MovieChat Forums > Foreign Intrigue (1956) Discussion > Nominated for Most Annoying Score!

Nominated for Most Annoying Score!

posted 18 years ago by LCShackley
9 replies | jump to latest

I enjoyed this movie a lot, but the plik-plok percussion score was just about driving me nuts. It wasn't really Latin, or jazz...more like the kind of sparse tribal rhythm you'd expect under a cheap African adventure yarn. And they play it OVER and OVER and OVER... When the sax or violins (I'll avoid the puns on sex and violence) finally enter over the congas and wood blocks it makes a bit of sense, but not enough to put up with it for 100 minutes. I'd put it in the same "annoying score" category with IS PARIS BURNING.

[–] dajones-4 17 years ago

I first saw...or rather...listened to Foreign Intrigue in 1982 while developing slide film in my kitchen with a little B&W TV with a 1 inch speaker. For 25 years, that underlying tribal tango whatever beat has been going through my head. Finally, Turner Classics put it on, and I am recording it right now as I type, so, if I am around another 25 years, I can put it on and REALLY hear it, rather than imagine it. I remember nothing of the movie...just the music.

I am a simple person.

jonesey

[–] madamebrad 17 years ago

I just watched it on TCM, too!

I think the plink, plonk, plink of the soundtrack was sort of more dated and distracting than annoying, but yes, it was sort of strange that every time someone started walking in the film, this started playing.

I was MORE shocked at how much the actress playing the Lindquist mother looked like Madonna. That was weird...

[–] chimp07 17 years ago

It's odd maybe, but I loved the musical score, so much so that it was for THAT reason, to hear it again, that I sought out the video and finally found a copy to purchase several years ago.
There ain't no accountin' for taste, as they say!
Also loved the movie, not sure why, but it touches something in me--a romantic spot I think--and the music, sort of a fifties bohemian jazz, just takes me to that place. A nice place to be.
Another movie with a strange jazz score that I love is Night Tide, with a very young Dennis Hopper. The beat-joint scene is wonderful! There's a table in the corner of the little jazz cellar. Join me?

[–] AliciaHuberman59 15 years ago

LCShakley, while I'm very impressed by your knowledge of music, I don't agree! (Ignorance is bliss.) Madamebrad, you are so right about the resemblance with Madonna! Chimp07 I agree about the music. Have not seen (heard) Night Tide, but the "little jazz cellar" ambience reminds me of The Zodiac in "Bell, Book and Candle". I love 50s color films and particularly the Eastmancolor...added a touch of the surreal.

[–] plwblj 14 years ago

I rather like it;

[–] onepotato2 13 years ago

I was just coming here to rant about the score myself.
INFERNAL!

[–] Unfunky_UFO 11 years ago

Agreed. I expect the soundtrack to enhance the action. I found it very obtrusive and it drew too much attention from the plot. The five minutes of that "tic-toc" sound drove me nuts as well.

Actually the cinematography started out in the same vein with a lot of moving camera shots that were super distracting. I guess they were going for stylized theme with this one.

[–] hoov-4 8 years ago

At first I thought like you, but since I've now watched it a dozen more times, it's grown on me. I love it now.

[–] Jones70 (6195) 2 years ago

I thought it was fine.