Using Nutcracker music to promote bad films

[perky]

I've noticed in the last few months that two movies have used the Candy Cane music from the Nutcracker as a backdrop to thier T.V. commercials. The first one was The Cat in the Hat film, a steaming pile of cow dung( I should know, I had to sit through it.)

Now I'm noticing that new Steve Martin movie Cheaper by the Dozen is using the same music.

Usually these movie commercials involve so-called "comedies" with many fast cut away scenes of goofy, slapsticky action. Apparently the marketing people who put these things together must think that Tchaikovsky's music has a "wacky" edge that helps sell these bad movies.

I dunno know, it just irritates me.

[Mel Johnson]

You'll also notice that they play the Trepak a lot at malls. It's fast and keeps the crowd moving. I once was eating breakfast with a group of other dancers, and we couldn't figure out why we were all eating so quickly. Then I noticed. Very softly, in the background, Brahms' "Hungarian Dance #5" was playing and we were all eating in time to the music. Shades of Charlie Chaplin shaving somebody in The Great Dictator!

[carbro]

Don't you hate being manipulated like that? :angry:

There's a lot of science behind the music selected for shopping malls, supermarkets, and fast food restaurants. It's all too Orwellian for my liking.

The Candy Cane music is very jittery and manic, and I guess that's the feeling that the film marketers are trying to convey. And by using something as familiar as Nut music, it's bound to draw the ear of all but the most underexposed members of the commercial-watching audience.

[Treefrog]

You mean the Crispy Critters music? :grinning:

[MYBkid]

Whenever I hear the trepak music being played somewhere or on a tv comercial I normally (and if I am with my ballet friends they join in) start doing the dance it makes me think of the dance itself. I love that dance so much that I normally love hearing it. Especially I know in most nutcrackers I have seen it gets the audience energetic and attentive if by chance their focus has been lost...so I suppose using it in advertising makes sense.

[Paul Parish]

MYBKid, the idea of DOING that dance on the spot is hair-raising -- well, if you knew the Trepak thaat Anaole Vilzak choreographed for SF Ballet, it would make you pause-- it's fantastic fun, but SO HARD-- pirouettes on top of pirouettes, double tours on top of double tours, split jumps and periodically you stick your heel out in efface and go "Hey!" and then jump and spin some more -- it;'s incredibly exhilarating ot watch, but a couple of dancers have told me it's like getting yourself beat up, to do it.....

[Dolphingirl]

It's either that or Sugar Plum though, and I think I would probably rather hear the Trepak than Sugar Plum. My favorite recent one is using Sugar Plum to promote the "Barbie of Swan Lake" video. :shrug: