| 1 | ->''"Listening to it now, I'm a bit surprised I got away with such nutty music for a coming attraction. Of course, those days are long gone... as all trailers now seem to be mandated by law to be beefed-up variations of Carl Orff's ''[[StandardSnippet Carmina Burana]]''...''" |
| 2 | -->-- '''Music/DannyElfman''', on the music written for the trailer of ''Film/MarsAttacks'' |
| 3 | |
| 4 | When releasing a film to the public, the film's score is usually the very last thing to be completed. This means that there will be enough finished scenes to make a trailer, but no soundtrack yet. What's a studio to do? |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Slap in some music from another film, stock music, or even a pop song, that evokes the general mood they're going for, that's what. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | The first film of a franchise is most likely to use this trope, whereas trailers for future films tend to [[RecycledSoundtrack reuse music from the previous ones]]. For example, most ''Franchise/StarWars'' trailers after ''Film/ANewHope'' used portions of Music/JohnWilliams' score for that film, whereas the original trailer for ''A New Hope'' used stock music! Once the score is completed, the studio might release a new batch of trailers using the film's own music. Alternatively, if a new film is from the same creative team or production company behind a recent hit, the music might be excerpted from the hit's soundtrack, as when an instrumental version of "Belle" from ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' underscored TV ads for ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}'', for instance. By TheNewTens, this trope became a DiscreditedTrope as more and more trailers began to use popular and/or licensed stock library music. Even franchises used new arrangements of their established themes instead of recycling the same tracks. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | Licensed music made entirely for trailers by groups like Music/TwoStepsFromHell and used to advertise several unrelated products is not an example of this trope as that's just stock library music. Also not part of this trope are classical compositions or songs initially released as just... well, music, take those examples to StandardSnippet and/or StockTrailerMusic. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | ---- |
| 13 | !!Examples: |
| 14 | |
| 15 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 16 | |
| 17 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 18 | * An advertisement for the Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} Cruise had the ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' theme playing... though the show itself is not featured on the cruise, and has been forgotten by Nick. |
| 19 | * Ride/UniversalStudios Florida used the ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' theme in their advertisements in the early-to-mid 1990s. Justified since [[Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide the ride based on the movies]] was one of their most popular attractions at the time. |
| 20 | [[/folder]] |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[folder:Anime]] |
| 23 | * The teaser trailer for ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaReflection'' used the song "Eien no Kizuna" from the ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs A's]]'' movie. |
| 24 | [[/folder]] |
| 25 | |
| 26 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 27 | * The "Flying" theme from the '03 ''Peter Pan'' is used in children's fantasy-adventure trailers almost as much as "What's This". That movie's trailer used ''The Crystal Chamber'' from ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', which was also from Music/JamesNewtonHoward. It's especially odd to hear on the commercials for the Ride/DisneyThemeParks, considering Disney has its own version of ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan''. |
| 28 | * "Aquarela do Brazil" is slowly becoming one of these songs, especially in its incarnation as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kwYplWfN9M the Central Services theme song]] from Creator/TerryGilliam's ''Film/{{Brazil}}''. It was used in a ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' ad. Which oddly brought the song full-circle, as "Aquarela do Brazil" (Portuguese for "Watercolor of Brazil") debuted in the Disney feature ''WesternAnimation/SaludosAmigos'', where WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck meets Brazilian parrot Jose Carioca. The reason for its use in the ''WALL•E'' teaser trailer: Michael Kamen, who did the music for Gilliam's ''Brazil'', was originally going to score ''WALL•E''. But then he died. And people were sad. And then Thomas Newman came to the rescue. And everyone was happy again. The end. The theatrical trailer used "With Great Power" by Immediate Music and "Super Strength" by Two Steps From Hell, two epic trailer music pieces. |
| 29 | * The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' uses the Propellerheads' epic "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", an awesome ten-minute dance-remix-amalgamation-hybrid-''thing'' of about five different ''Film/JamesBond'' instrumental themes. |
| 30 | * Early trailers for the Creator/{{Pixar}} film ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'' used a piece of music originally heard over the opening titles in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'', also by Pixar. |
| 31 | * Several of Disney's trailers in the late '90's-early 2000's would use a symphony instrumental of the CutSong "If I Never Knew You" from ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}''. |
