What films have you seen that are great films, yet have terrible scores? Usually it's the other way around(helloooo 90% of Goldsmith's output!), but I'm sure there are examples.

My two come from the world of 007....
DR. NO(is this a joke? Under the freaking' Mango Tree!)
GOLDENEYE(it just doesn't work, and Ladies First actually makes me break out in hives!Gah!)

Films where either the music is just bad, or ill-fitting to the images.

What do you think Sirs?
Sean

I'm trying to think of some other ones. But nothing's comming. That's what I get for thinking.

NP: The Shipping News (Clips)

How about anything even close, cues if necessary...any scores/cues that are bad,out of place, or just simply annoying....I had a good one awhile back, but can't remember it now!

I guess you could say LADYHAWKE, but I know it has its fans, and it's not a GREAT film(although I think it's a good one).

Bad production, bad music:

SMALLVILLE

:)

Sorry, had to say it.

Hmmm... good movie but bad score... there are tons of examples, I'm sure, but I seem to be under the same spell as everybody. Can't think of one beyond GOLDENEYE.

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Originally posted by Boatnh8084:
Couldn't you just make the argument that part of what makes a film good is the score? Therefore, a film lacking a good score could never achieve total greatness. And don't forget that Dr. No, even though "Mango Tree" is campy, did introduce The main bond theme, which definately doesn't suck.

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This is true, but I know I've seen films that moved me, all the while thinking 'this music stinks!' Or 'It would be nice if the score would do X instead of Y'.
I know it's pretty subjective really, and I will try to find some better examples tonight....as for Dr No...sure it introduces the Bond theme, but it's the worst take I've heard of it!

1000 apologies to Dr. No fans(I didn't know you were out there!)
Sean

It had plenty of moments to 'do something', but just lies there, like synth roadkill...and this coming from someone who likes electronic scores!

I know some may add T2 to this, but the score is part of the personality of that film, and does manage to enhance it, so you can't use that one

NP: Basic Instinct (Jerry)

I would say MI:II but I didn't really like the movie either.

Okay, try these:

X-Men - completely forgettable score by Michael Kamen. (Thank goodness)

Forbidden Planet – Wretched score, probably the single most important SCI-FI flick of the fifties after Day the Erath Stood Still. You can still watch it today.

Andromeda Strain – The most strained thing here was the music!

The Last Dragon (Okay, I know this is a bad flick, but I do love it even though it sucks) Sho’nuff!!!

Road Warrior – Brian May’s score does little for me, but this film is incredible!

Patton – (Not Really. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.)

A Simple Plan & A Civil Action – I’m sorry, but Danny Elfman’s textural sound approach is just boring. There. I said it!

Buckeroo Banzai – The perfect camp classic. Too bad about the score.

Streets of Fire – This great fable actually has a score by James Horner? Amazing!

Of course someone may be irritated by some of the choices here,but I think that all opinions are valid. It's fun to see how our tastes differ, and while I don't agree with all the choices, it's fun to see what people pick.

TRAUMA does play better as an album, but it is out of place in parts...I don't care for the film really, but that's just me!

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Pete - trying desperately to pick his way through the worms.

Now, I must confess I don't mind Moroder as much as others on the board here, but it didn't seem to fit anything other than the 70's(Midnight Express). And that is a real top drawer film, the type of universally accepted film I was thinking of!
I always think of air shows when I hear that Chase cue, since I saw an air show in town years ago, and they played this cue ad nauseum over the loudspeakers....not sure why, but they did!

As for Trauma...well, I had seen all of Argento's other films first, and by the time I FINALLY tracked down an unrated copy of Trauma, despite being an Argento film, with a score by someone who's work I really love(Donaggio), and makeup efx by the best in the biz(Tom Savini), aside from a few moments it really let me down. Maybe it was that bizzaro non-sequitur ending!

I don't think anyone should be afraid of sharing they're opinions, and it's nice to have some healthy discussion going on this, at least that's what I belive...hell, my 2nd favorite film of all time(and the score I would happily donate body parts to have complete)has been mentioned here!(The Road Warrior)...but it's no skin off my nose!

I have loved that film since seeing it as a little kid and have nothing against the score; however, I also will not argue with the Herrmann prospects mentioned. 'S an intriguing thought. As such, see the following and think of the "underachieving" characterization posited earlier.

Howard, that's true. But the films could have been much better, had they had a different score. In fact, everything else in the film was good, but the score let things down a bit. At least, I think that's basically what we're going for here.

Yes. Well stated. And along these latest lines, I would love to see Titanic underscored with Herrmann's Farenheit 451 in place of the existing music.

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I think the only problem with Howard's comment seems to be that you're all arguing on a technicality. Only the wording is really in question. What we're really trying to find, regardless of how you say it, is a film that disappointed musically but pleased in every other aspect. It's just difficult to say all that in a thread title. Technically, I agree with Howard; if the music was bad enough that it caused you to notice it was bad, then that makes the film as a whole less coherent.

Most of the choices that I have been named I either have not seen/heard or do not agree with. The only one that has entered into my mind in the few days since this topic began has been Disturbing Behavior, which I thought was much better than the average teen horror flick (though still not great either). My example doesn't even count, because it was the overabundance of songs in the soundtrack, not Mark Snow's score, which made the film much less enjoyable.

My failure to think of anything that truly falls into the realm of this discussion makes me further convinced that what the esteemed Mr. L says is true. At least, it is true for me.

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Originally Posted by Kosh
ALIENS. I never liked Horner's simplistic and almost minimalistic score

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Hmmm, it's strange because although I love Horner's score to Aliens and even though some tracks are a complete rip off of the Gayane Ballet Suite from 2001: a space odyssey (I think it's this piece, anyway), I don't really consider this score simplistic or minimalist at all, especially for Horner.

NP: Thomas Crown Affair Complete - Conti
*****/*****

See anything that Halnszimer scored to understand what I am saying.

Just like GREAT movies with BAD scores are transformed into just GOOD movies...

See TERMINATOR 2, LADYHAWKE, ALIENS...

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Originally posted by Marc Flake:
So, did I pass on a great movie? What's the score really like?

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If don't think it's a great movie, but it is very good. Very underrated, mostly, I think, because no one could figure out who it was made for. It was obvious to me that Bluth & Goldman were going for a mainstream animated film for adults and older teens, but it seems most Americans see animation and automatically think "kids' flick." But I ramble...

The score contains some moments of Revell's typical techno stuff contrasted rather obtusely with some of the richest orchestral writing he's ever done. I was highly impressed with it, especially because I had never liked anything of Revell's up until that point. I've been consistently impressed with his work ever since then, actually.

The point is, I think the movie's worth your rental money. If you don't like it, you can kick me for free.

Where are you? I'm putting my Justin Ropers on.

I rented this movie last weekend and ended up hitting the fast forward button three times--mainly for the horrible rock music that was playing in the foreground.

I will conceed the music didn't trash the movie, they were both trash, as far as I was concerned. Of course that's just my opinion. What do I know?