The Lasting Legacy of Lalo Schifrin

This week, we’re remembering the incredible career of Lalo Schifrin, who recently passed away at the age of 93. Schifrin was one of the most influential film and TV composers of the last century. His music helped shape the sound of action, suspense, and horror, and he brought something iconic to every project he worked on.

He’s best known for creating the theme to Mission: Impossible, one of the most recognizable TV themes of all time. But his work goes far beyond that. He scored films like Bullitt and Cool Hand Luke, utilizing a blend of jazz and traditional orchestral music to create tension, mood, and emotion in ways that still resonate today.

You can also hear his work in the 1979 horror classic The Amityville Horror. Schifrin’s score is a big part of what made that film so scary. He used jarring, discordant notes to build suspense, especially during scenes involving the haunted house. The music made everything feel more unsettling and played a major role in the film’s lasting impact.

While Schifrin didn’t return for Amityville: The Evil Escapes (1989), that film continues the story of the haunted house and feels connected through its tone and it's many further entries which can be found in our library. In this installment, the evil force leaves the house and travels to California by way of a possessed lamp. It sounds wild, and it is, but it still taps into the eerie atmosphere that Schifrin helped create in the original.

Another film in our collection that features Schifrin’s music is Day of the Animals (1977). This one takes place in a world where the ozone layer is breaking down, and animals living above 5,000 feet start attacking people. A group of hikers finds themselves stuck in the danger zone and has to make it out alive. Tensions rise not just from the animal attacks, but also from within the group itself, especially when one man decides to break off and take control. Schifrin’s score adds to the pressure, keeping the pace tense and making the danger feel real.

Lalo Schifrin had a way of making music that stuck with you. Whether it was a horror scene, an action chase, or a quiet dramatic moment, his scores always added something special. He helped define how movies and shows sound, and his work continues to influence composers today. 

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