soundtrack?

I haven't seen this movie yet, but I saw Marie Antoinette and was wondering if the director was trying to do the same thing here. In Marie Antoinette the out-of-place music was deliberate because the director wasn't trying to tell the story of Marie Antoinette so much as trying to tell the story of a modern girl through the story of Marie (and how things are basically the same despite outward appearances). It was done in a mildly humorous way, including (if you watch closely) a scene where Marie Antoinette goes shoe shopping in 18th century Paris and you can see a pair of Nike sneakers in the window display.

For anyone who saw Lizzie Bordon, do you suppose they were trying to do the same thing here (tell a modern story through the backdrop of the 1890s)? Or was it just a gimmicky choice of music to try to appeal to younger audiences?

Hi!
For me, the music wasn't as much about authentification as it was about capturing the mood of the accompanying scene. I found it enhancing, not inappropriate. To me, the music made the movie interesting and different. Now that said, maybe I'm simply easily amused or distracted. Whose to say? If Lizzie had been in a tank top, I would have laughed myself sick!

That kind of logic would disqualify all of Elmer Bernstein's soundtrack to "The Ten Commandments" (1956). I hardly think a full orchestra with strings, horns, percussion, etc. was typical of Egypt around 3000 BC. Most of the instruments hadn't even been invented! By suggesting that the background music should be integral to the setting, you're just creating an imaginary rule that simply doesn't apply to most movies ever made. It's at least possible that you're okay with symphonic music for older movies, because you equate symphonic music with "old fashioned" movies, which betrays either your ignorance in regard to music or your prejudicial viewpoint in regard to film and setting. Most music for movies is NOT applicable to the setting, so trying to put it all on par with costume design -- which generally IS applicable to the setting -- shows nothing but contempt for the issue. If you don't think the music is appropriate, that's fine, but own your opinion -- don't defend it with imaginary rules that have never applied to film, and shouldn't be applied as mere excuse for opinion.

Personally, I liked the music a lot and would go out and buy the soundtrack in a heartbeat if I could find one without having to use Amazon. But I'm also very familiar with the story, having seen nearly a half-dozen movies on the subject and having read most of the newspaper articles that were published at the time (there are currently two large companies that will sell you old newspapers published in almost any time period you're interested in, and eBay regularly lists numerous old newspapers). I find it interesting that the best versions of the story were all "made for TV". In any case, the setting is, for me, an assumed one. The music doesn't take any of the setting's impact away, which I would suggest is true for most people when applied to their consideration of older, biblical movies like "The Ten Commandments". The music isn't appropriate to the setting, but nobody cares, because they're already very familiar with the stories.


I have seen enough to know that you haven't seen enough.

Well thank you, InADisorderlyFashion!
You broadened my point with an eloquence of which I'm incapable and I'm very grateful. It's also a relief to know I wasn't alone in my view of the role the music played in the movie! Again, well said!!