Hellbound: Hellraiser II / Highpoint


GNP Crescendo US (0052824801523)
Movie | Release date: 01/31/1989 | Format: CD
 

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# Track   Duration
Hellbound
1.Hellbound/Second Sight Seance 7:29
2.Looking Through a Woman 5:30
3.Something to Think About 4:26
4.Skin Her Alive1:47
5.Stringing the Puppet 4:56
6.Hall of Mirrors 7:47
7.Dead or Living?2:51
8.Leviathan3:25
9.Sketch with Fire2:56
10.Chenical Entertainment 6:36
11.Obscene Kiss5:00
12.Headless Wizard 5:33
13.What's Your Pleasure?3:11
 
Highpoint
14.Highpoint Main Title1:44
15.Over the Edge1:03
16.The Kendo Duel0:50
17.Love Scene1:09
18.Up the Stairs2:13
19.Highfall1:43
20.Love Theme (End Title)3:47
 73:55
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Hellbound: Hellraiser II / Highpoint - 09/10 - Review of Tom Daish, submitted at (English)
According to Scream, the rule of horror sequels is that they are bloodier and the body count higher and so it was with Hellraiser II which reunites the surviving original cast members to face Pinhead and the Cenobites in a journey into Hell. Or something. Christopher Young's original, while operatic for a horror score almost pales in comparison to the sequel which puts it cards on the table from the thunderous vocal and brass choirs of the opening Hellbound, introducing a variant on the original three note motif. The rule of sequel scores is that they take the original material and expand upon them which is exactly what Young does, both in terms of the variety and visceral impact.

After the opening assault of brass and choir, Looking Through a Woman takes the score off into a new direction with some great action writing. Young isn't particularly known for his action scoring, but both here and in the original, there is much to enjoy, with splendidly unpredictable rhythms and somewhat unusual orchestration. The strange, industrial percussion only adds to the impact. The quieter moments have more potency this time, particularly in the shifting harmonies, where Young slides from minor to major chords frequently, like flecks of hope that are eventually swamped by the more ominous material. A surprising change of direction occurs in Hall of Mirrors with a very twisted circus/carnival waltz that even sounds like it's played on an old fairground organ, onto which Young adds other elements completely out of step - both rhythmically and harmonically - with the organ, the clash only adding to the disturbing disquiet. It makes Jerry Goldsmith's similar tune from the recent The Haunting seems positively playful in comparison.

For my money, this edges out the original as one of the finest horror scores, not only because it has a much higher impact - you can't fail to be stirred by blistering choral writing, even if it does come ever so close to excess on a occasion - but the scope is just that much greater and despite the album's generous length, there is hardly a weak spot. The music box and circus type theme might seen cliché now, but I can't think of many horror scores before Hellbound that made use of such an idea. Perhaps the score's greatest strength is that, although there is little in the way of obviously more upbeat material, the tapestry of the score as a whole contains glimmers of light, so there is a little more balance and the listener doesn't feel swamped in constant gothic melodrama. Even more than the original, an essential horror classic.


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