La Valse des Monstres is the first album released by Yann Tiersen. It includes several pieces he wrote for short films and the accompaniment for plays in addition to original pieces. The first eleven tracks were written for the theatrical adaptations of Freaks, a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film directed by Tod Browning, and the last six pieces for the theatrical representation of the classic Japanese musical drama The Damask Drum rewritten by Japanese author, poet and playwright, Yukio Mishima in 1955.