Terror Tracks: Music, Sound and Horror Cinema and The Simpsons in the Classroom

Abstract

The text argues that sound and music in horror cinema have historically been undervalued in film studies but are now receiving the critical attention they deserve. It highlights Terror Tracks: Music, Sound and Horror Cinema as a significant contribution to this growing body of scholarship, emphasizing how the horror genre uniquely leverages sonic elements to create affective and thematic resonance. The review situates the book within broader academic discussions on film sound, referencing related works like Robert Spadoni’s Uncanny Bodies and Neil Lerner’s Music in the Horror Film. The reviewer evaluates Terror Tracks positively for its no-nonsense approach to analyzing seminal horror films, director-composer collaborations, and lesser-known works. The book is commended for its historical specificity, particularly in tracing the evolution of sound design in American horror cinema while acknowledging contributions from other national contexts. Key themes include the undervaluation of sound in film studies, the historical development of horror soundtracks, and transnational perspectives. The review adopts a historico-analytical framework, engaging with genre theory, sound studies, and film historiography to affirm Terror Tracks as a valuable addition to film sound scholarship.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)