Goldsmithfan 3 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Last night, I was watching that lovely show The Girls Next Door. That could actually be a topic in itself, titled "Why do people watch The Girls Next Door?" Well, I occasionally watch it because it's more than dumb enough to amuse me . . . and Bridget looks quite good; if only she'd ditch the blonde.Getting back on track, the second episode last night was a Christmas one so, as you'd expect, the good ol' Christmas music popped up during the festivities. Around the last ten minutes or so material from Home Alone started popping up. At first I didn't think I was hearing what I thought I was hearing. And about one and a half seconds later I realized I was. It was pretty surprising, but at least it was a good choice of Christmas music. In fact, the only other scores I can think of right now that have a Christmassy sound to them are Die Hard and Gremlins. I think they made the right choice.This incident reminded me of other times movie music has popped up in unexpected places.Another time was when I was watching The Late Show With David Letterman. Well, I wasn't watching it so much as I was looking for a CD to listen to. Dave went into the "True Stories of Late Show Interns". To my surprise, a snippet of the Taxi Driver main title popped up along with the logo on the TV screen. My head snapped in the direction of the music, but it left as abruptly as it had come.The most random incident I can think of was on Saturday Night Live. I happened across a sketch called "Space: The Infinite Universe", which starred Jeff Goldblum and Will Ferrell (who I usually don't find all that amusing). The logo music they chose for the beginning of the sketch was none other than Goldsmith's rerecording of "Bones" from 2001: A Space Odyssey. That one struck a bizarre cord in me more than the other ones, probably because of the fact that the score had remained so obscure for so long that the last place I expected to hear it was on Saturday Night Live.Anyway, do any of you guys have stories of film music being used in unexpected places?I betcha do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 The song "From Russia with Love" was used during live Darts once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 When I went on a family trip out west in 2000, there was music from Hook (The Ultimate War) used for a stunt show at Old Tucson in Arizona. I didn't even realize it until wathcing it on video months later, after I had become familiar with Williams' music.Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgaFlippinMan 7 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 two years ago i had to study this local novel for an exam. too make things 'easier', the school forced us to watch a local movie, adapted from the novel. the book was bad, the movie was worse, but what really took me by surprise (and sort off pissed me off) was that the climactic battle (horribly shot, as with the rest of the movie) was underscored by The Battle of Hoth...and had the piano hits not used in ESB no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 1,394 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I first heard bits of Hans Zimmer's score to Drop Zone in the trailer for POTC: TCOTBP. At the time, I figured it was part of the score to the upcoming movie, since I'd never seen Drop Zone. I was at Paramount's Great America in California shortly after, standing in line for the ride "Drop Zone," when I suddenly heard familiar music--"Too Many Notes - Not Enough Rest," though I still assumed it was music from Pirates. I couldn't figure out why pirate music would be playing in the queue for this completely unrelated ride. Call it proof that all MV music sounds the same, call it stupidity on my part, call it grossly unrelated to this thread. Whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 2,084 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 The UK version of the Apprentice has used all kinds of scores to add to the show's drama - the list of music used is here.A recent Top Gear special (I'm not into cars so I don't normally watch this) had the 3 guys on a road trip across the US, which I couldn't resist. Anyway, the show was absolutely covered in recognizable scores, from Lawrence of Arabia (for Clarkson turning up at their campsite with a cow on his roof), to Road to Perdition (for the guys driving through Alabama with some pretty offensive slogans painted on their cars). I am now the best friend of whoever chose the music for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 73 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 When I went on a family trip out west in 2000, there was music from Hook (The Ultimate War) used for a stunt show at Old Tucson in Arizona. I didn't even realize it until wathcing it on video months later, after I had become familiar with Williams' music.Ray BarnsburyThats a funny thought. I once heard Elfman's "What's This?" from Nightmare in a trailer for The Santa Clause 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckM 1 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I went to a professional magic show once, and they used The Imperial March, and the Back to the Future theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wycket 36 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 They were playing a bunch of Hook music on Sportscenter once. Quite odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jediwashington 59 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 yeah, hook seems to be popular. They were using a Cincinnati Pops recording of the hook theme to advertise a regular Cincinnati symphony concert a while back on the radio. ~JW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Back in high school I used to work fast food and one time I went to re-new my health card and the film we had to watch used The Wrath of Khan's end title music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 480 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 A recent Top Gear special (I'm not into cars so I don't normally watch this) had the 3 guys on a road trip across the US, which I couldn't resist. Anyway, the show was absolutely covered in recognizable scores, from Lawrence of Arabia (for Clarkson turning up at their campsite with a cow on his roof), to Road to Perdition (for the guys driving through Alabama with some pretty offensive slogans painted on their cars). I am now the best friend of whoever chose the music for it The music choices on Top Gear are awesome. James May was driving a car around Volkswagen's test track earlier this year with Duel of the Fates and Fall of a House in Venice playing. Saving the World (Superman Returns) has also been used twice this season. They use a lot of filmmusic there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholas 1 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 In the UK they used the beautiful opening tune from Faure's "Agnus Dei" on a commercial for easy spread margarine. Seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melange 446 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Anyone who has been to Thailand and seen their soap operas on TV, will be aqquainted with how much they use film scores out of the blue. One of their favourites seemed to be the bouncy quirky - "Jar jars theme" for moments when a neighbour is snooping on another neighbour or something like that. They use it again and again and again. It became rather "ingrained". