I just watched this for the first time tonight on TCM, and besides the horrible music they used to score this picture, I thought it was pretty good. My husband came in the room about halfway through the movie and couldn't tell this was really a disaster movie, because the music was that upbeat beatnik kind of music that was popular back then. Too bad, otherwise it was a good movie.
shareBack in the '80s, when I first saw this movie on tv, the first thing that stood out about it to me was the opening theme and soundtrack used throughout. I thought, and still think, it makes this movie very unique and highly entertaining to watch, despite it's horrific subject matter.
Composer Les Baxter's repertoire consisted mostly of pop standards of the late-'40s and 1950s, so his treatment of this movie's musical score was natural to his talent. Also, it's quite possible that the creators of this movie wanted to appeal to a much wider audience (read: the Baby Boomers) and make it more marketable to them as well. It's a refreshing change from the bombastic and repetitive noise that most "composers" of today pass off as a soundtrack in contemporary movies.
My subtle suggestion would be that you and your husband watch it again, together, and place yourselves in the frame of mind of the time it came out. You and he just may grow to like it!
Remember he came in halfway, so we intend to watch it again, in spite of what I stll think is an awful soundtrack. See, when I watch what's supposed to be a horror or science fiction movie, I want to feel scared or at least feel some tension-that's what's so fun about that kind of movie. The music sets the tone for what's about to happen, it puts you in the mood for what's next. You feel dread before anything even happens just by the sound of the music.
I think you're right, though, that they tried to appeal to a wider (younger) audience by using that music, but I'm older and it felt forced to me. It was pretty "bombastic" and repetitive, and nerve-wracking, lol. IMO. Plus, it didn't work obviously. Apparently nobody went to see this when it came out.
Anyway, I'm no movie expert, but I like what I like. And I really love old black and white sci/fi-horror movies. And I liked this one, too.
Well, I'm glad you liked the movie! I'm sure your husband will, too.
I can see your point about the music not sounding more dramatic to set the tone of the picture, but I'm sure the subject of nuclear war was scary enough, especially at that time. I'm no movie nor soundtrack expert, either, but I guess I tend to accept it more since I'm an ardent aficionado of jazz. I have been since I was a kid in the '70s and heard it blaring from an individual car speaker at my local drive-in theatre while the intermission trailers were running. I wish I was alive at the time this movie came out, as I would've definitely gone to see this at the drive-in. I'm sure those that did enjoyed a real treat seeing this on the original big screen.
I've got this on VHS, but I'll have to add the DVD version to my collection.
LOL, Sag...well there you go. I never really got into the jazz thing. I can listen for a while, but it starts to bother me before long. So maybe that's why the difference in opinion. And guess what...I just bought this on a 2 movie DVD with one of my other favorites-Last Man On Earth, on ebay for $4 and some change. Plus $3 shipping. Not too bad.
shareAh, the "jazz thing". Yeah, people either love it or hate it. I'm glad that I'm the former!
I've shopped eBay before, so I'll take a look there. Thanks for the heads-up, blkbusbabe. I've yet to see 'The Last Man on Earth', but this'll be my opportunity to do so.
And thank you for being such a nice person!!
shareYou're absolutely welcome, blkbusbabe.
By the way, about the soundtrack, I just found the following:
http://www.lalalandrecords.com/Panic.html
I guess this is my lucky day!
I Couldn't agree more. The score for this movie was awful and in no way gave you the sense that a nuclear apocalypse was taking place.
share[deleted]
I agree about Les Baxter's music score. I thought it was both inappropriate and obnoxious in itself. The movie would have been better off with no score at all. It makes the movie seem badly out of date, which is often the case when films try to be modern rather than timeless. Around 1962 Bernard Herrmann was considered to be a very old-fashioned composer, but his scores are far fresher now than something like this.
Incidentally, Leonard Maltin's movie guide found the score notably bad enough to mention it in the capsule review. The book calls it "tinny" and "loud."
...Justin
I found the music really distracting as well.
Cheesy cold-war era movies like this usually had several predictable music cues:
1) the "hard-core tough guy" music
2) The "here comes a sexy woman" music
3) The "bad-news teenagers" music
4) The "boy meets girl" music
5) The "awww, ain't that sweet and just loaded with family values" music
6) The obligatory "Uh oh....something happened!" music (Dun-dun-DUNNNNNN...)
I like the part where #2 consisted of "Here comes some lingerie floating down the stream," followed by a lot of #3.
Cheesalicious.
Just watched this for the first time last night, my friend and I also noted how inappropriate the score is, but we also realize that this is a low budget movie and I think the only real reason for the Les Baxter score is that they got it cheap. American International wasn't exactly MGM LOL.
Over all though we were impressed with the movie and enjoyed it a lot!
There's a distinct possibility that it was lifted from another movie. Low-budget movies have sometimes done that, to the detriment of the newer film.
"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde
Yeah, I´ve rarely heard a less appropriate score for a movie. The vision and the sound were painting two entirely different pictures and even failed to work by way of contrast. Silly-silly.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
Have to agree, I watched this for the first time last night. Great little film, but the music kept reminding me of a Benny Hill sketch. Specially when certain scenes also seemed sped-up. The music actually grew on me by the end, though it really doesnt fit the movie.
shareThis was a great score in the wrong movie. Egaaaads some of that upbeat, jazzy stuff belonged in a beatnik, cop, crime thriller...not this...
Enrique Sanchez
I am with you, it is a great score but plugged into the wrong movie. Obviously on a low budget, they never made the effort to do some serious tailoring of the music to the subject.
shareHey man, like, you know, its groovy music man and way cool!
Its popcorn music perfect for what was a drive-in flic.
I actually loved the score. Sometimes it didn't quite fit but it was great to listen to :)
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