Shrill violin screeches and ethereal childlike vocals dominate the soundtrack. Like most of Young’s work, the score is equally as important as the visuals. What does this say about the state of film scores? I’m not sure, but it can’t be good.ĭrag Me to Hell is different, though. Hell, I might even talk about the costumes and set design before I talk about the music. It’s rare that I’ll walk out of a film and talk about the music or the score before pretentiously analyzing the plot, acting, and cinematography. What the hell is that guy doing with that stick, anyway? And where can I get one of those cool sticks? But, what I do know is when a film’s score is memorable. I’ll be the first to admit that I know practically nothing about orchestral film scores. I’m not sure if he wrote the impromptu, choreographed musical number, though. Sam Raimi, the director of Drag Me to Hell, also used Young for The Gift and his third Spiderman installment. Scott Derrickson, for instance, has used Young for his films Sinister (one of my favorite contemporary horror films), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (let’s forget about that one), and the upcoming Deliver Us From Evil.

Young has also been recruited by a few directors to work on the majority of their films. Well, that last one isn’t technically a horror film, but there is something unsettling about Tyler Perry dressed as an old woman (even though he’s made a career out of it). Let’s run through a quick list, shall we? A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, The Fly II, the first two Hellraisers, Species, the first two Grudge films, and A Madea Christmas, to name a few. The soundtrack for Drag Me to Hell is one of those soundtracks.Ĭhristopher Young is the composer for the Drag Me to Hell soundtrack, and boy, does he have one hell of a horror résum é. And then there are the soundtracks that you aren’t embarrassed to have on your iPod. Sometimes because they seemed like an afterthought (the majority of movies you have ever seen). Sometimes because they don’t exist ( No Country for Old Men). There are also the soundtracks that go unnoticed. Sometimes because they make you want to turn the movie off (any of the Alvin and the Chipmunk movies). Sometimes because they actually add to the film ( The Lord of the Rings trilogy).

There are those soundtracks that stand out.

Whether we notice it or not, music plays a pretty hefty role in the success or failure of a film. Music Second Listen: “Drag Me to Hell” OSTĮvery week in Second Listen, Frank Macarthy looks back at lesser-loved albums from well-loved bands’ discographies.

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