MovieChat Forums > Coming Home (1978) Discussion > The soundtrack, again...

The soundtrack, again...


What I find most remarkable about the soundtrack was that Ashby and company were able to obtain permission to use some of the biggest hits from the most popular rock bands of all time (how many other films can you think of post-1970s that use Beatles songs straight up?). For many years DVD releases were butchered because the new format meant that new royalties needed to be paid to the record companies. Slap Shot and Nighthawks come to mind. Even back in the late 70s I imagine it wasn't a trivial task to obtain permission from Apple Records, Decca, etc. In fact, the first time I saw Coming Home was in the 1990s, and I was taken aback by the nonstop flow of Beatles and Stones tunes, which no producer would ever want to pay for to use these days. Even Forrest Gump didn't include a single Beatles or Stones song.

I've often wondered whether the hippie Ashby had a personal relationship with John Lennon and some of the Beatles. No doubt he knew some of the Rolling Stones, having later directed the Stones concert film Let's Spend The Night Together. Was he able to work these connections to facilitate the necessary permissions?

reply

I love the soundtrack of this movie.

Your notion is very interesting.

reply

[deleted]

I wondered the same thing while watching it. I think nowadays Beatles song cost about 2 million dollars. Frankly I didn't enjoy the soundtrack, all of those song are just way too big and take away the attention. The two only instances where I think soundtrack works brilliantly is Manic Depression during Vi's breakdown and Buffalo Springfield song during sex scene. I knew both of those songs but they worked great and not overused elsewhere.

reply

i thought they worked. esp. when used ironically.




🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴

reply

It's quite a soundtrack of the era and some songs do not help the dramatic content. However the Chambers Brothers' Time is well used to unify a late sequence. You bring up a very interesting point about obtaining the rights and had wondered along the same lines. I can't find reference to there ever being a soundtrack album.

reply

I was thinking the same as the OP. The royalties alone must have cost a fortune! And I love all the songs, so don't get me wrong, but...

The soundtrack ruined the movie for me. At times the songs they were too distracting. Sometimes they just went on and on, as if there as a movie playing simultaneously with some oldies radio on. Some other times, they didn't suit the scene at all. In some cases, they just continued randomly after the scene was over. And on a few occasions, they were more interesting that what was happening onscreen. Which, ultimately, was a plus.

reply

Because they weren't classic rock radio staples back then.

reply

a good soundtrack

reply

I just watched the movie for the first time. The soundtrack is INSANE. If you try to acquire the rights of those songs today, it would take half the budget.

reply