Ennio Morricone's 10 Greatest Film Soundtracks
3. The Thing
We're moving on to one of the few horror films Morricone has scored, which turned into one of his most revered collaborations.
John Carpenter has produced many a cult film over the years and 1982's The Thing is considered to be his best. The director wanted a European sounding score for the production and headed to Italy to consult with Morricone. Unsure of what Carpenter was after at first, the composer put together a set of synthesiser and orchestral pieces, then headed to Los Angeles to begin in earnest. The duo eventually settled on an electronic score, one that would greatly enhance the film's scares.
It's a foreboding and sinister soundtrack, one which demonstrates the fear and paranoia of the characters as they find themselves trapped in their Antarctic research base with a shape-shifting alien for company.
The Thing ended up being squashed by E.T at the box office when it arrived in 1982, but its popularity drastically expanded in the decades that followed. With just a couple of notes, Morricone captured the sheer dread of John Carpenter's masterpiece, heightening the tension as well as the bleak atmosphere that pervades throughout.
If anything, it's a shame that Morricone didn't do more major horror films in his career.