This music is off, isn't it? - 8MM (1999) Discussion

[–] jimifanwing 14 years ago

I have no clue. I have seen this movie several times but the last time I was really distracted by it. It certainly sounds weird and that aspect of it fits, but I was thinking something equally weird but less regional or ethnic would worked better. But Schumacher might have loved it. Hard telling. Remember how he gave us all the crotch shots and nipples in Batman and Robin? The man is different. And overall I love the film.

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[–] rustynails30 14 years ago

The music was perfect for this film, it set the mood. He was entering a foreign and in some parts, exotic world. The music is dark and foreign,it worked perfectly and I actually enjoyed it.

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[–] patkav6 14 years ago

I've seen this many times also. The music had an exotic, interesting feel. Not sure about it but it set a differnt tone which worked in the end for me. A wonderful thriller.

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[–] hecantune 14 years ago

I agree. I love the atmosphere in 8mm and the music is a big reason why. My favorite is the piece that plays while Tom searches Mary Ann's room.

...Okay ...I believe you.

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[–] Kashmirgrey 14 years ago

tim, I don't know that there was any real ethnic ties to why the director chose the music. I think it was more due to the eerie and dark feel. I thought it was a good fit and rather seductive. I loved this flick!

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[–] TheBeardedWonder 14 years ago

Soundtrack almost ruined the movie for us. It's so so so bad, and doesn't fit the tone of the movie at all. Why arabic music? It means absolutely nothing, and got annoying during the 1st time they played it.

And it doesn't make the movie any darker or weirder, it just makes it almost unwatchable... whoever signed off on those songs needs to never work on a movie again... seriously, it's that bad.

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[–] MyDarkStar 9 years ago

I agree - and the worst part is that there are SO many other choices which could have been made for the soundtrack which would have very much enhanced the darkness of the movie. Right off the top of my head I am thinking that somebody such as Trent Reznor could have written something which would have fit right in. Or even if they didn't want an original score there's plenty of things to choose from out there.

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[–] Drooch 8 years ago

Actually the Arabic influence was quite appropriate - women in Saudi Arabia are made to walk around in huge gimp suits while the men get up to all sorts to cope with their brutal sexual repression, including rampant paedophilia. Sexual violence is synonymous with Arab culture which is why the music is a strangely appropriate fit.

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[–] witt-13 14 years ago

I thought it fit perfectly. Mostly for reasons that other folks have already listed ;)

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[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Frodozhobbit 14 years ago

The music was so weird. Especially the seen where he gets to Hollywood and theres some foreign crap playing. Seriously, thats like showing the white house and playing some Latin music. They just don't go together.

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[–] debiler 14 years ago

Seriously, how can you not love the music? It was so fitting and set the mood perfectly. Wells was about to dive into a strange, twisted world. A world he could not understand with values and morals very different from his own. This unfamiliarity showed in the soundtrack. It was not only some random back alley , it was a microcosm he couldn't even begin to comprehend if his life depended on doing so.
It is unexpected and hits the viewer off-balance. It may even be unnerving and uncomfortable to some (personally, I love it). Which is EXACTLY why they used it. Why can't some people appreciate that any other background music would have been way too familiar?

___________________________________
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[–] Killingforcompany 13 years ago

The music was really strange. I think that it was a bold choice for this movie and gives it an "exotic" yet sordid feel.

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[–] TalesfromTheCryptfan 12 years ago

Sounded East Indian if you ask me

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[–] Rena_Mahone 12 years ago

Indeed. The exotic, arabic-sounding music had nothing to do with the movie. It reminded of The Cell's score, but worse. They should have used more industrial/electronic/drum n' bass/dark music, which fits the movie's theme and style much more. The only songs that fell under this genre were Aphex Twin's "Come To Daddy" and the music playing before Cage goes into that apartment to stalk the guy from the window.

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[–] lil_moe 12 years ago

The music is supposed to sound "haunting". The atmosphere is set up to be bulging-eyes, goosebumps creepy. And the music was PERFECT for it. Schumacher is a genius at what he does.

P.s. the music is actually is NOT Arabic for whoever cares. It's a wedding song from a civilization that lives in mid-north Africa, the Amazegh. And before anyone comes up with a witty remark about how weird it sounds for a wedding song, I'm sure Rihana's waw-waw-waw (rude boy) sounds just as weird to them.. to use the first song that came to mind :)

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[–] hecantune 11 years ago

I think the music lends to the feeling that you're entering a sort of alternate reality (as he leaves the mid-West and arrives in Hollywood). I always found it very cool and surreal.

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