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"Evanescence" and other [i]terrible[/i] music in the movies

post #1 of 75
10/24/05 at 10:20am
Thread Starter 
As suggested in the "best" thread, how about the bad music? Maybe it doesn't fit the tone of the film, maybe its dated and laughable by the time the movie is over, or maybe its just a really shitty song. Some that come to mind immediately.

Daredevil

-All of it. Of all the problems, this one is the most glaring and unfixable. If its not shitty light rock its Evanesence, or Pharrell over the intro to Kingpin. This film will be in an eternal 2003 time warp thanks to this crappy soundtrack.

Gangs of New York

Scorsese is usualy the undisputed master of music, but why he put some bad techno beat to his 1850s street brawl is beyond me.

Die Another Day

-Bond songs aren't exactly the stuff of legends, but this is even worse. Madonna's title song has nothing approaching music in it, just a lame hodge podge of techno beats and synth sounds, with her digital voice laid over top. It's not Bond music, and it certainly isn't goo. David Arnold hated it so much he refused to integrate it into the score as the Bond films usually have.

Batman

-A famous offender, the Prince songs are bad, and even worse in the context of a gothic Batman film. Burton supposedly tried for Michael Jackson, but I can't think that would have been any better,

What else?
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post #2 of 75
10/24/05 at 10:47am
I'm still trying to figure out the point of Jeremy Davies listening to Insane Clown Posse in SOLARIS. The worst thing is, I bet there is a reason, and I'm just not smart enough or up on ICP to know.

Also, why do the Transformers dance to Weird Al in TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE? I get the rest of the music, but why that? DARE TO BE STUPID?

Plus, THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU takes place in the future, but Val Kilmer's headphones are clearly playing an early nineties alt-rock song.
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post #3 of 75
10/24/05 at 10:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stew
Burton supposedly tried for Michael Jackson, but I can't think that would have been any better.
I always heard that the Prince stuff was not Burton's idea. Far from it. Batman was a major WB film, Prince was a major WB recording artist. You do the math.
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post #4 of 75
10/24/05 at 11:03am
It’s difficult to make a positive case for any 80s synth/drum-machine flooded score. Dishonourable mentions must go to The Pope of Greenwich Village (the heist scenes with the god-awful percussion), Scarface (Michelle Pfeiffer’s introduction, made even worse by the dead poodle on her head). Also just about everything by Michael Nyman (esp. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover), Phillip Glass and, of course, Georgio Moroder.
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post #5 of 75
10/24/05 at 11:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Foster
It’s difficult to make a positive case for any 80s synth/drum-machine flooded score. Dishonourable mentions must go to The Pope of Greenwich Village (the heist scenes with the god-awful percussion), Scarface (Michelle Pfeiffer’s introduction, made even worse by the dead poodle on her head). Also just about everything by Michael Nyman (esp. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover), Phillip Glass and, of course, Georgio Moroder.
Your sir have crossed a line.

I shall defend the scores of Koyannisqatsi, Mishima, and The Secret Agent until my deathbed.

Also the music in The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover was pretty great. The only reason you'd not like that score is if you were expecting some bizarre alt-rock soundtrack
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post #6 of 75
10/24/05 at 12:11pm
Equilibrium is a fantastic movie, but the rock guitar heroics at the end seemed a bit silly, especially considering what an outstanding job the one-man-orchestra guy (Klaus something-or-other) did in laying on the atmosphere early on. I guess that's what happens when your movie is cheap.
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post #7 of 75
10/24/05 at 12:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Foster
Also just about everything by Michael Nyman (esp. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover), Phillip Glass and, of course, Georgio Moroder.
Didn't Michael Nyman do The Ice Storm though? That music was lovely...sad and haunting.
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post #8 of 75
10/24/05 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall
Your sir have crossed a line.

I shall defend the scores of Koyannisqatsi, Mishima, and The Secret Agent until my deathbed.
I'm willing to give a bit of ground on TSA because I don't recall experiencing the customary Glass-induced desire to skewer my eardrums with a dental probe.

Quote:
Also the music in The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover was pretty great. The only reason you'd not like that score is if you were expecting some bizarre alt-rock soundtrack
I hate alt-rock so that can’t be the answer.

The score for TCTTHWAHL supersedes Valium.
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post #9 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Foster
Also just about everything by Michael Nyman (esp. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover), Phillip Glass and, of course, Georgio Moroder.
Didn't Moroder do the American score for The NeverEnding Story? I know mostly he just reworked Klaus Doeinger's original orchestral score to be more "synth", but his original themes for Swamps of Sadness and the Ivory Tower are pretty good. Good enough to make somewhat of a case for using a synth score.

That case is immediatly refuted when you look at another synth score for a fantasy movie, in the form of both Legend and especially Ladyhawke. Probably moreso Ladyhawke, because the movie would've been damn near perfect if it hadn't been for the score, whereas Legend has problems all over the place.
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post #10 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:15pm
Although LEGEND's score was that way because of Universal, who didn't like Jerry Goldsmith's infinitely better symphonic score, as on the director's/European cut.
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post #11 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:22pm
Yes, Goldsmith's score was beautiful--the director's cut with the restored score & song bits really improve the movie, however, it doesn't improve it to the point where the plot problems don't still bug me.
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post #12 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Foster
I'm willing to give a bit of ground on TSA because I don't recall experiencing the customary Glass-induced desire to skewer my eardrums with a dental probe.



I hate alt-rock so that can’t be the answer.

The score for TCTTHWAHL supersedes Valium.
Isn't that kinda the point though...
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post #13 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:29pm
Spiderman.

Hero, anyone?
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post #14 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:39pm
Drowning Pool - Bodies

I feel no need to elaborate.
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post #15 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:40pm
I'll say BATMAN BEGINS. I don't think it's bad persay, just bland and in a movie where I felt it really needed that extra punch to take it over the edge, it didn't get it.
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post #16 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDI F. Kelly
Didn't Michael Nyman do The Ice Storm though? That music was lovely...sad and haunting.
Mychael Danna.
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post #17 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Brigden
I'll say BATMAN BEGINS. I don't think it's bad persay, just bland and in a movie where I felt it really needed that extra punch to take it over the edge, it didn't get it.
I don't remember there being a synth score in Batman Begins--some techno beats here and there and some synth flourishes, yeah, but by and large it's an orchestral affair.
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post #18 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:54pm
I was talking in context of the thread, not synth.
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post #19 of 75
10/24/05 at 1:57pm
Ah. I forgot what this thread was originally about.

In any case, I liked Begins' score. It was subtle and never overwhelmed the movie, two things that put it on the opposite side of the spectrum from the other four Bat flicks.
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post #20 of 75
10/24/05 at 2:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by g-dude
In any case, I liked Begins' score. It was subtle and never overwhelmed the movie, two things that put it on the opposite side of the spectrum from the other four Bat flicks.
True, but in the case of the first two films, the score being huge and bombastic wasn't a bad thing at all. Matter of fact, the problem with Batman 89 is that the score's carrying that film, at points when the footage should've been the main event, and not the other way around. Returns at least had more operatic themes going on that made the score feel appropriate.

With Begins, the film could've supported and at times demanded a huge score, and neither Zimmer or Howard could close the deal.
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post #21 of 75
10/24/05 at 2:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stew

Gangs of New York

Scorsese is usualy the undisputed master of music, but why he put some bad techno beat to his 1850s street brawl is beyond me.
That was actually a remix of a Peter Gabriel song, "Signal To Noise".
I love Gabriel so I will always defend that song's place in the film. It was a jarring and strange choice, which adds to the unique feel of that brawl.
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post #22 of 75
10/24/05 at 2:10pm
Exactly. Elfman's scores for the first two fit perfectly, and enhance the movies to no end, which is much more than I can say for the last two. It's kind of disappointing in a way, because Goldenthal is a talented guy (HEAT and ALIEN 3 are both fine scores) but the music for FOREVER and B&R is just so boring.
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post #23 of 75
10/24/05 at 8:23pm
I'd like to kill the person who thought Dashboard Confessional and Spiderman were a brilliant match.
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post #24 of 75
10/24/05 at 8:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seamus
I'd like to kill the person who thought Dashboard Confessional and Spiderman were a brilliant match.
Thank you. What a buzzkill, to watch such an amazing movie, then, as you're exiting the theatre getting ready to profess your love of the film to your friends, and then you hear some sappy emo rock song kick in. It's stunning in its horriblness, although, to its sort-of credit, it's better than the first film's "Hero" song.
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post #25 of 75
10/24/05 at 8:38pm
About the Gangs of New York score, Harvey cut Elmer Bernstein's orginal score for the film, which was sadly the last score he would write. Of course, I can't speak for the quality of Bernstein's unheard work, but I think its safe to say that Scorsese and Weinstein butting heads brought the movie down musically.
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post #26 of 75
10/24/05 at 9:07pm
Well, he did get one last Oscar nomination the same year, for Far From Heaven. Plus, I seem to remember seeing a track with his name on it on the Gangs soundtrack. I could be wrong though.
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post #27 of 75
10/24/05 at 10:43pm
Spidey's been mentioned, but not yet in conjunction with Macy Gray. Did everyone else block that out? If so, I envy you.
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post #28 of 75
10/24/05 at 11:10pm
Yeah, Macy Gray was horrible, and yes, I try to keep that blocked out of my memory.
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post #29 of 75
10/24/05 at 11:34pm
So does Stan Lee.
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post #30 of 75
10/25/05 at 12:34am
I loved Glass' score for Undertow, and the score in the BB montage with Bruce fighting Ducard on the ice warmed the shit out of my cockles.
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post #31 of 75
10/25/05 at 10:36am
Not that the songs are horrible in and of themselves (and, in fact, "Fade Into You" is one of my alltime favorite songs), but their placement in Starship Troopers left me scratching my head. I don't know, I just somehow doubt that the youths of the future will be digging on Mazzy Star... that 's just me, though.
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post #32 of 75
10/25/05 at 4:35pm
Thread Starter 
As the ultimate Michael Mann fanboy, I almost can't bear to say this, but "Manhunter" has some bad music in the finale. His music is usually so timeless, but the heavy pounding 80s synth is pretty glaring, and not in a good way. For people that dislike the film, this is very often cited. I think the movie is great, but I can't help wanting some different music.

And Michael Nyman did Gattaca, which is fantastic.
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post #33 of 75
10/25/05 at 4:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stew
As the ultimate Michael Mann fanboy, I almost can't bear to say this, but "Manhunter" has some bad music in the finale. His music is usually so timeless, but the heavy pounding 80s synth is pretty glaring, and not in a good way. For people that dislike the film, this is very often cited. I think the movie is great, but I can't help wanting some different music.
I agree, but for some reason I like how In A Gadda Da Vidda plays over Dolarhyde's dead corpse. It gives the scene a dizzying blur of the mayhem that just ensued.
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post #34 of 75
10/26/05 at 12:19am
Evanescence (at least the singles) isn't half bad. Most recent rock bands are much worse.
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post #35 of 75
10/26/05 at 12:45am
Smashmouth playing all star in "Rat Race" is the worst ending to a movie, ever.
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post #36 of 75
10/26/05 at 10:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanzo Steel
Smashmouth playing all star in "Rat Race" is the worst ending to a movie, ever.
What about Shrek?
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post #37 of 75
10/26/05 at 6:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stew
And Michael Nyman did Gattaca, which is fantastic.
I can't stand that one, either.

I guess I'm just genetically programmed to dislike Nyman's work.
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post #38 of 75
8/22/06 at 12:11pm
I'm going to resurrect this thread, so that I can have the pleasure of adding Audioslave and Miami Vice to the mix...

... not to mention nonpoint over the end credits.

What the fuck happened, Mann?
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post #39 of 75
8/22/06 at 8:05pm
To counter this argument - That song "Bring It" or whatever that's playing at the end of Snake on a Plane. It was like icing on a hilarious cake. Awesome.
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post #40 of 75
8/22/06 at 8:25pm
End credit music doesn't ever bother me. As long as nothing awful gets in the way of my actual film, I'm fine.

...Plus, I kinda like that "Vindicated" song.
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post #41 of 75
8/22/06 at 8:45pm
The Legend soudtrack/s have grown on me both for different reasons. Goldsmith's for quality (however, he did use synths frequently on his layered 80's orchestral scores) and the Tangerine Dream one because of the ethereal & surreal quality to the film.

Macy Gray stops Spiderman in it's tracks mid-movie.

