The legendary filmmaker recalls the equally legendary composer.
“He leaves behind a legacy of music thats unsurpassed.
The man was an inestimable genius.
I mean, his work is unbelievable.
I cant say enough about him.”
“They didnt want me to score it,” Carpenter says with a laugh.
“Stuart Cohen (The Thingco-producer), suggested him.
‘So, why not work with the Maestro?’
So, we did.
He was just wonderful to work with.
He was the kindest, he was thekindestman, and very very collaborative.
Did not show him the film.
We weren’t done yet, so I just talked to him about it.
Discussed it with him.
And the film came later.”
Carpenter has particularly pleasant recollections of working with the “Maestro” on the movie’s ominous main theme.
“My fondest memory was working on the main title,” the director says.
“He had come up with something that was much more complex than I wanted.
So I said, ‘Use fewer notes!’
And he did.”
If only everything in life was as easy as telling Ennio Morricone to use fewer notes.
“Thats right!”
The soundtrack forThe Thingwas recently reissued bySacred Bones.
