf-rock style instrumental in its own right. The 2020s answer to The Munsters and The Addams Family is the comedy mockumentary series What We Do In The Shadows referenced in my current post. The theme song of this 21st century Shadows is the oldie but goody "You're Dead" recorded and first released in 1966 by Norma Tanega, the folk singer best known for her hit single "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog." Norma died three years ago at age 80.
Enjoy the rest of your week and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!
Tales From the Crypt?
ReplyDeleteThe Twilight Zone is a classic theme! So is the Munsters. I didn't bother with that remake on Netflix at all.
ReplyDeleteOh I do remember the Munsters, but don't know the others. I used to enjoy the Munsters, as I did The Adams Family...gosh that wasn't just yesterday, Kate x
ReplyDeleteGood choices.
ReplyDeleteTwilight Zone is the only one I've seen but I really don't remember the theme.
ReplyDeleteDark Shadows Theme music was very eerie and memorable. I watched that show faithfully:)
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling well.
I've heard of Dark Shadows, but never saw it. I've seen The Twilight Zone, but maybe not the original. I think your choices definitely fit the theme quite well and I always love your synopses.
ReplyDeleteGreat creepy music, Birgit, though the Munsters theme song takes it too the level of cuteness. I remember loving that show and the music. We probably danced to that theme. I didn't know that The Twilight Zone had different music originally. I don't remember One Step Beyond at all, but I was one year old when it aired. If it wasn't in reruns on a station that we had, I never saw it. I remember Dark Shadows, which a friend of mine watched, but it was never on in our house. I don't know what network it was on. My mom had CBS on all day. She watched the same soap operas for years.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
The way I heard it explained: the Addams Family were normal (looking) people who acted like monsters, the Munsters were monsters who acted like normal people. I always felt more of a connection with The Munsters...
ReplyDeleteSpooky music? "Experiment In Terror" by Henry Mancini. It was a movie theme, though...
You picked the best ones and the ones I would have thought of first. Right now can't think of any others.
ReplyDeleteI also prefer The Munsters to The Addams Family. I rarely watched the latter, but always tuned in to Herman Munster's family. I had a plastic model kit of the Munster car and didn't do too bad of a job in putting it together. I wish I had kept it.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
The Munsters vid and music is fun, which to be fair, I appreciate more than spooky:)
ReplyDeleteTake best care.
I hadn't heard that original Twilight Zone music, Birgit. I really like it too. It's actually more appropriate that the one they adopted. Thanks for sharing that.
ReplyDeleteHave a spooktacular Halloween, m'dear.
Twilight Zone has always freaked me out.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
BIRGIT, I think you pretty well nailed this one. Except that I would put 'DARK SHADOWS' at #1 (easily), and I much prefer the later and (justifiably) more famous 'Twilight Zone' theme music.
ReplyDelete~ D-FensDogG