The more one plays the score for the 1988 remake of The Blob, composed by Michael Hoenig, the more one plays the score for the 1988 remake of The Blob. It’s a fascinating set of music, because the German composer’s work is very much of its time, place, and genre, but also manages to far exceed the usual warbling ’80s synths.
Hoenig’s work in the early Kosmische rock scene in Germany certainly informs the music here, as it’s not afraid to get a little out there, while at the same time taking cues from the likes of Brad Fiedel’s Terminator score to really get into some propulsive action music.
When one’s listening to the vinyl LP from One Way Static – the debut of this particular score on wax, actually – there’s a noticeable tonal shift when one flips the record from side A to side B. The first side is mysterious and weird, with a piece like “It Fell From The Sky” a tonal drone emanating beyond the main title theme. The cues gradually build, adding strings and further instrumentation, and once the martial drums of “The Town Has Changed” kick in, it’s time to flip the LP.
It’s at that point that the score turns to ever-increasing action. With track titles incorporating words like “chase” and “mayhem” it comes as no surprise to discover that the music is fairly pulse-pounding in its excitement. More than that though, Hoenig’s score for The Blob manages to remain of a terrifying sort.
While the score for the original was pretty standard monster music, it was hamstrung from the beginning by the Burt Bacharach-penned “The Blob”, whose ridiculousness undercut whatever fear Steve McQueen was able to convey from the screen. Thus, it’s wonderful that Chuck Russell allows Michael Hoenig to accomplish what Ralph Carmichael couldn’t.
The packaging for this release features a jacket with the iconic poster image on the cover, with more gooeyness on the back. An obi strip provides background information, but there are no further liner notes. The black vinyl pressing is one of six different options available from various retailers. While it’s not particularly flashy, it sounds pretty strong, with some of those synth notes capable of scaring the hell out of any pets one might have in the room.
THE BLOB OST / COMPOSER: MICHAEL HOENIG / LABEL: ONE WAY STATIC / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
