Scoring ‘Smile,’ Sans Strings or Synths: How the Composer Made a Horror Hit Even Creepier With an Unusual Instrument

With global box office receipts already exceeding $100 million, “Smile” is the breakout horror hit of 2022. And while pundits largely put the film’s success down to Parker Finn’s spooky premise and a razor-sharp marketing campaign, its secret sauce is arguably Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s inventive score. Built around an obscure instrument that mimics human […]