Soundtrack Preview: 'Monster House'

This is the fifth entry in the ongoing soundtrack preview series. Wipe your feet on the welcome mat and step inside Monster House, Douglas Pipe's big orchestral score for Imagmover's latest mo-cap CGI-fest. Despite two of cinema's biggest visionaries behind-the-scenes in Spielberg and Zemeckis, director Gil Kenan stayed loyal to his composer Pipes, bringing him along for the ride. The result is one of the most infectious major debut scores since Burton and Elfman and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Using full orchestra, choir and a touch of theremin, Pipes proves he has what it takes to score major features.

Firmly in the spooky-kids-mode, Monster House slots nicely in the niche currently occupied by Elfman's Beetlejuice, Debney's Hocus Pocus, Horner's Casper and Goldsmith's The 'Burbs. Of the scores mentioned, Pipes' Monster House snarls loudest, with significantly bombastic scoring for a seriously pissed off domicile.

Here are five clips from the album, available in stores now from Varese Sarabande.

1. Opening Titles
2. Eliza's Song
3. Awesome Kite/Bones Tossed Out/Construction
4. The Battle
5. End Titles

Links: Purchase Monster House / Varese Sarabande Records

Previous previews: Lady In The Water / The Omen / Cars / X-Men: The Last Stand