Who composed the music for Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear?

Elmer Bernstein composed the music for Martin Scorsese’s 1991 film Cape Fear.

Cape Fear is a psychological thriller starring Robert De Niro as convicted rapist Max Cady and Nick Nolte as attorney Sam Bowden. Cady pursues Bowden and his family after being released from prison, creating a tense story about revenge, guilt, and legal responsibility.

Bernstein’s score was written for Scorsese’s remake of the 1962 film Cape Fear. The earlier movie’s music had been composed by Bernard Herrmann, best known for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. Bernstein incorporated and reworked themes associated with Herrmann’s score while creating music for the new production.

The 1991 version was not a wholly unrelated remake: it deliberately acknowledged the earlier film through its plot, characters, and musical connection. Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Martin Balsam—stars of the 1962 version—also appeared in supporting roles in Scorsese’s film. Robert De Niro received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor as Max Cady.