Hey, I've heard that before!

February 27, 2007 11:18 PM

[YetAnotherMusicQuestionFilter] I'm looking for movie score music/themes that are commonly borrowed for trailers/commercials/other uses than the film they were originally written for.

Examples include the main themes from "Dragonheart," by Randy Edelman, "The Rocketeer," by James Horner, and "Edward Scissorhands," by Danny Elfman, which have all been used numerous times elsewhere. Most people can readily recognize the tunes, but cannot identify the name... Any more come to mind? Only scores, please, not songs with lyrics.

posted by po to media & arts (11 comments total)

The theme from "The Rock" has been used frequently for trailers. And I think it was deliberately the model for the theme music on the John McCain website.
posted by dhartung at 11:32 PM on February 27, 2007

# Redrum"
Immediate Music (used 28 times)

# Come See The Paradise (1990)
Randy Edelman (used 27 times)

# "Tightwire"
Immediate Music (used 26 times)

# "Naked Prey"
Immediate Music (used 25 times)

# Aliens (1986)
James Horner (used 24 times)

# Stargate (1994)
David Arnold (used 20 times)

# "Blasphemy"
Immediate Music (used 19 times)

# Carmina Burana: "O Fortuna"
Carl Orff (used 18 times)

# Bram Stoker's Dracula
Wojciek Kilar (used 18 times)

# Mortal Kombat (1995)
George S. Clinton (used 17 times)

# Sea Of Love (1989)
Trevor Jones (used 17 times)

# "Red Wire Blue Wire"
Immediate Music (used 15 times)

# Backdraft (1991)
Hans Zimmer (used 15 times)
posted by sharkfu at 11:37 PM on February 27, 2007

more here:

link
posted by sharkfu at 11:38 PM on February 27, 2007

I am shamed. I've been looking for -weeks- for a listing like that, and utterly failed at Google-fu. Yes, I am officially made of fail and AIDS. Thanks, sharkfu!
posted by po at 12:44 AM on February 28, 2007

Mike Oldfields's Tubular Bells gets used quite a bit.
posted by tkolar at 12:49 AM on February 28, 2007

Anything from the Amelie soundtrack. It's also frequently parodied as well as borrowed from.
posted by fire&wings at 1:20 AM on February 28, 2007

Clint Mansells Lux Aeterna from Requiem for a Dream (the LOTR: Two Towers trailer version) gets used for all sorts of other promos and stuff (especially sports events). Of course it was so damn good that they re-recorded it for the Two Towers in the first place.
posted by TwoWordReview at 6:22 AM on February 28, 2007

I hear the score from Dave (with Kevin Kline) all the time...
posted by PaulieK at 9:05 AM on February 28, 2007

Yea, I was gonna mention Lux Aeterna too, but TwoWordReview beat me to it. It's commonly referred to as "Requiem for a Tower", and actually even inspired an album of trailer music, that's how successful it's been.
posted by gemmy at 10:03 AM on February 28, 2007

I hear Last of the Mohicans a lot, but more as a temp track than in trailers, although it is in Trailers to. Same with Rudy.

Also Pirates of the Carribean and Gladiator, which are practically the same scores.
posted by Mozzie at 11:50 AM on February 28, 2007

Robin Hood Prince of Thieves Soundtrack I hear a lot [likely more in previews].
posted by yeti at 12:42 PM on February 28, 2007