Can You Score 20/20? Identify the Movie From Its Iconic Soundtrack Trivia Quiz

Answers Below – No Peeking!

Think you can recognise the film just from a description of its unforgettable soundtrack? This quiz dives into legendary scores and cues from horror, sci-fi, and cinematic classics, with questions ramping up from easy to expert level. Test your ears and memory – no cheating!

20 Trivia Questions on Iconic Movie Soundtracks

Question 1: Which 1975 blockbuster features John Williams’ simple yet terrifying two-note “da-dum” shark motif?

A. Orca
B. Piranha
C. The Deep
D. Jaws

Question 2: Bernard Herrmann’s piercing violin shrieks during the infamous shower scene are from which 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic?

A. The Birds
B. Frenzy
C. Psycho
D. Peeping Tom

Question 3: John Carpenter’s minimalist piano theme stalks through which 1978 slasher film?

A. Prom Night
B. Halloween
C. My Bloody Valentine
D. Halloween II

Question 4: Mike Oldfield’s hypnotic “Tubular Bells” riff opens which 1973 supernatural horror masterpiece?

A. The Omen
B. Rosemary’s Baby
C. The Exorcist
D. Poltergeist

Question 5: The chilling “ki-ki-ki, ma-ma-ma” voice effect represents the killer in which 1980 slasher?

A. Friday the 13th
B. Maniac
C. Sleepaway Camp
D. The Burning

Question 6: Goblin’s prog-rock frenzy scores Dario Argento’s which 1977 ballet academy horror?

A. Deep Red
B. Inferno
C. Tenebrae
D. Suspiria

Question 7: Ennio Morricone’s desolate, human-testing synth score is for John Carpenter’s which 1982 Antarctic chiller?

A. Christine
B. Starman
C. The Thing
D. The Fog

Question 8: Vangelis’ lush, futuristic synth soundscape defines Ridley Scott’s which 1982 dystopian noir?

A. TRON
B. Blade Runner
C. Dune
D. Outland

Question 9: Wendy Carlos’ innovative Moog synthesiser adaptations feature in Stanley Kubrick’s which 1971 dystopia?

A. 2001: A Space Odyssey
B. The Shining
C. A Clockwork Orange
D. Barry Lyndon

Question 10: Jerry Goldsmith’s eerie, electronic serpent synth main title heralds which 1979 space horror?

A. Capricorn One
B. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
C. Alien
D. Damien: Omen II

Question 11: Clint Mansell’s soaring “Lux Aeterna” choir motif anchors Darren Aronofsky’s which 2000 psychological drama?

A. Pi
B. Noah
C. Requiem for a Dream
D. The Fountain

Question 12: John Murphy’s driving rock riff “In the House – In a Heartbeat” powers which 2002 zombie apocalypse film?

A. Shaun of the Dead
B. 28 Days Later
C. Dawn of the Dead
D. Planet Terror

Question 13: Disasterpeace’s 80s-inspired analogue synth score haunts which 2014 indie pursuit horror?

A. The Babadook
B. Under the Skin
C. It Follows
D. The Guest

Question 14: Charlie Clouser’s industrial trap anthem “Hello Zepp” closes which 2004 torture horror franchise starter?

A. Hostel
B. Saw
C. The Collector
D. Wrong Turn

Question 15: Hans Zimmer’s time-dilating piano crescendo and “BRAAM” horns escalate in which 2010 mind-bending thriller?

A. The Dark Knight
B. Interstellar
C. Dunkirk
D. Inception

Question 16: Mark Korven’s primal skin-drum percussion torments Ari Aster’s which 2018 family grief horror?

A. Midsommar
B. Hereditary
C. The Witch
D. Beau Is Afraid

Question 17: Danny Elfman’s gleeful “This Is Halloween” opens Tim Burton’s which 1993 stop-motion musical?

A. Corpse Bride
B. The Nightmare Before Christmas
C. Frankenweenie
D. Sleepy Hollow

Question 18: James Newton Howard’s delicate music-box melody underscores the twists in which 1999 ghost story?

A. Unbreakable
B. The Sixth Sense
C. Signs
D. The Village

Question 19: Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” plays during a key montage in which 1978 John Carpenter film?

A. Dawn of the Dead
B. Halloween
C. The Amityville Horror
D. Magic

Question 20: The rasping metal-on-metal scrape accompanying Freddy Krueger’s glove is iconic to which 1984 dream horror?

A. Child’s Play
B. Hellraiser
C. A Nightmare on Elm Street
D. Poltergeist

Answers

  1. D. Jaws – John Williams’ repetitive E-F ostinato in Jaws (1975, dir. Spielberg) perfectly evokes the shark’s approach; Orca, Piranha, and The Deep lack this motif.
  2. C. Psycho – Herrmann’s 77-piece string section creates the shower scene’s hysteria in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960); the others use different composers or cues.
  3. B. Halloween – Carpenter played and composed the 5/4 piano riff himself for his 1978 film; the others have distinct slasher themes by different artists.
  4. C. The Exorcist – Oldfield’s prog instrumental kicks off William Friedkin’s 1973 film and became synonymous with possession horror; not used in the listed alternatives.
  5. A. Friday the 13th – Harry Manfredini’s distorted voice effect mimics a mother’s call in the 1980 film; absent from the other slashers listed.
  6. D. Suspiria – Goblin’s debut score blends rock and occult vibes for Argento’s 1977 giallo; his other Argento works differ in style.
  7. C. The Thing – Morricone’s stark electronic score heightens paranoia in Carpenter’s 1982 remake; not for his other 1980s films listed.
  8. B. Blade Runner – Vangelis’ improvised synth layers define the 1982 film’s neon atmosphere; TRON uses Wendy Carlos, others differ.
  9. C. A Clockwork Orange – Carlos synthesised Beethoven and classics for Kubrick’s 1971 satire; The Shining reuses some but primarily licensed pieces.
  10. C. Alien – Goldsmith’s score, with its ondes martenot-like synth, suits the 1979 xenomorph hunt; Star Trek: TMP is his other 1979 work but fanfare-heavy.
  11. C. Requiem for a Dream – Mansell’s 2000 motif recurs obsessively in Aronofsky’s addiction tale; reused later but originates here.
  12. B. 28 Days Later – Murphy’s guitar riff drives Danny Boyle’s 2002 rage virus outbreak; the others feature varied rock/zombie scores.
  13. C. It Follows – Disasterpeace’s retro wave evokes 80s dread for David Robert Mitchell’s 2014 film; others have modern or folk scores.
  14. B. Saw – Clouser’s trap-metal track ends James Wan’s 2004 film and the series; not the soundtracks of the torture peers listed.
  15. D. Inception – Zimmer’s “Time” builds with slowed Shepard tones in Nolan’s 2010 dream heist; his other scores lack this signature.
  16. B. Hereditary – Korven’s visceral percussion mirrors family unraveling in Aster’s 2018 debut; Midsommar uses Bobby Krlic’s folk.
  17. B. The Nightmare Before Christmas – Elfman’s song introduces Halloween Town in Burton’s 1993 musical; his other Burton works have different openers.
  18. B. The Sixth Sense – Howard’s waltz-like box theme signals revelations in Shyamalan’s 1999 twist film; unique to it among his works.
  19. B. Halloween – The song underscores Laurie and Michael’s dance in Carpenter’s 1978 original; not featured in those 1978/79 horrors.
  20. C. A Nightmare on Elm Street – Charles Bernstein’s score includes the boiler-room scrapes for Craven’s 1984 Freddy debut; others lack it.

How did you do? Share your score in the comments and challenge friends to beat it – true cinephiles conquer the soundtracks!