| 32 | * An early trailer for the movie adaptation of ''Film/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'', directed by Henry Selick featured "What's This?" from a previous Selick movie, ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. The music in the trailer of this film's video release was reused in the preview of the canceled ''WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}} II''. |
| 33 | * An early trailer for ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' used Music/AlanSilvestri's score to ''Film/FatherOfTheBride1991'' along "Friend Like Me". The rest of the trailers just used "Friend Like Me". |
| 34 | * The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' is set to the 'land race' piece from the soundtrack to ''Film/FarAndAway''. |
| 35 | * The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' sets the score from ''WesternAnimation/ChickenRun'' to the aliens abducting the kids' parents. |
| 36 | * The trailer for the 2006 ''[[WesternAnimation/CuriousGeorge2006 Curious George]]'' movie briefly uses some of [[Music/RandyNewman Randy Newman's]] score from ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife''. |
| 37 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxrQ6BaijAY theatrical trailer]] for ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'' used a stock music cue called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F82MWbNAbnQ Fight! Fight! Fight!]]", better known as the instrumental version of "Now That We're Men" from ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobSquarepantsMovie''. However, said song was replaced with a generic tune later on, for whatever reason. |
| 38 | * The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrysMovie'' used "The Egg Travels" from ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaur}}''. |
| 39 | * True to the name, some trailers for ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' used music from ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. Others used ''In the Hall of the Mountain King''. The trailer also used the music from the 2004 version of ''Film/TheStepfordWives''. |
| 40 | * But just to show that nothing is immune, trailers for ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' used a version of the Christmas song "Carol of the Bells" for ''its'' trailers. |
| 41 | * Disney pulls out "If I Never Knew You" and the hook from "Just Around The Riverbend" (both from ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}'') for some of their movies, especially the DirectToVideo films. |
| 42 | * The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/Dougs1stMovie'' had background music from the live-action ''Film/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians1996''. Most notably is when Skeeter says, "There's something bad behind me, isn't there?", an instrumental "Cruella de Vil" is heard, and then later was the music used during Pongo and Perdita's departure to find the puppies. The VHS commercial for ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'' had the same. |
| 43 | * The main theme from ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'' is used in an advert for a 1996 VHS release of ''WesternAnimation/TheAristocats''. |
| 44 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wAbGAkkOgcM trailer]] for ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'' makes use of the theme "To the Stars" from ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}''. |
| 45 | * The 1993 reissue trailer for ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' features a bit of music from the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of ''{{WesternAnimation/Fantasia}}'' during the scary moments. |
| 46 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyGLiwGUjeM promo trailer]] sent to potential investors for ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie'' use the "Bird of Prey Decloaks" and "Return to Vulcan" themes from ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock''. |
| 47 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgCkeQ8oZQM This trailer]] for ''WesternAnimation/PoohsHeffalumpMovie'' uses part of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edmxrAF-828 Doom's A Toon!]]" from ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit''. |
| 48 | * The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/ChickenRun'' uses music from two previous Creator/DreamWorksSKG productions, ''WesternAnimation/{{Antz}}'' and ''Film/MouseHunt'', as well as the main theme of ''Film/TheGreatEscape''. |
| 49 | * The teaser trailer for ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' used music from ''Film/IronWill''. |
| 50 | ** The trailer for ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' uses the main theme of ''Film/MenInBlack''. |
| 51 | * The trailer for the 2000 ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' movie briefly uses some of Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell's score from ''{{WesternAnimation/Antz}}''. |
| 52 | * The two teaser trailers for ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1'' use "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0cMmczfv4g Dorfler's Theme]]" from ''Film/MidnightRun''. |
| 53 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5EcRbTWm2A first trailer]] for ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'' used "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWPN5TWa0P4 Stink]]" from ''Film/GetShorty''. |
| 54 | [[/folder]] |
| 55 | |
| 56 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 57 | * ''Film/TermsOfEndearment'' is probably the TropeCodifier. Any trailer using [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnxfDuxaRzA the theme]] is practically screaming in your ear: "Quirky character study comedy that will have poignant moments at the end!" |
