The Book
What They’re Saying
Comments on Musique Fantastique 2nd Edition
This book is about the power of imagination – the quest of writers and filmmakers to imagine new realities and break new ground, and the efforts of composers to provide a soundtrack for these explorations. Randall Larson has written a remarkable and passionately researched account of these musical efforts. It should be a fascinating read for anyone interested in film, as it provides an endless source of insight and inspiration for people working in the field. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for the subsequent volumes to be published.
-Paul Haslinger, composer, Underworld: Awakening, Death Race, After.Life
This book is just great! In its musical and historical aspects, it is a must for very film music lover and composer – and should be also a must reading for producers and directors!
-Elia Cmiral, composer, Wrong Turn, Pulse (series), Piranha 3DD
I grew up on these films, and yet still found revealing insights on every page about my favorite composers and scores. Best of all, Larson is careful not to let the detail overwhelm the reader — “Musique Fantastique” is a brisk and fun read. There’s something here for everyone, from the casual fan, to aspiring musicians, to film buffs, to veteran composers. You’ll never watch (or listen to) your favorite genre films the same way again!
-Bear McCreary, composer, Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead, The Cape
When I was first learning about the wealth of fabulous music written for fantastic films of the past, the first edition of Randall Larson’s “Musique Fantastique” was my number one reference source. Long after I forged my own niche in the field of such music as a soundtrack producer and writer, “Musique Fantastique” remained the most essential film music volume on my bookshelf. As impressively one-of-a-kind as that initial edition was, this greatly-expanded and revised second edition redefines “comprehensive” regarding this remarkable and important genre of music, and for many generations to come it will no doubt entertain and illuminate even more than its predecessor did. And I shall be returning to it again and again long into the fantastic future.
-David Schecter, soundtrack producer, Monstrous Movie Music
It turns out I don’t know everything about film music (I thought I did), but Randall Larson seemingly does. He not only shows an encyclopedic knowledge of the many composers involved in writing music for horror and fantasy films (not just the famous ones), but he also gives us a feeling of the studios, the music departments, and the music supervisors whose job it was to put music on the huge amount of films that were being made at the time. Larson also has a knack for being able to describe music with words… I could hear the deep strings, the bells and timps, and the wow of the Theremin. “Musique Fantastique” is a book for anyone with a deep love of film music.
-Craig Safan, composer, The Last Starfighter, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4
This book is an amazing feat! To condense the naturally elusive realm of the history of genre film scoring into an intelligible, tangible overview not only is an invaluable tool for composers, but sheds light on the culture of society as a whole. Music is one of the best mirrors of the emotional state of the times in which it was produced and this book gives an insight into an area that has long been overlooked. This book then, serves both as a specific resource manual for those interested in researching a favorite score or composer, as well as a colorful linear narrative, the likes of which I have not seen before. Well done Randall!
-Marco Beltrami, composer, Scream (series), Terminator 3, World War Z
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