---
name: "Alan Howarth"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/alan-howarth"
fi1m_id: "alan-howarth"
imdb_id: "nm0397697"
tmdb_id: 15445
wikidata_id: "Q730362"
roles: ["Sound effects"]
born: "6 August 1948"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_over: 10
updated: "2026-10-04T17:21:49.454930+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alan Howarth

## Identity

Alan Howarth

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/alan-howarth
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** alan-howarth
- **IMDb ID:** nm0397697
- **TMDB ID:** 15445
- **Wikidata ID:** Q730362
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Howarth_(composer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q730362, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0397697/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15445

Sound effects. Born 6 August 1948 in South River, New Jersey, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Sound effects
- **Born:** 6 August 1948, South River, New Jersey, USA
- **Active:** 1979–1994
- **Also known as:** Alan S. Howarth
- **Frequently works with:** [John Carpenter](https://film.one/person/john-carpenter.md), [Kurt Russell](https://film.one/person/kurt-russell.md), [Larry J. Franco](https://film.one/person/larry-franco.md), [Keith David](https://film.one/person/keith-david.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 64 (1), 1980s 75 (8), 1990s 71 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 70 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Science Fiction 8, Action 6, Adventure 6, Thriller 5, Comedy 2, Fantasy 2
- **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $965m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Howarth_(composer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q730362, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0397697/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15445

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Thing*](https://film.one/film/the-thing.md) (88), [*Escape from New York*](https://film.one/film/escape-from-new-york.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Alan Howarth is an American composer and sound designer. He is credited with music on *The Thing* (1982), *Big Trouble in Little China* (1986) and *They Live* (1988).

Born on 6 August 1948 in South River, New Jersey, Howarth grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where he played in local rock bands. He later worked with synthesizers and provided support for Weather Report before moving to Los Angeles. His film career began with sound design on *Star Trek: The Motion Picture* (1979) and subsequent entries in the series. He is known for his frequent collaborations with John Carpenter on scores including *Escape from New York* (1981), *Halloween II* (1981), *Christine* (1983), *Prince of Darkness* (1987) and several *Halloween* sequels. Howarth has also contributed sound effects to films such as *Raiders of the Lost Ark* (1981) and *Poltergeist* (1982), and was part of Oscar-winning sound teams for *The Hunt for Red October* (1990) and *Bram Stoker's Dracula* (1992).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, filmmusic.com, alanhowarth.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (10)

- *The Mask* (1994), Fi1m 71, Sound Effects Editor — [page](https://film.one/film/the-mask.md)
- *Star Trek V: The Final Frontier* (1989), Fi1m 45, Sound Effects — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-v-the-final-frontier.md)
- *They Live* (1988), Fi1m 79, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/they-live.md)
- *Big Trouble in Little China* (1986), Fi1m 78, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/big-trouble-in-little-china.md)
- *Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home* (1986), Fi1m 78, Sound Effects — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-iv-the-voyage-home.md)
- *Star Trek III: The Search for Spock* (1984), Fi1m 68, Sound Effects — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-iii-the-search-for-spock.md)
- *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan* (1982), Fi1m 85, Special Sound Effects — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan.md)
- *The Thing* (1982), Fi1m 88, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-thing.md)
- *Escape from New York* (1981), Fi1m 76, Sound Effects, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/escape-from-new-york.md)
- *Star Trek: The Motion Picture* (1979), Fi1m 64, Sound Effects — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-the-motion-picture.md)

## Complete filmography (51)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Accidental Truth: Next - Beyond UFO Disclosure* (2026), Music
- *Dante's Hotel* (2023), Original Music Composer
- *Hoax* (2019), Original Music Composer
- *House at the End of the Drive* (2014), Music
- *Snow Moon: Cinderella Chronicles Saga* (2014), Director
- *Halloween: Harvest of Souls, 1985* (2013), Music
- *The Nightmare Isn't Over! The Making of Halloween II* (2012), Thanks
- *Basement Jack* (2010), Original Music Composer
- *The Spiderwick Chronicles* (2008), Special Sound Effects
- *Evilution* (2008), Original Music Composer
- *Headless Horseman* (2007), Music
- *Planet Terror* (2007), Music
- *Boo* (2005), Original Music Composer
- *Halloween 4: Final Cut* (2001), Actor
- *Alone with a Stranger* (2000), Music
- *Her Married Lover* (1999), Music
- *The Dentist 2* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Amanda & the Alien* (1998), Supervising Sound Editor
- *The Dentist* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *Tank Girl* (1995), Special Sound Effects
- *The Mask* (1994), Sound Effects Editor — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/the-mask.md)
- *Arcade* (1993), Music
- *Fortress* (1992), Supervising Sound Editor
- *Army of Darkness* (1992), Sound Designer, Sound Supervisor
- *Project Alien* (1990), Sound Editor
- *Total Recall* (1990), Special Sound Effects — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/total-recall.md)
- *Back to the Future Part III* (1990), Special Sound Effects
- *Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers* (1989), Original Music Composer
- *Star Trek V: The Final Frontier* (1989), Sound Effects — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-v-the-final-frontier.md)
- *They Live* (1988), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/they-live.md)
- *Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers* (1988), Original Music Composer
- *Brothers in Arms* (1988), Music
- *Phantasm II* (1988), Sound Designer
- *Prince of Darkness* (1987), Original Music Composer
- *Retribution* (1987), Music
- *Heartbeat* (1987), Sound Editor
- *Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home* (1986), Sound Effects — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-iv-the-voyage-home.md)
- *Big Trouble in Little China* (1986), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/big-trouble-in-little-china.md)
- *My Science Project* (1985), Sound Effects Designer
- *Head Office* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *The Lost Empire* (1984), Music
- *Star Trek III: The Search for Spock* (1984), Sound Effects — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-iii-the-search-for-spock.md)
- *Christine* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Halloween III: Season of the Witch* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *The Thing* (1982), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-thing.md)
- *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan* (1982), Special Sound Effects — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan.md)
- *Halloween II* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Escape from New York* (1981), Original Music Composer, Sound Effects — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/escape-from-new-york.md)
- *Battle Beyond the Stars* (1980), Special Sound Effects
- *Star Trek: The Motion Picture* (1979), Sound Effects — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-the-motion-picture.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/alan-howarth