Musique Fantastique

April 29, 2023

Rob Zombie Presents Classic Horror Film Soundtrack Series

Rob Zombie and Waxwork Records have partnered to release an exclusive, curated line of classic horror movie vinyl soundtracks. “Rob Zombie Presents” will feature several never-before-released film soundtracks that were personally selected by the singer, songwriter, and filmmaker.

Their first soundtrack title is “Rob Zombie Presents WHITE ZOMBIE.” Starring Bela Lugosi, 1932’s WHITE ZOMBIE is considered the first zombie movie. It was also filmed on Universal Studio’s lot, using several props from other horror films of that time. Featuring Madge Bellamy, Robert W. Frazer, and John Harron, the film follows the cast as they navigate zombies, love, obsession, and treachery. Initially slammed by critics upon its release, the movie has been reevaluated and praised by recent critics for its classic horror production. The film has gone on to influence mainstream media, even influencing the band name of White Zombie. Rob Zombie has said of the film, “It’s a great film that not a lot of people know about. It amazes me that a film that is so readily available can be so lost.”

This 1932 film actually did not have an original score; it created its musical score from bits & pieces of classical and then-modern music in the public domain, arranged by composer and independent music director Abe Meyer; a contemporary composer named Guy Bevier Williams created source music (native drumming and chants) while the majority of WHITE ZOMBIE’s underscore consists of a variety of more than a dozen cues from current, classical, and licensed compositions (see Musique Fantastique, Second Edition, Creature Features, 2012, page 80-82). The various pieces source music worked to give the movie a workably underscore that fit its creepy needs quite well.

After working together on the successful release of the official soundtracks to Zombie’s films, Zombie explored other ways to collaborate with Waxwork in an effort to unearth, re-master, and release classic, left-of-center horror soundtracks from films that he is a life-long fan of. These soundtracks feature deluxe packaging, heavyweight colored vinyl, new artwork by prominent horror illustrator Graham Humphreys, liner notes and interviews conducted by Rob Zombie with filmmakers and actors. Titles include premiere releases of SPIDER BABY, CARNIVAL OF SOULS, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, ISLAND OF LOST SOULS, and many selections from the Hammer film library.

Among the classic film scores Zombie and Waxwork intend to produce in the Rob Zombie Presents series are: White Zombie, Spider Baby, Carnival of Souls, The Last Man on Earth, The House on Haunted Hill, Island of Lost Souls, and selections from the Hammer film library. The albums will include deluxe packaging, 180 gram vinyl, New artwork by Graham Humphreys, and liner notes and interviews by Rob Zombie.

The WHITE ZOMBIE album is now available – see more details at WaxworkRecords.com