Cool Stuff: John Carpenter's Latest Anthology Vinyl Collects Movie Themes And Unreleased Music
John Carpenter is responsible for directing some of the greatest films of all time, including horror hits like "Halloween" and "The Thing," as well as action favorites like "Escape form New York" and "Big Trouble in Little China." But Carpenter often doesn't only sit behind the camera as a filmmaker. The legendary director is also one hell of a composer, and he's been responsible for creating the music for most of his own films. That iconic "Halloween" theme? You can thank Carpenter for creating that on a tight deadline. And the haunting piano-heavy composition from the genre-defining slasher is just one of many tracks that will be found on John Carpenter's latest "Anthology" vinyl compilation album.
John Carpenter's "Anthology II: Movie Themes 1976-1988" is arriving on vinyl on October 6, following the first volume of music released several years ago, and it features a collection of Carpenter's most famous movie themes across 12 years of the filmmaker's decorated career. As the official press release for the vinyl release notes:
"Anthology II (Movie Themes 1976-1988)" represents just a fraction of John Carpenter's impressive musical repertoire. His ability to capture the essence of his films through evocative melodies, atmospheric soundscapes, and innovative use of synths has solidified his status as one of the most influential composers in the history of cinema. With each haunting note and pulsating beat, his soundtracks continue to resonate with audiences, forever etching his name in the annals of film music history.
Find out where you can get John Carpenter's "Anthology II: Movie Themes 1976-1988" on vinyl below.
A variety of vinyl options
This compilation album includes music from "Escape from New York," "Big Trouble in Little China," "The Thing," "They Live," "Assault on Precinct 13," "Prince of Darkness," "The Fog," and of course, "Halloween," as well as some of the franchise's sequels. In fact, the vinyl includes "Chariots of Pumpkins" from "Halloween III: Season of the Witch," which Carpenter updated along with his son Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. As Carpenter said in a press release:
"This piece was made for someone else's movie, the Tommy Lee Wallace directed 'Halloween III.' I don't remember what his specific direction for me was for the main titles, but I wanted to reflect a kind of science fiction feel. The sound has been updated and it was fun to redo this song. The three of us using modern and updated sounds and production has influenced the overall feel of the song."
There's also another bit of music you'll find on this album that didn't come from John Carpenter. "The Thing" is one of the rare instances where Carpenter didn't provide the entire score for his own movie. Instead, he left it to legendary composer Ennio Morricone, and on this vinyl release, you'll find three lost cues from his score that were previously unreleased but have now been re-recorded for this album.
Above, you'll see the "They Live" variant of the vinyl release that is available for pre-order over at Sacred Bones, where they have several other versions inspired by "The Thing" and "Big Trouble in Little China." The special editions will cost $25 while the standard black vinyl is just $21. If you're not a vinyl collector, the digital album is also available wherever music is sold. Order them while supplies last!