| 58 | * ''Film/LoveStory'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTSc4hBdCd0 served that role]] for weepy romances. |
| 59 | * ''Film/SweetLiberty'' is a relatively minor comedy from 1985, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWm26RVdWDE the score]] has been used in a ton of comedy trailers. |
| 60 | %% * Nothing says "EPIC!" like [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of5ebCY5__Q the Adagio of Spartacus]]. |
| 61 | * Erotic thriller? Expect to hear [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYQmsyYxSFk "Telescope"]] by Music/PinoDonaggio from ''Film/BodyDouble''. |
| 62 | * Buddy movie? Expect the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCVFEvVYdwk theme]] to ''Film/MidnightRun'' by Music/DannyElfman. |
| 63 | * The trailers for ''Film/TinkerTailorSoldierSpy'' made excellent use of Danny Elfman's score from ''Film/TheWolfman2010''. |
| 64 | %%* Enya. And not just for films -- any time any sort of visual medium wants to convey uplift/hope/sensitivity/poignancy, she's pretty much the go-to artist. How many films/trailers/TV shows/commercials have ''you'' heard these in? |
| 65 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wfYIMyS_dI Only Time]] |
| 66 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiBwr4U59EI Book of Days]] |
| 67 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeYL3uhYv48 Caribbean Blue]] |
| 68 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfVJ11GXzXQ Orinoco Flow]] |
| 69 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRBW_vRHslI Anywhere Is]] |
| 70 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOykCYDMKBs May It Be]] |
| 71 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiyiexKOaHk Storms in Africa]] |
| 72 | %%* The overuse of "O Fortuna" -- particularly for huge, sprawling period epic war footage -- was splendidly mocked in an advertisement for the Australian beer Carlton Draught. |
| 73 | * Music/RandyEdelman may feel either aggrieved or blessed by this trope, depending; two of his movie themes, for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHthbtSbGLM ''Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story'']] (around 1:35 in) and ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'' ("[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTKSUlMbp9A To The Stars]]"), have been peddled endlessly in trailers for other movies. |
| 74 | ** The ''Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story'' theme was used in the trailers for ''Film/ForrestGump'', ''Film/TheTrumanShow'', and even in an early ''Film/HarryPotter'' commercial. The latter is particularly jarring due to the piece sounding nothing like the now iconic ''Harry Potter'' leitmotifs. |
| 75 | ** A third piece, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MejD4_9lUmM "Fire in a Brooklyn Theater"]] from ''Come See the Paradise'', has been used often enough in trailers for courtroom dramas and political thrillers -- including ''three'' adaptations of Creator/TomClancy novels -- to warrant a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_See_the_Paradise#Soundtrack_legacy subheading]] on the movie's Wikipedia page. |
| 76 | * One trailer for ''Film/Apollo13''[[note]]As seen before ''Film/MajorPayne'', among others[[/note]] takes its music from the '90 ''[[Film/TotalRecall1990 Total Recall]]''. Some may recognize the eerie fadeout as part of the score where Quaid and Melina stand on the mountaintop on the terraformed Mars and have their kiss. |
| 77 | * True to this trope's name, the first trailer for Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/AliceInWonderland2010'' contains "Up and Out" from ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', as well as "Brainwash 'n Go" from ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit''. |
| 78 | * The score for the film ''Film/TheRocketeer'' has probably been heard in trailers for other films by more moviegoers than ever saw ''The Rocketeer'' itself. |
| 79 | * The same goes for "[[https://youtu.be/zRsVVJYGEBI First Flight]]" from ''Film/{{Explorers}}''. Many kid adventure movies used this piece for their trailers. Otherwise, ''Film/SpaceCamp'' would usually be used [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YzRxLRYyUI instead]]. |
| 80 | * The trailer for the 2006 film ''Film/DejaVu2006'' used the theme from ''Franchise/{{Saw}}''. So do some trailers for ''Film/{{Valkyrie}}'', and ''Film/TheBox''. |
| 81 | ** This in itself might not be so bad, if not for the fact that the trailer ended up being played before ''Film/SawIII''. |
| 82 | %%* At least one of the trailers for ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' did this. They were still working on the music for the movie. The trailer used music from ''Film/TheIsland2005'' as well as music by Audiomachine. |
| 83 | * An overused score is the main theme from ''Film/RequiemForADream'', "Lux Aeterna" which is used for "serious" movies... and certain NASCAR commercials. Most ads don't use the original recording; instead they tend to use the big orchestral arrangement which was recorded for the trailer of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'' (often called "Requiem for a Tower"). |
| 84 | ** The ''Film/RequiemForADream'' version was used in a chrurch for a video montage of World Youth Day preparation. |
| 85 | ** Neatly mocked in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP4mgObDeUU this]] Telus commercial, featuring some fairly epic meerkats. |
| 86 | ** A LOT of [=YouTube=] videos use this piece. |
