Fans of the 1980 black horror-comedy Fade to Blackwill be pleasantly surprised by the solid thematic variations in Craig Safan’s original soundtrack, which runs a hair over 50 mins. and features a flawless integration of early synths and small-scale orchestra.

Safan’s short main theme deals with a man’s internal struggle with unhealthy celebrity obsessions rather than straightforward murderous desires, and that extra sensitivity allows for a surprisingly varied group of cues, most tied to the main theme through rhythm or harmony.

The “Main Title” is treated with a bit of echoplexing, adding a weirdly ethereal quality to the arrangement, whereas “Vespa” is the score’s overt punkish pop theme – an electric guitar riff paired with fat bass and drums. The rhythmic pattern in “Vespa” is given a classical spin in “Marilyn,” with trilling strings, and a lovely solo piano coda that infers the character’s delusional mindset. “Eric’s Dream Quiz” is hurried version of the prior cue, with frenetic strings and a firm ostinato on vibes – the latter motif becoming the core of the intense “Run Marilyn Run.”

Safan’s cues do get a little repetitive now and then, but they have distinct intros and finales, and collectively the tracks form a consistent narrative. Other cues - “Looking for Marilyn” in particular – are rooted in prog rock, and feature a strong theme, tragic harmonies, and clean orchestrations between fat electric bass, bluesy keyboards, and subtle orchestral enhancements to intensify the cue’s urgency and dramatic thrust.

Traditional orchestral sounds dominate the short cue “Dracula Pursues,” this in spite of electric guitar and a frayed synth drone closing the brief theme restatement. Long, pliable synths chords and bass drones also make up “Taste of Blood,” whereas “The Mummy” has synths mimicking Herrmannesque Psycho stabs. Abstract notes are reworked into synthetic rain droplets in “Heart Attack,” and gothic imagery is conveyed in “Top of the World” by hard piano hits before Safan recaps the “Main Title.”

Safan sometimes has a tendency to repeat his main themes verbatim – Son of the Morning Star (1991), arguably his best work, is sadly oppressive on CD – but Fade to Black clearly demonstrates his skill in combining rock and orchestral elements after early scores for The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977), Corvette Summer (1978), and the cult idiocy Roller Boogie (1979).  That deft touch undoubtedly made him attractive to horror filmmakers, and his subsequent forays into thrillers include the short-lived TV horror anthology Darkroom (1981), the clunky feature-length anthology Nightmares (1983), and the biohazard shocker Warning Sign (1985).

Perseverance’s composer promo CD presents the complete score (including end credit song “Heroes Die,” sung by Carol Connors) in a slightly flat but listenable mono, and Randall D. Larson’s liner notes give a good overview of the score, and the film’s position among the first wave of slasher horror films after the success of John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978).

© 2010 Mark R. Hasan