Filmography/Reviews | Recommendations | Biography

Christopher Young in 2003

"I really like pursuing the side of my writing that's the dark, sonic madness, but the other half of me would like nothing more than to be walking down the street one day and hear someone whistling a theme of mine."
-- Christopher Young in 1999 on his pursuit of new genres

If any one digital-age composer was to be forever connected with a single genre of film, then it is Christopher Young and horror. A man fascinated with horror films and their creators, Young became hooked on film music when he first heard the scores of Bernard Herrmann. While many modern composers began their careers by scoring student horror films, Young did it so well that he rose through the ranks to become Hollywood's foremost horror composer for major features. His work on the first two Hellraiser films brought an immense orchestral power to the genre, and ushered in a new era of horror film music. His music for suspenseful on-screen action is technically superior, demonstrating an ability to capture the emotional spirit of the genre while also scaring audiences that are otherwise weary of the same old horror music cliches. His knack for making eerie and empathic connections between the audience and the characters on screen is well respected.

Despite his lengthy credentials in the horror genre, however, Young was originally a jazz drummer, and his talents do indeed extend beyond his best-known scoring genre. His steamy jazz music is equally heralded, from Rounders to Wonder Boys, and Young has even ventured into R&B projects such as Set It Off and In Too Deep. He collaborated with DJ Paul Oakenfold and experimented with incorporating a trance edge into his music for Swordfish. Perhaps least known are his limited comedy projects. Young is making a name for himself with top directors, however, by continuing to score arthouse films. From The Hurricane to The Shipping News, Young has earned a reputation as a front-line composer in Hollywood. He has taken an active role in teaching film music in Los Angeles, and serves on a board to help steer the future of the industry. In just the last ten years, Young has gone from being an urban legend to a major talent in Hollywood.