I discovered a really interesting video on Vimeo about the music used in the Marvel Universe films. It hinges on how we remember music and theme tunes from some films and not others. Movies like the James Bond theme, Star Wars, Star Trek etc. are easily recalled (and some times stick in our mind like a bad ear worm). People are asked in the video below about the Marvel theme tunes and are dumbstruck.
To me the most salient point of the video was that "no-one remembers safe choices". I think this applies in many areas of life as well as Marvel movies music content.
The video is about 15 mins long but well worth watching, with headphones. ;-)
Here's a second, supplementary video we made: https://vimeo.com/181873016
And a new Twitter account about temp music we made: https://twitter.com/SoundsLikeTemp
Watch Dan Golding's great response video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcXsH88XlKM
Off the top of your head, could you sing the theme from Star Wars? How about James Bond? Or Harry Potter? But here’s the kicker: can you sing any theme from a Marvel film? Despite 13 films and 10 billion dollars at the box office, the Marvel Cinematic Universe lacks a distinctive musical identity or approach. So let’s try to answer the question: what is missing from Marvel music?
This video was made by
Brian Satterwhite: https://twitter.com/bmsatter
Taylor Ramos: https://twitter.com/glassesattached
Tony Zhou: https://twitter.com/tonyszhou
For educational purposes only. You can donate to support the channel at
Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/everyframeapainting
Interviews filmed in Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Special thanks to David Chen for feedback: https://www.youtube.com/user/davechensky
The Hollywood Reporter 2012 Composers Roundtable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP793Rw1cIQ
The Hollywood Reporter 2014 Composers Roundtable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSAF9_ZHjfc
Music Cues:
Daniel Pemberton - Orchestra Tuning Up (from The Movies (2005) video game)
Ramin Djawadi - “Test Day Eleven” (Unreleased from Iron Man)
Patrick Doyle - "8m52 Warriors Find Thor ALT” (Unreleased from Thor)
Henry Jackman - “The Smithsonian” (from Winter Soldier)
Danny Elfman - “Heroes” (from Age of Ultron)
Danny Elfman - “Farmhouse” (from Age of Ultron)
Patrick Doyle - “Ride to Observatory” (from Thor)
Henry Jackman - "A New Recruit” (from Civil War)
Temp Music Examples:
300 (2007)
Elliot Goldenthal - “Victorious Titus” from Titus (1999)
Tyler Bates - “Returns a King"
Titus owned by Fox Searchlight Pictures
300 owned by Warner Bros. Pictures
THOR (2011)
Steve Jablonsky - “Einstein’s Wrong” from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Patrick Doyle - “Hammer Found"
Transformers owned by Paramount Pictures
Thor first owned by Paramount Pictures, then transferred to Walt Disney Studios
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Henry Jackman - “Captain America” from Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Junkie XL - “Brothers in Arms"
Winter Soldier owned by Walt Disney Studios
Mad Max: Fury Road owned by Warner Bros. Pictures
DRIVE ANGRY (2011)
Hans Zimmer - “Mombasa” from Inception (2010)
Michael Wandmacher - “Mass vs. Acceleration"
Inception owned by Warner Bros. Pictures
Drive Angry owned by Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment