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What is it with these bizarre scores?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:44 am
by GishFan
Tried to check out Cleopatra on TCM last night, but it had the most god-awful "music" accompaniment. There have been a number of these in recent years. Who is commissioning these scores? And why? They completely take you out of the movie, as the music does not at all mesh with what is going on in the movie.
Re: What is it with these bizarre scores?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:36 am
by Dave Pitts
I watched the 1912 Cleo the first time TCM ran it. I don't think I've seen it since -- did it have a droning synthesizer score? As I recall, it was a real drag, much like the synth backing Paramount put on The Sheik when that came out on VHS. It's probably budgetary, pure & simple. If you can't afford Carl Davis or the Mount Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, get someone on a synthesizer. Just like they did in the 20s, right? And it really does affect the viewing experience.
Re: What is it with these bizarre scores?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 9:02 am
by GishFan
Like others I have heard, there were stretches with very discordant drumming, and misplaced sound effects like rain sounds when it's not raining in the movie, etc. It's like they are taking music from something else and just slapping it on the movie.
Re: What is it with these bizarre scores?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 9:48 am
by Mike Gebert
Re: What is it with these bizarre scores?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:07 am
by drednm
My memory is that I disliked just about everything about this film when I saw it on TCM 20-odd years ago.
What did Stewart say about it in her intro?