General Discussion Movie Themes and/or Soundtracks you dislike (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Here is a thread where negativity will be widely accepted

There are threads about movie soundtracks that you love. Now, I'd like to know about themes and/or soundtracks you dislike.

I just had this conversation in another thread earlier this morning and thought it might make for a more expansive discussion.

So, this is the one that came to mind for me...

GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL

I love this movie, but the theme song by Frankie Lane sounds like it was phoned in. Repetitive, dull, monotonous.

 

[Robert Crawford]

O K Corral, O K Corral! I disagree with Ron about this song.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Mary Poppins

Born Free

During my 1960s childhood when those movies came out, those theme songs were unbearable to me. The Sound of Music wasn’t far off either.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In dedication to Ron:

 

[Sultanofcinema]

In dedication to Ron:

I saw The Big Bounce in 1969 with Ryan O Neal and Leigh Taylor Young. Mike Curb's score destroyed the film and was way out of place. The ONLY thing that makes this film bearable is Leigh Taylor Young.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

I also have to add that David Arnold's James Bond scores are pathetic. There is normally one song on each soundtrack for the films that are worth listening to.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Thinking of the Bond franchise, this comes to mind...

Sam Smith's Writing on the Wall as the intro to Spectre; not because it is a bad song but because Spectre by Radiohead is so much better and should have been used.

- Walter.

 

[Tino]

First thing that pops in my head is Dave Grusin's score to The Firm I remember being so distracted by it thinking it didn’t fit the film at all.

 

[David_B_K]

Here is a thread where negativity will be widely accepted

There are threads about movie soundtracks that you love. Now, I'd like to know about themes and/or soundtracks you dislike.

I just had this conversation in another thread earlier this morning and thought it might make for a more expansive discussion.

So, this is the one that came to mind for me...

GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL

I love this movie, but the theme song by Frankie Lane sounds like it was phoned in. Repetitive, dull, monotonous.

I like the song because I find it dated and feel that adds a 1950's feel to the movie. I don't feel that Laine phoned it in, but maybe the lyric writers did. If anything I find Laine's vocals almost too intense (he sang everything with intensity). A good example is this rather banal lyric which Frankie sings as if it is the most important part of the song:

"Wyatt roamed the west, and though he fought the best,
by nature he preferred it nice and peaceful,
sort of slow, and sort of easy-go, but he was quick on the draw
and Wyatt's word was law, was law, was laaaaaw!"

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I like the song because I find it dated and feel that adds a 1950's feel to the movie. I don't feel that Laine phoned it in, but maybe the lyric writers did. If anything I find Laine's vocals almost too intense (he sang everything with intensity). A good example is this rather banal lyric which Frankie sings as if it is the most important part of the song:

"Wyatt roamed the west, and though he fought the best,
by nature he preferred it nice and peaceful,
sort of slow, and sort of easy-go, but he was quick on the draw
and Wyatt's word was law, was law, was laaaaaw!"

David,

Good point and I was wrong on this one. Laine didn't write the song. He just had to sing it.

 

[JohnRice]

The movie that comes to mind first for me is High Noon.

 

[Malcolm R]

I also have to add that David Arnold's James Bond scores are pathetic. There is normally one song on each soundtrack for the films that are worth listening to.

Thinking of the Bond franchise, this comes to mind...

Sam Smith's Writing on the Wall as the intro to Spectre; not because it is a bad song but because Spectre by Radiohead is so much better and should have been used.

- Walter.

Most of the recent Bond theme songs have been pretty awful, IMO. I'm not sure who picks the artists or the songs, or why they think most of these are good. From the 1990's forward, the only ones I've thought were listenable were Tina Turner's "GoldenEye" and Adele's "Skyfall".

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The Joan Baez-sung songs from the opening and closing of “Silent Running” - you’ve got this beautiful state-of-the-art (for its time) special effects and space ship montage opening the film, and a dramatic ending with a strong visual, which should be immersing the audience far into the future, but the songs just scream “it’s 1970 in here!!!” and for me it just shatters any sense of leaving the here and now.

 

[JohnRice]

The Joan Baez-sung songs from the opening and closing of “Silent Running” - you’ve got this beautiful state-of-the-art (for its time) special effects and space ship montage opening the film, and a dramatic ending with a strong visual, which should be immersing the audience far into the future, but the songs just scream “it’s 1970 in here!!!” and for me it just shatters any sense of leaving the here and now.

I always took that as an interesting paradox. Yes, it's science fiction set in the future, but that ship is the last vestige of nature. I took the Baez song as representing something that was being lost.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I always took that as an interesting paradox. Yes, it's science fiction set in the future, but that ship is the last vestige of nature. I took the Baez song as representing something that was being lost.

If only the song, for me, evoked nature - but all I get is overproduced 70s drivel from it. I concede it may have worked just fine in its original time period but that dates the movie for me more than anything else on the screen. It feels like one of those “let’s throw a pop song on the soundtrack so we can sell some extra LPs” tracks that were all the rage at the time.

 

[JohnRice]

If only the song, for me, evoked nature - but all I get is overproduced 70s drivel from it. I concede it may have worked just fine in its original time period but that dates the movie for me more than anything else on the screen. It feels like one of those “let’s throw a pop song on the soundtrack so we can sell some extra LPs” tracks that were all the rage at the time.

I'm probably trying too hard to find a reason for it. I do remember the first time I saw it after seeing it on TV in the '70s, and being struck by what an odd choice it was.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm probably trying too hard to find a reason for it.

Film professors at colleges that charge students $40,000 a year make similar points so I think you’re just underpaid

 

[SD_Brian]

The alternate Phillip Glass score for Dracula (1931) is so distracting I've never been able to watch more than a few minutes of the movie before switching back to the normal soundtrack.

 

[JimJasper]

* Composer Pino Donaggio - 1976's "Carrie" with its often compelling, universal moments in the film... Most often he got it right and enhanced the film.... but then sometimes Donaggio's overly-playful moments competed with some intense moments. Less was more.

* Composer Pino Donaggio - 1979's "Tourist Trap" yes, not the best film, and not aged well... but I would argue had some nightmarish moments at the time. Donaggio's carefully fucked up nursery-rhyme, jack-in-the-box like music made the ridiculous parts 1000x worse; like "Carrie" his music would sometimes compete with the film. <-- this is the main film I would highlight for this thread.

...that said, generally going forward, Pino Donaggio's soundtracks blossomed beautifully... 1980's "Dressed to Kill," 1981's "Blow Out" (John Travolta), 1984's "Body Double" are terrific scores. They did not compete with the film, but had their own character and enhanced the film. Much more finesse. ♫♪

 

[DarkVader]

"Stop! I Don’t Wanna Hear It Any More" sung by Melanie from the film, R.P.M. (1970) - Songs/Score courtesy of Barry DeVorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. It's a stinker.