6. Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) - Christopher Young
One of the genres great unsung heroes, Christopher Young - who has recently delivered onto us the triumphantly frightening scores for Drag Me To Hell and Sinister - once embarked on a journey into the lament configuration. What he returned with was a score so darkly romantic, you can barely keep it in your pants. Populating the score are flowing horn arrangements, egged on by the occasional bell from hell. The sound seems somewhat - if not fully - inspired by Goldsmiths The Omen in terms of the elements and grandeur. What this score has above The Omen is its perverse relationship with the terror it exudes. It not only disturbs you, it makes you fall in love with what disturbs you. It makes the labyrinth of hell so wondrous, it almost becomes a place youd like to be. As youre beckoned into the darkness, theres maybe a brief moment of disgust before you swoon and follow. Hellbound also marks another example of a composer flourishing in the opportunity presented in scoring a sequel. Many of the themes were established by Young in the original Hellraiser, but are found here as a lush, fully explored composition. It also has some of the creepiest carnival music youll ever hear.