TRailers stealing music from other movies

[MontagMOI]

This may have been raised before but i have noticed a lot of trailers recently stealing music from other films: Land Of The Dead (Resident Evil?) Rambo 4 (Land Of The Dead) Dead Silence (28 Days Later) and Halloween (Dawn Of The Dead 04) Is this a new trend? Can anybody add to the list. Maybe we can get a list together. Maybe i have too much time on my hands

[AcesandEights]

This is not a new trend and happens all the time. I believe there was a decent reason given for it at one point (aside from the associative value), but I'll be damned if I can remember it. Anyone have any good ideas, as to why?

[EvilNed]

I remember the first Armageddon trailer had The Rock music in it. The reason is because it might be cheaper to license existing, similar sounding music rather than hiring a company (like Immediate Music) to create original trailer music for you.

[bassman]

I remember the first Armageddon trailer had The Rock music in it. The reason is because it might be cheaper to license existing, similar sounding music rather than hiring a company (like Immediate Music) to create original trailer music for you. Those films were also made by the same people. For the most part, the films that use pre-existing scores are both produced by the same company or sister company. That's what I've noticed, anyway...

[PJoseph]

Currently, the one that you hear in WAY too many trailers is the music from Requim For A Dream - it was even used in the LOTR:Two Towers trailer. While it is a great score, I was sick of hearing it. Regarding the comment about the companies that have produced films, then using their music down the road - there is no business plus to that - they still have to pay the same publishing, licensing and ASCAP fees. Much of the time, the music for trailers is chosen by the editors who feel that certain "familiar" music will evoke a positive response in the audience who will feel attached to the movie just based on the trailer music. UPDATE - here is a great web resource if you are trying figure what songs are from what trailers... http://www.soundtrack.net/trailers/ pJ

[MissJacksonCA]

I've noticed this phenom too but I attribute it to the guy who's in charge of music being hired by both films... certain soundtrack guys always have the same sound no matter what... but (and I almost never say this) ... I might be wrong... For instance Alan Silvestri... his soundtracks all sound the same... grrr...

[PJoseph]

MissJacksonCA, You are right - composers have a typical style - you can tell right away whose done what movie. pJ

[MissJacksonCA]

WooHoo tally a point for the blond! But on a more serious note... some music really does just have a 'feel' that would go great in a lot of flicks... it can't be easy to perfectly pair songs to flicks not to mention I imagine each song has a different cost to use either in the movie or whatever and that some are cost prohibitive...

[EvilNed]

Yeah Composers usually all have the same style. John Williams is always very cheery and too light for me. He has produced some nice adventure stuff, but in later years I haven't heard anything from him worth remembering. James Horner has his pattented four note motif. Features heavily in Troy and Enemy at the Gates. He's an average composer that sometimes will just do AMAZING scores. Braveheart for instance. His great scores are usually the ones that don't feature the four note thingy. Hans Zimmer is too electronic to me. Most of his music sounds fake to me. But again, he will produce some wonders. Gladiator was just awesome! But King Arthur was bland, and The Last Samurai was mediocre. Ennio Morricone is my favourite. Sometimes he makes really awkard stuff like Red Sonya and My Name is Nobody. But he has made much, much more awesome scores than any other. The Mission, the spaghetti westerns... Great stuff! James Newton Howard is the only one I really can't put my finger on. He's good, sometimes great but he has no real style as far as I've noticed.