Horror Comedy: Music and Sound

MUSIC AND SOUND WITHIN HORROR:

In the horror genre, music and sound is a vital element which helps create a tense or terrifying atmosphere and this is important as it makes the film more enjoyable for the audience. A feature that makes horror soundtracks different from a soundtrack of any other genre is the fact that the music is unsettling and this creates suspense and fear within the audience. When creating a music soundtrack, you need to make sure that the audience are always in a state of discomfort. This is what makes horror films so tense. A way in which this is achieved is through constant changes of pitch, pace and volume. This creates discomfort as their are constant changes and therefore the audience cannot watch comfortably without the music changing unexpectedly. This also creates a sense of shock and surprise which is a definitive feature within horror films. Another way in which music and sound within horror is different from any other genre is the use of silence. Silence can be a very chilling way to create suspense and tension. It is also a good way to help emphasise diagetic sound that can be heard by the characters. This is because the sound effects dominate the soundtrack and this is very good way to lead up to sudden climaxes and create jump-scares, which are an iconic feature of a horror film. A final way in which horror soundtracks are effective is through the use of build ups. Within music, there are a lot of types of build ups that are commonly used within horror soundtracks and some of these include accelerando (a gradual increase in tempo) and crescendo (a gradual increase in volume or intensity). Another type of build up used in horror soundtracks is a build up in layers. This is where different riffs and motifs are introduced into the soundtrack one at a time and therefore creates a build up. The most iconic example of this type of build up within a horror soundtrack is Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' which featured in the original motion picture of 'The Exorcist'. At the beginning of the music, only one motif can be heard but as the music continues, other layers are introduced, creating a build up and therefore creating a sense of tension and suspense. 

MUSIC AND SOUND WITHIN COMEDY:

The genre of comedy is one of the broadest genres of film therefore the type of soundtracks used within them are varied. For example, a spoof film may use already iconic film soundtracks whereas slapstick comedy may use upbeat music to compliment the use of physical comedy. Unlike horror soundtracks, comedy soundtracks give off a sense of comfort and happiness which sets them up for laughter. The music also tends to be exaggerated and if the film is set during a certain time period or place, the music usually compliments and exaggerates these themes. An example of a comedy film that does this is the 'Austin Powers' films. A very iconic song from the 'Austin Powers' soundtrack is a song known as 'Soul Bossa Nova' which is commonly associated with the films. This music compliments and exaggerates the idea of the film being set in the 1960's. This soundtrack is shown below.

COMBINING HORROR AND COMEDY THROUGH MUSIC AND SOUND:

Creating a soundtrack for a horror comedy film is very difficult as you need to make sure that you take the best elements from both horror and comedy soundtracks and use the right amount of each to create a good blend of horror and comedy elements. A useful feature of horror comedy music is to set it up as if it was a genuine horror film but as a climax is expected to occur, it can be replaced by comedic action on screen along with a contrasting soundtrack. This creates the element of surprise within the film and this type of surprise helps create a sense of comedy within the film. This isn't the only way in which elements of horror and comedy music can be combined. Another way in which a perfect combination of music can be achieved is by having elements of both types of music playing simultaneously. An example of a film that does this well is 'Shaun of the Dead'. Within the opening scene of the film, the music features conventional elements of both horror and comedy film soundtracks. This is shown below:

The elements of horror that feature within this soundtrack include:
- Faint, creepy sounds of children singing (la la la la)
- Minimal motifs and a small amount of build up
- Misleading diagetic sounds (main character sounds like a zombie)

The elements of comedy that feature within this soundtrack include:
- The upbeat tempo of the music
- The exaggerated and misleading zombie noise made by the main character (this is also featured in horror soundtracks)
- The bizarre choice of timbre (boings/twangs/singing)