HALLOWEEN CD PICKS @ 17 October 2009 03:37 PM
If you're shopping for just the right music or stories for Halloween creepiness, allow me to recommend:
CHILLING THRILLING SOUNDS OF
THE HAUNTED HOUSE
This 1963 LP is the granddaddy of all creepy sound effects records, much imitated but never equaled. Laura Olsher (Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol) narrates the first set of stories in sound, followed by the sounds themselves, compiled over decades of Disney Studios and Hollywood history by legendary Jimmy MacDonald. It's on iTunes.
When some of us were kids in the 60's and 70's, this is all we had. But it's still entertaining, and very interesting as pop curio as well as a who's-who of Hollywood voice actors and singers: Thurl Ravenscroft, Peter Renaday, Eleanor Audley, Robie Lester and yes, a teenaged Ron Howard. It's a little corny but it was produced before the attraction opened so it includes omitted details like the raven and the fabled Hatbox Ghost (he's on the front cover). The CD also includes an abridged soundtrack so you also get the voices of Paul Frees, Bill Lee, Loulie Jean Norman and many others, since the album recreates some elements. PLUS, the CD cover includes the storybook in Liliputian form AND you can access the original Collin Campbell art from the disc (did you know that the crystal ball now floats because of inspiration from this art?). Well worth having and bargain priced.
THE HAUNTED MANSION
ATTRACTION SOUNDTRACK
Producer/Historian Randy Thornton once again outdid himself by revising and expanding the soundtracks to both the Walt Disney World and Disneyland attractions and adding in the new features, plus "Ghost Host" Paul Frees' voice sessions, organ music by Gaylord Carter, new music box music and a magnificent full suite from Phantom Manor by Joel McNeely. This album was created to be sold in Disney Parks and was also being sold at the D23 Expo as part of a box set with a vinyl version of the story album.
COUNT CHOCULA'S HAUNTED HOUSE OF SOUNDS
I found this at Target a few weeks back and cannot find it online. It's kind of fun, tongue-in-cheek stuff with the Count, Frankenberry and Boo Berry in a "theater of the mind" comedy.
You can play this one through the living room window and creep out the trick-or-treaters -- it's hours of chilling music from the unique ABC gothic soap, composed by Bob Cobert, who also wrote the "Password" TV theme!
News powered by CuteNews - http://cutephp.com
