Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

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kahx
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Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by kahx » Tue Nov 22, 2011 6:20 pm

Hi, I'm not a hater of this film just to be clear. I watched this first and then watched the Swedish version.. and found myself liking the latter much more. Why? Mainly because of the fact that Let me In seemed to not want me to decide for myself whether or not a scene was scary, sweet, or anything in between. Did anyone else feel like Reeves was trying to manhandle viewers emotionally with nearly constant use of the score?

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sauvin
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by sauvin » Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:04 pm

kahx wrote:Hi, I'm not a hater of this film just to be clear. I watched this first and then watched the Swedish version.. and found myself liking the latter much more. Why? Mainly because of the fact that Let me In seemed to not want me to decide for myself whether or not a scene was scary, sweet, or anything in between. Did anyone else feel like Reeves was trying to manhandle viewers emotionally with nearly constant use of the score?
I thought the score just didn't fit very well. On top of being too screechy it was basically the same couple of themes being repeated endlessly throughout the movie.
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killerrabbitmp
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by killerrabbitmp » Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:59 pm

I actually really like the music Giacchino wrote for this movie. I do agree, though, that it often wasn't used very well within the context of the film itself.

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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by varamiglite » Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:10 pm

sauvin wrote: I thought the score just didn't fit very well. On top of being too screechy it was basically the same couple of themes being repeated endlessly throughout the movie.
The soundtrack is incredibly repetitive! I own the soundtrack and love some of the songs but several of the songs start out beautifully then towards the end begin to sound like all the other ones or the finale of the song just doesn't quite make sense (look up "The Asphalt Jungle Gym" for an example). All of the sudden there is an unnecessary tension in some of the songs. I'm not sure they fit the movie so well either but apart from the movie some of the songs are incredible. I love "First Date Jitters" and "Parting Sorrows" but they're unique and don't eventually turn into an intense mess. They keep the same mood throughout.
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by Bustedstuff15 » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:06 am

I have mixed feeling towards the OST. There are certain songs I love and find them hauntingly beautiful and at the same time there are moments when they try and sound to "scary" and is annoying. But I love Parting sorrows, and Trained and Steady as a couple examples. For the most part I think the soundtrack fits the mood of the movie. Its more intense and in your face than LTROI and so is the soundtrack. I just wish they calmed it down in a couple scenes.
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DavidZahir
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by DavidZahir » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:34 pm

This is extremely subjective. Me I liked the score.
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by danielma » Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:26 pm

Felt it was far too overbearing personally...that and some of it just didn't feel right at all...I remember back when I first heard the samples, one of the tracks I remember noting sounded like it belonged in a Harry Potter film ("New Day on the Lake"...or I think that's what its called). I honestly felt it was just too overbearing and too overdone...like every scene was "feel this emotion" and "feel that emotion"...The Omen type chior also never sat right with me for some reason.

But not to be a complete downer, there were 3 or 4 tracks that I did like on the soundtrack and those would be "Regarding Evil", "Parting Sorrows", "Trained and Steady" and the "End Credits" theme...but everything else just felt far too overbearing for me.
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by lombano » Mon Nov 28, 2011 3:57 am

danielma wrote:Felt it was far too overbearing personally...that and some of it just didn't feel right at all...I remember back when I first heard the samples, one of the tracks I remember noting sounded like it belonged in a Harry Potter film ("New Day on the Lake"...or I think that's what its called). I honestly felt it was just too overbearing and too overdone...like every scene was "feel this emotion" and "feel that emotion"...
Exactly. The only part that worked for me was the music when Thomas dies.
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Re: Some criticism-overuse of soundtrack

Post by tman » Tue Nov 29, 2011 3:21 pm

I found the soundtrack quite enchanting actually, and thought it worked very well in the context of the movie. Where the music was playing, it was kept subdued enough not to overpower the dialogue, but was there when necessary adding either tension or emotion. No problem with it at all. Trained and Steady is probably my favourite, if only because it's used in the movie right at the end when the camera pans up to the broken window. It chokes me every time. Again though, Parting Sorrows is very touching to listen too, as you know Owen's inconsolable at Abby's leaving when this is in the movie.

The music used for Abby's visit to Thomas in the hospital (Visitation Rights) is also incredibly haunting.

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