| 87 | %%** They do seem to be fond of using Clint Mansell--"Lux Aeterna" and the "Requiem for a Tower" remixes are the most common, but there has also been a bit of ''Death is the Road to Awe'' from ''The Fountain'' score in a trailer for ''Frost/Nixon''. |
| 88 | ** You '''HAVE''' heard this piece. And [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E when you listen to it]] you '''will''' say "oh, the movie trailer song" at 1:38. |
| 89 | ** It's frequently used on ''Series/BritainsGotTalent''. It seems like a typical usage until you [[FridgeBrilliance realize]] that one of the storylines in ''Requiem For A Dream'' involves someone compromising their values and ultimately sacrificing their sanity for a chance to be on television. |
| 90 | ** It is also used in the trailer for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E Cupcakes: The Movie]]. |
| 91 | %%* Music/ESPosthumus' album ''Unearthed'' has been regularly plundered for trailer music. Interestingly, ''Series/ColdCase'' also [[RealSongThemeTune uses music from this album as the title theme]]. Unsurprisingly, the duo wound up producing the theme for the UsefulNotes/SuperBowl one year. |
| 92 | %%** It was the AFC Championship Game, and the promo was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StDNxdmnCz4 Epic.]] |
| 93 | %%** Not terribly surprisingly, it's rumored that the brothers behind E.S. Posthumus are actually the experienced trailer-music composers Jeffrey and Robert Pfeifer, of Pfeifer Broz. Music. The ASCAP database briefly (and embarrassingly) credited the Pfeifers with every single track in E.S. Posthumus' output, and "outed" E.S. Posthumus as aliases. |
| 94 | ** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AEU5pBxY6E Nara]]" is the track used most often, it seems--that's the ''Series/ColdCase'' one and it was in the trailers of ''Unfaithful'' and ''Vanity Fair''. |
| 95 | * A lot of trailers use music from the ''Film/{{Stargate}}'' movie. Usually the piece called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke9aa67RI24 "Mastadge Drag"]]. Examples include ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'', ''WesternAnimation/ThePolarExpress'', and ''Film/TheTimeMachine2002''. |
| 96 | * Incidentally, ''Film/{{Stargate}}'' used music from Wojciech Kilar's ''Film/BramStokersDracula'' which was used for numerous other trailer's itself: including ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'', ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', ''Film/DemolitionMan'', ''Film/Underworld2003'' and ''Film/WhatLiesBeneath''. |
| 97 | * In the previews for the movie ''Film/NoReservations2007'', part of the music used consisted of the ending credits music from ''Film/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents''. Its own trailers were using music from Paramount's ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' films. And some trailers for ''A Series Of Unfortunate Events'' used the ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'' theme! The first trailer for Burton's ''Alice in Wonderland'' used music from ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' -- the cycle is complete. Naturally ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' also used music from ''A Series of Unfortunate Events''. |
| 98 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX1rxPBTyEY "Bishop's Countdown"]] from ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' pops up a lot in trailers involving action sequences building up to a crescendo. |
| 99 | * The choral bit called "O Verona" from Baz Luhrmann's ''Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'' sounds a bit like Carmina Burana and gets used a lot. It was also used in the trailer for ''Film/TheXFilesFightTheFuture'', certainly. |
| 100 | * ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'' - Music/DannyElfman said, as part of a commentary track for the DVD, that every now and again his friends will call up and say "Edward's back!" when some trailer uses its music. The first one that did, specifically using the cue "The Grand Finale", was most likely 1993's ''The Secret Garden''. The score is also frequently imitated in ads for other companies - indeed, if ''any'' ad's BGM involves an slightly spooky CherubicChoir, it's probably an imitation of this score. |
| 101 | * Elfman's title music for ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' is also heard frequently in trailers for kid's movies. |
| 102 | * Some family films use the main theme from ''Film/LiarLiar'' during their trailers. |
| 103 | * The trailer for ''Film/{{Australia}}'' (the movie, not the country!) uses "The Ecstasy of Gold" from ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'' and the heroic leitmotif from ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. It also used the music that plays during the St. Crispian's speech in Creator/KennethBranagh's ''Theatre/HenryV''. |
| 104 | * Nicely averted by ''Film/TheProposition'' which used its own soundtrack, probably because the soundtrack was one of the film's main selling points. This is also true of ''Film/MirrorMask''. |
| 105 | * The ecstatic, sweeping "Prime Minister's Love Theme" from ''Film/LoveActually'' crops up in any number of trailers, particularly romantic comedies. |
| 106 | %%* See if you recognize [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X1_Zyqv2Hk this music]] from anywhere. |
| 107 | %%* The trailer for ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' uses a track that [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong s ounds a hell of a lot like]] "Come and Get Them" from ''300''. The song is actually "Legend" by Groove Addicts, a trailer music group who are known for their use of [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong Suspiciously Similar Songs]]. Just as the trailer for ''Vantage Point'' uses the track "To Victory" from the same soundtrack. |
