I don’t know if perfect soundtracks would save your examples; I’d argue that the malaise infects everything: you can’t make a great soundtrack for a mediocre movie.
I don’t know if perfect soundtracks would save your examples; I’d argue that the malaise infects everything: you can’t make a great soundtrack for a mediocre movie.
"you can’t make a great soundtrack for a mediocre movie."
The Hackers soundtrack made more money than the actual movie. There was a sequel to the soundtrack but not the movie and unless you are involved in development, almost nobody knows the movie but you still hear songs from the soundtracks at nightclubs today.
> you can’t make a great soundtrack for a mediocre movie.
I'm having trouble coming up with an example, but my dad told me that "Warsaw Concerto" was composed for the movie "Dangerous Moonlight". The movie was bad, but was popular because people really liked "Warsaw Concerto".
I think an amazing song or piece could come from or certainly be used in a crappy movie, but I don’t think you can have a definitive entire soundtrack for a bad movie.
I could probably be proved wrong( I don’t think it’s entirely causal but more “they won’t pay for good music if they won’t pay for a good script” kind of thing.
The "Warsaw Concerto" was composed for the movie. I haven't seen the movie myself, but movies often use themes from the main song throughout.
Xanadu was a terrible movie, but the soundtrack was a critical and commercial success -- it went to number one in 11 countries, was certified double platinum in the US and had six charting singles, some of which still get radio airplay over four decades later. (And all the songs on the soundtrack were written for the movie; it wasn't a collection of already-existing pop songs.)
Xanadu is not even really a terrible movie. Terrible movies are worth seeing, at least once, because of how awful they are. I've seen at least three disco movies on roller skates, (roller skates) released at that time. The Apple is certainly terrible; I think it was made to cash in on West Germany film subsidies (the same subsidies that paid for The Neverending Story), even the songs are charmingly terrible. Xanadu has a great soundtrack, but the movie is just boring. Skatetown, U.S.A. is probably terrible, but I'd need to watch it again and I don't want to. :P I haven't seen Roller Boogie.
That said, I would absolutely buy (and wear) a Xanadu jacket if I saw one for a reasonable price.
Yes you can! For example, The Bodyguard. Shite movie, second best soundtrack of all time and possibly the buggiest selling, I know it was at one point.