The creator of Scored to Death: The Dark Art of Scary Movie Music is raising funds on Kickstarter. Author and filmmaker J. Black Fichera is producing and directing the film based on his popularScored to Deathbook series. The feature-length documentary is currently in production, and over $13,000 of a $40,000 goal has been raised already.
“Horror films live and die with their musical scores. . . . If you claim to know how horror movies work, this book is a must-read,” said horror host Joe Bob Briggs (The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs).
BothScored to Death: Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest ComposersandScored to Death 2: More Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest Composersexplored the art of creatingmusicfor horror movies through in-depth interviews. Approximately 30composerswho lent their talents to the genre talked about their work with some of horror’s most beloved films and franchises.
“Music is the single most essential ingredient for me when making a scary movie. . . . J. Blake Fichera has done a brilliant job of helping us understand how these magicians make their secret sauce,” said writer/director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever,Hostel).
While casting for the documentary is still underway,Bloody Disgustingreveals some of the composers involved are Charles Bernstein (A Nightmare of Elm Street), Harry Manfredini (Friday the 13th), Richard Band (Re-Animator), Christopher Young (Hellraiser), Charlie Clouser (Saw), Alan Howarth (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers), John Massari (Killer Klowns from Outer Space), Holly Amber Church (Open 24 Hours), and more.
“J. Blake Fichera’s interviews with horror’s top composers combine a journalist’s penetrating curiosity and attention to detail with a fanboy’s infectious enthusiasm, and the combination is irresistible for lovers of film, film music, and our beloved genre,” said writer/director Don Mancini (Chucky).
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to Death: The Dark Art of Scary Movie Music
The Kickstarter campaign for the film will run fromSeptember27 to August 19, 2025. Feature tiers for those who donate include movie presales, bonus content, and producing credits. Fichera, a veteran editor and producer for film and tv, has been planning the making of this film for many years. Ever since 2013, to be more precise, when the firstScored to Deathbook was published.
“I am glad I waited, though. All the experience I gained, and the friendships I made throughout the creation of both books and theScored to Deathpodcasts, will help make it a much better film than it would’ve been had I jumped into it right after the original book.”
Besides that, you could also get a limited-edition compilation album of memorable horror themes on both vinyl and CD. The music, specifically created for the campaign, will consist of all-new recordings from Alan Howarth, Voyag3r, Anima Morte, Steve Moore, Holly Amber Church, Wojciech Golczewski, The Blair Brothers, Richard Christy, and more.
“What excites me about doing the documentary is that I can now explore this subject that I am hugely passionate about and have dedicated almost a decade of my life to studying in an entirely new way! The film will not be an abridged version of the books. Instead, I want to use the cinematic medium to hone in on specific aspects of the books and examine them in ways that weren’t possible on the written page—including how music functions in horror storytelling and our favorite scary movies.”
