"Scary Movie" (1991) - A Cult Horror Classic Featuring John Hawkes and Scored by Hank Hehmsoth

Welcome to a true horror gem from 1991! "Scary Movie" features a young John Hawkes in his first film role and a haunting score by Hank Hehmsoth that brings tension and atmosphere to this slasher-inspired thriller. Filmed on a minimal budget around Austin, Texas, the soundtrack is praised for its suspenseful strings, inventive sound effects, and "ominous chord beds" reminiscent of ‘80s horror scores.
Recently re-released on Blu-Ray by the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), Scary Movie has been celebrated by critics and audiences alike as an early ‘90s cult classic. With screenings in venues such as the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, this low-budget fright fest stands as a testament to indie horror and Hehmsoth’s boundary-pushing score. Hehmsoth's score received praise from film reviewer James Jay Edwards.
"The most genuinely high-quality aspect of the film (next to possibly John Hawkes' freak-out performance) is the musical score," Edwards wrote for FilmFracture.com. "Scary Movie was made at the tail end of the golden age of the slasher and the synthesized electronic score, composed by Hank Hehmsoth reflects the era.
"The simplistic, spooky analog keyboard sounds are probably a product of the no-budget production schedule, but the eerie melodies and ominous chord beds sound like a precursor to the eighties soundtrack renaissance that horror fans are experiencing now," Edwards wrote. "By being just after his time, Hehmsoth was about 20 years ahead of it."
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