Colin Stetson (Hereditary, Red Dead Redemption II) joins The Film Scorer podcast to talk about his brutal, unconventional score to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Netflix’s new installment in the iconic horror series. Texas Chainsaw Massacre probably displays Colin at his most unrestrained, as the filmmakers largely gave him free reign to go as unconventional and vicious as possible. You can hear this in Colin’s voice when he describes the score and composing process, and the feeling is infectious. As always, we go on some tangents like how horror and other film genres compare in terms of score and Ann Arbor’s old DIY music scene (a town where we coincidentally both spent a lot of time).
I also recently reviewed Colin’s score, calling it (among other things) “as naturally brutal as film music gets” with “[s]tinging, piercing shrieks and primordial grumbles [that] create a fog from which we know death must come.” It’s a truly vicious, raw, and unconventional score that will tenderize your ears, but with enough momentary tender releases so that it doesn’t become too overwhelming.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is now streaming on Netflix while Colin’s score is available everywhere. You can also order the gorgeous vinyl from Waxwork Records. Find out more about Colin on his website.
About Texas Chainsaw Massacre: “Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a direct sequel to Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic. That film, about a pack of hippies that get tormented by an inbred family of cannibalistic butchers in the wilds of Texas, is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time. This film stays true to the roots of the original, bringing back horror icon Leatherface, who’s been dormant for nearly 50 years. The story centers on Melody (Sarah Yarkin), her teenage sister Lila (Elsie Fisher-Eighth Grade), and their friends Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson), who head to the remote town of Harlow, Texas, to start an idealistic new business venture. But their dream soon turns into a waking nightmare when they accidentally disrupt the home of Leatherface, the chainsaw-wielding sociopath whose blood-soaked legacy continues to haunt the area’s residents — including Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouéré), the sole survivor of his infamous 1973 massacre who’s hell-bent on seeking revenge.” – from Netflix.
Have a listen to our conversation below or wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube).