| 108 | * The score to ''Film/DonnieDarko'', and a swathe of knockoffs thereof, seemed to be all over the place three months after it hit DVD. The spooky-but-lighthearted Middlesex Times (or is it Manipulated Living?) made it around the most. |
| 109 | * The initial [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0DTpq1RU0 trailer]] for ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' used [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1laXBhhVG0 music]] from ''Film/TheAmericanPresident''. |
| 110 | * The use "Journey to the Line" from ''Film/TheThinRedLine'' makes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx6HnLvK9M0 the trailer]] for ''Film/PearlHarbor'' look so frickin' awesome and epic that it made a lot of people think it could be another ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' or at least a really cool movie. [[NeverTrustATrailer You know what they say....]] |
| 111 | * The theme from ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' was used in one of the trailers for ''Film/{{Thunderbirds}}''. |
| 112 | ** As well as the TV spots for ''Master & Commander'', no doubt trying to forge a connection with the blockbuster ''The Curse of the Black Pearl'', which came out a few months prior. |
| 113 | * ''Film/JamesBond'' movies avert this trope; the only music that a trailer for any ''Bond'' movie needs is a variant of the classic ''James Bond'' theme. ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' and ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' featured the ''Bond'' theme mixed with OminousLatinChanting. |
| 114 | %%* The music from the climax of ''Film/DarkCity'' was used for one of the sequels in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''. Nearly all of the melodic motifs in the ''Dark City'' score were lifted out of Igor Stravkinsky's Theatre/TheRiteOfSpring. |
| 115 | * The "Word of Warning" teaser for ''Film/{{Alien}}'' swiped some of the score from ''Film/LogansRun''. |
| 116 | * The commercials for ''Film/TheSantaClause 3'' contained "What's This" from ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. |
| 117 | %%* The trailer for ''Film/ConfessionsOfAShopaholic'' used many songs, including Rihanna's "Disturbia," which was not in the film. |
| 118 | * The trailer for ''Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' used Music/DannyElfman's "Breakfast Machine" music from ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure''. |
| 119 | %%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AeoJU4KqSY&feature=PlayList&p=AA8F2CDC9C7AC16A&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1]] See this, then notice what's different from the actual movie. |
| 120 | %%* Most of the trailers for ''9'' used "Welcome Home" by Music/CoheedAndCambria, which stands very much in contrast with the film's own gloomy orchestral score. |
| 121 | * The theatrical trailer for ''Film/CinderellaMan'' used the Atreides March from the SYFY miniseries ''Series/ChildrenOfDune'', the first song on this sampler of the soundtrack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHOaaNT69qU&feature=related |
| 122 | ** Also, the trailer for ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'' uses the track "The Revolution" from the same series before transitioning to the Raiders March. |
| 123 | %%* "What I Like About You" by The Romantics gets used a lot in comedy trailers. |
| 124 | * Music/AlanSilvestri's theme from ''Film/MouseHunt'' was used in the live action ''Cat In The Hat'' film trailer and for the ''WesternAnimation/AChristmasCarol2009'' trailer, as well as many others. |
| 125 | ** And then it was ''actually reused'' (in the film itself) in ''Film/FredClaus''. |
| 126 | * The trailer for ''Film/Creepshow2'' used the theme from ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}''. |
| 127 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clqK5OC3BWE original 1987 trailer]] to ''Film/RoboCop1987'' uses the famous main score from ''FilM/TheTerminator'', which makes sense when you consider that Orion Pictures was involved with both films. |
| 128 | * The theme used during the trailer of ''Film/{{Casper}}'' was "What's This?" from ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. |
| 129 | %%* "Love Song" seems to be used for every romantic movie, particularly romantic comedy, regardless of how clingy the relationship is. |
| 130 | * Tomoyasu Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" began cropping up all over the place after ''Film/KillBill'' made it famous. |
| 131 | * Elfman's main theme to Rodney Dangerfield's ''Film/BackToSchool'' has been trailer music for plenty of boisterous comedies. |
| 132 | * Music/HansZimmer's piece [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq5kbNW8VKU You're So Cool]] from the movie ''Film/TrueRomance'', gets used in trailers quite often. |
| 133 | ** Which itself is almost a direct rip-off of Carl Orff's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ9_6W6bVoQ "Gassenhauer"]]. |
| 134 | * Trailers for ''Film/Constantine2005'' use "Pain and Retribution" from the score to ''Film/TheCrow''. |
| 135 | * The teaser to ''Film/BedtimeStories2008'' had music playing from ''Film/OneHundredAndTwoDalmatians''. |
| 136 | * Aversion: the first trailer for ''Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera2004'' used a churning, string-section-heavy part of the actual score (though that may have been a different recording than the one used in the film), followed by a small snippet of Gerard Butler singing "The Music of the Night". The trailers for the DVD version, oddly, still contained the score, but little to no singing (similar to the ''Sweeney Todd'' example above), except the narration still called it "Andrew Lloyd Webber's triumphant musical"! |
