Photo by runnyrem | Unsplash

Doctor Sleep

The tremendous, Doctor Sleep is a horror film based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Stephen King, a sequel to King’s 1977 novel The Shining. The film, following up the 1980 film adaptation of The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is set several decades after the events of the original, and combines elements of the 1977 novel as well. Doctor Sleep is written, directed, and edited by Mike Flanagan.

Mike Flanagan is one of my all time favorite directors. He uses the horror genre as a vehicle for heartfelt storytelling. Flanagan’s films always have a deeper meaning and subtext. They resolve beautifully — much like the early M. Night films.

His usual film composers are The Newton Brothers (Andy Grush and Taylor Newton Stewart). I first discovered their work while watching, Mike Flanagan’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ on Netflix. The music is incredible and (to me) acts as an additional character or ghost in the series.

After that, my wife and I went though and watched every Flanagan/Newton Brother film available. Doctor Sleep is definitely my new favorite, but I highly recommend ‘Gerald’s Game’ and ‘Hush’ too.

This cue is originally written by Wendy Carlos (A Clockwork Orange, The Shining) and Rachel Elking – the creative partner of Carlos. The Newton Brothers have used it sparingly and brilliantly in Doctor Sleep. The rest of their soundtrack is really an unsettling soundscape of long dissonant notes. (Perfect for creeping out trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.)

You might also like to play…
(some other pieces from the Newton/Flanagan nexus)

The Haunting of Bly Manor | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

The Haunting of Hill House | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

How to play The Overlook | fingerstyle guitar

The guitar tab for The Overlook is beautifully written across two pages. This arrangement is more of my own thing with The Shining cue. However, I was heavily inspired by The Newton Brothers and Mike Flanagan. I tried to (respectively) create the depth and heart you typically find with their scores and films. Enjoy, the guitar tab is available below:

This is fairly easy to play, as I never more than two fingers on the guitar at one time. You’ll play straight through the guitar tab from start to finish without repeats.

**Doctor Sleep: The Overlook | fingerstyle guitar

The Overlook is played in an open G Minor tuning. From Low to high: D G D G A# D.