# Reused music in "Unfortunate Events" trailer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934 "2004-10-24T20:53:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/1 "2004-10-24T20:53:40Z")
So I went to see _Team America_ last night and there was a trailer for Jim Carrey’s new film, _A Series of Unfortunate Events_, which is loosely based on the book in the same way that _Jaws_ was loosely based on my high school biology text. But that’s not important right now. What I noticed was the music – specifically, that I’d heard it before. It was a meandering keyboard/tubular bells piece, and I’m certain it’s been played over the opening credits or scene of a very famous movie. I would even say that it was by the guy who did the music for _American Beauty_, in a movie with a very similar feel. For some reason, the opening scenes of that film and _Edward Scissorhands_ keep coming to mind, as though the music belonged in a “suburban neighborhood waking up” montage. Can anyone ID the tune? You can view the trailer (small version, Quicktime, so you can hear the tune quickly) here: [http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/lemony\_snickets/theatrical\_small.html](http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/lemony_snickets/theatrical_small.html) For bonus points – on the assumption that they borrowed the incidentals from other films, too – what’s the rest of the incidental music from? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/2 "2004-10-24T21:08:17Z")
It appears the composer’s Thomas Newman, who also did the main theme to Six Feet Under, which might be where you’re hearing the deja vu from. [http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=68365](http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=68365) ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/3 "2004-10-24T21:41:46Z")
Deja vu for sure - I’ve heard that music in a TV commercial. IBM Business Solutions, I think… ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/4 "2004-10-25T13:06:32Z")
Holy carp, now that I check his resumé on IMDB, I think it might be the music for Nemo’s first day of school in _Finding Nemo_. Anyone have the soundtrack who can confirm this? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/5 "2004-10-25T13:42:42Z")
There are about 5 or 6 bits of music in that trailer. I think you are talking about the first one. To me it has that Sim City/Six Feet Under/American Beauty/Road to Perdition sound. There is also some Edward Siccorhands in it later. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/6 "2004-10-25T14:46:53Z")
I don’t have an answer but now that I’ve seen this trailer I’m no longer excited about this movie. As a matter of a fact, I don’t think I even want to see it. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/7 "2004-10-25T22:23:55Z")
What was up with the choice of trailers, anyway? We saw TA:WP and had TWO SpongeBob trailers, Unfortunate Events and _Saw_. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/8 "2004-10-25T22:50:23Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > What was up with the choice of trailers, anyway? Yeah, we got the Spongebob one too. Did they think puppets == kids and forget the R rating? ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/9 "2004-10-25T23:08:41Z")
Since the music is generally one of the last things to be added to a film, it is common practice for them to use “temp tracks” in trailers until the actual soundtrack is finished. A lot of times they’ll use classical pieces in trailers that give the same effect as the soon-to-be-completed original score, since they’re out of copyright. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/10 "2004-10-25T23:11:38Z")
Spongebob has a large adult following. Much the same demographic as Stone and Parker aim at. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/11 "2004-10-26T03:29:23Z")
Yeah, I got a pretty bizarre set of trailers, too. _The Life Aquatic_, _Spongebob_, and _Unfortunate Events_ were all there, and I think we saw one other trailer, too. Apparently it’s **very** hip to watch Spongebob, so the crossover is there. So I’ve narrowed it down to a song from Nemo, American Beauty, or Shawshank. I’m pretty sure it’s not Shawshank, but the other two I can’t find online samples of to listen to. Anyone out there with the soundtrack? Anyone? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/12 "2004-10-26T04:36:32Z")
That music is from the soundtrack to the film **Pay It Forward** which was composed by Thomas Newman, who yes, also did **American Beauty** & **Finding Nemo**. Give me a minute and I’ll get the exact track name for you. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/13 "2004-10-26T04:38:35Z")
Oh and as soon as that track ends, the second piece of music that picks up is the **Edward Scissorhands** theme. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reused-music-in-unfortunate-events-trailer/270934/14 "2004-10-26T04:40:59Z")
It is the first song on the [soundtrack](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000050HZV/qid=1098765843/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/104-6785261-1559956) called “Possibility.” Yes, I do have this soundtrack. What? :rolleyes: I like Thomas Newman. 🙂