| 137 | * One of the first teasers of Creator/RidleyScott's ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' used "Anvil of Crom" from ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'' by Music/BasilPoledouris. What better way to set the epic tone for the then upcoming movie? The film had music by Music/HansZimmer, Klaus Badelt and Music/LisaGerrard. |
| 138 | ** Speaking of ''Gladiator'', "Now We Are Free" has been used in a number of trailers, most famously ''Film/ManOfSteel''. |
| 139 | %%* Trailers used to use ''Aquarium'', from Camille Saint-Saëns' ''Carnival of the Animals'', for a supernatural, slightly creepy vibe, before people realized that putting classical pieces in trailers made them feel unoriginal. Many people think it was an original piece written for one of the ''Harry Potter'' films. |
| 140 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pblcodi0ZfA Only You]] |
| 141 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAWpSdQI8fg Charlotte's Web]] |
| 142 | %%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFk0T0eQonw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button]] |
| 143 | * Early trailers for the movie ''Film/{{Seabiscuit}}'' used Creator/MichaelGiacchino's main theme for ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor'' on the Platform/PlayStation. |
| 144 | * The trailer to the movie ''Film/{{Miracle}}'' uses the end title from the 2000 film ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'' for its climax. |
| 145 | * Music/MichaelKamen's main theme from ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'' is used in promos for Disney DVD and Blu-ray releases. Ironic, since that film was not released by Disney or its affiliates, and in fact, Disney has its own version of WesternAnimation/{{Robin Hood|1973}}. |
| 146 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQXVzg2PiZw The main theme]] from ''Film/{{Sunshine}}'' is getting really popular. It's especially worth noting that the version linked to is the official soundtrack version: "Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor)". However, in the film itself the piece is in a different key, [[note]] specifically, a higher key, and since even the clip of Cassie's voice on the official version is a lower pitch than it is in the movie, one wonders if they didn't just take the track and digitally pitch it all down... for some reason...[[/note]] and that version seems to get used as often as the official one. |
| 147 | * The trailer for ''Film/TheMightyDucks 2'' used the iconic Music/AlanSilvestri theme from ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture''. |
| 148 | ** As did a couple of trailers for ''Film/{{Bushwhacked}}''. |
| 149 | ** One trailer for the Creator/AdamSandler vehicle ''Film/BedtimeStories2008'' used the Western theme from ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII''. |
| 150 | * If the music from the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCRQQCKS7go trailer]] for ''Film/{{Super 8}}'' sounds familiar, that's because it was from the movie ''Film/{{Cocoon}}''. It can be heard in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEzTeHJUk3k this trailer]] for ''Film/CocoonTheReturn''. |
| 151 | * The trailers for ''Film/IndependenceDay'' used Zimmer's "Roll Tide" fanfare from ''Film/CrimsonTide''. |
| 152 | * The trailer for ''Film/RunawayTrain'' made excellent use of Henry Mancini's dynamic theme for ''Film/Lifeforce1985''. Both were Cannon Group productions. |
| 153 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C_E-gwsuAM This teaser]] for a school musical production of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' uses the song "One Short Day" from ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}''. |
| 154 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kVmLkMicMn8 trailer]] for the ''Film/AfterEarth'' uses the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpTcZJJ-lm0 main menu theme]] from ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution''. |
| 155 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wok7pG9_vX8 trailer]] music for the Disney film ''Film/AngelsInTheOutfield'' notably featured the main overture from ''Film/{{Rudy}}'', as well the main theme from another baseball flick, ''Film/TheNatural''. |
| 156 | * Both ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'' and ''Film/TheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney'', with soundtracks by Howard Shore, ''invert'' this: |
| 157 | ** ''The Return of the King'' starts with shortened versions of the themes ''Breath of Life'' and ''The Last March of the Ents'' from ''The Two Towers'', and then switches to music recorded especially for the trailer. This music ends in an epic version of the Gondor theme that sounds suspiciously similar to the scene where Gandalf rides through Minas Tirith. |
| 158 | ** As for ''An Unexpected Journey'', it starts with a variation on the Shire theme (maybe used in the movie, but not present in the OST), before we're treated to the Dwarves' ''Misty Mountains'' song. But after that we hear the exact same score as in the scene where the party leaves Rivendell, though with a different instrumentation. |
| 159 | * "My Name Is Lincoln" from ''Film/TheIsland2005'' shows up quite frequently in film trailers. Much of the trailer to ''Film/{{Flyboys}}'' is set to it. |
| 160 | * "Escape", from the period film ''Film/PlunkettAndMacleane'', is another prominently used chorale theme, showing up in trailers for films such as ''Film/{{Quills}}'' and ''Film/ThePatriot2000''. |
| 161 | * ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': |
