MovieChat Forums > Shui hu zhuan Discussion > Why the recycled music track?

Why the recycled music track?

posted 9 years ago by bcamphome
1 reply | jump to latest

I don't get it. THE WATER MARGIN is an epic production based on one of China's most revered historical sagas. The studio even imported Japanese actors to play major roles in a cast already filled with great Shaw Bros. stars. Yet they couldn't hire a composer? Why is the soundtrack filled with cues from Dominic Frontiere's western score for HANG 'EM HIGH? It's a score that's been used in seemingly dozens of kung fu films. Why not something more recognizably Chinese for such a quintessentially Chinese story?

I wish somebody could explain this to me. What was Shaw Bros. thinking?

Ironically, the shortened English dub released in the U.S. as SEVEN BLOWS OF THE DRAGON had an all-new score and one that was much more appropriate to the subject matter. It's the only improvement made by the U.S. distributor (Roger Corman's New World Pictures).

[–] lucifer 9 years ago

I think it was fairly common to use existing music for films back then, whether they had approval or not. They did have a composer credited, but how much they did I don't know. I'll have to see if I can find my Prodigal Son DVD, as Bey Logan mentions something about HK composers whilst talking about Frankie Chan's career (Frankie being a noted movie composer over there).