Family Plot - Music

Music

The film was the only Hitchcock production to be scored by John Williams, a rising staff composer at Universal who had recently won an Oscar for Steven Spielberg's Jaws. Williams has stated that Hitchcock wanted choir voices for Madame Blanche to make her seem psychic towards the beginning. Williams also stated that Hitchcock was at the scoring sessions most of the time and would often give him suggestions. For the scene in which Maloney suddenly disappears from Adamson's office, Hitchcock suggested that Williams stop the music when the camera cuts to the open window, that way it would show the audience that Maloney is gone. Hitchcock then went on to say, "Mr. Williams, murder can be fun", when he suggested that he conduct the music lightly for a darker scene of the film. Williams stated that it was a great privilege, and he had a wonderful working experience with the director.

The complete soundtrack was not released upon the film's release date. Few themes from the film were released on John Williams and Alfred Hitchcock compilation albums. For years afterwards, the original soundtrack was not available, spawning many bootleg copies of the complete scoring sessions of the film over the internet. Finally in 2010, Varèse Sarabande Records made an official release of the complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 34 years after the film's initial release.