| 162 | ** The original trailer shown at Comic-Con used "Time" from ''Film/{{Inception}}''. |
| 163 | ** The first official trailer uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQXVzg2PiZw "Adagio in D Minor"]] from ''Film/{{Sunshine}}'' and "Journey to the Line" from ''Film/TheThinRedLine''. |
| 164 | ** The final Trailer uses the song ''Kashmir'' by Music/LedZeppelin. |
| 165 | * The teaser for ''Film/ManOfSteel'' used "Khazad-Dûm", from Howard Shore's score for ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing''. |
| 166 | * The second trailer for Creator/ChristopherNolan's ''Film/{{Interstellar}}'' brilliantly uses "Evey Reborn" from Dario Marianelli's score for ''Film/VForVendetta''. |
| 167 | * One of the trailers for ''Film/SkyCaptainAndTheWorldOfTomorrow'' uses the theme from ''Series/StargateSG1''. |
| 168 | * All three sequels to ''Film/Batman1989'' used music cues from that film, even though they appeared nowhere in the actual movies and Music/DannyElfman stopped scoring them after ''Film/BatmanReturns''. |
| 169 | * The first actual [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmeOjFno6Do trailer]] for ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' uses an '''INCREDIBLY''' creepy DarkReprise of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQC5bQKPj6o Got No Strings]] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}.'' |
| 170 | * The trailer for ''Film/EightBelow'' used music from ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo''. |
| 171 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2DAry5gaY0 trailer]] for ''[[Film/IronEagle Aces: Iron Eagle III]]'' uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjts5DrcdiU The Dream]] from ''Film/TotalRecall1990''. |
| 172 | * The trailer for ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'' used excerpts from Music/JohnWilliams' soundtrack for the film adaptation of ''Literature/BlackSunday''. Subsequent ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Original Series]]'' and ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]'' films would recycle music from previous films in the series (with the first two TNG films' trailers also using excerpts from the TNG main theme, itself a re-orchestration of the TOS and TMP themes). |
| 173 | ** ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', and ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' avoided this by just using their own scores in their trailers, while ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' avoided using ''Star Trek'' music in its trailer at all, instead throwing a snippet from ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes2001'' in with some StockTrailerMusic. |
| 174 | * An instrumental of Music/{{Coldplay}}'s "Clocks" will indicate ''TimePassesMontage: TheMovie''. |
| 175 | * Averted nicely by ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', in which only music heard in the film is used. |
| 176 | * The teaser trailer for ''Film/ResidentEvilRetribution'' uses the "Recognizer" track from ''Film/TronLegacy''. |
| 177 | * ''La Valse D'Amelie'' from ''Film/{{Amelie}}''. It's been in many ads and so-called reportages. |
| 178 | * [[https://youtu.be/4JmrTBBAfHA?t=2m30s The trailer for]] ''The Real Macaw'' is pretty much a showcase of some of the most common stock trailer music often heard in spots for family movies. |
| 179 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnDIu5YaKFI theatrical trailer]] for ''Film/{{Nell}}'' used Music/JamesNewtonHoward's end theme from ''Film/WyattEarp''. This music gets used a ''lot'' for inspiring stories, especially depicting rural life. The TV promo used the love theme from ''Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story'' by Randy Edelman. |
| 180 | * The ''Film/DeadRingers'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZHbu3msmes trailer]] not only mentioned that it was from [[Creator/DavidCronenberg the director]] of ''Film/TheFly1986'' but also used four of the earlier movie's score cues (in order: "Steak Montage", "Seth Goes Through", "The Armwrestle", and "The Phone Call"). Music/HowardShore scored both, so this was even more apt. Another cue ("Plasma Pool") was incorporated into both the teaser and trailer for ''Film/TheFlyII'' (which as a BTeamSequel had a different composer), meaning this score was used three times in a twelve-month span. |
| 181 | * The first trailer for ''Film/TwoThousandTwelve'' uses the same music that was used in the trailer for ''Film/TheShining''. |
| 182 | * The trailers for ''Film/JurassicPark'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'' both used a the track [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEJPc5dgofc Burn it all]] from the soundtrack from ''Film/{{Backdraft}}''. |
| 183 | * The trailer for the ''[[Film/TheFlintstones Flintstones]]'' movie started with the main theme of ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryTheMovie'' by Music/HenryMancini. |
| 184 | * The trailer for ''Film/TheManhattanProject'' used some of the endless overuse of the instrumental version of "[[BreakawayPopHit Twist of Fate]]" that ExecutiveMeddling mandated serve as the score of ''Film/TwoOfAKind1983'' |
| 185 | * Notably averted by ''Film/{{Hoffa}}'' - where [[Creator/DannyDevito the director's]] AssociatedComposer Music/DavidNewman got to score the trailer as well as the film. |
| 186 | * Also by freaking Music/JohnWilliams on ''Film/{{Nixon}}'' (it's called " The 1960's: The Turbulent Years" on the soundtrack album. |
| 187 | * See also Music/JerryGoldsmith when was attached to ''Film/JudgeDredd'' - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOXQcPtBjlY It was included]] on Creator/{{Intrada}}'s 2-CD expanded release of Music/AlanSilvestri's music for the finished product. |
