Historically inaccurate Music in Film/TV, Good? Bad? Other? Options

[PrincessKate]

I am doing a writing, and as it's set in late 40s/early 50s Middle England, I am listening to a lot of twee 1940s music, and thinking about which ones work well with the plot. Which brought me to thinking - is the use of music which is not of that time (say 80s/90s in this case) ever acceptable? Does it just take you out of the moment? Does it jar too much? Your opinions please.
Incidentally, the only example of this I can think of off the top of my head is Dirty Dancing.

[empathy-with-bea...]

I think that's a really good question. I think a good example is Deadwood which uses all sorts of crazy songs from the early part of the 20th century that nevertheless seems right and to fit with the feel of the story. And they are songs rather than purpose written music quite often. i think the problem with it is is that the more iconic a period's music is the harder it is to hear other music with it. I don't really know what lat 19th century American music sounds like so I'm happy to listen to something else with it. The 40's or 60's would be harder to replace with something non-period.

[Sostie]

The only two examples I can think of both worked quite well. Knight’s Tale used Bowie’s “Golden Years” (and I’m pretty sure some other contemporary tracks) to great effect and Inglorious Basterds used Bowie’s “Cat People”, which again worked well.

I guess it depends more on the tone of the film. Had such songs been used in something a little more “serious” like an Austen adaptation it may be more jarring.

Would the use of a synth score in a period piece work? I can’t think of many, though Gallipoli and The Keep spring to mind.

[empathy-with-bea...]

There's things like The Proposition and The Assassination of Jesse James that have Nick cave scores that are relatively non-period.

[PrincessKate]

Good points all - The playlist I cobbled together which is supposed to be inspiring is heavily Al Duvall-based, and his music is hard to pinpoint - sounds like it could have been recorded or written any time between 1800 and 1950. I also wondered about the validity of acts like the Puppini Sisters, Pipettes, Kitty, Daisy and Lewis, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and so on - acts with an old sound, but new recordings.
Then there's how much flack you'd get using music that's of the time but perhaps a few years out - 1958 when the action's taking place in '52. This comes from reading a comment on the Road to Coronation Street complaining about the ring on the phone in Tony Jordan's house being incorrect for 1960.

[Raven]

I've always found the use of "Smack my Bitch Up", during Sally's demise at the hands of Sykes, to be a tad distracting in Oliver.

Really pulls you out of the moment.


(Sorry . . .)

[logger]

It all depends wheteher it fits the scene, thus anything is acceptable if it works. Just look at the soundtrack for Marie Antoinette.

[blackcherry]

I don't know if it would be of any use to you but a friend of mine is in a 1940s vocal harmony trio called Swingaroo Sisters

[maian]

I think that's a really good question. I think a good example is Deadwood which uses all sorts of crazy songs from the early part of the 20th century that nevertheless seems right and to fit with the feel of the story. And they are songs rather than purpose written music quite often. i think the problem with it is is that the more iconic a period's music is the harder it is to hear other music with it. I don't really know what lat 19th century American music sounds like so I'm happy to listen to something else with it. The 40's or 60's would be harder to replace with something non-period.

It's been a while since I watched Deadwood, but do the songs actually play out over the scenes? I thought that the show pretty much avoided using music except over the end credits, which do use non-period music but are obviously fair game. Have I completely mis-remembered the show?

As others have said, the tone of the work is more important in determining the use of music than the period when it is set. It would take me out of the scene if it was diegetic, such as if in a film set in the 1940s someone started playing Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand on a piano, but if it is non-diegetic then it's fair game, really.

[Sir_Robin_the_br...]

Thom Yorke's Analyse over end the credits of The Prestige works well I've always thought.

This post has been edited by Sir_Robin_the_brave: Jan 11 2011, 03:23 PM

[empathy-with-bea...]

It's been a while since I watched Deadwood, but do the songs actually play out over the scenes? I thought that the show pretty much avoided using music except over the end credits, which do use non-period music but are obviously fair game. Have I completely mis-remembered the show?

It was those end credits I was referring to, but I'd dispute how fair game end credits tend to be to non-period music, Deadwood stood out for me because of the way they used it.

[maian]

Obviously if they stuck some happy hardcore over the end credits of a show set in the 1860s it would be somewhat jarring, but I feel that since the end credits of a show do not form part of the body of the show itself, there is more leeway afforded to the use of non-period music.