MovieChat Forums > Ordeal by Innocence (1985) Discussion > The Movie With One BIG Mistake... which ...

The Movie With One BIG Mistake... which can be fixed!

posted 20 years ago by inoldhollywood
7 replies | jump to latest

The "original soundtrack" is NOT original for this film. It is simply Dave Brubeck's "TIME OUT" jazz album released in 1959, here played to ad nauseum by the producer. This film was rather good, but what a charming, period, British-style Agatha Christie mystery has to do with dated 60s pop-jazz played at such a high volume over the actors dialog it is difficult to hear what is being said, is beyond me.

Solution: Remove the inappropriate music and replace it immediately!! Release this otherwise fine film on DVD and you have a sure winner. If not, then donate it to the UCLA film library for film students to study on how NOT to incorporate a soundtrack onto an otherwise fine film.

Am I the only one who thinks the music was bizarre for this sort of film?

[–] info-9003 18 years ago

I completely agree. The repetitive and redundant and obnoxious music totally ruined this movie for me. One hour into the film and I gave up.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Renaldo Matlin 16 years ago

Hear hear!

I appreciate a lot of jazz music myself but here it just drowned out the movie, and totally ruined the mood in several scenes. I almost wanted to see those responsible for it dead by the time this movie was over! Ok, so if you want Jazz-type music for a film, fine, but at least compose something that FITS the scenes! The film wasn't that bad and I really think the soundtrack did a LOT to destroy it.

[–] John-367 15 years ago

I completely agree that the score is entirely inappropriate. Jazz has worked well for many soundtracks but the cueing seems entirely random, the mixing horrendous and the style is just horribly wrong and too busy. The music fights the atmosphere and the dialogue. It is so intrusive that it makes the film virtually unwatchable.

[–] John-367 15 years ago

Apparently the first score was written by Pino Donaggio and rejected. I find it inconceivable that Donaggio didn't write a more appropriate score but then maybe by the time the full horror of the replacement became apparent it was too late to go back.

[–] MystMoonstruck 9 years ago

Thank goodness! I came here to check out the soundtrack, to see if anyone else was as irritated by it as I am as I watch it, even from the opening scene.

I do like Brubek, but his music seems completely wrong for this movie's atmosphere. Even if he wrote original music, it seems a mismatch.

I'm going to try very hard to stick with the film, but I even noted the misplaced music in my film journal. It almost made me change channels! Only the cast is keeping me watching.

I agree that the original composer MUST have provided a better score. I've never been disappointed by him, so it's difficult to imagine them choosing Brubek instead.

(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC

[–] popularru 9 years ago

Probably they should reedit it with Rammstein.