Films which are ruined by having a cheesy 80's Soundtrack

Blisterman

I was just watching Manhunter (The original version of Red Dragon). Pretty good film, but all the scenes that are supposed to be tense, are ruined by the music, which is all 80's synth cheese. Think sustained notes, with occasional little flourishes. God, that's dated badly.

But it did make me think, a lot of movies from the 80's have this sort of soundtrack. They're otherwise serious, but the tension is ruined as soon as the music kicks in. You're half expecting a guy with a white suit, sunglasses and a keytar to come into the scene.

One's that immediatly come to mind:

Scarface
I remember them talking about rereleasing this film with the music replaced with gangsta rap. Pretty anachronistic, but would work better than the music in it, which is the cheesiest of cheese 80's pop.

Blade Runner
Apparently, the dystopian future is gonna sound like an episode of Miami Vice.

The Terminator
Ok, not really that serious a film, but the music is cheesy.

Anyone think of any others?

Driver 8

I was just gonna say Manhunter when i read the thread title, it's a very dated, distracting score.

Have to say I quite like the Blade Runner soundtrack though...

speedboatchase

Watchmen. 99 bloody Luftballoons

Armin_Tamzarian

Blisterman wrote: »

:

Scarface
I remember them talking about rereleasing this film with the music replaced with gangsta rap. Pretty anachronistic, but would work better than the music in it, which is the cheesiest of cheese 80's pop.

Are you insane?
The music in Scarface is like the icing on an absolutely perfect cake.

Next you'll be slagging off the music in Topgun...

c0rk3r

I dont agree with any of films you;ve listed except Manhunter which ive never seen.

Is this a veiled attempted to take a pop at watchmen ? Because it deserves to have the music selection questioned even ridiculed. But to do it in this hidden manner is ... well... you know. I dont have to say it

Mr. Frost

While I wouldn't say the Lost Boys has been ruined by it's cheesetacular 80's soundtrack but it's certainly well dated! And that shirtless guy with the sax, wo!

TheIrishGrover

Mr. Frost wrote: »

While I wouldn't say the Lost Boys has been ruined by it's cheesetacular 80's soundtrack but it's certainly well dated! And that shirtless guy with the sax, wo!

Man, I remember seeing that on video when it came out and even THEN thinking that guy with the sax was dated. But, by jebus, the whole fashion looks like it's from another planet now. Those bloody HUGE pastel coats. Oh man.

Blisterman wrote:

Blade Runner
Apparently, the dystopian future is gonna sound like an episode of Miami Vice.

What? With Phil Collins playing the whole time? Now that WOULD by a dystopia.

I thought the music suited Bladerunner and watching it recently I still thought it was good and appropriate.

Driver 8 wrote:

I was just gonna say Manhunter when i read the thread title, it's a very dated, distracting score.

+1
Now take a break Driver 8, you've been on this shift too long

Dont be at yourself

The Shawshank Redemption

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/13287847bb/awesome-80s-montage-shawshank-from-eric-appel

Thomas_S_Hunterson

The first time I saw Scarface, the music really grated, but on subsequent viewings, it's grown on me a lot. Still, I think a more classical score would have been more appropriate.

mike65

Blisterman wrote: »

Blade Runner
Apparently, the dystopian future is gonna sound like an episode of Miami Vice.

FAIL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbWNZkoQHuE

Decuc500

I love those 80's synth soundtracks. Manhunter, Scarface and To Live and Die in LA are all really improved by their soundtracks.

Tangerine Dream's soundtracks for Sorceror and Thief are excellent and add to the atmosphere of the movies.

AnonoBoy

Blisterman wrote: »

Blade Runner
Apparently, the dystopian future is gonna sound like an episode of Miami Vice.

The Terminator
Ok, not really that serious a film, but the music is cheesy.

Both films have great soundtracks.

The Don

When watching Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile, Beverly Hills Cop and Black Rain 8/10 years ago I noticed the music to be dated. There are probably a lot more films that I've seen from the 80's which are dated aswell. There are some elements of 80's music in the first 3 Rambo films but I think that they suit the films well.

I agree with Sean_K that the first time I saw Scarface I thought that the music was dated but it has grown on me and I love it now. Especially while playing Scarface: The World is Yours

I think that The Matrix will be suffering in 10 years from its soundtrack. I didn't even like some of it at the time either. Also the Blade trilogy will suffer from its choice of 'modern' music.

niallon

All of the Halloween sequels where they insisted on reinventing the wheel and changed John Carpenter's chilling score from simple piano to overdone synth muck. And don't get me started on H20's "sweeping orchestral score" *shudder*

Tusky

Blisterman wrote: »

Scarface

Blade Runner

The Terminator

Mr. Frost wrote: »

While I wouldn't say the Lost Boys has been ruined by it's cheesetacular 80's soundtrack but it's certainly well dated! And that shirtless guy with the sax, wo!

