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SILENT
DEADLY COMPOSING: Perry Botkin Jr. by
Greg Tiderington
Perry
Botkin was the original composer for the
sicko Santa 1984 cult classic slasher
flick 'Silent Night Deadly Night.' Yes
the movie that parents tried to stop
having it's theatrical release due to the
content used on it and his music really
gave the movie the perfect slashing feel
to it as it very much sounded very
similar to those other slasher film's
during this time period especially 'A
Nightmare On Elm Street'
He has been composing music for years and
years with shows that were very
non-horror including the Oscar nominated
'Bless the Beasts and Children' as well
as his music for TV theme of the daytime
soap 'The Young and the Restless' for
it's long run. Plus did music for 'Happy
Days' and it's spin off shows 'Mork &
Mindy' and 'Laverne & Shirley' along
with a ton of other popular shows like
that.
He was mainly famous for composing music
for many TV commercials but retired from
that in 1990 and
began experimenting with Electronic music
in a passionate and very personal way.
COMBINES, COMBINES 2, and COMBINES 3 (
three self produced CD's ) are prime
examples of his new direction.
Since it's almost this time of the season
I found it necessary to ask him his
experience with his work on 'Silent Night
Deadly Night' and you can check out his
official site at: www.perrybotkin.com |
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At what age did you see yourself as a composer?
26. Did a TV pilot and went on from there.
Can't remember the name of the pilot.
It was a girls name.
Did you ever see yourself composing music for
horror films?
Never.
How were you approached to do the music for 'Silent
Night Deadly Night'?
A friend recommended me to Ira Barmak who
produced the movie. I was just beginning to
compose experimental/avant garde electronic music
and Ira thought what I was doing would work well
in the film.
I loved how you did the opening of the film
with the screechy sound effects as some of
it reminded me of John Carpenter and Alan
Howarth's composing for
'Halloween: Season of the Witch'
or Charles Bernstein for 'A
Nightmare On Elm Street'. Did you
watch these films and sort of get an idea for
this one?
I didn't see either film. Frankly I wasn't
a horror movie fan. I just happened to be
composing music that seemed to work in the genre.
There was many great intense music for the
parents (Played by Tara Buckman and Geoff Hansen)
being murdered by the santa killer (Played by
Charles Dierkop) or the crazed grandpa (Played by
Will Hare) or yet the famous murder scene with
the loose teenager being impaled on deer antlers
(Played by Linnea Quigley). Did you read the
script and thought "I got a great idea to
make all of this sound effective"?
I never read the script. I got a final cut
of the film on video. I could sync it up
with my electronic music rig. I scored the
whole film in my home studio.
I knew I could do almost anything I wanted with
no restrictions. The more dissonant and
atonal the better. Man. . . Did I have fun.
Reading the script did you find the story very
disturbing with all the content that was going to
be used in it?
As I said. I never read the script.
Of course when I first saw the film all
that sexy murder and mayhem gave me an adrenalin
rush. However, in the end, I found it very
funny. I mean, Santa as a mass murderer?
Come on....It was so over the top
and ridiculously violent that it just made
me laugh.
Now the film was nearly picketed during it's
theatrical release. Was this discouraging to you
since you put alot into it fearing it won't come
out since it disturbed many parents since the
fact it was coming out close to Christmas?
I hoped they wouldn't get their way. I was
quite proud of my score.
Once a company played it at cinema's regardless
did you get positive feedback from fans and did
they ever mention of the music sounding similar
to other slasher flicks they were a fan of?
I've started receiving fan mail in the last few
years. Never before. I think the
internet and the fact that the film continues to
grow in the underground market has caused this.
Who knows? No one has mentioned
similarities to other slasher scores.
Now you composed music for another type of horror
flick titled 'Dance of the Dwarfs'.
Did you have any similar sound effects for that
one?
That was my first electronic score. I had
one Analog synthesizer and a 16 track tape
machine. Came out rather weak. I
would have preferred an orchestra but budgets are
budgets and you do the best you can with what
you've got. Even with an orchestra I don't
think I could have helped the film.
What was it like doing the music for that one?
Frustrating.
Were you approached to do the composing for any
other slasher or other types of horror flicks
like an 'A Nightmare on Elm
Street', 'Friday
the 13th' or
'Halloween' sequels?
No.
What are you up to these days?
I continue composing experimental/electronic
music. I've also been creating videos for
about a year. Check out perrybotkin.com
You'll find my COMBINES 1 - 2 - 3 CD's and
my first five videos. My sixth one has only
been up on YouTube for a few days. Google
perry botkin - THE POTTY TRAIN. In a quite
different way, it's weirder than Silent Night.
Now here's some fun stuff: What are
your favorite horror films?
Unless you consider "Psycho" a horror
film, I don't remember any other films in that
category.
Out of all the the music you worked on for your
list of movies or TV shows which project did you
enjoy working on the most?
A CBS Mini-Series called "Windmills of the
Gods" Also electronic but more
romantic.
If you were a top horror film composer for a day
whether he was alive or dead who would he be?
Bernard Herrmann
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
To continue living the life I lead in perfect
health for many years to come.
What are your ambitions in life?
To discover new and creative (artistic) ways to
express myself.
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