In addition to Howarth’s score for ARCADE, THE ALAN HOWARTH COLLECTION, VOLUME 2 includes a block of odds and ends from other projects in his filmogragraphy.
For THE BEASTMASTER, Howarth composed a piece of music that was meant for the trailer but ultimately went unused. For BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, at the request of composer James Horner, Howarth composed a piece of source music for the scene that introduces Gelt, played by Robert Vaughn. MONSTERS was a weekly horror anthology series that typically featured a different monster antagonist each week, ranging from animatronic puppets from a fictional children’s TV show to weapon-wielding mutated lab rats. Some of the episodes blended comic elements into the horror and were adapted from stories written by noted horror authors including Stephen King. One episode entitled “Far Below” from Season Three was produced by Debra Hill who had previously produced HALLOWEEN, THE FOG, HALLOWEEN II, and ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK for John Carpenter. Debra contracted Alan to compose this kind of music for the half-hour episode. Finally, THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND was released in 1983 and was the last film directed by Sam Peckinpah, the film was largely scored by Lalo Schifrin. Howarth was brought in at the last minute to write some additional suspense music for the film.
Alan Howarth, in addition to being a composer, is an accomplished sound designer and editor, having worked on films such as STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, POLTERGEIST, TOTAL RECALL, ARMY OF DARKNESS, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, STARGATE and many others. He has been a frequent music collaborator with John Carpenter on his films beginning with ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK in 1980 and including HALLOWEEN II & III, CHRISTINE, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, THEY LIVE and PRINCE OF DARKNESS and Alan has scored many films on his own, including RETRIBUTION, HALLOWEEN 4 & 5, THE DENTIST, HEADLESS, BOO!, EVILUTION, BASEMENT JACK and most recently, HOUSE AT THE END OF THE DRIVE, BRUTAL and PROMISE.
Track Listing
ARCADE
1. Arcade – Main Titles (3:34)
2. Arcade Opening (3:14)
3. Into the Machine (1:16)
4. Virtual Worlds (4:35)
5. Explorations (3:59)
6. Find the Light (2:18)
7. Digital Topics (4:21)
8. The Virtual Mind (5:13)
9. Arcade’s Challenge (3:18)
10. Game Over (2:49)
11. Arcade – Main Titles
(Ghost in the Machine Mix) (2:59)
THE BEASTMASTER
12. Heroic Theme (2:06)
BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS
13. Gelt’s Chamber (1:31)
MONSTERS
14. Far Below (5:46)
THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND
15. Doggie in the Window (2:10)
16. Stingers (1:54)
17. End Credits (Unused) (4:17)
Total Time: 56:09