You guys are crazy. I love the music in all of those films.

Handsome Bob

Blisterman wrote: »

Scarface
I remember them talking about rereleasing this film with the music replaced with gangsta rap. Pretty anachronistic, but would work better than the music in it, which is the cheesiest of cheese 80's pop.

Blade Runner
Apparently, the dystopian future is gonna sound like an episode of Miami Vice.

The Terminator
Ok, not really that serious a film, but the music is cheesy.

Mr. Frost wrote: »

While I wouldn't say the Lost Boys has been ruined by it's cheesetacular 80's soundtrack but it's certainly well dated! And that shirtless guy with the sax, wo!

Blasphemy.:pac:

I thought the music perfectly meshed with what was going on in front of the camera in all of those films.

Mr. Frost

LZ5by5 wrote: »

Blasphemy.:pac:

I thought the music perfectly meshed with what was going on in front of the camera in all of those films.

Ah come on! :pac: That cheesey sound snippet from that song that was played when Keifer bites it! Terrible!

Tusky

Mr. Frost wrote: »

Ah come on! :pac: That cheesey sound snippet from that song that was played when Keifer bites it! Terrible!

Nope, sorry, youre wrong! Have you forgotten how cheesy Lost Boys is in every department ? The music is one of the best things about the film.

There's no TV! Have you seen a TV? I haven't seen a TV. Do you know what it means when there's no TV? - No MTV! ...

Mr. Frost

Tusky wrote: »

Nope, sorry, youre wrong. Have you forgotten how cheesy Lost Boys is in every department ? The music is one of the best things about the film.

Nope sorry I'm not. I don't it's cheesey at all in other aspects. The whole rebel without a cause thing is standard issue and story develops without much cheese factor imo.

Tusky

Mr. Frost wrote: »

Nope sorry I'm not. I don't it's cheesey at all in other aspects. The whole rebel without a cause thing is standard issue and story develops without much cheese factor imo.

...You dont think The Lost Boys is cheesy ? riiiiight.

Handsome Bob

Tusky wrote: »

...You dont think The Lost Boys is cheesy ? riiiiight.

Well I wouldn't call it totally cheesey, it's just unfortunate that the Frog Brothers are in it because they were totally lame! Besides for them, I thought The Lost Boys was pretty cool (except for that band playing at the fun fair-okay maybe there is a lot of cheese.:pac:).

purple_hatstand

Watched "Against All Odds" (Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods & Richard Widmark) - it was on the telly at the weekend and I wasn't expecting much but the music was so badly-80's-dated, it rendered all the supposedly tense scenes hilarious. Someone's about to get murdered in the dark.....you can see the whites of their eyes....and there, right on cue, a Knopfler-esque guitar solo to heighten the terror.

Vangelis' soundtrack to Bladerunner is class, though IMO.

Tusky

LZ5by5 wrote: »

Well I wouldn't call it totally cheesey, it's just unfortunate that the Frog Brothers are in it because they were totally lame! Besides for them, I thought The Lost Boys was pretty cool (except for that band playing at the fun fair-okay maybe there is a lot of cheese.:pac:).

So apart from the soundtrack, the scene on the beach with the band playing, two of the main characters and Michaels relationship with Star...oh and most of the script, its not cheesy.

Its the epitome of a cheesy 80s movie! Thats why I love it.

TheIrishGrover

LZ5by5 wrote: »

Well I wouldn't call it totally cheesey, it's just unfortunate that the Frog Brothers are in it because they were totally lame! Besides for them, I thought The Lost Boys was pretty cool (except for that band playing at the fun fair-okay maybe there is a lot of cheese.:pac:).

Man, it's cheesier than Dairy-Lea McEdam, the champion fromage flinger at the anual cheese roll in the vilage of ementhal-en-gouda in the country of Calvita

And as for pacman: :pac:

Pigman II

Personally I don't get the validity of question. I can't think of a single film from the 80's where I go "dya know, this movie would be top drawer if only it didn't have it's contemporary soundtrack". A film is usually good or bad for a variety of other reason more central than the choice of music.

The opposite is true however and cheesy music occasionally make the movie. I mean does this scene suddenly suck because the music is cheesy? Would you rather some Kings of Leon in there perhaps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fWvub_WBho

Professey Chin

Pigman II wrote: »

Personally I don't get the validity of question. I can't think of a single film from the 80's where I go "dya know, this movie would be top drawer if only it didn't have it's contemporary soundtrack". A film is usually good or bad for a variety of other reason more central than the choice of music.

The opposite is true however and cheesy music occasionally make the movie. I mean does this scene suddenly suck because the music is cheesy? Would you rather some Kings of Leon in there perhaps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fWvub_WBho

If anyone attempted to change that, I believe I would be forced to murder them