Music Makes/Brakes the Movie

So ... how do I begin?

Growing up one of the classic horror films that I was introduced to at a young age was 'Night of the Living Dead.' I remember having sleepovers with my friend Chrissy ... we would pop some popcorn, snuggle up in our sleeping bags, and pop in some good 'ol horror films. I remember one time we almost woosed out while watching 'Night of the Living Dead' before the opening credits were even over! My point is, 'Night of the Living Dead' as a cinematic horror classic.

Chris purchased the newer 30th anniversary edition of the movie, (released in 1998,) because it was only $5! (That and the picture quality was supposed to be better.) Other then that, it was the same horror film that we all grew to know and love. Oh ... except the fact that an "all new musical score" had been created for the film. :::sigh::: (and that's not a GOOD sigh either.)

Usually, the opening scene when Johnny and Barbara are in the graveyard puting a memorial on their father's grave is chilling. While Barbara kneels to pay rememberance to her father, thunder begins to roll in the backround as her brother Johnny begins to reminesce about their childhood memories of being in the graveyard and how they used to get "really scared." Barbara starts feeling uneasy as Johnny begins teasing her by saying, "They're coming to get your Barbara ... they're coming for you!" Then from across the lonely graveyard a man starts walking towards them. Slowly. "They're coming to get your Barbara ... look! Here comes one of them now!" Only, it really IS a zombie. Johnny wrestles the ghoul only to be knocked unconcious by hitting his head on a grave stone. Barbara is left to fend for herself as she is chased through the country side in the opening scene. BUT- THEN the "all new musical score" starts.

Ahhhh yes, the musical score. What can I say about the new music that they replaced the PERFECTLY good origional score with? It ... SUCKED!!!! It sounded like a REALLY bad 80's horror movie, like one of the extra crappy 'Friday the 13th' movies. In fact, the music was so loud and horrible that it COMPLETELY distracted you from the entire scene. Usually I get chills when I watch that scene. THIS time, however, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to laugh or cry. (Laugh because the music turned the scene into more of a comedy scene, or cry because of how AWFUL it was.) I seriously almost told Chris to turn the movie off.

Unfortunetly, this terrible new musical score was scattered ALL throughout the movie, in ADDITION to bits and pieces of the orgional musical score so NOT ONLY did the music switch from 80's to 60's, but you could actually COMPARE how awful the new soundtrack was to the origional!!!! I cried inside.

And THAT, my friends, shows how the musical soundtrack of a movie can either make or BRAKE the film. (In this case, it broke the film to pieces.)