What do you guys think about movies that utilize licensed music? Whether they be songs you recognize from modern times or something more obscure from decades ago. Do they hurt a film's timeless factor? Can the worst and most popular song from today be put in a film for a surprisingly positive effect? If so, how will future generations view this film with a "dated" pop song?
This scene is "Reservoir Dogs" illustrates my question. It's the most memorable scene in the film and the song itself is somewhat well known, but not nearly as much as hundreds of other songs. I think this scene has remained timeless for the past twenty or so years, but this could just be a good example of utilizing licensed music to its fullest effect.
A bad example would be the song "Gone, Gone, Gone" they used in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." It was cringeworthy and screamed of some desperate attempt to stay "hip" and "relevant" in our present day. No one will look back on that scene or that movie with fond memories.
TL;DR: What do you think about licensed music in film? Is it good or bad? Should movies strictly stick to orchestrated music and original scores or can licensed music be used effectively, even moreso than orchestrated music would allow in the right circumstance? Does licensed music hurt a movie's "timeless" factor and/or is it irrelevant when used correctly?
>>68798096
It's what made Malcom in the Middle very distinc, and gave it the sense of being more like Film.
so licensed music is something that STILL only really happens in Film properly.
I mean LAyered Cake is one of the best uses of it, and pretty much made Craig into Bond.
There's something about using music that makes a movie a time piece.
I think we've learned that using the pop song of the day like with the 90's teen movies is a bad idea. That being said, movie scores are better then ever.
>>68798166
I see what you're saying. I actually recently watched the first season of Malcolm in the Middle and agree wholeheartedly. It remains a dated timepiece, but it completely enhances the setting of the show taking place in the late 90s-mid 2000s. Future generations won't recognize the music and might even despise it for their own reasons, but the music will still work for the sake of immersion. Plus the show will always be damn funny.
I also agree with the use of music in the Bond films. The intro songs that so many musicians have created solely for the film franchise are not only a staple of the series, but seem see it as an honor to be able to write a song for the next Bond film.
>>68798258
I've seen a whole documentary about the title songs for bond, I think it was done by ranking of best to worse songs. It's interesting greatly, because the songs are such a staple of the culture.
Just wanna say Spectre was terrible and the intro was terrible. After the last 3 movies had some of the best intros in any movie. It's funny not many movies really have intros... it's nice to see that tradition stick.
You know the reason they didn't have John McCarthy do another opening title song for bond movies is because: They didn't ask him. I dunno why.
>>68798483
Oh, that's another great point.
What do you guys think about title cards and intros? Should all films have them or should they be used sparingly? All early films have the beginning credits, or some big flashy title card. Modern films seem to have all but completely removed this classic trait. Old films had credits or opening scenes/intros to get you into the mood and tone of the movie. Now it seems like movies want to just throw you into the action. Some movies don't even tell you the title until the end of the movie (see Nolan's work, "The Dark Knight," "Interstellar," etc.)!
I love an intro when done right. The Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy, Fincher's movies, and others.
post about this in /film/ later
>>68798096
I want to die every time a new Suicide Squad trailer comes attached with some iconic song, and it actually fools people into being excited for it.
>>68799969
Same here. I can't believe how excited everyone was for the Suicide Squad trailer when I went to see BvS. I guarantee no one in the audience was even remotely familiar with any of the characters in the trailer, yet they're going to blindly follow the hype regardless. It's sad to see Freddie Mercury's music used in such a way as to guide the masses to the next big artificially produced cultural hit that won't even looked back on very fondly ten years from now.
>>68800106
I just can't stand how obvious a emotional appeal it is, and that people actually fall for it. Regardless of the content of the movie, my friends all got excited by just hearing Bohemian/Blitzkreig.
I think every single aspect of a film dates it so it's not worth worrying about in regards to music.
You just gotta worry about using the music that works best for the film you're trying to create.
>>68800303
I know what you mean. Black and white films are forever dated by modern day standards. Grainy color films from the 60s-80s are dated because the image isn't crisp enough. 90s-2000s movies are dated because of their early CG and bizarre editing tricks. Movies today will be dated because it's all capeshit and "nerd" movies, a huge fad that will eventually go away and be looked back upon as "that" era of film.
I'm generalizing of course, but you're right. There's always something that will make a film dated to those of us in the future.
>>68800444
>dubs dubs trips
Look at me go!