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 480 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I think there's a Chinese network that uses a bit from Kamen's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves to play over their news bumpers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melange 446 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Prince of ThievesTo some American industries, that probably describes the up and coming China very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant 1,093 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Yesterday I went to ice hockey match where they played Gustavo Santaolalla's unforgettable film themesall the time to cheer people up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Many years ago I saw a fantasy martial arts film from China that used Williams' music from CE3K and Jaws. Some of the cues were the original and some were new recordings.One of the character's specialty was to burrow underground so the Jaws theme was used for him.It was so bad I just had to watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 73 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 yeah, hook seems to be popular. They were using a Cincinnati Pops recording of the hook theme to advertise a regular Cincinnati symphony concert a while back on the radio. ~JWI think that is because Hook is not the most recognizable Williams score, but it is still great music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 1,394 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Oh yeah, I was in a bookstore the other day when I randomly heard a tenor sax rendition of Williams' theme from Schindler's List playing. Go figure. It was quite nice, actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro 57 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 i was in a hotel in China, and playing in the lobby was an elevator-style version of the Schindler's List theme. i'd forgotten about it till just now. i remember it took me a minute to recognize it, there in that foreign country, in that foreign genre... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgaFlippinMan 7 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Oh yeah, I was in a bookstore the other day when I randomly heard a tenor sax rendition of Williams' theme from Schindler's List playing. Go figure. It was quite nice, actually.Dave Koz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futuremartymcfly 0 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 A couple months ago I was watching Dateline, and throughout the show they played cues from Signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melange 446 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 A couple months ago I was watching Dateline, and throughout the show they played cues from Signs.Haha, that is pretty good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruckhorn 72 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 How about "Over the Moon" from E.T. in a commercial for a law firm?Seeing that one gave me the courage to use "Out to Sea" from Jaws for a radio spot for a seafood restaurant. (BTW, the owner of the restaurant recognized the music and gave it a thumbs up.) When mixing spots, I frequently went to film music cues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 73 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 I recently saw James Newton Howard's flying theme from Peter Pan in some Disney commercials. It fits really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Yeah, Disney has made liberal use of that music in its recent "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign, including on the vacation planning DVDs and the official website. They similarly used the tryouts theme from Rudy a couple years back.Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futuremartymcfly 0 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 I recently saw James Newton Howard's flying theme from Peter Pan in some Disney commercials. It fits really well.I've always found it ironic how Disney's using Universal's Peter Pan theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 It is curious. Although the music works well in the ads, I don't see why they don't use something original, or even something Disney-related.Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldsmithfan 3 Posted March 19, 2007 Author Share Posted March 19, 2007 Yeah, Disney has made liberal use of that music in its recent "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign, including on the vacation planning DVDs and the official website. They similarly used the tryouts theme from Rudy a couple years back.Ray BarnsburyLiving near Notre Dame as I do often times sucks in terms of awkward uses of film music. For several months last year, any time a commercial for the news on our NBC affiliate popped up, so did "Tryouts" from Rudy. Drove me nuts for some reason. I'm glad it's over . . . for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Why, would you have preferred Menken's Hunchback? Or Tiersen's Amelie for that matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomeNewGuy 0 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I heard a muzaked version of CE3K in a grocery store one time. That was odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I shudder when I think of all the music, not just film scores but regular songs, that have been violated when it comes to muzak versions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodMusician 53 Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Recently I went to Universal: Islands of Adventure and in Sues Landing they were playing music from Home Alone 2 ... I was caugt by surprise ad waskinda... confused lol...I thought this was gonna be more of a topic of "Weird uses of music in film" ...to which I was gonna say the music in Chronicles of Narnia when they were riding the train always caught me as... awkward... heh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana_Fett 0 Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 I heard the Aliens score in Die Hard. No idea what's going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 There was a recent Die Hard thread that discussed this but I'm too lazy to look it up so....The final 10 minutes of Die Hard are tracked with music from John Scott's Man On Fire and Horner's Aliens. It does not appear that Kamen wrote anything to accompany these scenes.What's even more amusing to me is that the piece from Aliens is actually un-used in it's own film and the scene it was composed for features tracked music as well, although it's a repeat of "Bishop's Countdown". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldsmithfan 3 Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Why, would you have preferred Menken's Hunchback? Or Tiersen's Amelie for that matter?It's annoying as hell to have that music associated with watching the news."Coverage you can count on!"[Tryouts in the background] Gimme a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana_Fett 0 Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 There was a recent Die Hard thread that discussed this but I'm too lazy to look it up so....The final 10 minutes of Die Hard are tracked with music from John Scott's Man On Fire and Horner's Aliens. It does not appear that Kamen wrote anything to accompany these scenes.What's even more amusing to me is that the piece from Aliens is actually un-used in it's own film and the scene it was composed for features tracked music as well, although it's a repeat of "Bishop's Countdown".The scene that required the music seemed very anti-climactic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightscape94 965 Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Every time I hear those pounding trumpets in Die Hard, I think of "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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