Arachnophobia: A Hidden Gem of 90s Horror...Or Is It?

Alright, HughesReviews fam, let's talk about something a little...different. "Arachnophobia" (1990). Yeah, the movie with the spiders. I know, I know, not exactly known for it's amazing score, I was really looking forward to the use of suspenseful music but honestly, I was very underwhelmed. But hear me out, I've been thinking about this lately and I think the lack of any real musical cues is a huge contributing factor in the film's success. My theory? The absence of a bombastic score is precisely what makes it work. Think about it: the movie plays on a very primal fear. Big orchestral stings every time a spider crawls across the screen? It'd just be cheesy and predictable. Instead, what the filmmakers gives us is a quiet, almost domestic dread. It's the normalcy of Jeff Daniels' character, the very ordinary setting of a small town, and the lack of any 'horror movie' music that creates a weird sense of realism. It's like, this could happen. The fear is almost subliminal. Consider the scene where the real big spider finally shows up - the music is only there in the background, emphasizing the horror of the moment. Even the infamous popcorn scene relies SO heavily on sound design - the crunch is amplified rather than covered by a score. It adds to the almost satirical horror of the spiders! So, I'm throwing it out there: "Arachnophobia" is genius because it knows when not to use music. I'd actually love to hear what you guys think. Am I overthinking it (totally possible)? Did you notice the score (or lack thereof) at all? Let's discuss!