Soundtrack Review: The Innkeepers

The Innkeepers
Released by Screamworks Records, 2012
14 Tracks with a total running time of 40 min.
Music by Jeff Grace

I was first introduced to Grace’s work with his incredible score for Stake Land, immediately started seeking out his other scores, and have been a fan ever since. This one just adds to the list.

The film is a very slow paced and moody piece, relying a lot on atmosphere, and the score blends perfectly with it, being very somber and slow paced but highly effective. There are a few faster paced tracks, but most of it is slow and steady, but damn does it work. Filled with lot of continuous or drawn-out notes, as if we’re waiting for something to happen, slowly building up that suspense and tension, it is a score to listen to when you’re trying to relax but will still raise the hair on the back of your neck!

Right from the Opening Title track, we get a nice hook that sets the pace. When you get to track 3, Right Behind You, you can just imagine sitting there and imagining something is right behind you. This track is beautiful in the way you have this low continuous string notes, then a quick few notes on the piano, then a long pause again before more piano. Really creepy and sets up the mood perfectly.

Highly recommend this score, as I would with just about any of Grace’s work!

2022 Year End Reviews – Part 2: Best Viewings

As always, my Best Of list isn’t just of films that came out this last year, but ones that were first time viewings for me, because when it comes down to it, whether it came out in 2022 or 1952, if it is the first time I’m watching it, then it is a new movie. So, my Best Of lists usually tend to have more older titles than newer ones, which might have something to do with the lack of originality in modern day productions. That being said, I was amazed to see how many newer titles ended up on my list this year, with 7 out of the 10 coming out within the last three years. That was a very nice surprise and gives me hope for the future of the horror genre. Now let’s get to this year’s Best Viewings list.

Horrors at the Music Box in Chicago

While we all wait for news of this year’s Music Box of Horrors, Chicago’s best 24-hour horror movie marathon, there are more than a few interesting screenings coming up there that might peak the interests of local fans!

This Wednesday, at 9:15pm, they are screening the 1982 epic Boardinghouse, one of the earlier shot-on-video films that actually did play theaters. I know this for a fact because it played at the theater I worked at and was both confused and blown aways by it! Plenty of nudity and gore, as well as a lot of W-T-F moments, it is definitely like nothing else you’ve seen. And getting to see it on the big screen is a whole other experience! There will be an introduction to the film by author and film critic Preston Fassel, author of the book Landis: The Story of a Real Man on 42nd Street, the first ever biography of Sleazoid Express found Bill Landis. There will also be a post screening conversation as well.