Nothing dates a film more than the 80's pop/synth music in Ladyhawke (and ironically, Hawk the Slayer). I would love to see LH re-scored in a "Special Richard Donner WTF Edition".
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post #42 of 75
8/22/06 at 9:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quarant
I'm going to resurrect this thread, so that I can have the pleasure of adding Audioslave and Miami Vice to the mix...

... not to mention nonpoint over the end credits.

What the fuck happened, Mann?
Those Audioslave bits in MIAMI VICE actually sounded promising (not to mention they were effective), and I'm far from being a fan of the band.
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post #43 of 75
8/23/06 at 6:52pm
This comment will kill me, but here goes...

Generally speaking, I cannot stand any of John Carpenter's music in his movies. Somttimes you get a good one (Halloween, Big Trouble in Little China, They Live), but most of the time it just sucks. Prince of Darkness is particularly bad.

I don't really like using pop songs in movies either. It dates the movie to a particular era, which detracts from enjoyment when re-watching the flick. Period music for a movie set in a particular time-frame is okay because the movie is supposed to be dated. But using modern music in movies lessens the overall quality of the flick down the road. Case in point: The Crow. Not a great movie by any stretch, but the early 90's alt music soundtrack hurts the film when watched today.
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post #44 of 75
8/23/06 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quarant
I'm going to resurrect this thread, so that I can have the pleasure of adding Audioslave and Miami Vice to the mix...

... not to mention nonpoint over the end credits.

What the fuck happened, Mann?
So that horrible LINKIN PARK song was only in the trailers?
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post #45 of 75
8/24/06 at 7:31am
Bad opening credit songs are the most offensive. See, for example, Doc Hollywood (not a bad little film at all, subsequently pretty-much remade as Cars). The song was 'The One and Only' by Chesney Hawks. Just...awful. I remember reading that the film's director, Michael Caton Jones, campaigned unsuccessfully to have it removed.

And I agree about bad 80s synth score, especially in Scarface. Yeuch. And I also concur about the watered down nu-metal score in Daredevil. Terrible, and just as dated.

And, while I'm here I'd like to say that I think Phillip Glass is a wonderful composer. Hell, I like Michael Nyman too.

Regarding pop songs in films, I don't mind it if the song is good and it works well in context, as in all of Tarantino's films, Goodfellas, and even A Knight's Tale. But it's screamingly obvious when it's shoe-horned in to satisfy a teen demographic or for some marketing synergy.

And contrary to myth, classical scores are not historically accurate in medievel-set films.
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post #46 of 75
8/24/06 at 7:46am
The Crow looks like a 90's rock video and sounds like one. I don't think that's a bad thing.

I've alway wondered what the hell was Mann thinking when he put Moby's horrible version of New Dawn Fades into Heat. It plays when Pacino drives after DeNiro before they go for a cup of coffee.
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post #47 of 75
8/24/06 at 8:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Devildoubt
This comment will kill me, but here goes...

Generally speaking, I cannot stand any of John Carpenter's music in his movies. Somttimes you get a good one (Halloween, Big Trouble in Little China, They Live), but most of the time it just sucks. Prince of Darkness is particularly bad.
That's one of the reasons The Thing will always be my favourite Carpenter film.
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post #48 of 75
9/2/06 at 8:46am
Serpico.

Serpico's a pretty interesting phenomenon, really...the music is totally incongruous with the style of the movie. It's what happens when a gritty 70's cop movie meets the standard studio cop music of the 50's and 60's.

It's as if the music has no idea that it's in a movie about police corruption.
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post #49 of 75
9/3/06 at 4:43am
LADYHAWKE should totally be rescored with the unused Jerry Goldsmith music from Timeline-think of the symmetry. it's Donner AND medievel. And Escape from LA should be scored with the music from Escape from New York.And Ghostbusters 2 is pure ass.Where's Elmer Bernstein? And Bobby Brown's song is in it like 5 times!
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post #50 of 75
9/3/06 at 2:44pm
They offered Bernstein to return for Ghostbusters II, but he declined. It's a shame, because the second movie is really hindered by not having that classic piano theme (among other things, such as not being very good). He said he was wanting to move away from comedies for a while.

He then turned around a year later and did the music for Oscar. What the hell.
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