| 188 | * Whenever a trailer needs to underscore a particularly sad or poigniant moment, expect to hear [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JSGCooJo2A "Brooks Was Here"]] from Randy Newman's score for ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption''. |
| 189 | * An early example; the trailer for ''Film/{{Tarantula}}'' reused part of the score from ''Film/ItCameFromOuterSpace''. |
| 190 | [[/folder]] |
| 191 | |
| 192 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 193 | * The 2006 Literature/{{Discworld}} Convention included an exclusive trailer for the TV adaptation of ''Hogfather'' which was still in post-production. The director apologised beforehand for having to use the music from ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''. |
| 194 | * The trailers for the History Channel's ''Series/BandOfBrothers'' used the''Film/LegendsOfTheFall'' ThemeTune (by James Horner). |
| 195 | * TNT used music from ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' (Suicide Mission, to be exact) for a promo of ''Series/TheBorgias''. |
| 196 | * Commercials for the Italian edition of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' ([[InNameOnly which aired at Fridays]]) used the Pinna Park theme from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine''. |
| 197 | * ''Creator/PBSKids'': |
| 198 | ** A station ident for the 24/7 PBS Kids channel [[https://youtu.be/ayRCj4QGZPQ WETA Kids]] uses "Trashin' The Camp" from ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''. |
| 199 | ** [[https://youtube.com/watch?v=sg1wWWuYqqc This PBS Kids Go! promo for Arthur]] uses the ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'' ImageSong "Let's Stick Together". Another promo from the same era used "We're All In This Together" from ''Film/HighSchoolMusical''. |
| 200 | ** Perhaps most surprisingly of all, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mroClT0YEQ WGBH Kids' promos]] use "Tank!", the opening theme to ''Anime/CowboyBebop''. |
| 201 | ** They have used an instrumental of "That Thing You Do" from [[Film/ThatThingYouDo the movie of the same name]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Z91qbsHZc a promo]] for ''WesternAnimation/WordWorld''. |
| 202 | * Creator/TheBBC nature documentary series ''Planet Earth'' had an original score by George Fenton, but the trailers used "Hoppípolla" by Music/SigurRos which became a hit single as a result, and was so strongly associated with the show that over a decade later, a remix was used in the trailers for ''Planet Earth II''. |
| 203 | [[/folder]] |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 206 | * Every single trailer of ''[[VideoGame/DoubleOhLegends 007 Legends]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GoldenEyeWii GoldenEye 007: Reloaded]]'' used the music composed for ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' trailer. |
| 207 | * ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': |
| 208 | ** In what appears to be a sort of mini-tradition, the series used [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGWF8mz1Zw "Riddle Of Steel/Riders of Doom" by Basil Poledouris]] from ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'' in the trailers for ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', and it was so popular, Creator/{{Nintendo}} reused it in the first trailers for ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]''! |
| 209 | ** A trailer for ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'' used an orchestral version of the Dark World music from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast''. The music doesn't appear in the finished product. |
| 210 | * One trailer for ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' used a fast-paced, techno "battle" piece over a series of explosions and battle scenes. The melody, however, was not from the first or second ''Franchise/FarCry'' games, but was, in fact, the mini boss battle theme "Fear the Reaper" from ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil.'' |
| 211 | * A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ2LVZX4yiQ trailer]] for ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' uses music from the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' and ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. |
| 212 | * The first trailer for ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' used "Pruitt-Igoe" from ''Film/{{Koyaanisqatsi}}''. |
| 213 | %%* ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' used a few Associated Production Music pieces for one of its trailers. What's odd about it is that the pieces chosen were very heroic and rousing, like something you'd hear on a movie soundtrack, but the game's actual soundtrack (by Mark Mothersbaugh and Josh Mancell) sounded nothing like that. |
| 214 | %%* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper: Thieves in Time'' used an APM track in its trailer. It's "The Lineman", best known to everyone as the [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy theme]]. |
| 215 | * One of ''VideoGame/HaloReach'''s trailers used "Pursuit of Truth" from ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'', which itself is a remix of "Leela" from the series' [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual predecessor]] ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}''. |
| 216 | [[/folder]] |
| 217 | |
| 218 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 219 | * The pre-series trailer for ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'' had the entrance theme of the late WWE superstar Wrestling/{{Umaga}} playing during it at one point. |
| 220 | [[/folder]] |
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